BIB_ID
459016
Accession number
MA 14909.11
Creator
Edward Augustus, Prince, Duke of Kent, 1767-1820, sender.
Credit line
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Description
1 item (3 pages) ; 33 x 20.4 cm
Notes
Signed "Edward / Lt. General, commanding / his Majesty's Forces in Nova / Scotia and its dependencies."
Docketed.
William Cottnam Tonge (1764-1832) held several offices in Nova Scotia.
"Major Monk" of the "Militia" is probably George Henry Monk, who served as a major in the Royal Nova Scotia Regiment and later as a judge (See Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, vol. XX [Halifax, 1921], p. 159).
Vice Admiral George Vandeput in 1797 "commanded the squadron on the coast of North America" (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
"Mr. Liston" is possibly Sir Robert Liston, then-British minister to the United States.
Part of a collection of letters from Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, to Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet (MA 14909).
Docketed.
William Cottnam Tonge (1764-1832) held several offices in Nova Scotia.
"Major Monk" of the "Militia" is probably George Henry Monk, who served as a major in the Royal Nova Scotia Regiment and later as a judge (See Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, vol. XX [Halifax, 1921], p. 159).
Vice Admiral George Vandeput in 1797 "commanded the squadron on the coast of North America" (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
"Mr. Liston" is possibly Sir Robert Liston, then-British minister to the United States.
Part of a collection of letters from Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, to Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet (MA 14909).
Provenance
Gordon N. Ray.
Summary
Admonishing Wentworth for the "very considerable inconvenience" to "His Majesty's Service" of the delayed completion of the long-since-ordered assembly of the Militia, "two thirds only of the allotted number" being now "collected"; stating the "progress of the Work, has been materially kept back"; informing that, unless action is taken "to make up for the lost time", it will be "out of my power to report to His Majesty's ministers at the close of the season" that there is a "respectable state of defence"; outlining two suggestions: first, "squar[ing]" "the present embodied battalion" into four companies (with specific numbers of ranks provided); second, "forthwith [...] collect[ing]" a second battalion of the same size as the present one; recommending "Mr. Cottnam Tonge" be appointed to command of the second battalion and Major Monk of the Militia be appointed Colonel "of the whole"; stating that Monk is familiar enough with how business "is done in our line" to address the "numerous little difficulties and irregularities" that regularly occur; referring to intelligence received by Vice Admiral Vandeput from "Mr. Liston" of "the probability of an attack upon Canada" that makes special vigilance necessary; urging Wentworth to adopt above suggestions immediately and see full strength is reached "so as to complete the works now in hand" and to "defend them with credit, where completed."
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