America and West Indies: Miscellaneous, 1730

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 37, 1730. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1937.

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'America and West Indies: Miscellaneous, 1730', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 37, 1730, (London, 1937) pp. 424-429. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol37/pp424-429 [accessed 26 April 2024]

Miscellaneous, 1730

[1730]. 641. Petition of Thomas Burnett to the King. In consideration of the services of Bishop Burnet, His late Majesty appointed his eldest son William Burnet Comptroller of the Customs. Mr. Burnet by unfortunate dealing in public stocks having involved himself in considerable debts, His late Majesty in 1720 authorised an exchange between him and Mr. Hunter, by which means had he continued some years longer in the Government of New York, he would have been enabled to pay his debts and provide for his destitute family etc. But it being thought for H.M. service to remove him to the government of the Massachusetts Bay, he behaved with the most unshaken fidelity to H.M. Instructions, not accepting the many presents offered him by the Representatives upon terms contrary thereto etc. By his removal from New York he lost an income of 3000l. a year and had no salary assigned him in his new Government, and was obliged to keep up the dignity of his post at the expense of his private fortune. Begs for H.M. charitable bounty to said Burnet's children. Signed, Thomas Burnett. 2 pp. Without date or endorsement. 2 pp. [C.O. 5, 752. No. 47.]
[? 1730]. 642. Governor Johnson to the King. Upon a representation (v. 20th Feb.) that twenty 18 pounders, forty 12 pounders and twelve sackers with ball in proportion and 500 musketts with swords and pistolls were necessary to be sent to S. Carolina, etc., your Majesty was pleased to refer the same to the Board of Ordnance etc., who compute it will cost 5119l. 1s. but represent that they have not any money ordered for such service etc. Prays that they may be instructed to supply said stores immediately and that the expence thereof be made an article in the next estimate to be laid before Parliament as was done in similar circumstances in the case of the Bahama Islands (v. following). Undated. 1 p. Enclosed,
642. i. Order of King in Council, 26th Sept., 1728. Approving list of stores necessary for the security and defence of the Bahama Islands and an estimate thereof amounting to 3802l. 7s. 2½d., prepared by the Board of Ordnance etc. In regard to the great consequence of the said Islands, by their scituation, to the Crown of Great Britain, and to the Trade and Navigation of H.M. subjects, H.M. doth hereby order that the stores be sent as soon as conveniently may be, and that the expence thereof be made an article in the next estimate to be laid before Parliament etc. Copy. 1¼ pp. [C.O. 5, 383. Nos. 40, 41.]
[? 1730]. 643. Governor Johnson to the King. Requests that a second Independent Company of 100 men may be appointed to garrison the S. Carolina forts at Port Royal, Fort Moor, Pallachuccola Fort and Johnson's Fort, which are but weakly garrisoned, there being but few white men in the province and they require to be paid treble the charge of common soldiers sent from hence etc. Undated. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 383. No. 42.]
[1730]. 644. List of letters relating to Sta. Lucia written to the Board of Trade, Feb. 12th-Nov. 13, 1730. "In the Domestick Book." 1½ pp. [C.O. 253, 1. No. 54.]
645. Brief précis of correspondence in Secretary of State's Office relating to Sta. Lucia, Oct. 2, 1719–Nov. 30, 1730. Concludes with memorandum that, on Nov. 30, 1730, the report of the Board of Trade (26th Nov.) was sent to Lord Waldegrave, with a duplicate, signed by H.M., of an order for evacuating Sta. Lucia, St. Vincents and Dominico, according to the new draft etc. (v. 26th Nov.), and the three voluminous reports of 9th July about Sta. Lucia,? 26th Aug. about St. Vincents, and 7th Sept. about Dominico. 10 pp. [C.O. 253, 1. No. 60 ; and (in Mr. Delafaye's handwriting, 7 pp.) 152, 43. ff. 53—56.]
[? 1730]. 646. Governor FitzWilliam to the Duke of Newcastle. Asks that his Commission for the Independant Company may be dated from the death of his predecessor. Immediately after he had kissed H.M. hand on his appointment as Governor, he sent letters to S. Carolina and other places to provide for their subsistance, but his commission remains still undated etc. Without date or signature. 1 1/8 pp. [C.O. 23, 12. No. 102.]
