Letter from Arthur Dobbs and the North Carolina Council to the Board of Admiralty, 3 March 1757

Transcription

New Bern in North Carolina March 3d. 1757.

We the Governor and Council of His Majestys Province of North Carolina, do beg leave to recommend to Your Lordships Consideration the great Hazard and danger of our Trade and Commerce in the Several Ports of this Government, from its present unguarded and defenceless Situation; And that the Descent made on the Town of Brunswick in the River of Cape Fear, the late War, by two Vessells of small Force, fills the Mercantile and other Inhabitants of the Sea Coast with apprehensions of the like Loss of their properties, And Employs our Constant Wishes that His Majestys Sloop appointed for the Station of Cape Fear River, was more at hand, so as to be called upon in case of need, for the protection of this part of the Continent in General, as well as the Intercourse of that Harbour in particular, is what we beg your Lordships to enquire into, as we don't conceive Your Lordships can have given Orders for her leaving this Station at this perilous Time of War and Invasion;

But whereas we have had long and repeated Instances that the Captains of his Majestys Ships have great dislike to this port, as a Station not altogether so much for their Interest and preferment, by which means we become so often Exposed to the Enemy, and our Traffick suffering thro' that neglect; We humbly presume to recommend to Your Lordships favour Lieutt. Benjamin Heron, long an Officer in his Majestys Royal Navy, begging that Your Lordships will be pleased to prefer him to this Station, whose Merit the World Speaks well of, and which we hope will meet Your Lordships Concurrance, as we hear the Baltimore's Station is almost Expired; and this we the more earnestly request, of Your Lordships as a reward for his good behaviour some few Months since, in driving from this Coast an Enemys Privateer, in a Sloop of Small Force fitted out here for that purpose, as also from his great Knowledge of this Coast, and the danger of the Sands that surround this Bar; which together with the Connections he has with this province, as well as his Inclinations, will be certain Inducements to his constant Attendance for the well doing of our Trade, and the protection of this province;