the Terms of the intended Proclamation; His Majesty thinks it more advisable to leave it to you to make such a Declaration in His Name, as you shall be of Opinion, the present Circumstances of the Province may require.”
Shirley to Newcastle, 8 June, 1747.
(Extract.)
“I have nothing to add to my Letters, which I have lately transmitted to your Grace, except that Mr. de Ramsay is still at Chiegnecto with his party in Expectation of a Reinforcement from Canada, and the Arrival of an Armament from France, and that he has not thought fit to venture again to Manis [Mines], but insists in his Messages to the Inhabitants there that they should look upon themselves as Subjects to the French King since the New England Troops were oblig’d to retire out of their District by Capitulation, but that this has had no Effect upon the Inhabitants, the Reinforcement, which I sent there afterwards, having taken repossession of Manis, and hoisted the King’s Flagg there, and the Deputies of Manis having thereupon renew’d their Oaths of Fidelity to His Majesty at Annapolis Royal; I continue the last Reinforcement at the Garrison still for the Security of that and Manis; But it is not strong enough to drive the French from Schiegnecto, it being suspected that the Inhabitants of that District, who were ever refractory to His Majesty’s Government, would not scruple to Join the Enemy in case of an attack upon ’em; And I could not think it adviseable for me to send all the Forces, which I had rais’d for the Expedition against Canada within this Government upon another Service (as I must have done to have been strong enough to force the Enemy out of Schiegnecto after the Action at Minas) when I was in daily Expectation of receiving His
Majesty’s Commands concerning the prosecution of the intended expedition, and besides, the Assembly, which has been at a great Expence for the raising of the men for the service of the Expedition only, strongly insisted upon my reserving 1500 of ’em to go against Crown Point, as your Grace will perceive by the inclos’d Copy of their Answer to my Message; However the several Reinforcements, which I did send to Annapolis, have preserv’d the Garrison and province from falling into the Enemys hands the last year, and not only made the Enemy quit Manis, but still Confine ’em to Schiegnecto; and had the Rhode Island & New Hampshire Troops Join’d the Massachusetts Forces at Manis, as was propos’d, and both those Governments promis’d me they should, and one of the Massachusetts Companies had not been lost in their passage, we should have been strong enough (I am perswaded) to have drove the Enemy the last Winter quite out of the Province of Nova Scotia: As it is, I doubt not, if no Armament arrives from France, we shall be able to keep ’em out of Annapolis and Manis till I receive His Majesty’s Commands, which I am in daily Expectation of, and will, I hope, Enable me to take effectual Measures for getting rid of the Enemy and Securing the Province against their Attempts for the future.”
Shirley to Newcastle, Boston, 25 June, 1747.
(Extract.)
“My Lord Duke,
“Since my last to your Grace, I have Accounts from Nova Scotia, that the French have rais’d a Battery of Nine Guns on the back of Schiegnecto to oppose the landing of Forces from Bay Verte, that they were also building a Fort & had landed Cannon & Mortars there, which they were
now hawling by Land, and may use either for Fortifying that District, or transport from thence to Annapolis Royal for the Reduction of his Majesty’s Garrison; There has been likewise further Accounts from thence that the Inhabitants were in Expectation of 1000 Men from Canada, which together with the Indians & People of Schiegnecto, & some of Manis, it is said, would make up Mr. De Ramsay’s Party 5000, who were then to proceed against Annapolis; and that three large French Ships of Force had been seen in Bay Verte, vizt. two from Canada & one from France and landed Troops & Stores. These Accounts gain Credit the more easily as it seems not to be doubted, but that the French have the Reduction of Nova Scotia extremely at heart, and will be continually making some Attempt or other against it, whilst the Warr lasts; and I am sorry to find by a Message lately sent me from the Assembly desiring I would recall the Soldiers, I last sent to Annapolis, that they seem out of heart about the effectual Preservation of it from the Enemy. Should the French gain it by any sudden Stroke, I am perswaded, they would be so strong there by the Addition of all the Inhabitants to their other Forces, as well as the Numbers they would draw from Canada, & by immediate Fortifications of it, that it would require a very considerable Armament & Number of Troops to recover it from ’em; which makes me think it my Indispensable Duty to trouble your Grace with so frequent a Repetition of my Apprehensions concerning it. The enemy may indeed be now look’d upon as Masters of Scheignecto which Place it is evident they are busy in fortifying; & would have been so likewise of Manis by this time, had they not been oblig’d to withdraw their Troops from thence last Fall by the Arrival of the Detachments, I sent there.”