[1730]. 647. Governor Johnson to the Queen. From the death of General Nicholson until the arrival of memorialist in S. Carolina, Arthur Middleton, President of the Council has kept the whole of the Governor's salary and perquisites, though not entitled to more than a moiety etc. Memorialist has been at great charge for almost a year after his Commission was passed in attending the Committees of Council and Board of Trade upon adjusting the affairs of that Province, and in settling a Treaty of friendship with the Charokee Indians, some of whome were at that time in England, and whom he was ordered to wait for, in order to carry them over with him. He has been deprived of the command of the Independant Company there, worth 10s. a day to his predecessor etc. Prays that the above moiety may be paid to him, etc. 1½ pp. [C.O. 5, 383. No. 54; and (duplicate) 55.]
[? 1730]. 648. Petition of Charles Dunbar, Surveyor General of the Customs, Antigua, to the King. In Feb. 1726/7, the Spanish ship Santa Reta was cast away on the shoals of Barbuda. About 70,000 weight of damaged cocoa, 16,000 weight of snuff and a parcel of Spanish coin said to amount to 60,000 pieces of eight, was brought to Antigua, and the snuff and cocoa, was lodged in the Custom House by petitioner to prevent clandestine trade or embezlement. The officers of the ship kept possession of the coin. A few days later upon information that war had broken but with Spain, and that several English vessels were taken off Santa Cruix and one on the high seas by a Spanish privateer, petitioner seized and sold the snuff and cocoa at public outcry, and seized all the money he could discover which amounted to no more than 7000 pieces of 8, the rest being secretly sold to and shipped off by sympathising inhabitants. Upon a representation of the Directors of the South Sea Company desiring restitution might be made of said Spanish effects, the Duke of Newcastle in March last instructed the Governor of the Leeward Islands to cause such restitution, if he found the cause might come within the article for the restitution of Spanish prizes in the Treaty of Seville etc. The representation of the South Sea Company (v. 10th March) was misleading. The case was plainly one of those seizures which by said Treaty are to be decided by Commissaries appointed for that purpose etc., to whom petitioner prays that it may be referred etc. Without date or endorsement. l½ pp. [C.O. 7, 1. Nos. (shorter version) 33 ; and 34.]
[? 1730]. 649. Sir Alexander Cuming, Bart., to the Duke of Newcastle. Since your Memorialist has delivered up to H.M. the Crown with which the Cherakee Nation intrusted him, and has laid the same at H.M. feet as an emblem of H.M. Soveraignty over them, together with the five eagles' tails as an emblem of Glory which that people invests H.M. with, your Memorialist having herein discharged his trust, cannot now take upon him to give any directions or assume to himself the charge of these people, unless he receives first H.M. authority for doing so. Your Memorialist is informed that H.M. has given directions about a provision for these people, but cannot take notice of that report unless it is properly signified to him by your Grace : If it is so, they must receive it as a testimony of H.M. singular favour, and not what they or your Memorialist could hope for in bringing them over, for it was allways your Memorialist's aim to keep down their expectations, that they might be disappointed in nothing, and consider everything they saw and mett with as extraordinary. If H.M. has been graciously pleased to order them anything, your Memorialist humbly begs that it may not pass throw his hands lest it should be thought that his own particular interest rather than H.M. service was concerned in his behaviour, but hopes that it may be directly applyed to the discharge of those bills for their maintinance here which your Memorialist must otherways be answerable for, as your Grace will see by the annext letter sent him by Mr. Crow of this place with whom they have lodged ever since he brought them here by your Grace's commands etc. If it had not been for this step which your Memorialist has taken to bring those Indians over here, the lower Cherakee Nation would before this time have been seduced to the French interest from presents which the French proposed to make them and consequently that strong barrier to our settlements lost, according to the best information your Memorialist could gett in that country, ¾ p. Enclosed,
649. i. James Crowe to Sir Alexander Cuming, In ye Cloysters in Winsor Castle. 15 July, 1730. Last night, ye indians fell out a mungst them selves, ye too chefes faught, I realy dont think itt safe for them to be in my house aney longer, tharefore must begg of you to remove them for I can't provide for them aney longer and must begg of you to pay my bill of 41 pounds three shill. and fore pence this day etc. Signed, Jas. Crowe. Addressed. 1 p.
