1795, François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, meets with Simcoe

In June 1795, François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, met with Simcoe in Niagara during his travels in the United States and Upper Canada.
Frédéric learned a great deal about the country, "the attainment of which was greatly facilitated by the generous openness of Governor Simcoe."

The plan conceived by General Simcoe for peopling and improving Upper Canada seems, as far as he has communicated it to us, extremely wise and well arranged.
...
A chief town or capital must not be seated on the frontiers, and much less under the guns of the enemy's fort. He has since thought of York, situated on the northern bank of Lake Ontario, nearly opposite to Niagara; it is in this place he has quartered his regiment, and he intends to remove thither himself when he shall withdraw from the frontiers.
York, from its extent, security, and situation, offers an excellent road. The communication between Lake Ontario and Lake Huron is facilitated by several rivers and small lakes. The surrounding territory possesses a good soil, and affords all possible means to improve the trade on the lake. Even in a military point of view its situation is very advantageous. The banks of Lake Ontario are likely to be first peopled by the Americans, and to become most populous; and Lower Canada will always prove to them an object of jealousy and evny rather than Upper Canada. On this ground it is extremely important, to choose a situation, which renders it more easy to succour such points as are most exposed to an attack. Yet Governor Simcoe seems to have relinquished the idea of establishing his residence, and the seat of government, at York.

Frédéric then described Simcoe's plans for the establishing of a capital, London, to be located on a river he has renamed from De la Franche to the Thames. Later on, he wrote that:

Governor Simcoe intends to make York the centre of the naval force on Lake Ontario.

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