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my former representations to your Grace with some addition in regard to our present condition.
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1st. The Inhabitants of this province except what belongs to the two garrisons of Annapolis and Canso are all French Roman Catholics who were allowed on their taking the Oaths Of Allegiance to keep their possessions and enjoy their religion. These hhabitants cannot be depended on for assistance in case of a Rupture with France, it is as much as we can expect if we can keep them from joining with the enemy or being stirred up by them to rebell. To prevent this I have used the best means I could since I have had the administration of the affairs of this province especially by making them sensible of the advantage and ease they enjoy under the British Government, whereby to wean them from their old masters, but as to do this effectually a considerable time will be required — this province in the rneantime is in a worse condition for defence than the other American Plantations who have inhabitants to defend them whilst far from having any dependence on ours we are obliged to guard against them.
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2d. Of the two holds we have in this province, Annapolis Royal and Canso, the last where four companies are quartered and is near to Cape Breton has no other defence than a Block house built of Timber by the Contribution of the Fishermen who resort there and a few inhabitants settled in that place — for the repairs of which the officers have often been obliged to contribute, as well as to those of the Huts in which the soldiers are quartered. It cannot therefore be expected that that place can make auy considerable resistance against the force the people of Cape Breton may bring against it. As for Annapolis Royal, the Fort being built of earth of a sandy nature is apt to tumble down in heavy rains or in thaws after frosty weather. To prevent this a revestment of Timbers has been made use of which soon decaying remedies the evil but for a short space of time, so that for those many years past there has been only continual patching. The Board of Ordnance has sent Engineers and Artificers in order to build the Fort with Brick and Stone, but little could be done for these two summers past than providing part of the materials and making conveniences for landing them, so that when I received the above mentioned directions there were several breaches of easy access to an enemy, which I immediately ordered to be repair'd in which the season has favored us beyond Expectation. I shall beg leave of your Grace to make two remarks on the rebuilding of this Fort. 9
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