Feby 18th. 1755
Sir
Yours of the 11th. Currt. I recd. last Night your Servt. by the Advice of Mr. Watson carried your Dispatches on bd. the Gibralter. I much approve of your Son's comg. with a Compa. of 100 Men & the sooner the better as the Transports from Ireld. are daily expected. I am convinced the pernicious Scheme of last Year will make your Son's Recruitg very troublesome but hope that will be surmounted as your People will have the same Pay with ours. I cannot tell whether the Traders in Suffolk will take your Paper Bills as they are Debt to your Province which can be no Inconveniency to them but they will not pass Currt. thorow the Province as they are so adverse of issuing Paper for their own Service & on proper Security. I wrote You in my last the Price of Pork & Beef here. Sr. J. St. Clair answers your Letr. by your Servt. he sets out this Day for the Camp he is a very capable & diligent officer. When the Forces arrive I shall take Care to give Notice to the different Tribes of Inds. but the Twightees being at such a Distance & the Fr. between us & them that it will be difficult but a Message is sent to them some Time Since but as yet no return I expect some Catawbas & Cherokees at Winchester the End of next Mo. to make Peace between the former & the No. Indians. The French are collecting all the Inds. they can even to West of Mississippi, but if our Forces get over the Mounts. and shew them some of our Cochorns I doubt not but many of them will desert. I shall send You Copy of the Operats. concluded on after the Genl. arrives. I have sanguine Hopes of Success after our Forces are marched; but Pensylvaa. has behaved monstrously bad the Assembly broke up without granting us any aid. I shall at all Times take a Pleasure in corresponding with You at prest. much hurried must therefore take leave with all our kind respects & Wishes I remn. in great Sincerity
Yr. Exy's most obedt. h. S.