[corNnE] THE TALBOT PAPERS 143 
have waited a few hours as I had sent to the Surveyor General to enable 
me to give you every information on the subject, but I must defer it to 
another opportunity. . 
We have nothing new in politics but what you will see in the news- 
papers I herewith send you. Mr. Henry was a particular acquaintance 
of mine and. the last person I would have suspected of such a villamous 
act—but alas poor human nature. !— 
The General desires to be particularly remembered and believe me 
[torn. ] 
Colonel Talbot. 
Prideaux Selby ! to Talbot. 
My Dear Sir York 4th April 1812. 
In answer to yours of the 22d. March received this morning I can 
only say there was a further sum appropriated by the Legislature for 
_ the purchase of Hemp amounting to £1000 and that your only way of 
chtaining a share of it is by application to the President stating the 
sum wanted and I would recommend to you to send him at the same 
time a statement of your Hemp acct. & praying his directions how to 
dispose of what you have in store. 
Mills, I understand, has the Contract for the Govt. Vessels & I 
think it would be right for you to write him again, if you have an 
opportunity of doing so before you write to the General. 
It is with great pleasure I inform you of the safe arrival of the 
Governor, Mrs. Gore & the Major, they had a short passage of 26 days 
to Torbay, they did not however land there but proceeded to the Downs 
where they landed on the 14th Decr. Mrs. Gore bore the passage 
remarkably well, but in going to Town she caught cold & brougnt on 
her nervous fever which kept her at the hotel in Jermyn Street 4 days 
they then went to a House No. 25 Upper Grosvenor Street which the 
Govr. has taken ready furnished & they are mightily pleased with the 
situation which looks into Hyde Park. His Excelly’s Letter to me was 
very short but he promises to write again by the next Packet. 
We are making fortifications ‘at all the Posts and building armed 
chips on both the Lakes as if War was expected; but my opinion is 
that all Jonathan’s blustering will end in nothing of that sort. 


*Hon. Prideaux Selby, Receiver General, and member of the Executive 
Council, died at York in April, 1813, shortly after its capture by the U. S. 
troops. 
2Major Wm. Halton, Gore’s secretary and aide-de-camp. 
