Shirley to Newcastle, 18 June, 1746.
(Extract.)
“... I may assure your Grace yt. one of the principal motives I had to desire I might succeed General Phillips in his Command, was the hopes I have of it’s putting it in my power to promote his Majesty’s Service in his Province of Acadie, or Nova Scotia by securing the fidelity & Allegiance of the Inhabitants there to his Majesty’s Government in the best manner, and thereby preventing the French from making themselves masters of it, the Acquisition of wch to them with the help of the Indians would likewise endanger the Loss of the Province of New Hampshire & the Mast Country to his Majesty with the Fishery of the Acadie or Cape Sable’s Shoar, including that of Canso, to his Subjects here in present, & should not Canada be reduc’d, would enable the enemy to harrass & Diminish all his Majesty’s Colonies
& on the Continent, & have an inevitable Tendency to make themselves masters of the whole of it in time; not to mention the Continual Danger, wch their possession of Nova Scotia would at the same time expose Cape Breton & even Newfoundland to.
“The Considerations have induc’d me to take the Liberty of submitting it to your Grace, whether it might not be for his Majesty’s Service, that before the six Regiments to be employ’d agt Canada return to England, orders may be sent that such part of ’em as shall be thought necessary to assist in removing the most obnoxious of the French Inhabitants of Nova Scotia from thence, should be employ’d in that Service, wch would not take up much time; I am not certain whether a sufficient Strength might not be spar’d from the Garrison at Louisbourg a short time for this purpose, wch if it could, would make the Assistance of any other Troops needless.
“And I would particularly submit it to your Grace’s Consideration, whether in case of any Disappoinment in the present Attempt for the reduction of Canada, the immediate removal of some at least of the French Inhabitants of Nova Scotia, & securing the province in the best manner would not be ... adviseable and even necessary.
“If your Grace should think this deserves so much of your Attention there will be time enough for transmitting his Majesty’s Commands to me upon it before the present Expedition is over.
“I am with the most Dutifull Regard
“My Lord Duke
“Your Grace’s most Devoted