Treasury Books and Papers: February 1739

Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, Volume 4, 1739-1741. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1901.

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'Treasury Books and Papers: February 1739', in Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, Volume 4, 1739-1741, (London, 1901) pp. 217-225. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books-papers/vol4/pp217-225 [accessed 20 April 2024]

February 1739

Feb. 1. 12. Order from the Treasury to the Customs Commissioners, England and Scotland, and to the Revenue Commissioners, Ireland, to comply with Order of the King in Council, as below.
Prefixing:—Order of the King in Council, dated St. James's, 1739–40, January 31. On reading the report from the Admiralty Lords, and the report to them from the Flag Officers and Captains of the Navy upon the methods proper to be taken for the most speedy manning of the fleet, wherein it is proposed inter al. that an embargo should be laid on all merchant ships and vessels outward bound and continued until the fleet is manned, which embargo the Admiralty Lords are of opinion should be extended to Ireland; his Majesty is pleased to order said embargo to be forthwith laid as aforesaid: the Treasury Lords to give the necessary directions to the Customs Commissioners in Great Britain and the Revenue Commissioners, Ireland, for putting same in immediate execution; the Admiralty Lords to give the like directions to the Vice Admirals in Great Britain and Ireland to the like effect.
[Customs Book XIV. p. 408; Irish Book IX. p. 167; North Britain Book XII. p. 481.]
Feb. 4. 13. J. Scrope to the Paymaster General of the Forces. Major General Hargrave, Lieut. Gov. of Gibraltar, being now here and ordered to repair immediately to his post there, desires a credit to be given him to make use of as necessity shall require in case said garrison shall happen to be besieged or attacked. Their Lordships have therefore given him full liberty of drawing bills on you as occasion may demand and will order money into your hands for the punctual payment of same; Hargrave being to keep a true and just account of the expenditure of the money.
[Letter Book XIX. p. 524.]
Feb. 5.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.		 14. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
The petition of the inhabitants of Blakeney in Dean Forest for the enlarging of the parish chapel there, referred to the Surveyor General of Woods.
Order for the following issues out of the Civil List Revenues:
£ s. d.
To the Privy Purse 3,000 0 0
To Mr. Castres 740 0 0
To Mr. Walpole as late Secretary to Holland 2,132 18 11
Same for the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy out of the second 500,000l. charged on the Sinking Fund anno 1739, of 93,434l., whereof 18,085l. 6s. 7d. is to complete the grants for naval services, 1739, and the whole to be applied as follows:
£ s. d.
To Greenwich Hospital 10,000 0 0
Wear and tear to August 31 last 37,134 0 0
Wages (items detailed, including pay of the “Centurion” and bills of exchange on the Sick and Hurt Office) 20,000 0 0
Victualling (items detailed) 26,300 0 0
Abraham Warr is to succeed Benjamin Couch as Surveyor of the duties on houses for Pembrokeshire at the recommendation of Mr. Owen.
“Prepare a sign manual for 500l. as the King's bounty to a person to be named by Mr. Finch who is going as his Majesty's minister to Russia.”
The bills exhibited by Widow Bridgeman for work done by her late husband in the gardens at Kensington referred to the Board of Works to consult thereon with Mr. Selwyn and Mr. Whitworth or any others by whose hands said Bridgeman used to be paid.
John Grove to succeed William Copley, superseded as a coastwaiter.
The Excise Commissioners' memorial of 29 ult. read on the minute of 22nd ult. concerning the proposed duty on sperma coeti candles “which they now offer to be 6d. per pound instead of 8d. per pound in their former report.”
Mr. Carkesse's letter of this day read intimating that the Customs House officers at Portsmouth are put on board 3 hoys laden with brandy from Boulogne and Dunkirk for the use of His Majesty's ships bound abroad, to prevent the unshipping thereof till the duties are paid. Their Lordships approve thereof and direct said brandies to be allowed to be unshipped if the duties are first paid.
Order for Mr. Lowther to pay out of the King's money in his hands 1,039l. 3s. 4d. to John Walthoe for printing work and other disbursements for His Majesty's service due 1739 Michaelmas.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. pp. 191–3; Letter Book XIX. p. 525; Customs Book XIV. p. 409.]
