[3-138]

[Proclamation for the Enlistment of Seamen, 1745.]

By His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Captain General! & Governor in Chief, in and over His Majestys Province of New Hampshire in New England

A Proclamation.

Whereas the Hon Peter Warren Esq' Commander in Chief of His Majestys Ships of War in the Expedition against Cape Breton, hath taken a french man of War of Sixty four guns called the Vigilant, which he purposes to put into Commission, & fit and man her for His Majestys Service in Said Expedition, but for want of a Sufficient Number of Seamen, he will not be able Effectually to Execute that Intention, without assistance of men from His Majestys Governments, the Incouragement Said Commodore gives for the Inlistment of Seamen is, that they shall be Intituled to pay from the day of their inlistment, & shall be discharged at Boston, at the End of the Expedition.

I have therefore tho't fit By & with the advice of His Majestys Council to Issue this Proclamation, for the Information of Such able bodyed Seamen, as may be disposed to Ingage in this Expedition for the Common good of their Country of the Incouragement offerd by Said Commodore Warren for that purpose as above mentioned, and allso that they will be Intituled to the Shares of all Such prizes, as will be taken dureing their Continuance in Said Service: Thereby allso notifying all Such persons, that Subscriptions of Inlistments will be taken by Thomas Packor Esq' High Sheriff of the Province of New Hampshire at Portsmouth, & they are desired to enter their names with him as Soon as may be

Given at the Council Chamber at Portsmouth the day of June 1745, in the 18th Year of our Soverign Lord George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Brittain France & Ireland King, defender of the faith &c

By His Excellencys Command

wth the Advice of His Majestys Council

Copy TA

God Save the King

B W

TASY

Extract from Commodore Warren's Letter dated 22d May 1745, relating To the Ship Vigilant

She is a Bran new Ship and a very fine one and this her first Voyage I therefore propose to Commission her for the King my Master

Immediately and She with the Princess Mary will be a glorious Second To me in a Line of Battle; we Shatter'd her much in the Engagement but She has spare Stores enough to fit her out only difficulty will be men, therefore must beg you would press men and send them here and if any Voluntiers can be procured for her, both they and the men press'd shall be Entitled to King's pay from the time of their being press'd or enter'd As Voluntiers by you and all those that shall come as Voluntiers by Certificate under your hand shall if they desire it be discharg'd upon our arrival at Boston or when the Expedition is over; Her Complement Will be four hundred and Twenty men; you'll get as many as you can and with all possible expedition for much depends upon That

True Copy T Atkinson Sery

Extract from Commodore Warren's orders to the Captains of the Cruizers Employ'd in the Expedition

And whereas it is probable there may be some deserters from his Majestys Ships both in the private Ships of war and among the Troops Upon this Expedition that may be under the apprehensions of being Taken up by His Majestys officers, I therefore for their Encouragement To behave well upon this Expedition do assure them That none of them shall be molested or touched but on the Contrary if any of them that Happen to be under these Circumstances shall distinguish themselves and make it known to me I will use my utmost endeavours to have Their R- taken off in any ships they may have left in order to their Recovering their wages and will if they desire it promote them to Such offices in His Majesties Ships as they are Capable of executeing.

[See Vol. V., pp. 102-3.- ED.]

A true Copy.

Theod Atkinson Sery

[Shirley to Wentworth.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 230.]

Council Chamber June 17th 1745

Paragraph of his Excellency Governor Shirley's letter, upon his Excellencys complaining that the New Hampshire Regiment was put on Extraordy duty, &c.

"I had not read your Excellencys favour by the Post, when I dispatch't my Express: I can't think Mr. Pepperell is capable of doing

injustice to the New Hampshire Regiment; But I desire you would be pleas'd to let your people know, that if any thing of that kind has happen'd, I will be personally answerable for their good usage for the future, and shall send Express orders for that purpose to the General. Hope you will not fail to obtain 300 men at least, instead of 100, I find my Assembly Exceedingly well inclin'd, and doubt not to inlarge the numbers voted here very much the Expence of the ammunition to be sent from hence, besides, will be very great. If you don't send at least 300 men, we shall fall very short of the necessary number in the Camp. I have a good prospect of a large number of seamen, besides the Troops we shall send "

W. SHIRLEY.

[Shirley to Wentworth.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 233.]

Boston, July 6, 1745.

