tions about the said English Fleet, and immediately sent to the Commodore of the French Fleet about this Information, he had from Captain Hooper and the Declarants, by our Sloop. In about an hours time afterwards the whole Fleet altered their Course, and Steered to the Southwd. having determined (as we were Informed) some to go to. France and the others to the West Indies; The Day after we were taken the wind blew very hard and brought on a very severe Storm, which seperated the Ship that took us from the rest of the Fleet; they seem'd to be much Concern'd a board the Ship, that took us, after the Storm was over for the rest of the Fleet; fearing many of 'em were lost or had suffered great Damage; for none of 'em were seen afterwards, it being very Sickly aboard all the Ships, and but few men that could be upon Deck: the Ship that took us had about 150 men on board, only 30 whereof were able to do Duty, the rest being sick Chiefly with the Scurvy; about 60 or 70 of whom died while we were aboard; which was till the 16 of Novemr., when we met with an English Privateer, who took us and Carried us into St. Christophers; from whence we got passage to Marblehead; where we arrived last Saturday the 27th. Instant.

his

BENJA. X SEALLY.

mark WILLIAM FURNESS.

Boston, Decemr: 31, 1746.

Province of the Massachusets Bay ss. Boston Dec. 31, 1746. Benjamin Seally and William Furness made Oath to the Truth of the Aforegoing Declaration Signed by them.

Before me Jacob Wendell Just. Peac.

Copy Examined J. Willard Secry.

Endorsed:

Deposition of B. Sealy, [and W. Furness, Mariners.] in Mr. Shirley's of March 20, 1746/7.1

Suffolk Street
March 20, 1746.

Andrew Stone Esqr.

SIR,

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO PETER WARREN 2

Boston, Jany 2, 1746/7.

The Honr. I bear for Gentlemen of a publick Spirit and such as are useful to the Commonwealth, as well as my particular and personal Obligations to you will make me always solicitous for your Welfare and especially that you may have a safe and prosperous Voyage to Great Britain, and success in the generous design you have laid for his Majesty's Service in general and for the Benefit and Security of these Provinces in particular. And I doubt not but that the great share you have in the Affections of this People as well as your strict regard to Justice and the knowledge you have of the peculiar difficulties and burthens lying upon us will prompt you to do everything in your Power to obtain a Reimbursement of our charges in the late Expedition which will otherwise be insupportable and ruinous to this Province, already impoverished and exhausted

1 Shirley's letter to Stone follows (Additional Manuscript 32710, fo. 379):

SIR,

Having receiv'd the inclos'd Deposition from my Father with his Orders to lay it before my Lord Duke of Newcastle, I beg leave to cover it to you, and also to add an Extract of his Letter to me which he has likewise directed me to lay before his Grace.

I am
Sir

Your most Humble and
most Obedient Servant,
W. SHIRLEY.

* Draft in Ms. of Josiah Willard, Mass. Arch., Col. Ser., Letters,

53, 208.

by the Expence of the War upon our Borders as well as of our Expeditions abroad..

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM GREENE 1

SIR,

Boston, January 5, 1746/7.

This will be delivered you by Lieutent Wilkinson from whom as well as by a letter from Col. Kinnicutt, I am sorry to learn that the Levies of your Governmt are at length by a Train of Cross Accidents and Disasters prevented from going upon His Majesty's service to Annapolis Royal, for which both your Governmt and the Troops have shown so ready a Disposition; I can't say but that I think after having been so greatly weaken'd, and reduced by sickness and deaths, as I understood the three Companies are, that your Officers Judged right in not venturing 'em upon a passage to Annapolis in so extreme, and wintry a season as the present has prov'd; since in all probability it would have destroy'd many of the Soldiers, and the few that had survived it, might have been rather a Burthen than of service to the Garrison; I heartily wish those of 'em, which are sailed for Newport, a safe Arrival there and that the sick among them, and those left at Martha's Vineyard, may recover.

Mr Wilkinson informs me that some deserters from your Levies are suspected to be conceal'd in this Governmt; If there is any possibility of getting at 'em, I will take care they shall be secur'd for you, upon my being apprised where any of 'em may be apprehended.

I took the first Opportunity of laying before the Assembly of this Province, the copy of His Majesty's Order in Council for settling the boundary line between the Province and Colony together with the Act of your Governmt, appointing Commissioners to join with those of this Govt. in running and marking the line accordingly, and of recommending to 'em forthwith to choose Commissioners for that purpose; which 1 Kimball, Corres. R. I. Governors, 2, 34.

I hope they will readily do. When it is done, I shall transmit you the first notice of it, that I can.

I am, with due regard Sir,

Your Honour's Obedient Humble servant,

W. SHIRLEY.

To His Excellency, Gov. Greene.

P.S. I hope that 800 of the Massachusetts Levies are all, long before this, safely arrived at Annapolis, with a great quantity of snow shoes; as also the two New Hampshire Companies; and that they may be a force sufficient for the purposes of His Majesty's service there.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM GREENE 1

SIR,

Boston, February 7, 1747.

By my last advices from Albany, I find the condition of the troops of the Southern colonies, now on Hudson's River, as to their state of health and numbers, and the strong disposition of the Indians of the Six Nations to join with us in the attempt against Crown Point, and the danger of utterly losing these Nations, and their falling off to the French, (which will be of the most fatal consequence to all the Northern English colonies,) to be such, that I am now fixed in my resolution to push forward this enterprise with all imaginable diligence; and as the government of Connecticut has declined to join their forces with ours, which will much lessen the numbers we expected, I must earnestly desire Your Honour to send forward to our rendezvous on Hudson's River, as many of the troops of your government in His Majesty's pay, as you can furnish out for this service.

1R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 209. The correspondence with Governor Jonathan Law of Connecticut to which reference is made is in the Law Manuscripts in the Conn. Hist. Soc. 2, 149, 154, 155, 156. The letter of Sir William Johnson to Lydius is in R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 210.

The success of this enterprise being of the utmost importance, I trust you will do every thing in your power to promote it.

You have herewith enclosed, a copy of Mr. Johnson's letter to Mr. Lydius, and of the advice of our Assembly to me, in this affair.

I have this morning received advices from Lieut. Governor Mascarene, that Mons'r Rawson, who was posted at Menis, with above six hundred Canadians, and Indians, was, upon the arrival of the reinforcement sent from hence, retired to Skeenecta; and Col. Noble, with a body of about five hundred men, consisting principally of some of those troops I sent from hence, is now at Menis; but the reports of the number of the enemy (being represented as much superior to Col. Noble,) makes him cautious of pushing them without some further reinforcement.

I am informed that the enemy will not be able to get off before April; and I hope our troops will be strong enough to hinder their retreat till the English can have some further strength from these colonies.

It appears to me, by what advices I have had, that if it had not been for the misfortune that happened to the companies from your colony, and my last company, bound to Annapolis Royal, who were cast away at Mount Desert, and above one half of them drowned and frozen; and the New Hampshire company, under Capt. Mitchell, (instead of returning to Annapolis, from St. Johns, according to order,) 1 Printed: R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 210.