Feb. 5. 15. Treasury warrant to William Aislabie, one of the Auditors of Imprests, to allow in the account of John Selwyn, junior, of moneys imprested to him at the Receipt for salaries and pensions continued to her late Majesty's servants, the sum of 358l. 0s. 6d. being payments, detailed, made by him by His Majesty's particular and verbal order.
[Warrants not relating to Money XXVI. p. 262.]
Feb. 12. 16. Same to Richard Arundell, Master Worker of the Mint, to pay Peter Vallavine 100l. for services, as below.
Prefixing:—Report to the Treasury from the principal officers of the Mint, dated Mint Office, 1739, Dec. 10, in reply to J. Scrope's letter of Dec. 20 [1738], on Mr. Vallavine's discovery of a method to prevent the evil practice of diminishing guineas by filing. His method consists of 2 parts. The one is that the letters round the guineas, the King's name, stile and titles be placed as near as possible to the edges of the piece. The same cannot then be filed without taking off part of those letters which will be obvious to every eye, and be as justly rejected as clipped money. The other is a new method or form of edging the coin thereby to prevent any person from repairing the filed edges of guineas with a common graving tool which, it is apprehended, has been the late practice. Instructions have been given to the engravers and moneyers to try these proposed methods. Are of opinion that they will in a great measure hinder the filing of guineas, but longer experience is necessary to know their certain effect. [Ibid, pp. 278–9.]
Feb. 12.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.		 17. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
Orders for the following issues out of the Civil List funds:
£ s. d.
To the Master of the Horse 3,000 0 0
To Mr. Lowther 1,500 0 0
To the Usher of the Receipt of the Exchequer 1,500 12 7¾
To the late Queen's servants on the establishment paid by Mr. Selwyn 4,701 5 7½
To Mr. Stuart for Lord Saye and Sele 150 0 0
Same for me issue 10 the Paymaster of the Forces, out of loans on land tax 1740, of 171,362l. for services as in his memorial of the 7th instant.
Same for same to the Treasurer of the Navy, out of the second 500,000l. charged on the Sinking Fund anno 1739, of 11,000l. to answer services as in his memorial of the 11th instant.
The reports of the Postmaster General read concerning the Lisbon and West India packet boats “and an extract is ordered to be made therefrom for the Chancellor to lay before the King.”
Auditor Shelley's report of May 7 last read relating to the account of Sir Thomas Hewit, deceased, as Surveyor of the Woods. The allowances reported agreed to, as also the arrears of his salary payable at the Exchequer “in case so much be paid in there out of wood sales in his hands as will satisfy the same, or a sum in lieu of the said arrears may be allowed on his account in case the Exchequer be rightly discharged thereof.”
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 194.]
Feb. 12. 18. Sir William Yonge, Secretary at War to John Scrope, dated Whitehall, enclosing a memorial (a) infra presented to said Yonge by Major General Handasyd Governor of St. Phillips in the name of Major General Anstruther, Lieut. Governor of Minorca, and extract of a letter as in (b) infra. As a contract of the like nature was made on the like occasion of the augmentation of the garrison by the addition of General Anstruther's regiment, presumes the Treasury will comply with the memorial on this occasion. 1 page.
Appending:—(a) Said memorial, undated, to Sir William Yonge from said Major General Anstruther Lieut. Gov. of Minorca. There have been lately added to the 5 regiments in Minorca 200 men each, making in all 1,000 new men. For these additional men there will be wanting 250 bedsteads with bedding. On application to the Ordnance Office is told that it does not appertain to them to furnish same. Has therefore contracted with people who go to France for the bedsteads, but the bedding can only be provided from England.
Endorsed:—1740, April 30. “Letter to Ordnance.” 1 page.
(b) Extract of said letter from Major General Austruther dated Mahon, 1739, Dec. 17 (O.S.) In anticipation of the arrival of the additional men has contracted with people here who are to bring the timber from France to make the 500 necessary bedsteads. The bedding, blankets and sheets, however, will have to be provided from London. Referring to the letter from the officers of the Ordnance, “I shall take notice of the last paragraph of their letter, wherein they mention that they were reimbursed the charge of bedsteads and bedding then sent, when at the same time there came nothing here but the bedsteads and sheets, having neither received bedds or blankets excepting what my regiment brought with them from Gibraltar, which were mostly old.” Captain Wilson may be employed to bespeak beds, blankets and sheets for the thousand additional men, which may be paid for by an order from the Treasury upon Mr. Finch, Receiver General of Minorca. 1 page.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCII. No. 20.]
