the future plan of operations of our forces in North-America; for although your own knowledge and experience, aided by the advice and opinion of the able Generals who assist you, will be far better guides to your judgment than any thing I can suggest; yet it may not be altogether useless to mark out (however incorrectly) some of the ideas of military men of knowledge and ability here, and which indeed very much correspond with what seems to be your opinion, and that of the other officers with you.

I have already said in my letter, No. 22, of this day’s date, that in the general view we have of the state of the Army at Boston, and of the force of the rebels, it does not seem likely that any further operations, at least of any extent, will be undertaken this campaign. The state of the service, therefore, as it stands at present, seems to involve in the consideration of it these questions, viz:

1st. Whether we should push the war with our whole force in the next campaign, on the side of New England?

2d. Whether, viewing the whole state of America, it would not be more advisable to make Hudson’sHudson&s River the seat of war, and for that purpose immediately take possession of the City of New-York, with a part of our force, leaving at Boston what is necessary to secure that post, and keep up a diversion on that side?

3d. Whether, if it should be judged unsafe, or unadvisable to take post at New-York, it may not be expedient to endeavour, with a part of the force under your command, embarked on board the transports, to make an impression in other places, which, if it answered no other purpose, would at least enable you to collect a large supply of live stock and provision, which is no trifling object in your pre sent circumstances.

And lastly, Whether, if neither of the measures suggested In the two last propositions can be effected, and if even Boston should not be tenable in the winter, without hazard (as many here think) it might not be advisable that your whole Army should be posted in proper divisions at Halifax and Quebeck, until the events of the winter shall point out the best plan of operation in the spring?

In the consideration of these propositions, a variety of cogent reasons occur in favour of what is suggested in regard To the possession of New-York; for if by such an operation we could recover the attachment and fidelity of that Province, as many judicious and well-informed persons think we may, it would, independent of many other circum stances which give preference to this proposition, not only be of great weight in the general scale of advantage, but might also increase our strength, by the junction of numbers, which would shew themselves upon the least appearance of protection. But I beg I may not be understood, in stating these, or any other ideas that have occurred, to intimate that the King does not leave it entirely to his Generals to act according to their own judgment and discretion; and therefore I have only to add, that if we are driven to the difficulty of relinquishing Boston, care must be taken that the officers and friends of Government be not left exposed to the rage and insult of rebels, who set no bounds to their barbarity. And when I mention this circumstance, I must not omit to inform you that His Majesty is graciously pleased, upon a representation made to him of the distress to which many of the members of your present Council are exposed, to direct that you do, from time to time, give them such relief and make them such allowance as you shall judge necessary, and include the expense in your contingent accounts.

If the proposition of taking post at New-York is adopted, then General Howe, assisted by General Burgoyne, will, it is presumed, command on that side, in which case it is His Majesty&s intention that General Clinton should command on the side of New-England; and I have only to add, that whatever disposition is made of the Army under your command in consequence of what has been suggested, it will be absolutely necessary, that effectual care be taken for the protection of Halifax, which, being the great repository of all our naval stores, is an object of the last importance. I am, &c.

DARTMOUTH.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH TO GENERAL GAGE, DATED WHITEHALL, AUGUST 2, 1775.

From the tenour of your letters of June twenty-fifth, and from the state of affairs after the action of the seventeenth, the King is led to conclude that you have little expectation of effecting any thing further this campaign, and has therefore commanded me to signify to you His Majesty&s pleasure, that you do, as soon as conveniently may be after you receive this letter, return to England, in order to give His Majesty exact information of every thing, that it may be necessary to prepare, as early as possible, for the operations of the next year, and to suggest to His Majesty such matters in relation thereto, as your knowledge and experience of the service enable you to furnish.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH TO MAJOR-GENERAL HOWE, DATED WHITEHALL, AUGUST 2, 1775.

SIR: The King having signified his commands that General Gage should return to England, to lay before His Majesty a stale of his command, and to assist in the consideration of what may be necessary to the future plan of operations, I have the honour to send you His Majesty&s commission, appointing you to be (during General Gage&s absence) Commander-in-Chief of all His Majesty&s forces employed, or to be employed within the Colonies lying upon the Atlantick Ocean, and have also transmitted the like commission to General Carleton, to command the forces employed, or to be employed in Canada, and upon its frontiers.

I have, in a separate letter to General Gage, of this day’s date, stated to him very fully the King’s intention with regard to the force to be employed next year in North-America, and suggested many things respecting the ideas of a plan of operation. That letter he is directed to leave with you when he comes away, and therefore I have only to add, that I am, &c.

NEWBERN (NORTH-CAROLINA) COMMITTEE.

Committee Chamber, August 2, 1775.

The following Letter was wrote by his Excellency Governour Martin, to the Honourable Lewis Henry De Rossett, Esq., in answer to an information given him of his being charged with giving encouragement to the slaves to revolt from their masters. As the substance of this Letter is very alarming, his Excellency therein publickly avowing the measure of arming the slaves against their masters, when every other thing to preserve the King’s Government should prove ineffectual, the Committee have ordered the said Letter to be published as an alarm to the people of this Province against the horrid and barbarous designs of the enemies, not only to their internal peace and safety, but to their lives, liberties, properties, and every other human blessing.

“Fort Johnston, June 24, 1775.

“SIR: I beg leave to make you my acknowledgments for your communication of the false, malicious, and scandalous report that has been propagated of me in this part of the Province, of my having given encouragement to the negroes to revolt against their masters; and as I persuade myself you kindly intended thereby to give me an opportunity to refute so infamous a charge, I eagerly embrace this occasion, most solemnly to assure you that I never conceived a thought of that nature. And I will further add my opinion, that nothing could ever justify the design, falsely imputed to me, of giving encouragement to the negroes, ‘but the actual and declared rebellion of the King’s subjects, and the failure of all other means to maintain the King’s Government.’

“Permit me, therefore, Sir, to request the favour of you to take the most effectual means to prevent the circulation of this most cruel slander, and to assure every body with whom you shall communicate on this subject, that so far from entertaining so horrid a design, I shall be ever ready, and heartily disposed to concur in any measures ‘that may be consistent with prudence,’ to keep the negroes in order and subjection, and for the maintenance of peace and good order throughout the Province.

“I am, with great respect, Sir, your most obedient and humble servant,

“JO. MARTIN.

“The Hon. Lewis H. De Rossett, Esq.”

Resolved unanimously. That his Excellency Governour Martin, by the whole tenour of his conduct since the unhappy