Series 4 > Papers on Sutherland Estate Management 1802-1816 > Volume 9

196 SUTHERLAND ESTATE MANAGEMENT: CORRESPONDENCE
William Mackenzie to Marchioness of Stafford
Edinburgh, 4 August 1813
I have now to Mention to Your Ladyship that 160 of the 1st or
West Norfolk Militia with all their equipment and provisions were
embarked at Leith early this Morning and ready to Sail when the
Admiral made the Signal for re-embarkation and accordingly they
returned to the Castle this Afternoon.
General Wynyard sent me a message today at 1 Oclock to beg I
would Call for him at the Adjutant Generals Office, which I did,
when he mentioned that just as the Cutter was about to sail he received
a letter from the Lord Advocate to express his surprise that such pro¬
ceedings were adopted without directions from him and that he did
not Wish the troops to go at all. The General answered that he was
merely executing the Orders which had been transmitted to him to
that effect from the Horse Guards. The Lord Advocate replied that
Mr Cranstoun had gone some time ago to Sutherland but previously
told him (the Advocate) it would be unnecessary to send troops there
until he wrote his Lordship what was the real extent of the evil and that
no such letter had ever Come; that Mr Solicitor General had after
reading the precognitions transmitted by the Sheriff Substitute of
Sutherland without Consulting with him (the Advocate) written
to the Duke of Yorks Secretary for troops to be sent to Sutherland
which proceeding of the Solicitor he Considered perfectly uncalled
for; that at any rate if Soldiers were to be sent, there was No Occasion
for sending them so long a Voyage and it would be sufficient to give
the proper instructions to the Governor of Fort George. The General
then told me that in consequence of these directions from the first
Law Officer of the Crown he considered it his duty to Order an im¬
mediate recal of the detachment, and that he would write this Night
to the Governor of Fort George to have in Constant and immediate
readiness 150 or 160 Men properly Officered and with Camp equi¬
page to proceed to Assint on the requisition of the Sheriff of Suther¬
land to that Effect, and the General concluded by wishing me to ex¬
plain all this both to Lord Stafford and Mr Cranstoun. Your Ladyship
will therefore have the goodness to forward by express this second
letter to Mr Cranstoun explaining this sudden Alteration. The Ad¬
miral was very well pleased to give the Counter Order as he was