Feb. 12. 19. Representation to the Treasury from the Board of Works. The engine which threw up the water from the Thames to Windsor Castle has for years been in a very bad condition and notwithstanding it has been from time to time repaired is now gone entirely to ruin, so that the Castle has not nor can have any water until another be made. The charge of a new engine with so much new lead main as is necessary and of repairing the banks, sluice and engine house will amount to 1,047l. 1 page.
[Ibid, No. 21.]
Feb. 13. 20. Treasury warrant to the Customs Commissioners to comply with an Order in Council given at Whitehall the 4th instant as follows, viz.: By Orders in Council of the 1Oth and 24th ult. the Admiralty Lords were directed to grant protections for such a number of seamen as they should think sufficient to navigate the ships detailed infra. Since the issuing said orders an embargo has been laid on all outward bound merchant ships in order to the speedy manning the fleet. To obviate the doubt as to whether the ships for which the protections were ordered to be granted may be allowed to proceed on their respective voyages, it is ordered that all ships in the list as below be so permitted to proceed notwithstanding the embargo. The Treasury Lords and Admiralty Lords to give the necessary directions accordingly, viz.:
Ships. Master. Destination. Date of Protection Ordered.
“Richard and Julines” - Clere Talbot - - Africa - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Duke of Dorset” - Thomas Gilbert - East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Princess Emilia” Samuel Martin East Indies 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Durrington” Richard Crabb East Indies 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Cæsar” Robert Cummings - - East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Heathcote” - Jonathan Cape - - East Indies 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Colchester” - - - Richard Mackelfield, jun. East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Princess Louisa” - John Pinson - - East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Halifax” - - John Blake - - East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Nottingham” - - Thomas Brown - East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Hardwick” - John Hallet - East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Edgbaston” - - - Stephen Cobham East Indies - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Cape Coast” - - James Glen - - - Africa - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“Dolphin” - William Hamley - Africa - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
“York” - Samuel Dickenson - - Plantations with felons - - 1739–40,
Jan. 10–14.
[Customs Book XIV. pp. 413–4.]
Feb. 13. 21. Same for same of like Orders of Council of Feb. 11 for taking off the embargo from all ships and vessels employed in the service of the Navy Board, Ordnance, Victualling and Transportation, from all ships carrying provisions and recruits for the garrisons at Port Mahon and Gibraltar if certified by the Secretary at War and despatched by the Admiralty; and also from all foreign ships and vessels in the port of London now cleared at the Custom House, provided they do not carry away any seamen who are His Majesty's subjects; also any foreign ships that have or shall happen to put into any of the ports of the kingdom without breaking bulk and with the above proviso.
[Customs Book XIV. pp. 414–5.]
Feb. 13. 22. Statement of opinion by D. Ryder and J. Strange, respectively Attorney and Solicitor General, by way of report to the Treasury on (a) (b) and (c) infra all relating to the ultimate liability for the loss of a bill for 650l. drawn from Aberdeen by Lieut: Thomas Pattison, Paymaster to Col. Stephen Cornwallis's regiment, on Henry Popple, agent to said regiment, endorsed by A. Whitefoord Receiver General of land tax in Scotland, and handed by him to agent James Douglas to be collected and paid into the Exchequer on account of land tax, 1738, but ultimately not met by Popple. 1 page.
Appending:—(a) Petition to the Treasury from said James Douglas. 2 pages.
Enclosing: (a) (1) A copy of said bill. 1 page.
(a) (2) Full copy of the Treasury minute of 1723, June 14, as extracted infra under date 1740, Oct. 8. 1 page.
(b) Additional representation to the Treasury from Allan Whitefoord in support of Douglas's petition. 1¼ pages.
(c) Memorial to same from Col. Stephen Cornwallis by way of answer to Douglas. 3 pages.
