Notwithstanding, my Lord, that this is in general the temper of the people, I purpose to issue writs for a general election of representatives, to meet the beginning of the year.

I foresee other inconveniences, arising from several of the principal rebel prisoners being sent here from Charleston, who may poison the minds of the people; although to prevent this, and for their former conduct, they are treated with great contempt, and to have any friendly intercourse with them, is considered as a mark of disrespect to his Majesty, and displeasing to me.

It is my most earnest wish, and chief endeavour, strictly to comply with every instruction I have the honour of receiving from his majesty, communicated to me by your Lordship; but the late date of your Lordship's letters, and other circumstances, often puts it out of my power; and it is with an exultation of joy and gratitude that I render your Lordship my sincere thanks for the favorable light in which your Lordship has viewed my endeavors in his Majesty's service, and recommended to the treasury the payment of my reasonable and necessary expenditures. Your Lordship's letter, in which you inform me that no allowance is made for Indian presents, I only received lately; before which, considerable expenses had been incurred, and usually discharged from that fund, which I am confident your Lordship will discharge. With respect to my future conduct, I beg leave to inform your Lordship, that the Indians have ever been well received here; that they have been of great service, in protecting the province against the repeated incursions of the rebels; that a body of them is settled within a few miles of the set

tlements on St. John's river; and that by withdrawing their usual supplies, which they will impute to our dissatisfaction with them, or to our poverty, they will readily side with the rebels or Spaniards. The murder of one man by them, would soon break up our settlements, and unpeople the province, which is not yet established.

Moreover, the Indian fund answered many other necessary purposes, such as ferry boat expenses. So that, I hope your Lordship will order payment of the necessary expenditures for this year, and recommend to parliament some reasonable provision for the succeeding; especially, as the civil department will be considered, in times of peace, I humbly presume, the most proper for regulating the Indian department.

Extract of a letter from Governor Tonyn to Lord George Germaine, Secretary of State.

St. Augustine, 1780.

Apprehending, my Lord, upon grounds already communicated by me to your Lordship, that the court of Spain intended to invade this province, I have used my utmost efforts to strengthen the fortifications, by repairing both lines of the town, which are now formidable, and adding several new works, the main burden and expense of which, my Lord, has fallen upon the inhabitants, who have for several months had a considerable part of their negroes employed at the King's works.

I have repeatedly represented the defenceless state of the province to his Majesty's commander in chief of the army

and navy, and the commanding officers of the district; but, my Lord, to little effect. And, without particular instructions from your Lordship, restrained as I am by his Majesty's general instructions, my representations will be without effect.

Last June, Lieut. Colonel Clarke* and Colonel Durnford of the engineers, arrived here, and returned to Savannah in a few weeks, carrying with them the small reinforcement of troops they brought, and the King's artificers: however, I have the satisfaction to inform your Lordship, that the works are almost completed, under the direction of Captain Burrard,† of the 60th regiment, whose judgment and close attention deserve commendation. Several galleys, mounting one and two twenty-four pounders, have been built for the defence of the bar: they are not manned, though I have put an embargo on all vessels for six weeks past, greatly prejudicial to the commercial interests, to facilitate the matter. I I proposed to Lieut. Colonel Skinner to commission officers, who would enlist men for that service, to be in readiness in case of an invasion, and not to receive pay until on actual service. By this means, my Lord, many of them might follow, in the mean time, other occupations, and would be secure against being impressed on board the King's ships.

It is with deep concern that I take this opportunity of signifying to your lordship my apprehensions of danger in case. of an attack by a formidable force.

The state of the garrison, although exceeding healthy, is very inconsiderable. The militia does not consist, for com

mon service, of above: several are Minorcans, and I have my doubts of their loyalty, being of Spanish and French extraction, and of the Roman Catholic religion.

The Seminole Indians, 800 gunmen, have been employed in scouting parties along the coast, since the surrender of West Florida. They are well affected, and I can confide in the head men. But the body of the nation are far from being satisfied with the economy that prevails in that department and Spanish emissaries are not wanting to foster dis

content.

As the aid of Indians will be of the utmost importance to us in our weak state, I proposed to conciliate and secure their affections by engaging to meet them in congress at St. John's river in October. However, I could procure neither provisions nor presents for that purpose, the Indian presents your Lordship was pleased to direct to be sent to me not being arrived, and it is with difficulty I can supply straggling parties with a few strouds and a little rice.

But, my Lord, how can I render the Indians serviceable, when I can have neither presents nor provisions but by an application through the commanding officer of the troops to a deputy commissary of the superintendant of Indian affairs? And were I disposed to lead them to action, I should be at a loss, so circumstanced, by whom they were to be conducted, and by whom officered and fed.

The General Assembly, my Lord, have enacted strict rules for regulating the militia, and obliging all the male inhabitants to enroll and serve. I have applied to your Lordship and to to have 3,000 stand of arms laid in for

their use in lieu of those given to

Fifteen hundred stand of arms have arrived, with other military stores, and are lodged in the fort. But my applications to the commanding officer have been ineffectual: arms have been absolutely refused; and neither arms nor military stores, of any kind, are to be issued by the store-keeper without the order of the commandant. The officers of the militia send provisions to the guard house for the poorer sort of the inhabitants, who have been for some time doing town duty; my application to Colonel Glazier for a day's rations having been refused. And there is a scarcity and dearth of provisions among the planters, from the dryness of the last summer, and their principal hands having been employed in making naval stores.

The enclosed list of exports for last year will not be unacceptable to your Lordship, by which it appears that 40,000 barrels of naval stores have been shipped in the course of last year; and I flatter myself next year will give a considerable additional increase, as I look for several refugee families from the neighboring colonies, who shall receive every encouragement and protection in my power. The second general assembly sits in the beginning of the year; and I hope both houses will be well disposed, and preserve harmony in the public business.

For your Lordship's inspection, is enclosed a state of the late dispute between the upper and commons houses of assembly.

The cartel vessels have arrived from the Havana: the last informed me that great sickness prevailed there among the troops.