Letter from Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent, London, to John Wentworth, 1799 June 9 : autograph manuscript signed.

Acknowledging letter of April 15 received May 14; reporting news "I hope will not be unwelcome - I mean that of my being on the eve of leaving England to shake you by the hand again in Halifax" as he has been appointed Prescott's successor as "commander in Chief of [his majesty's] Forces in N[orth] A[merica]"; reporting further his headquarters are to be in Halifax and he has been promoted to full general "out of the line of General Promotions"; hoping to leave by the first of July; referring Wentworth to study his letter to Wetherall on new staff appointments; expressing warmly his gratitude for "the joy you received on hearing of my safe arrival"; "lament[ing] much to see that you write in so melancholy a strain"; expressing hope that his upcoming arrival and "Halifax soon becoming gayer" will "make you brighten up" and that he will find Wentworth with revived "appetite, health and spirits on my arrival"; informing that Colonel Wetherall is "charged with the entire management of my affairs" and to make available to Wetherall (for Edward's sake) certain things, including the use of the Prince's Lodge residence in Halifax; predicting Lady Wentworth and their son Charles Mary will have rejoined Wentworth by the end of the month; discussing Wentworth's account of political news from the United States and noting "things appear to be drawing to a crisis"; explaining that the "dispensation in Canada" ("which you mention as being unabated") resulted in the recall of Prescott and expressing hope that "matters will run smooth again" with the arrival of his successor; expressing gladness "my friend Mr. Glennie [sic] [of New Brunswick] has kept his word with me and been perfectly quiet"; lamenting "the fate" of "old Miller" and Cossett as giving him "infinite pain" and hoping that if "the transaction is ... illegal" then the responsible parties will be "severely punished"; relaying he had "spoken very strongly" with the Duke of Portland on the "nonsense of suffering" the governments of Cape Breton and of St. John's Island being separate from Nova Scotia; informing he believes the Duke will eventually fold both colonies into Nova Scotia; noting gladly that would "afford a little addition to your income"; reporting Brigadier Murray will "certainly" remain for now in command of the Cape Breton detachment; conveying possibility the Royal Nova Scotia Regiment will be put into "the Fencible Establishment" and have incorporated into them the Island of St. John's Corps; discussing possibilities of Wentworth being made colonel or his salary being increased; "hoping in the course of nine or ten weeks at furthest, to shake you by the hand".