His Excellency General Abercrombie is pleased to Observe in His Letter of the 16 of July to the following Purpot--that He does not find himself vested with ye Power of Building Forts, and that His Excellency does not think that it would be right for Him to Undertake the Building of those He proposed &e. &e.

I humbly conceive that the Plan Ordered for the Post at Oneida Carrying Place is in all Respects and Circumstances to be considered as a Fort, as it partakes not only of the Figure, and the respective parts of a Fort, but even of the Parmanent Intentions of a Fortress, as must dlcasly appear by considering all the Particulars Ordered in that Plan, the Materials of which it is Ordered

FORT STANWIX. 523

To be Built with being only peculiar to the Country and Scituation, and can no ways affect the Intention of that Work, and as to its capacity in point of Size, and the proper Strength requisite in the Execution, when considered, it is Ordered To be made, a good Post for 200 Men to 400 men IJ should think it my Duty to execute it with Propriety, Care, and Attention, in order that it might answer the end proposed--That of Covering that part of the Country.

How far this can be executed (allowing it only to be looked upon as a Post instead of it's absolutely partaking of all the Qualitys & Intentions of a Fort) to answer the end proposed, of having it finished against the Winter must appear by Considering