Lake Champlain is a long narrow lake to the N.E. of Ontario,
communicating with the St. Lawrence a few miles below Montreal by the
river Chamblee, or Sorel. It is nowhere more than eighteen miles across,
and its average breadth does not exceed five. Below Crown Point it is a
mere channel for ten or twelve miles to its southern extremity at
Ticonderoga. Here it receives the waters from a small lake to the
southward, Lake George, but the communication, as well as that with the
St. Lawrence, is interrupted by shoals and rapids. From Lake George to
the Hudson is only six or eight miles, the sole interruption to a water
frontier from the St. Lawrence to New York, navigable for vessels of
burden for four-fifths of its length, and for bateaux nearly all the
way. The command of this line would enable the northern and southern
armies to co-operate effectually; to press on the New England States
along their whole border; to cut off all communication between them and
the rest of the Union, and to prevent any hostile attempt on Canada.

Measures were promptly taken to secure this important object.
Detachments from the King's ships at Quebec, with volunteers from the
transports, and a corps of artillery, in all, nearly 700 men, were sent
across to the Lake, there to construct, with timber felled by
themselves, and in the presence of a superior enemy, the vessels in
which they were to meet him. A party joined from the _Blonde_, under
Lieutenant Dacres, with Mr. Brown, one of the midshipmen. Mr. Pellew was
to have remained with the ship; but he appeared so much disappointed at
the arrangement, that Captain Pownoll allowed him also to go.

The season was already so far advanced, that it would have been a
creditable service only to complete the preparations for the next
campaign; but the zeal and exertions of the officers and men surpassed