Since my Letter to you dated the 2«i of Dec'^ last, His Majesty has been pleased to appoint the Earl of Loudoun, an Officer of Experience, Ability and Integrity, to be Commander in Chief of His Forces in America, and to direct that two Battalions of His Troops should be sent from hence, and four others raised in America for the defense and protection of the Colonies against the Hostilities Eind Invasions of the French; and as the Success of such measures as His Lordship shall think proper to pursue upon his Arrival for the general Interest and Security of the Colonies, and the Annoyance of the Enemy, will in great measure depend upon his having a large body of Our Indian Allies, to act in conjunction with the Kings Forces, and such as shall be raised in the Colonies, the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations have thought it their Duty upon this great occasion to propose to His Majesty, that you should be appointed Agent and sole Superintendent of the Affairs of the confederate Indians to the northward, by an express Commission from His Majesty, being well assured, from the experience they have had of your Influence among them, and great Abilities in conducting their Affairs, that nothing can so effectually answer the great end proposed of fixing them steadily in our Interest, and engaging them in the Service; and that you may be the better enabled to answer His Majesty's Expectations, the whole Management of this Branch of the Service will be left entirely to your Discretion, and the Commander in Chief will be impowered to furnish you with whatever Sums of Money you shall have occasion for, either for building Forts for the protection of their Wives and Children, whilst they are engaged in the Service, establishing Smiths and other Artificers amongst them, or for making such other Regulations as may remove those Difficulties and Doubts in their Minds which have hitherto operated as an Obstruction to their heartily engaging with Us, and have induced some to enter into Engagement with the French; and that nothing may be wanting on the part of His Majesty to manifest his Regard