[Extract]

After the recent increase of the troops and of the ships, I thought, My lord, that in the present circumstances, you would like to receive a record of the armed forces and everything in active status in the Navy. In writing both reports, I took care to show clearly and precisely the disposition of the British forces as of next May. I thought I should anticipate and include the troops on their way to America as well as the frigates and corvettes being readied for the same destination. If no changes occur between now and that time, the entire forces bound for America will consist of 14,635 infantry men and 1200 marines under the orders of General Gage; also, 7 ships-of-the-line, 16 frigates, 18 corvettes, 7 schooners, with crews totaling 7600 men. All these ships are assigned to the waters of Northern America as well as the waters of the West Indies. The transport ships chartered by the Navy Department for the passage of 7 infantry regiments, 1 light Cavalry regiment and 700 marines under orders to go to America, form a total of 17,345 tons.

If we found ourselves in the same unfortunate situation as England, and if we had forces as large as hers in this part of the world, I dare say that England, without any consideration for the legitimacy of our motives or the sincerity of our promises, would seek safety with her own means, and we would soon see her squadrons in all her possessions, ready to protect them against any event. What would England not do to help bring about the independance of our colonies in rebellion? We are undoubtedly less suspicious and more righteous, but after the experience of the past, England can expect that we will take, for our own part, the precautions that the King will deem necessary. This power should not be surprised if, in similar conjuncture, we relied entirely upon her good faith. The Ministry may change and it is advisable that the successors do not find us without defense. Furthermore, I see that, among the most reasonable Englishmen, a certain number expect the King to have by next summer a squadron cruising for the protection of His colonies and the trade of His subjects. It has been clearly explained to me that, if we wished to protect the American fishermen in Newfoundland, we would have all of them on our side, and that these people could form with France and Spain an alliance so much the stronger that it would rest on their mutual interests. Since the suggestion came from a man of distinguished merit and for whom an immediate answer was required all the more because he wanted on the contrary that I take some time to think about it, I did not hesitate to reply that it was not a feasible thing. I beg you, My lord, to impute these observations only to my zeal. By submitting them to your intelligence, I beg you to remain assured that I profess no other opinions than your own to which I am bound by my feelings and my sense of duty.

We have received the information from Holland that the English Ambassador has requested the States General to stop all vessels of their nation from carrying arms and war ammunition to the English Colonies, and should they fail to do so, Great Britain would send warships to Texel, Zealand and the mouth of the Meuse in order to visit Dutch ships. You can, My lord, compare this to the language we are used to hear and you will see that weakness towards England is like an enemy that becomes worse and worse as it becomes easier to punish him.

I have the honor to forward to you along with the American papers as they were presented to the Parliament an abstract of these papers made by Mr. Frontier.² This correspondence does not flatter General Gage, for it shows clearly the sterility of his information as well as his means and views. It would be easy to verify that, on various occasions, several persons here were better informed of what actually went on in America and what was to come than General Gage himself who was there and in possession of the greatest civilian and military powers. At present, he begins to be regarded with more favor and it is believed that he will not be deprived of the command that General Amherst could have had if he had wished. Everything is being readied on the American continent for the Congress that is to take place on the tenth of May. Georgia which had not been represented at the last congress has elected a few representatives for the next one. The delegates of the other colonies will be nearly the same as those who fulfilled this mission last year. It is also believed that New York will again send delegates, and that the refusal on the part of the legal Assembly of this province to take into consideration the resolutions of the last Congress will remain without consequences. It is true that the provincial congress appointed to carry out the said resolutions acts still as unanimously as in the past, and that, according to the latest news from this Colony, it had been decided to send back with her cargo a ship expected there any day from the port of London. Furthermore, the petitions expected from the assembly will be far from conforming to the desires of the government.

Be it as it may, this sort of apparent defection on the part of the assembly is, it seems to me, an unfortunate occurence as far as the other colonies are concerned and the government must not neglect anything in order to draw the greatest advantage from it. The first summer months will apparently bring about in America important events the repercussion of which we will soon feel. . . .

The order has just been given for the building at Plymouth of a ship of 90 guns under the name of Glory.

You can rely, My lord, on my taking every opportunity to inform you of what goes on here. The state of things here becomes so interesting every day that it requires our greatest vigilance and care. I neglect nothing in order to be able to forward to you the most reliable informations and my connections are such that I can obtain them. Nothing interesting happened in either House since my last letter.

