[CRUIKSHANK] COMMAND OF LAKE ONTARIO, 1812-1813 169 
he has plenty, and axemen and carpenters in abundance. I know 
what an active enemy may do in that way and they have an idea we 
may make the attempt. The only alteration I would propose in the 
means of attack is in some measure to the field artillery to break 
down any temporary defences, (for such they must be as the season 
will not admit of any other), which they may in the meantime erect.’’! 
At the same time he asked that ten or twelve guns of suitable 
calibre should be forwarded at once to arm the batteries constructed 
for the defence of Kingston and York. Four twelve and the same 
number of long eighteen pounders were accordingly ordered up from 
Montreal and Quebec. He recommended the immediate construc- 
tion of a ship designed to mount thirty thirty-two pounder carronades 
at York and a ship of the same class as the Royal George at Kingston. 
Both of these proposals were approved but considerable delay took 
place as shipwrights had to be engaged and sent up from Quebec. 
An experienced builder was appointed superintendent of both dock- 
yards and instructed to proceed to Kingston with 128 shipwrights 
and carpenters. They arrived at that port on December 28. Fifty 
were retained there and the remainder sent on to York. Gray’s 
proposal for an attack upon Sackett’s Harbour was reserved for further 
consideration as it seemed doubtful whether so many troops could be 
detached from the Montreal District without endangering it. 
Gray then asked that four more heavy guns should be sent 
forward without delay “for the preservation of our marine,” he wrote, 
“is a point upon which I feel the greatest anxiety.”” This request 
was approved and the officer in command of the Royal Artillery at 
Quebec was directed to forward two long eighteen pounders and two 
sixty-eight pounder carronades. Iron-work and naval stores for the 
two new vessels were at the same time despatched from Montreal. 
About the middle of October Prevost had written both the Secre- 
tary for War and the Commander-in-Chief strongly urging the neces- 
sity of supplying experienced officers and seamen from the Royal Navy 
to man the ships of war on the lakes. After the attack on Kingston 
in November, 1812, he renewed this application which had been 
forcibly supported by Sir John Borlase Warren who had recently 
assumed command on the North American station. The Executive 
Council for Upper Canada had also presented an address in which 
they declared that the maintenance of naval superiority on Lake 
Ontario was indispensable to the preservation of that province. 
Lieut. Colonel Bruyeres, the senior officer of the Royal Engineers 
in Canada, reported on January 19, 1813, that he had conferred with 
Colonel John Vincent, then commanding at Kingston ‘‘on the measures 
1 Gray to Prevost, York, Dec. 11. 

