Dartmouth, (Secretary of State for America,) &qout;that such emigrants from North-Britain, as well as other loyal subjects, that should engage to serve in the before-mentioned corps, should be considered in the most favourable light; and after the conclusion of the present unhappy civil war, (to which period only they are obliged to serve,) be entitled to a proportion of two hundred acres vacant (or forfeited) lands for every man or head of a family, together with fifty acres more in addition for every person the family may consist of; the whole to be granted and patented without any expense to the said grantees. And, moreover, to be free of any quit-rent to the Crown for twenty years." I do therefore, with the consent and approbation of his Excellency the Commander-in-chief, certify and declare, that the said Duncan McArthnr is, at the expiration of the present troubles, (and when peace, order, and due obedience to the laws are re-established in the British Colonies on the Continent and Islands of North-America,) to be at liberty, and entitled to a final discharge from said regiment and from his Majesty's military service; and likewise to receive as a just reward for his spirited loyalty the before-mentioned grant of lands, in consequence of the orders and directions His Majesty has been pleased to issue for that purpose.

Given under my hand and seal, time and place, as first above mentioned.

To all whom it may concern.

MURDOCH MACLEAN, Capt. R. H. Emigrants.

To Major John Small.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM CAMBRIDGE, DATED DECEMBER 18, 1775.

Yesterday being dark and cloudy, General Putnam broke ground, with four hundred men, on Lechmere's Point, at ten o'clock in the morning. The mist was so great as to prevent the enemy from discovering what he was about, until twelve, when it cleared up, and opened to their view our whole party at the point, and another at the causeway, throwing a new bridge over the creek that forms the Island at high water. The Scarborough ship-of-war, which lay off the point, immediately poured in upon our men a broadside. The enemy, from Boston, threw many shells, and obliged us to decamp from the point, with two men badly wounded. The bridge, however, was ordered to be raised by the brave old General, and was completed last night. The garrison of Cobble-Hill were ordered to return the ship's fire; which they did, and soon obliged her to heave tight upon her springs, and to cease firing. But the battery in New-Boston kept up the fire of shells till twelve o'clock last night. Our party at the point renewed their work in the evening, and continued it all night. This morning, at day-light, by a signal of two rockets from Boston, the Scarborough weighed anchor, and has left the point clear. She is now anchored at Charlestown ferry, out of harm's way. The work at the point is well secured, and will be completed this night.

The Scarborough's flight is a proof of the enemy's weakness, and of the strength of our two last posts, Cobble-Hill and Lechmere's Point.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM BEVERLY, DATED DECEMBER 18, 1775.

You no doubt have heard of Captain Manly, who goes in a privateer out of this harbour; because his name is famous, and as many towns contend for the honour of his birth as they did for that of Homer's. Captain Manly has brought into this harbour in the course of a fortnight, two large brigs, of two hundred and twenty tons each, laden with military stores and provisions, and two ships, of three hundred tons each, laden with English goods, porter, live hogs, &c., to the amount of forty thousand pounds sterling the whole. A sloop is just brought in here from Virginia, laden with corn, oats, potatoes, &c. The Captain was a midshipman belonging to the Otter sloop-of-war there; she was bound to Boston, and has been out fourteen days. Of the people on board is a member of their Provincial Congress, two other persons of note, whom Lord Dunmore had taken prisoners, and ordered to Boston to be tried, it is supposed, for their lives. There is likewise a tory Colonel, who had inlisted three hundred slaves and convicts, but was defeated and obliged to fly to Lord Dunmore; who advised him to go to Boston, and recommended him to General Howe for a commission.

The prisoners, with all the letters and papers, (some of which are of great consequence,) are just gone off to Headquarters.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read December 30, 1775.

Cambridge, December 18, 1775.

SIR: Captain Manly, of the Lee, armed schooner, took and sent into Beverly the sloop Betsy, A. Atkinson master. She is an armed vessel, despatched by Lord Dunmore, with Indian corn, potatoes, and oats, for the army in Boston. The packets of letters found on board I have the honour to send you with this, by Captain James Chambers, they being of so much importance that I do not think it would be prudent to trust them by a common express. As Lord Dunmore's schemes are fully laid open in these letters, I need not point out to the Congress the necessity there is of a vigorous exertion being adopted by them, to dispossess his Lordship of the strong hold he has got in Virginia. I do not mean to dictate, but I am sure they will pardon me for giving them, freely, my opinion, which is, that the fate of America a good deal depends on his being obliged to evacuate Norfolk this winter, or not. I have Kirkland well secured, and think I will send him to you for examination. By most of the letters relative to him, he is a dangerous fellow. John Stuart's, letters and papers are of a very interesting nature. Governou. Tonyn's, and many other letters from Augustine, show the weakness of the place, at the same lime of what vast consequence it would be for us to possesss ourselves of it, and the great quantity of ammunition contained in the forts. Indeed, these papers are of so great consequence that I think this but little inferior to any prize our famous Manly has taken.

We now work at our ease on Lechmere's Hill, On discovering our party there yesterday morning, the ship which lay opposite began a cannonade, to which Mount-Horam added some shells. One of our men was wounded. We fired a few shot from two eighteen-pounders which are placed on Cobble-Hill, and soon obliged the ship to shift her station. She now lies in the ferry-way, and, except a few shells from the Mount in Boston, which do no execution, we have no interruption in prosecuting our works, which will, in a very short time be completed. When that is done, when we have powder to sport with, I think if the Congress resolve on the execution of the proposal made relative to the town of Boston, it can be done.

I have sent a letter in this day to General Howe, of which a copy goes herewith. My reason for pointing out Brigadier-General Prescott as the object who is to suffer Mr. Allen's fate, is, that by letters from General Schuyler, and copies of letters from General Montgomery to Schuyler, I am given to understand that Prescott is the cause of Allen's sufferings. I thought it best to be decisive on the occasion, as did the Generals whom I consulted thereon.

The return for men inlisted, since my last, amount to about eighteen hundred; making in the whole, seven thousand one hundred. The militia that are come in, both from this Province and New-Hampshire, are very fine-looking men, and go through their duty with great alacrity. The despatch made, both by the people in marching, and by the legislative powers in complying with my requisition, has given me infinite satisfaction.

Your letter of the 8th instant, with the explanatory resolve respecting my calling forth the militia and minute-men, is come to hand, to which I shall pay all due attention. You have removed all the difficulties which I laboured under about the two battalions of marines, 1 shall obey the orders of Congress in looking out for proper officers to command that corps. I make no doubt but when the money arrives to pay off the arrears, and the month's advance, that it will be a great encouragement for the men to inlist.

Enclosed is a letter I lately received from Mr. James Lovell. His case is truly pitiable. I wish some mode could be fallen upon to relieve him from the cruel situation he is now in. I am sensible of the impropriety of ex-