Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 211

At a Council held at the City of Annapolis, on Saturday
the 14.. Dav of May, in the seventh Year of his Lordships
Dominion Annoque Domini I757^:
Present
His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Governor.

The honourable Benjamin Tasker Esq^r Col^o Cha^s Ham-
mond, & Benedict Calvert Esq^r

His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the
following Letters.

Whitehall 4: February 1757:
S^r
The King having nothing more at Heart than the Preser-
vation of his good Subjects, and Colonies of North America
has come to a Resolution of acting with the greatest Vigour
in those parts the ensuing Campaign, and all necessary
Preparations are making for sending a considerable Rein-
forcement of Troops, together with a strong squadron of
Ships for that Purpose, and in order to act offensively
against the French in Canada.
It is his Majesty's Pleasure that you should forthwith
call together your Council and Assembly and press them in
the strongest manner to raise with the utmost Expedition,
as large a Number of Provincial Troops as may be, for the
Service of the ensuing Campaign over and above what they
shall judge necessary for the immediate Defence of their
own province and the Troops so raised do act in such Parts
with the Earl of Loudoun or the Commander in Chief of his
Majesty's Forces for the time being shall judge most con-
ducive to the Service in General, and the King doubts not but
that the several Provinces truly sensible of his paternal Care
in sending so large a Force for their Security, will exert
their utmost Endeavours to second and strengthen such
offensive Operations against the French as the Earl of
Loudoun or the Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Forces
for the Time being shall judge expedient, and will not clog
the Enlistments of the Men or the raising of the Money for
their Pay &c.. with such Limitations as have been hitherto
found to render their service difficult and ineffectual, and as
a farther Encouragement I am to acquaint you that the rais-
ing of the Men, their Pay, Arms, and Cloathing will be all,
that will be required for this Campaign on the Part of the
Several Provinces, Measures having been already taken for
laying up Magazines of Stores, and Provisions of all Kinds
at the Expence of the Crown. I cannot too strongly recom-
mend it to you to use all your Influence with your Council

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.

p. 180