(d–h) 5 affidavits relating to the affair, made respectively by James Douglas (3 pages), Allan Whitefoord (1½ pages), David Graham (1 page), Stephen Cornwallis (3 pages), Henry Taylor clerk to Henry Popple (1 page).
[Treasury Board Papers CCCII. No. 22.]
[Before
Feb. 14.]		 23. Memorial to the Treasury from Lieut. Gen. Robert Dalzill, Colonel of the regiment of foot on duty in the Leeward Islands, and from John Yeamans, agent for the Island of Antigua. By the reports of the Lords Committees for Plantation Affairs of Dec. 27 last and His Majesty's Order in Council thereupon, a considerable augmentation of land forces in the Leeward Islands is ordered and 2,000l. is to be paid out of the Exchequer for building new barracks in Antigua for 624 men, the balance of the expense (4,000l.) having to be contributed by said Island. There are in Tilbury fort 240 additional men and in London 40 more raised and ready to embark for Antigua. The plan for the barracks is prepared and approved and the agent is waiting to purchase bricks and other materials here for said work. Therefore pray the issue of said 2,000l. to expedite said work.
Endorsed:—4 Feb., 1739–40. “For enabling His Majesty to carry on in the most effectual manner such measures as he shall judge necessary in the further prosecution of the war there is granted 200,000l.” 1¼ pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCII. No. 24.]
Feb. 14.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.		 24. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
A letter of this day read from Mr. Burchett, Secretary to the Admiralty Lords, enclosing a copy of one to him from the Commissioners of Victualling of the 11th instant, concerning transferring some French brandy from the hoys to His Majesty's ships of war, intended for a secret expedition. Their Lordships in consideration of the laws touching the duties as well on home made as on foreign spirits are of opinion they cannot recede from the orders they gave to the Customs Commissioners about those brandies by Mr. Scrope's letter of the 6th instant. Mr. Burchet to be acquainted herewith.
Mr. De Viele is to be paid 100l. by Mr. Lowther for his extraordinary charges in executing with great diligence and application the office of one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for Westminster and Middlesex, as by his petition now read.
The Agents for Taxes to attend Tuesday next.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 195; Letter Book XIX. pp. 525–6.]
Feb. 15. 25. (a) A State of the National Debt provided or unprovided for by Parliament as it stood 1738, Dec. 31 (total 46,314,829l. 10s. 1¼d.) and 1739, Dec. 31 (total 46,129,946l. 3s. 5¼d.). 1 sheet.
(b) Statement of the account between the Exchequer and the Sinking Fund, or an account of the produce of the Sinking Fund in the above year and to the payment of what debts contracted before the 25th Dec., 1716, same has been applied. 1 sheet.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCII., No. 26.]
Feb. 19. 26. A paper of Queries relating to the failure of Henry Popple, Agent and Paymaster to the six Independent Companies at Jamaica, with the queries and answers thereto column by column. Two copies only in part duplicate. 3 pages.
Appending:—(a) A list of the bills drawn from Jamaica on said Popple. 1 page.
[Ibid, No. 27.]
Feb. 21. 27. J. Scrope to the Customs Commissioners forwarding for compliance therewith, if legal and not objectionable, a paper from Sir James Lowther intimating that the ships from Whitehaven carrying coals to Ireland are disappointed of the benefit intended by the protections granted for the coal trade in regard Ireland is esteemed by said Commissioners as a foreign port because of the drawbacks allowed on merchandize exported from hence thither.
[Customs Book XIV. p. 416.]
Feb. 26. 28. Treasury warrant to the Commissioners of Customs, England and Scotland, and to the Revenue Commissioners, Ireland, to observe an Order in Council of the 25th instant to the following effect.
(1) All merchant ships and vessels belonging to His Majesty's subjects in Great Britain and Ireland, homeward bound, not to be laid under an embargo on putting into any port of Great Britain or Ireland if they do not break bulk there, but permitted to proceed to their destination to unlade.
(2) All such ships of His Majesty's subjects arriving from the Straits or foreign Southern parts and bound to Holland, Flanders, or any foreign Eastern parts not to be detained or embargoed on putting into any port of Great Britain or Ireland, if they do not break bulk there, but permitted to proceed to their destination.
