Confidential

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential
despatch of the 28th of December describing the plan of operations
which you thought it would be advisable to adopt for the protection of
the colonies under your government in case of hostilities between this
country and the United States.

Though the prospect of those hostilities is now removed, I am glad
to have received your suggestions which I have communicated to the War
Dept. as affecting the question of the defence of that quarter of
British North America.