ise ourselves for this Government, from the Expedition now fitting out for dislodging the French from their forts upon the Isthmus and St. Johns River in Nova Scotia and driving them out of that Province: It hath occur'd to me as a Very Considerable one that it affords us a most favourable Opportunity for building a Fort upon the rockey Eminence near Crown Point, within the limits of his Majesty's Territories, which may command the French fort there and put it into our Power, in case of a rupture with France, to march an Army in a few days to the Gates of the City of Montreal itself, and Pour our Troops into the heart of their Country.

How Greatly such an Event is to be wished for; How much blood and Treasure it would Save to his Majestys Subjects of New England and New York in a time of War, I need not Observe Gentlemen, to you; The depredations Committed upon us in the late War by the French and their Indians from Fort St. Frederic, are still fresh in our Memories; and Providence seems to Point out the Present Conjuncture as the most Proper opportunity for securing ourselves against them for the future.

The Chief Force and Attention of the French is now employed upon the Ohio in Extending their Incroachments upon his Majestys Territories in those Parts; and in a Short time, upon the first alarm, which the Enterprize for removing the French out of Nova Scotia will give them in Canada, they will naturally draw from thence what force they can spare for the support of their Incroachments upon the Isthmus and St. Johns River; and in this divided State of their Force and Counsels, it is most evident, that the Country about Montreal must be very unprepard to repel the attempt, I am now speaking of; Especially if to the surprize; which they must then be in at the Appearance of a Considerable Body of Troops so near one of their two Capitol Cities a feint should be made at the head of Kenebeck or the river Chaudiere, to cause a diversion of their Forces in Canada for the defence of their Metropolis at Quebec.1

'On this same day (Feb. 13) Thomas Fletcher was writing of the trouble with the Penobscot Indians in Maine. Mass. Arch.,

How Greatly the Operations, I propose, if carried on this year must Contribute towards ridding his Majestys Colonies upon this Continent of the French Incroachments with which they are now hemm'd in from Nova Scotia as far as North Carolina; to the reclaiming of the whole Body of Indians to the English Interest; Establishing a Barrier line of Forts against the French settlements on the north side of the river St. Lawrence and making ourselves Masters of the Principal passes into Canada; for driving the French off this Continent whenever it shall be his Majestys Pleasure to Order that to be done, I am Perswaded Gentlemen, you so fully Concieve, that it is needless for me to dilate upon it. You will know how much the success of the Expedition against Louisbourg was owing to its being well timd; had it been deferrd to the year following, it seems doubtfull what might have been the Event of it.

Let us avail ourselves of the Present Conjuncture with the same prudence and activity, that we did of that against Cape Breton and we may hope for equal Success; and this Province will have the honour to be the first mover in the Operations for restoring the General Tranquility of North America, as it had of being in those of 1745 which contributed so Greatly towards the restoration of a General Peace to his Majestys Dominions.

It will require no small force Gentlemen to Execute with success the Enterprize I Propose; and so far as it depends upon me you may rely upon the assistance at least of my regiment to do it.

This is an Object Gentlemen, well worthey of your Closest Attention; and I should have been greatly Wanting in my Vigilance for the Security and Welfare of his Majestys good People within this Province, if I had not warn'd you of it: what I Propose to you for your Consideration may Possibly prevent a long Expensive War which seems nearly Approaching us.

If you will make Provision for enabling me to pursue the Col. Ser. 54, 370. The few troops which Shirley planned to send into that region would therefore serve a double purpose.

measures proper for the Occasion, you may be assured Gentlemen that I shall exert my best endeavours to Carry them into Execution.

Council Chamber Febry: 13th: 1755.

SIR,

W. SHIRLEY.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO ROBERT HUNTER

MORRIS 1

Boston, February 17, 1755.

The Designs of the French (in which they have so far already succeeded) for invading His Majesty's just Rights in these Northern Parts of America, contrary to the most Solemn Treaties, require these Governments, as well for their own Safety, as in Faithfulness to his Majesty, without Delay to use all Means in their Power to frustrate these perfidious and pernicious Practices.

Among other Measures necessary to be taken especially at this critical Conjuncture, (the present Aspect of Affairs threatning a speedy Rupture) Nothing we can do seems likely to tend more by the Blessing of God, to defeat the Schemes of the French to swallow up all his Majesty's Dominions on the Continent of America, than that the Governments should agree in the most effectual Means for stopping all Supplies of Provision and Warlike Stores being sent out of any of these Colonies, without the inclosed Precaution against their being carried to the French.

The General Assembly of this Province have pass'd, an Order for that End (a Copy of which I now inclose 2) and

1 Original, Massachusetts Papers, Library of Congress. A similar letter to Gov. Greene of Rhode Island is in R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 413-414. That Shirley expected hostilities at any time is shown by his letter to James Johnson in Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 54, 370.

2 The reply of Morris of March 4, acknowledging the receipt of this letter and the enclosed order of the Mass. Assembly is printed: I Penna. Arch. 2, 262. In it Morris thanks Shirley for appointing the former's nephew to command of a company in Shirley's own regiment.

have desired me to solicit the Governours of the rest of His Majesty's Colonies, to joyn with us in this necessary Expedient for our common Safety. Your Honour will observe that the time for the Continuance of this Prohibition is restrained to three Months. But if the other Governments should join with us; I make no Doubt of bringing my Assembly to extend it further.

It would give me great Pleasure to have your Honour's Concurrence with me in Sentiments, concerning what appears to me so salutary a Measure, at this Conjuncture for the general Good of all His Majesty's Colonies in North America.

I have the Honour to be with the greatest Respect

Enterd in Council Minute of 10th March, 1755.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO ROBERT HALE1

By his Excellency WILLIAM SHIRLEY ESQ. Captain General and Governour in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England.

INSTRUCTIONS to Robert Hale Esqr. for Soliciting the Government of New Hampshire to unite with this Government

1

Original, with autograph postscript of later date, in Amer. Antiq. Society.

and the other two Governments of New England etc. in an Expedition proposed for preventing the further encroachments of the French.

You are hereby directed to proceed to Portsmouth with my dispatches to His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esqr. Governor of that Province.

Upon your arrival there and appearance either before the Governor and Council or the General Assembly of that Province or before the Governor alone (as you may have opportunity) you are strongly to solicit the joining of that Government with this and the other two Governments of New England and in a vigorous and speedy prosecution of the Expedition proposed in my Speech to the Assembly of this Province and to contribute towards the Execution of it that Governmts Quota of Men and Provisions set forth in the said Assembly's Resolves a Copy of which as also of my said speech will be delivered to you. And you are in a particular manner among such reasons and arguments as shall occurr to you for inducing them to join in the said Expedition, to urge those which are contained in my aforesaid Speech and in my letters to the respective Governors Copy of which last shall likewise be delivered to you.

In case you shall not be able to induce the said Governments to join in the prosecution of the aforesaid Expedition upon the terms proposed in the before mentioned Resolves of the Great and General Assembly of this Province, you are to desire of them to let you know whether they will join it upon any and what other terms together with the reasons of their noncompliance with those proposed by this Govern

ment.

Lastly you are from time to time to transmit to me accounts of your proceedings herein and the progress you make in the discharge of this Commission either by the Post or Express as the Occasion may require and upon finishing your Negotiations with that Government you are to return to

1 See Shirley to the General Court of Massachusetts, Feb. 13, 1755, ante, p. 127. The Resolves of the Mass. Court are printed in N. H. Prov. Papers, 6, 359.