372 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Vor Wilk 
the good of His Majesty’s Province I must attack, I cannot help saying 
that it is possible they may have an advantage, though I trust not a de- 
cided one. 
“JT have communicated with Sir J. Yeo on the same subject and if the 
exigencies of the service on Lake Ontario will not admit of his sending 
many seamen, even 50 would be of the greatest service at present but it 
will require at least 250 or 300 seamen to render His Majesty’s squa- 
dron perfectly effective.’”* 
The return enclosed showed that his squadron then consisted of the 
Queen Charlotte of 18 guns manned by forty French and English Cana- 
dians, twenty-five of the Newfoundland Regiment and forty-five of the 
4ist Regiment ; the Lady Prevost of twelve guns manned by thirty 
Canadians, ten Newfoundlanders, and thirty-six of the 41st Regiment ; 
the Hunter of six guns, twenty Canadians, four Newfoundlanders and 
fifteen of the 41st Regiment; the Arie and Little Belt, each of two 
guns, with a crew of six Canadians, four Newfoundlanders and five of 
the 41st Regiment. The Chzppeza of two guns had been left with Gen- 
eral Procter. Barclay’s available force consisted accordingly of five ves- 
sels carrying forty guns and 255 men for which Perry’s two large brigs 
alone would be more than a match. At Long Point, however, he took 
on board seventy men of the 41st Regiment without whom he declared 
he would be unable to work his ships at all and sailed to blockade Erie 
as long as possible. 
Whatever hopes they may have still entertained of effective assistance 
must have been dispelled by the Governor-General’s very unsatisfactory 
replies. On June 20th, writing from Kingston he announced to Procter 
that he had given directions to General De Rottenburg to push on the 
remainder of the 41st Regiment and advised him to “encourage as much 
as possible the exertions of the navy ; bring forward the united power to 
both services to crush the enemy’s endeavours to obtain the ascendency 
on Lake Erie when a favourable opportunity presents itself.’+ But on 
July rith, he rather curtly informed him that the “ordnance and ord- 
nance stores you require must be taken from the enemy whose resources 
on Lake Erie must become yours. JI am much mistaken if you do not 
find Captain Barclay well disposed to play that game.” 
Perry’s squadron was fully armed and equipped by July roth, but he 
*““Canadian Archives,” C. 679, p. 197. 
t** Canadian Archives,” C. 679, p. 113. 
tIbid, C. 679, p. 216, 
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