of men. The
Militia is now raised by a sort of direct burthen on the landed
interest, who are reconciled to it from the apparent and visible
protection which their property derives from it. Whereas, if it was
applied to purposes of more general, though possibly greater,
public advantage, that would be called _unfair_ upon the counties,
as the term now is, and we should infallibly have proposals for
throwing the whole burthen, in all its various shapes, more equally
on the general mass of property within the kingdom.

For all these reasons, tempting as it would be in the present state
of the war, to avail ourselves of the service of that which
constitutes the greatest part of our regular force for the purpose
of those operations, with the necessity of which we are thoroughly
impressed, yet I really do not think, nor is it thought by others,
that we can prudently attempt it.

A more limited idea has occurred to me, in which I think your zeal
might be useful in the way of example. It is this. In any case of
invasion (which is by no means to be put out of the question,
however the public love to flatter themselves about it) I think it
is evident that there might, and probably would be, much boat
service. It is by no means impossible that, even in the very act of
landing, they might have to be opposed by gun-boats, _et id genus
omne_, and that troops would be wanted for that service. If landed,
and having taken Dumourier's "_position on the coast_" to wait for
reinforcements and provisions, perhaps the General who commands our
force in that quarter may wish to attack them from the sea, without
waiting for the certain arm of starvation which would be hanging
over them. The same principle applies to the defence of our tide
rivers, harbours, &c. Now, for all this, I should think it would be
highly useful that our troops should in some degree be trained to
this boat work, and though perhaps an inland regiment of Militia
might not be thought the best to begin with, yet by suggesting this
idea to Sir W. Howe, and expressing your readiness and that of your
regiment to lend yourselves to it, an example might be set to
others and a very useful practice introduced.

I wrote this early in the morning and before the arrival of the
post, so that I do not kno