As you, My lord, are perfectly acquainted with the ruinous condition of this Colony, you understand very well the deplorable consequences of this war which require that the settlements be confor in truth the establishment of the tracted, and it is here we must anticipate many difficulties Colony would have to be almost begun over again, and this it is which causes me repeat the demand that I have already made for regular troops to support our habitans, and to occupy the posts neces;

sary to be guarded, without which I cannot preserve

many points very requisite to be protected

among others Chambly, where I should like to station a strong post, because it is the most important pass to reach the English by lake Champlain.

That post will moreover always be a subject of uneasiness to the Indians who would incline to cross the River Richelieu thence to our settlements on

the River

St.

Francis ; in addition to which, communicating as it does with that of la Prairie de la

Madelaine, would secure, in some sort, all the country from Sorel unto la Prairie de la Madelaine. Reflect again,

My lord, if you please, how important is that post of Bout de l'lsle de Mont Real,

that of Chateaugu6, that of la Chesnaye and that of l'lsle Jesus. I say nothing, My lord, of all the other settlements that are isolated and without communication which we must endeavor to secure from insult. Those details, My lord, require considerable troops, which could not fail to greatly advance this country by laboring to draw (resserer) the Colony closer together and make it more compact, by means of forts around which clearances would be made. Al this, My lord, is no trifling work to be prepared. For what certainty can there be of destroying so powerful an enemy as that Nation which has assuredly two thousand men under arms independent of a large number of other tribes their allies, estimated at twelve hundred ?