649. ii. Memorial of Sir A. Cuming to the King. The Cherokee Nation at a General meeting at Neguisee of all the Head men of that people, on 3rd April 1730, empowered memorialist to make their homage and submission to your Majesty acceptable. As a testimony of their sincerity they have given to your memorialist that with which they crown their Princesses, and five eagles' tails to lay at your Majesty's feet, as things they know to be of no value to your Majesty, but of the highest esteem among them. Two Head men, with five other native Cherokees are come over with your Memorialist, to evidence the truth of this memorial, and to see the grandure of the British Nation. It being the utmost of your Memorialist's ambition to approve himself a dutyful and loyal subject to your Majesty, he hopes to enjoy by your Majesty's gracious favour, the same power over the Cherokee Nation which he has obtained by their own consent, and this will enable your Memorialist, to answer for their behaviour with respect to your Majesty's service, [v. Sept. 30]. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 4. Nos. 47, 47 i, ii.]
[1730 or
1731 ?]
650. Sir Alexander Cuming to the King. In order to secure the obedience of the Cherokee Nation, until your Memorialist should know your Majesty's further pleasure, your Memorialist appointed one Head Warrior whose name is Moytoy as Chief over the whole Nation, that he might answer to your Memorialist, and your Memorialist to your Majesty for the conduct of the whole people, to this all their Kings, Princesses and Head men consented. Your Memorialist informed them, that what he did was of his own accord, for which he had no authority from your Majesty, and that he undertook voluntarily to answer for them at the peril of his head, that he would lead them to warr against their enemies and give them such rules for their obedience, as should make them a great and good people, if your Majesty consented to the same. Your Memorialist designed that hereafter none should obtain any title of warr without having first signilised himself in your Majesty's service, and that any act to the contrary should degrade even their Kings and Princesses. Your Memorialist is willing to run all risks in living among them for three years, and thereby promote your Majesty's service, after such a manner, as to render it easie for any one to continue it afterwards. He believes that this nation may be made useful and not dangerous, with proper discipline and good usage, whereas hetherto they have been dangerous without being useful. It is humbly submitted to your Majesty, whether the power that forms them ought not to be as unlimited as what they themselves have given your Memorialist, and answerable only to your Majesty (v. Sept. 30). 1 p. [C.O. 5, 4. No. 48.]
[1730]. 651. Petition of Capt. John Marshall to the Duke of Newcastle. Commander and owner of the sloop Hester, 26th Feb. 1724, and Parabow Skymmer, merchant, 26th Feb. 1724. Taken by a Spanish privateer off Havana, 6th June, 1722, and condemned there on pretence that she had traded in Cuba. The Governor appraised the Hester and her cargo at 21,297 pieces of eight. She had only traded with the people of Mississipi, and had no Spanish goods on board, but had landed three men with their provisions on the coast of Cuba, who intended to settle there. With depositions by same and inventory. 8 pp. [C.O. 388, 90. ff. 185—187, 188, 189.]
[? 1730]. 652. Case of the inhabitants of North Carolina in respect to Mr. George Burrington being re-appointed their Governour. Abstract. Mr. Burrington was formerly appointed Governor by the Lords Proprietors, but removed by them for his ill-conduct on a petition supported by affidavits (enumerated). He has since been heard to declare that if he gets over there Governor again, he will be the destruction of all those, that had any hand in the removing him, who were all the principal people of the country. The better to enable him to accomplish such his intention, he has represented the present members of the Council as unfit, though they are really the most considerable inhabitants of the Province etc., and recommended others who are of so mean circumstances that there estates altogether won't amount to 1500l. etc. Those whose names are come to our knowledge are of such vile characters and poor understandings that it is the greatest abuse imaginable upon the Ministry to recommend such to them. Edmd. Porter was formerly sent over to England from Virginia to be tried for his life for some notorious facts committed by him, and after he got off from this, was concerned in the Scotch rebellion, for which he fled to Carolina, another is Mathew Rowan, no inhabitant of the country, but only sent hither to build a ship or two for some persons in Dublin, and is now run away with one of them loaded with enumerated goods contrary to the Acts of Trade. Cornelius Hart keeps a little punch-house etc. The others, it is to be presumed, are all of this kind, his whole view being to get a sett of persons that will go into any measure he shall propose. Not forgetting his old grudge against the Chief Justice and some other officers has very much misrepresented them, and made as if their posts were of considerable value, tho' in fact not any one of them has ever been worth 100l. a year etc. For these reasons and the daily instances he gives of his mad extravagant behaviour, pray that his conduct may be enquired into before he be permitted to go over again as Governor. Without date or signature. 2½ pp. [C.O. 5, 308. No. 14.]