At the opening of the season, Lord Colville dispersed his squadron to
those stations where their services appeared most necessary, and remained
with his ship at Halifax, as it was considered inadvisable to leave such
an important naval post open to attack from the French or the Spaniards.
He had been advised by despatches, dated 26th December 1761, that war had
been declared with the latter nation. During this period of waiting the
words "nothing remarkable" are in constant use in Captain Adams's (the
second Captain of the Northumberland) Journal. Cook utilised this time to
make a thorough survey of Halifax Harbour, the notes of which are now in
the United Service Museum, Whitehall.

At length the period of inaction was ended. Captain Charles Douglas,
H.M.S. Syren, who was cruising off Cape Race, received information that a
squadron of four French ships of the line, having some 1500 picked troops
on board, had made a descent on Newfoundland, and had captured St.
John's, the capital, which had been most shamefully neglected, and its
garrison reduced to 63 men. The Grammont, 22-gun sloop, was unfortunately
in harbour at the time, and was also taken. Douglas at once pressed two
English merchant vessels into the service, and putting a petty officer in
command of one, the William, and his Master in the other, the Bonetta,
despatched them to cruise in search of Captain Graves, the reappointed
Governor of Newfoundland, who was daily expected from England. The
Bonetta soon fell in with the Antelope, Graves's ship, and she
immediately joined Douglas, and then proceeded to strengthen the Isle of
Boys as far as time would allow. Then going to Placentia, a place of as
much importance as St. John's, and more capable of defence, they set
about making preparations to beat off any attack, leaving a garrison of
99 men and as many marines as could be spared. Graves then despatched
Douglas with the remainder of the Syren's marines to take possession of
Ferryland, and sent the ship herself off with letters to Lord Colville,