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to retain in pay the Two Thousand New England Troops now under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Monckton on the Isthmus of Chignecto.
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It was unanimously the opinion of His Majesty's Council and all present, that they should be retained, at least untill the augmentation was compleated, or further orders should be received from England, and it was Resolved that the Transports should be immediately discharged, to avoid any unnecessary Expence.
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CHAS. LAWRENCE.
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JNO. DUPORT, Sec: Con:
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Governor Lawrence to Board of Trade.
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HALIFAX, 18th July, 1755.
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My LORDS, —
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Since my last, of 28th of June 1755, sent express by Lieutenant Cunningham, the French have abandoned their Fort at St. John's River, and, as far as it was in their power, demolished it. As soon as the Forts upon the Isthmus were taken, Captain Rous sailed from thence with three twenty Gun Ships, and a Sloop, to look into St. John's River, where it was reported there were two French Ships of thirty-six Guns each; he anchored off the mouth of the River, and sent in his Boats to reconnoitre; they found no ships there, but, on their appearance, the French burst their Cannon, blew up their Magazine, burned everything they could, belonging to the Fort, and marched off. The next morning, the Indians invited I Captain Rous on shore, gave him the strongest assurances of their desire to make peace with us, and pleaded in their behalf, that they had refused to assist the French upon this occasion, tho' earnestly pressed by them. I expect some of their Chiefs here in a very few days.
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As the French Inhabitants of this Province have never yet, at any time, taken the oath of allegiance to His Majesty, unqualified, I thought it my duty to avail myself of the present occasion, to propose it to them; and, as the deputies of the different districts in Mines Basin, were attending in Town upon a very insolent Memorial, they had delivered to the Council, I was determined to begin with them. They were accordingly summoned to appear before the Council, and, after discussing the affair of the Memorial, article by article, the oath was proposed to them; they endeavoured, as much
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