Sir Commodore Warren having desir'd me to send him a set of lower masts &c. for the Vigilant a 66 gun ship, and another set for a 40 gun ship, the Dimensions of both wch you will receive from Mr. Hallowell the ship builder, and wch can be got in your Governm1 only in due time for his Majtys service, wch requires the utmost dispatch, I would propose it to your Excellency, to impress (with the advice of his Majtys Council) such masts as are wanted for the abovemention'd service; and after having caus'd 'em to be valued in due form to deliver 'em to some person to be sent round here forthwith, in order to be fitted and transported to the Commodore at Louisburg. Your Excellency, I am afraid must excuse my enlarging till next week, being in an infinite hurry. I am, wth the greatest respect Your Excys most obedt Humble servt

His Excy Govr Wentworth.

W. Shirley.

[Shirley to Wentworth.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 234.]

Boston July 10, 1745.

Sir, Yesterday I received your Excys favour in answer to my Express, and am together with Commodore Warren much oblig'd to you for your care, and advice to ship the Masts ready made from Piscata

qua to Louisburg directly, wch I think will be most for his Maj'ys service, and desire the continuance of your care in doing it accordingly. I suppose Adams will stay for the Eltham, wch is hourly expected here to take the four mast ships lying in Nantasket under his Convoy I was in hopes to have finished my dispatches for England to have gone by this Express to Adams, But hope I shall be able to reach him before he sails: They shall be finished by tomorrow when I will send 'em so as to reach Adams by Saturday night at farthest ; and would favour me so far as to prevail upon him to stay 'till that time at least; For it is of Consequence they should reach the Secretary's Office - I believe in abt 12 days time or sooner you may have Convoy from hence for your three Company's, in raising wch I wish you good success and am wth great regard Sir

Your Excellency's most Ob' Humble, servant

His Excy Govr Wentworth

W. Shirley

[Thomlinson to Atkinson.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. I., p. 135.]

London 5th Augt 1745

Sir I have not reced any of your favrs Since I wrote you, Capt Adams, Therefore I have here to Acqua' you that as Gov Wentworth has not wrote latly to Mr Jones, I have not recd any Sallry of him for your Acct Or Can I Settle any thing with Mr Jones for Gov' Wentworth or any of his Deputys Salerys, as I ought to do, without Govr Wentworth will Constantly write Me & the Navy-Board after Every quarterday, as both Mr Jones & My Self have wrote him, and by at least three Conveyancies- I think I have not had one Line from him Since Capt Adams last Voyage I can only add that I am very much Sir Your most hum1 Sert

John Thomlinson

Theod Atkinson Esq

[Lieutenant-Governor Phips to Governor Wentworth.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 236.]

Boston, Augst 14, 1745

Sir-At the desire of his Majesty's Council & upon a Representation made by Lieutenant General Pepperell in his letter of the 6th Instant by a Vessel just arrived here, of the necessity of Recruits

for the Garrison at Louisburg & the danger of its falling into the Enemy's hands without them, I must earnestly request of your Excellency that you would promote the raising as many men in your Province as may be & that as soon as possible.

I shall do all in my power to have the number of Recruits Voted for by our Assembly, (which was one thousand & whereof about seven hundred are already gone) fully made up & sent forward without Delay.

By the Express Boat now arrived from Louisburg, we have certain Intelligence that besides the first India man taken by Commodore Warren's Squadron (of which we were advised the last Week) they have taken another India man richly laden & a South Seaman with £400,000 Sterling in money besides a valuable Cargo of Merchandise, all which were taken in sight of the Garrison; so that it is Judged the value of the Captures made on that coast by his Majesty's ships, is near one million sterling (if not more) which it is probable would never have fallen into our hands, if this Expedition had not been attempted I am, Sir

your Excellencys most obedient humble servant

His Excy Gov' Wentworth

Phips

[Phips to Wentworth.]

[Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 237.]

Boston, Augst 19th 1745.

Sir The State of affairs between this Government and the Eastern Indians being in such a situation as to make it necessary for the better security of his Majestys Subjects on the Frontiers exposed to their Fury, to declare War against them unless by their speedy Compliance with the Demands of the Government they should prevent it : I do now at the Desire of the General Court of this Province in their late Session, hereby inform your Excellency of our Proceedings with the said Indians in order to prevent a War, & the Unsuccessfulness thereof, as you will find by the indorsed Copy of a Letter from Govornour Shirley to the said Indians, & another Letter from him to Cpt. Bradbury commander of the Fort at St. George's River, directing him to demand Satisfaction of them for the murthers committed upon our Inhabitants by some of their People (joining with the other Indians) & their burning their Houses, killing their Cattle, &c. with Capt. Bradbury's answer to the last mentioned Letter.

And as the common cause requires the mutual Assistance of these Governments in time of War & Danger, We Desire the Concurrence