I had the Honour of your Excellency's Letter of the 5th. of May this Morning and at the same time Mr. Pitt's Letter of the 4th. of February, and am pleased to find that our Resolutions at Philadelphia were agreable to the Orders I received from the Secretary—I had finished the Session of our Assembly the day before I had yours, and they were dispersed; I Shou'd have been glad to have received them a few days sooner to have endeavour'd to get a greater Supply from the Assembly, all I cou'd bring them to was to raise a Supply of £5300 to raise and support two Companies for the Service of South Carolina for 6 Months or longer if necessary, until we meet again in November, and to allow £5 Bounty Money to raise them with Dispatch; I had just wrote a Letter to Governor Lyttelton to acquaint him with it, and to know if we can have a Credit to pay our Troops until we can remit Commodities to repay them, I have contracted for 150 Steers until I can hear from Mr. Stead the Agent Victualler to know the price there; and in what Number and different times he wou'd have them delivered, as the Distemper is on the road in South Carolina; Pitch and Tar we cou'd send but they have laid a Duty upon it, which amounts to a prohibition, and I have wrote to Govr. Lyttelton to have it taken off or at least suspender for so much as we shall send to supply the pay of the Troops and Cloathing, which we must have from thence; As it will take some time to raise and prepare the Troops, I have wrote to Mr. Lyttelton, and since I have got Your Excellency's Letter to Colo. Bouquet that if they want Aid immediately I will march the Company in our Western fort upon the first Notice to their Aid 50 Men, and the other Company of 50 as soon as they are compleated, and replace them with the Company now raising, and send 2 the first compleat Company of 100 Men to make up our Quota, the want of Cash or Credit to Pay them distresses us much—I have this day pursuant to your Orders given Directions to issue a proclamation to have all our Militia exercised and in Readyness, and have orders ⅔ds. of the Regiments of the Militia of New Hanover Bladen Dupplin and Onslow our frontier Counties to be ready at a Days warning to march to the Assistance of South Carolina, and have given a Commission to the President & resident Council near Cape Fear to meet and act as a Committee of Council without waiting for orders from me, and have directed them upon the first Notice from Governor Lyttelton or from Colo. Bouquet to send off those ⅔ds. of their Militia to South Carolina, and to supply them with so much necessary Ammunition as can be spared from the Province without Waiting for Orders from me. I find the South Carolinians depend upon their Militia, and have raised no Troops or granted a Supply, they don't seem to apprehend their Danger.

Your Excellency may depend upon my best Endeavours to support our Common Cause; We have not got our Artillery and Ammunition ordered from England, so that our Store is very small; I pray God to support you in Defense of the Protestant Cause our Liberties and possessions, and long to hear of the Arrival of our Troops and taking Time by the forelock. I am with the greatest Regard and Gratitude for your favours