you may find it necessary.

Lieut.-General Sir J.C. Sherbrooke has informed me that one of
the transports, with part of the Royals on board, has been
captured by the United States frigate the Essex; that she has
been ransomed and the officers and troops allowed to proceed,
upon condition that they are not to serve against America
until regularly exchanged. The vessel and troops had arrived
at Halifax, and will shortly be sent hither.

_Major-General Brock to Sir George Prevost._

YORK, August 4, 1812.

I have the honor to enclose a statement made by me yesterday
to his majesty's executive council, which will fully apprize
your excellency of my situation. The council adjourned for
deliberation, and I have no doubt will recommend the
prorogation of the assembly and proclamation declaring martial
law, but doubts occurred in contemplation of such an event,
which I take the liberty to submit to your excellency, and
request the aid of your experience and superior judgment.

1.--In the event of declaring martial law, can I, without the
sign manual, approve and carry into effect the sentence of a
general court martial?

2.--Can I put upon a general court martial, after martial law
is proclaimed, any person not a commissioned officer in his
majesty's regular forces? In other words, can officers of
militia sit in conjunction with those of the line?

_Sir George Prevost to Major-General Brock_.

MONTREAL, August 12, 1812.

Your letter of the 4th instant, enclosing the proceedings of
the executive council of the 3d.; Captain Glegg's letter of
the 5th instant, transmitting copies of letters from Colonel
Proctor to you of 26th and 30th July, with the correspondence
between Brigadier-General Hull and Lieut.-Colonel St. George,
and the intercepted correspondence of the former, together
with your letter to Colonel Baynes, of the 4th instant, were
all delivered to me on my arrival at this place yesterday. The
information they contain is highly interesting, and I lose no
time in dispatching to you Brigade Major Shekleton, as the
bearer of this letter, and for the purpose of receiving
whatever communication you may have to make in return. Being
fully aware of the necessity of affording you such
reinforcements as the exigencies of the service in other parts
of the two p