I wrote to Your Excellency last October by a Vessel which sailed from hence to New York, but have not heard that Your Lordship recd. it acquainting you that our Assembly was to meet in November, and wanted to know your Commands, and what you wanted from the Assembly⁠—The Assembly is now over and tho' I demanded the keeping up of the 2 Companies of 100 each to be ready to assist So. Carolina, and the 2 Companies of 50 Men each for our Western frontier, yet I cou'd not prevail upon them to keep above 3 Companies of 50 Men each, so that they have broke our Company of 100 Men, and reduced the second which had been raised for the Service of So. Carolina to 50 Men because they found that the South Government did not want them after the Arrival of the Highland Regiment; when I had hired Vessels to transport them, they wrote to stop them, as they had sea Quarters for them, and now the Virginians being recalled was a further reason for not continuing them. I have prorogued the Assembly to the Middle of February in Case you have any further Instructions to lay before them, but fear they will not come in to grant any more this year. However I shall fix 2 of the Companies in the forts upon the Sea Coast to be ready at hand to assist South Carolina, and as we have got Artillery and Stores for the Fort at Cape Fear, I must garrison that Fort which is not finished with Militia in Case they shou'd be embarked abroad: We are very much in Want of Arms for the Militia who are not half armed, and I have issued amongst them and the Companies all I have in the province except about 100⁠—I hope your Excellency will order us the 33 Arms and Accoutrements I gave to Capt. Demaré by Mr. Shirley's Orders. I hope in a little time Mr. Wallace of New York will be in Cash to pay you the £500 you gave him for Support of our Companies, and hope Your Excellency will allow us a proportional Share of the £50000 granted by his Majesty for the Southern Provinces. We have already issued £50,000 this Currency for the use of this and the other Provinces, so that we are entitled to a good Share of the Dividend which is left to you to proportion among the Colonies, we shall want some Artillery and Stores for Fort Granville at Portsmouth and Fort Dobbs at Topsail Inlet.

I can give you no Intelligence from this Province, only we are still in peace from the Indian Incursions⁠—I long to hear from your Excellency, and hope you will not have your Operations frustrated by Delay's, as happen'd last year, for all our hopes are in the Success of next year's Operations on this Continent.

I wish that God may protect you and head our Armies, for the Arm of the Flesh without him is very precarious