which, if not
prepared to meet, we shall find more difficult to
repel;--under this impression, Sir George is disposed to
promote the several plans you have recommended to him,
relating to the general line of conduct you would wish to
adopt in the defence of the important province committed to
your charge. If no additional forces be sent out, he will
send up the strong detachment of the 41st, composed of
uncommonly fine young men, and in very good order: the general
has it also in view to send you a strong detachment of the
Newfoundland regiment, selecting their seamen and marine
artificers, who will be most useful in the proposed works to
be carried on at York; and here I am apprehensive that the
means of augmenting your strength must be bounded, unless the
Glengary Levy can be rapidly formed, and Sir George is
sanguine in his expectations of its being speedily placed upon
a respectable footing: in that case, it could occupy Kingston
and that line of communication between the provinces, which
you deem so essential to be guarded. This corps will have the
very great advantage of starting with a better selected body
of officers than has fallen to the lot of any Fencible
regiment in Canada. I hope you will feel inclined to bring
forward Shaw as one of your captains, as without your
countenance I fear he will find it an arduous task to provide
for himself and his brother. The uniform of the corps is to be
green, like that of the 95th rifles.

Sir George expressed himself very sensible of the policy of
the line of conduct you would wish to pursue respecting the
Indians; but as other considerations of the greatest political
delicacy are so minutely interwoven with them, and as the
American government are already inclined to view every
transaction with those people with a jealous and suspicious
eye, he would recommend the utmost caution and forbearance,
lest a different line of conduct might tend to increase the
irritation between the two governments, which it is evidently
the wish of Great Britain to allay.

Our weather has been, and still continues for the season,
severer than ever was recollected by the oldest stagers, and
has rather put our Halifax friends out of conceit with the
fine climate of Canada, particularly as Lady Prevost's health
is delicate, and she