fined here in a house which belongs to the Crown, and which was begun by Charles the Second for a palace, and stands upon a very high spot of ground, where a castle before stood that belonged to the famous Sir William Waller. Adjoining to this has been railed in a large piece of ground, where the prisoners are let out in the day to air themselves. They complain very much of the French Government for having withdrawn its allowance from them: many of them have offered, as I am told, to enter into our service, and some were accepted, but they behaved themselves so very ill that they were remanded to prison. They have established a sort of Police among themselves, and try and punish all that are guilty of little thefts and other crimes. It appears from this how naturally men form themselves into civil societies. They keep up also some forms of religion, assembling every morning to sing their matins, and in the evening their vespers. The regular life they are obliged to lead preserves them uncommonly healthy, though they are so very ragged that they have very little to cover themselves from the inclemency of the weather.

The Militia of Wiltshire are here to guard them, and went on Saturday into camp. Lord Bruce', who commands them, discharges his duty in a manner that does him honour. Lientenant-Colonel Northey and Captain Beckford are also very assiduous. They are a finer body of men than the Norfolk Battalions, but not under so good discipline. The Warwickshire Militia, which was marched as far as Salisbury with a design to have been encamped also here, are countermanded. Lord Denbigh2,

1 Thomas Brudenell, second Baron Bruce, afterwards Earl of Ailesbury. He died in 1814.

2 Basil Feilding, sixth Earl of Denbigh. He died in 1800.

upon hearing what was to be their destination, flew immediately to town and represented the indignity that was offered to his corps in appointing them to the guard of prisoners, so that for this, or some other reason, their destination is altered.

I am very much obliged to you for your kind wishes in relation to myself: the treatment I have received on this occasion gives me the greatest concern, as it places me in a situation, which of all others I was most desirous to avoid; however troublesome I might be to other people, I hoped never to become so to those who were truly my friends, and I always flattered myself that at least, by industry and good intentions, I might render any application they should make in my favour not very difficult, as I was always resolved it should be reasonable; but in the present case I have not only been a trouble to my friends, but have also brought a disgrace on them, since in favour of me they have been refused a request, which on such an application has usually been granted to the lowest and least deserving of beings; and though their kind endeavours were backed and supported by the good inclination of the public in general, yet in the present instance it has availed nothing, and his Grace of Newcastle is resolved upon the present occasion to show the plenitude of his power, and that no circumstance or consideration shall oblige him to perform even a promise, where, at the same time that he passed his word, his inclination was not with it. I have, &c., &c. CHAS. JENKINSON.

THE REV. MR. COTTON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Princess Amelia, Isle Madame, August 27, 1759. SIR,-The following is a copy of my letter to you, dated August 10th and 15th, Isle Madame, which was put on board His Majesty's ship Diana for conveyance, and is as follows, viz. :

In the beginning of June last, I took the liberty, Sir, to send you as true a state of affairs in America as I could then procure, and I hope it arrived safe in His Majesty's ship Nightingale, who sailed from Louisbourg for England, June 10th, and in that letter I hinted that I feared but one thing, which might defeat our hopes in this quarter, which was that the enemy might assemble such a body of troops at Quebec as might check the ardour of our army in making themselves masters of the place, and by their superiority in numbers oblige us to dispute every inch of ground, and of consequence reduce our numbers and make us retreat. This has in part been the case, and is as follows, viz.:

On the 31st of July a disposition was made to land and force the enemy from their trenches, which was attempted; but the enemy's superiority, and orders not being duly observed, a retreat was beat, and well executed, with the loss of 65 men only, and between 200 and 300 wounded and brought off. Notwithstanding which the cannonade and bombardment has been continued from the other side of the river upon the town with great spirit and vigour, that the houses in the lower town are well nigh consumed by the shells, and carcasses beat down by the shot.

Brigadier Murray, with 1200 or 1300 men, is above the town, besides the following ships of war, viz. :— Sutherland and Squirrell, under the command of Admiral Holmes.

Brigadier Monckton commands at Point Levy, on the south side of the River, opposite the town, where are the cannon, and bomb batteries, which incessantly play upon the town.

Brigadier Townshend is with General Wolfe at the falls of Montmorency, where they have a number of cannon, mortars, &c., and from thence have annoyed the enemy in their trenches, as they are to a man entrenched.

The above has been, and still is, the disposition of the army, except frequent detachments sent out, which bring in women and cattle.

There is scarce a day passes but skirmishes happen, and loss sustained on both sides.

As yet we have had no authentic accounts from General Amherst, though from what we can collect from prisoners and deserters, success has attended his army, and we are in hopes he will join us or send a reinforcement; if he should not, it is thought another attempt will be made to force their trenches, and if that should not succeed, they hint as if the greatest part of the army will winter at Isle Coudre, and, before they go to their cantonment, will procure all the stock and necessaries that the country and their security will admit of; after which they will consume the houses and standing corn, so as effectually to distress the enemy the ensuing winter. His destruction has already begun at St. Paul's Bay, Goore Cape, and contiguous, and I suppose

will be executed, ere long, each side the river, and upon the Isle of Orleans.

Admiral Saunders has hoisted his flag on board the Stirling Castle, and is with 8 or 9 ships of the line, besides frigates, &c., at the West end of Orleans, in the Bason which is formed by that end of the island and Point Levy, and within sight of the town.

The enemy, Sir, have attempted once again to burn our fleet and transports, by fire ships and their fire stages, which fortunately proved ineffectual to that purpose, and done us little or no damage. The form of their fire stages is the putting several timbers together, very nigh a square, upon which they put their combustibles, linking 70 or 80 of them together, and tow them till they come nigh the fleet, and then turn them adrift; but by the vigilance of our boats, which, by means of their fire grapnels, tow them clear of the ships, and oft times on shore, to the no small mortification of the contrivers of them.

Admiral Durell, Sir, has the command of 8 or 9 of the line at the Isle Madame, or East end of Orleans, about six or seven leagues from Mr. Saunders, where he lays commodiously moored, to prevent a French fleet from coming to the assistance and relief of Quebec, if they should attempt it.

Two ships more lay at Coudre, and one at Isle of Bec, so that we shall be soon advised if an enemy's fleet should enter the river.

Admiral Holmes, as I noticed before, commands above the town. This, Sir, is the disposition of the fleet, which has happily got up the River, with scarce a misfortune attending them or the transports.