Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Many estimates of the state of affairs, Sir, of the different Islands
which have not reached me give me reason to fear that they have
fallen into enemy hands, in order to prevent a similar situation
in the future, I request you to address to me the estimate
of the troops that make up your garrison of the King's frigates or corvettes,
stamping on the package which will contain them, to Throw into the Sea
in case of emergency.

It will always be necessary that you will be obligated yourself to send it
by way of the company commanders the first days of each month, the estimates
of the position according to the model, which are destined to me, in order
to hold them all ready to be placed on the first vessel,
frigate, or corvette, & I request you to direct the hand
so that they will be punctual.

And in order to replace as far as it is possible the
estimates in the interval which I will place to receive them
& to place myself within range to not interrupt my
correspondence with that which is known relative to the location of the troops,

I will be obliged to you have drawn up in the first
days of each month a statement of the location of the corps
conforming to that which I join here, which will only
contain the movements, and to address them to me
in duplicate, by all opportunities without stam-
ping the packaging to Throw etc. as the loss of it
will be unimportant.

I have the honor to be with a very Inviolable
attachment, Monsieur le Vicomte, your
very humble and obedient servant.