210 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Adm. Sec. In Letters. Vol. 1487. 



Quebeck Septembr. 26th 1756. 

 Rd. 15 Novr. 

 Sir 



I informed you in my Letter of the 28th of June, of our having fallen in with 

 the French Naval Force on the Lake, and of our avoiding comeing to Action with 

 them, they being so much Superior to us; at the same time I informed you, that the 

 Brig and Sloop were to be Launched in a few days, and that I had Employ'd all the 

 Seamen, to get every thing ready for them. In my Letter of the 2d. of July, I 

 informed you, that some Batteaus were arrived, with some Guns and Sails for the 

 New Vessels, and that three of the French Vessels chased one of the small Schooners 

 into the harbour the Evening of the 28th the other Small Schooner they at that 

 time had taken. On the 3d. of July, the New Sloop and the Brig were Launched, 

 but very little of their inside, or of the Smiths work finish'd, which detained us until 

 the 29th before we got them ready for the Sea. As there were no Officers come up 

 for the New Vessels, I thought it was for the good of his Majestys Service that we 

 should appear out on the Lake as strong as we could, with what Officers, men, and 

 Guns we had got; for which Purpose I went on Board the Brig, with the Oswego's 

 People, and took on Board her fourteen Six & Four Pounders, Giving the Ontario 

 Six Four Pounders, and the New Sloop Four Four Pounders and the two Three 

 Pounders, of which I order'd my Lieutenant, Mr. Deane to take the command. 

 As I did not hear of any officers appointed for the New Vessels, before I Left New 

 York, I brought to Oswego with me, By General Shirleys Particular desire, three 

 People, who had been Masters of Merchantmen, to Act as Lieuts. of the New Vessels, 

 untill farther orders; one of which Mr. Wm. Bedlow, I appointed to act as Lieut, 

 of the new Sloop, and the other, Mr. Jasper Farmer, was taken in the Small Schooner. 

 On the 30th of July, I Sail'd with the Above Force, on the 31st it Blowing very hard, 

 the Ontario having Sprung her boom, and the Brig Carried away her Gaff, was 

 Obliged to bear away for Oswego, to get new ones, which we got finished the same 

 day. On the first of August, the wind being contrary could not get out, on the 2d. 

 we Sail'd again. After being out two or three days found the Magazine of the Brig 

 so damp, from her being built of all Green Timber, that a Great Number of the 

 Cartridges were Milldew'd, which I thought to put a stop to, by keeping them in 

 the Sun every opportunity. Upon Examining them the Sixth of Augst., I found 

 some of the Paper quite Rotten, and the Bottom of some of the Cartridges dropping 

 out; the New Sloop Labouring under the same inconveniency made it necessary 

 for me to go in, to get some alteration made in the Magazine, to secure our Powder. 

 On the same day in running into to Oswego, was taken with a violent Thunder 

 Squall close to the Harbour, which after my getting through the Narrows, not being 

 able to carry Sail, drove me ashore on the East Side of the Harbour, which obliged 

 me to get my Guns and part of my Ballast out to get her off again, which we did 

 the next morning, but as there was a Swell Rose very soon after she went ashore, 

 which occasioned her striking upon the Rocks, it was thought Necessary to heave 

 her down to Examine her bottom, on the 9th of August Hove the Brig Keel out, 

 and found about three inches of her Keel rubb'd off, but was very soon obliged to 

 Right, she making water through her upper works, they not being Caulk'd, on the 

 10th hove her out again, and Clapt on a false Keel of between three and four Inches, 

 on the 11th hove out the other Side, and found she had rece'd no other damage. 

 During the time of Heaving the Brig down, the small Schooner was sent out, upon 

 Application from the Commanding Officer, both to the Et. w. and Wt. ward of the 

 Harbour, to Look out. on the 11th at the time the Brig was Keel out, a Boat was 

 discover'd off the four mile Point to the Et. ward, upon which the Small Schooner 



