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NOVA SCOTIA DOCUMENTS. |
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At a Council holden at the Governor's House in Halifax, on Tuesday the 15th July 1755.
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PRESENT —
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The Lieutenant Governor.
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Benj. Green, Councilor
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Jno. Collier, Councilor
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Willm. Cotterell, Councilor
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Jonn. Belcher, Councilor
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The Honble. Vice Admiral Boscawen and Rear Admiral Mostyn being also present in Consequence of the Lieutenant Governor's Letter.
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The Lieutenant Governor laid before the Admirals the late Proceedings of the Council in regard to the French Inhabitants, and desired their Opinion and Advice thereon.
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Both the said Admirals approved of the said Proceedings, and gave it as their Opinion, That it was now the properest Time to oblige the said Inhabitants to Take the Oath of Allegiance to His Majesty, or to quit the Country.
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The Lientenant Governor then communicated to the Council, a Letter by him received from Capt. Rous, informing him that the French at the River St. Johns had, upon his Appearance with His Majesty's Ships under his Command before the Fort there, Retreated therefrom after having first rendered the Cannon useless, and destroyed by Fire, all the Wood Work thereof &c.; and desired the Opinion of the Council in regard to the most proper and necessary Measures to be immediately taken, in order to prevent the French from availing themselves any further of their late Possession thereof, and of Securing the said Territory and the Indian Inhabitants thereof to His Majesty's Obedience. Upon which the Council were of Opinion That less Inconvenience would be occasioned by suffering the said Fort to remain in its present Condition during the present Circumstances of the Colony, than by undertaking immediately to Repair and Garrison the same.
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The Council then took into Consideration the Number and State of the Troops in this Province, the Impossibility of compleating the intended Augmentation at present, and the Number of French Troops that had got into Louisbourg and the River of Canada, in the Ships that had escaped Admiral Boscawen's Fleet. And then the Question was proposed whether it would not be absolutely necessary for the Good of His Majesty's Service, and the Security of this His Province,
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