By the General Wall Packett, which arrived here this morning, I am Honored with a Letter from the Earl of Egremont, One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, Bearing date the 12th. Decemr. last, wherein His Lordship is pleased to Acquaint me, that as the King has nothing So much at heart, as to Secure & Improve the great & Important Advantages gained since the Commencement of this War in North America, and having Seen His good Dispositions to Restore the Publick Tranquillity entirely frustrated by the Insincerity & Chicane of the Court of Versailles in the Late Negociation; His Majesty is again Obliged to take into His Royal Consideration What Ulterior Operations can be Entered upon, by Such part of the Troops, Under my Command, as can be Spared for Other Service, without the least Diminution of the full & Entire Security, as well of His Majesty's former Dominions, as of those Acquired by Conquest in North America: In order that Every thing may be in readiness for an Early Campaign, & to be able to Employ an Adequate Number of the Regular Forces in whatever Attack may be Resolved upon, His Majesty has thought it necessary to Lose no time in Dispatching His orders to the Several Governors in North America, for Levying with the utmost Expedition the (Same Number of Men they respectively Raised for the last Campaign.)

I Cannot think, Sir, that I need Urge any Arguments to Convince You of the necessity of an Early Compliance with His Majesty's Commands, as it is more than probable that this Campaign, if opened in time, & Carried on with Vigor, must be That, Which will, at last, Compell Our Enemy, to treat in Earnest on Such terms, as will be Equally Glorious & Advantageous for His Majesty's Crown, & permanently beneficial to His American Subjects; and I therefore trust the Assembly will Enable You to put those Commands into immediate Execution, Since they terminate in a point, wherein they are so nearly Concerned; & that the King's Principal Object has been for their present Security, as well as their future Welfare, & Prosperity.

You will Observe by the Earl of Egremont's Letter; that as a further Encouragement to a proper Exertion on the part of the Provinces, His Majesty has ordered as heretofore, that the Provincial Forces Should be Victualled in the Same manner, & in the Same proportion as the Regulars; & that they Should be Supplied with Arms & Tents, at the Expence of the Crown: moreover that Strong Recommendations will be made to Parliament in their Session next Year to grant a Compensation to the Provinces, According as their respective vigor, and Strenuous Efforts Shall Justly Appear to merit.

I Have it also in Command from His Majesty to Enjoin You, to Collect & Cause to be put into proper Condition, all the Serviceable Arms that can be found within Your Province; for Every one of which that Shall be brought to the Field, & Shall not Return by reason of being Spoiled or Lost in Actual Service, I Shall pay the Usual Allowance of Twenty five Shillings per Firelock.

As it is very Essential to the Services I may have in Command from the King, that I Should be, as Early as possible, Informed of the Resolves of Your Assembly on this head, and of the time that the Troops will be ready, I beg that as Soon as You are Acquainted therewith You will Signify the Same to Me by Express, that I may Regulate myself Accordingly.

I Have likewise received a Letter from the Earl of Egremont, of the Same date with the former, Signifying His Majesty's Intentions of Compleating the Regular Regiments Serving in America, by Recruits to be Raised by the Several Provinces, (over and above the Quotas Demanded in the Other Letter) on Such terms & Conditions as I Shall propose: I Shall, in Obedience thereto, So Soon as I have fixed on the Numbers necessary to be furnished by the respective Provinces, Communicate to You the Encouragements Which His Majesty is graciously pleased to Impower me to give for Effecting this most Essential Service; and in the meantime I think it my Duty to Acquaint You of this Intended measure, that You may be prepared for Exerting Your utmost Influence with Your Assembly, to grant the Number of men that I Shall be obliged to require of Your Province, that His Majesty's Commands may be duly Obeyed.