Table Showing the Guard Ships in the English Ports and the Ships Cruising in Various Seas, as of 6 March 1775.³

	EUROPE
	Guard ships in Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham.
	SHIPS			GUNS	MEN
	Barfleur			90	400
	Ocean			90	400
	Centaur			74	350
	Egmont			74	350
	Marlborough			74	350
	Royal Oak			74	350
	Resolution			74	350
	Mars			74	350
	Ramillies			74	350
	Albion			74	350
	Dublin			74	350
	Torbay			74	350
	Kent			74	350
	Exeter			64	300
	Worcester			64	300
	Raisonnable			64	300
	Ardent			64	300
	Ships of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	17			5850
	EUROPE ー Continued
	Ships cruising on the CHANNEL:
	SHIPS			GUNS	MEN
	Thames			32	180
	Alderney			Corvette	100
	Carcass			"	100
	Hunter			"	100
	Hazard			"	100
	Speedwell			"	100
	Race Horse			"	100
	Ranger			"	100
	Wasp			"	100
	Wolf			"	100
	Zephir			"	100
					1180
	Frigate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Corvettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	10
NOTE: Among the corvettes now cruising on the Channel, it can be assumed that several will receive new orders to sail for more distant destinations as it will be deemed necessary.
	Ships cruising in the Mediterranean:
	SHIPS			GUNS	MEN
	Medway			60	420
	Winchelsea			32	180
	Alarm			32	180
	Levant			28	160
	Raven			Corvette	100
					1040
	Ship of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
	Corvette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	TOTAL FOR EUROPE:
	Ships of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	18
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	4
	Corvettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	11
	Number of Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .				8070
	AFRICA: Coast of GUINEA.
	Pallas			36	180
	Weazel			Corvette	100
	Frigate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Corvette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Number of Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .				280
NOTE: Since one expects any day the ships and the corvette which had remained at the Cape of Good Hope under the command of Admiral Barland and which will be decommissioned upon their return, we have not mentioned them here. The ships Prudent, Intrepide and Warwick which were attached to the same squadron have already arrived in Portsmouth and Plymouth. Warwick was to be decommissioned in Chatham, but since she was unable to sail up the Thames she received the order to be decommissioned in Portsmouth.
	ASIA: East Indies.
	SHIPS			GUNS	MEN
	Salisbury			50	300
	Coventry			28	160
	Sea Horse			24	160
	Dolphin			24	160
	Swallow			Corvette	100
	Ship of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
	Corvette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Number of Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .				880
	NORTHERN AMERICA:
	Boyne			70	520
	Asia			64	500
	Sommerset			64	500
	Preston			50	300
	Tartar			28	160
	Hind			24	160
	Fowey			24	160
	Scarborough			20	160
	Lively			20	160
	Mercury			20	160
	Glasgow			20	160
	Cerberus			20	160
	Falcon			Corvette	100
	King's Fisher			"	100
	Swan			"	100
	Tamer			"	100
	Senegal			"	100
	Merlin			"	100
	Otter			"	100
	Canceaux			"	100
	Martin			"	100
	NORTHERN AMERICA ー Continued
	SHIPS			GUNS	MEN
	Hallifax			Schooner	60
	Hope			"	60
	St. John			"	60
	Diligent			"	60
	Gaspee			"	60
	Magdalen			"	60
	Cherokee			"	60
	Ships of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	4
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	8
	Corvettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	10
	Schooners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7
	Number of Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .				4620
	NEWFOUNDLAND:
	Romney			50	300
	Surprise			28	160
	Rose			20	160
	Aldborough			20	160
	Nautilus			Corvette	100
					880
	Ships of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
	Corvette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	JAMAICA:
	Antelope			50	300
	Maidstone			28	160
	Squirrel			20	160
	Seaford			20	160
	Ferret			Corvette	100
	Ship of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	3
	Corvette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	ANTIGUA:
	SHIPS			GUNS	MEN
	Chatham			50	300
	Argo			28	160
	Deal Castle			20	160
	Favourite			Corvette	100
	Pomona			"	100
	Diligence			"	100
	Cruizer			"	100
	Lynx			"	100
					1120
	Ship of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	2
	Corvettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	5
	AUSTRAL LANDS:
	Resolution			Corvette	100
	TOTAL FOR AMERICA:
	Ships of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7
	Frigates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	16
	Corvettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	18
	Schooners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	7
	Number of Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . .				7600
NOTE: Several Frigates and Corvettes indicated in this last column have not reached their destinations yet.
	GENERAL TOTAL:
	Ships of the line . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	26		88
	Friates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	24
	Ships with less than 20 cannon . .	38
	Number of Men				16,830