(3) The present embargo not to extend to any foreign ships in any of the ports of Great Britain or Ireland, provided they do not carry away any seamen who are His Majesty's subjects.
[Customs Book XIV. p. 417; Irish Book IX. p. 171; North Britain Book XII. p. 486.]
Feb. 26.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.		 29. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
Order for the issue to the Paymaster of Marines of 22,211l. 2s. out of the overplus of the grants anno 1739 for the year 1740, for services as in his memorial of the 14th instant.
Order for the following issues out of the Civil List Funds:
£ s. d.
To the Judges et al. 1739 Michaelmas Term
To Mr. Walton by Sir Theodore Janssen 290 4 0
To Lady Bridgeman 200 0 0
To Mr. Armitage 500 0 0
Mr. Paxton's report of 1739, Dec. 20 read on the petition of Thomas Creasy et al. for the rewards for apprehending Turpin. Their Lordships agree to 250l. in full for said rewards and charges.
Auditor Benson's report of January 22 last read on Mr. Wilson's demands relating to provisions furnished for the forces at Canso by Capt. Francis Cavalier. Their Lordships agree to the payment of 118l. 2s. 4¾d. “and that provision, if found to be proper, be made for the payment thereof in the next warrant to be signed by the King for provisions furnished to the said garrison by the present contractor.”
Mr. Lowther is to pay out of the King's money in his hands 34l. 5s. 4d. to Sir Ed. Bacon to reimburse the expenditure of Meux Rant and John Mallom, Commissioners of Taxes in Norfolk, over and above the allowance for costs in their action against William Crow, collector of land and window taxes of the town of Scole in said county.
The proposal of Sir John Eyles, as executor of Sir Joseph Eyles, for remitting the subsistence money to Gibraltar and Minorca, 1739–40, Feb. 24, to 1740, April 24, read and agreed to as follows, the Deputy Paymaster of the Forces having certified the rates of Exchange to be as usual, viz:—
26,000 dollars for Minorca payable in gold at sight at 55d. per dollar.
25,500 dollars for Gibraltar, payable in gold at sight at 54½d. per dollar.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. pp. 196–7.]
[Before.
Feb. 28.]		 30. Petition to the King from Jacob Pouchoud [Agent] at Utrecht. Petitioner's father, David Pouchoud, in March, 1713, being then agent to the Congress at Utrecht, discovered a copy of a Treaty between the Ministers of France and those of England, by which in the first article it was stipulated that a secret treaty should be made for the succession to the Crown of Great Britain that should have the same force as if it was inserted verbatim in the aforesaid treaty. The abovesaid copy was written in Monsr. Du Theil's own hand, then secretary to the French Embassy at Utrecht, which petitioner's father communicated to Mr. Stanhope in London, and delivered another copy to Count Bothmer at the Hague, who offered petitioner's father a reward which he refused, telling him that he only wished to be so happy as to see one day the Elector of Hanover, his master, King of Great Britain. In 1715, on the arrival of petitioner's father in London, he was offered the patent of His Majesty's Commissary at Utrecht, with an allowance of 200l. per an., which he enjoyed till 1736, July 21 (O.S.), when he died. Petitioner was employed ever since 1720 in assisting his father, who was at that time employed in the late King's journeys to Hanover. In 1722 petitioner obtained a patent as His Majesty's Agent at Utrecht, which was renewed by Geo. II. in 1727. Has discharged the duty of Agent at Utrecht ever since his father's decease, and is actually employed not only by the King's German ministers for the affairs of Hanover, but also by the English ministers at the Hague, and those that go to and from Germany and address themselves to petitioner for his assistance. Prays the continuation to himself of his father's allowance of 200l. per an. from 1736, July 21 (O.S.),and payment of one quarter's arrear due to his said father.
Minuted as under date Feb. 28, infra, 1 page.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCII. No. 29.]
Feb. 28.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.		 31. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
Richard Tucker's letter, dated Weymouth, 1739–40, Feb. 2, read giving an account of the damage to the pier there by the great storm in December last, and of his repairs to same, which amount to about 700l. Their Lordships approve thereof, and when said works shall be duly examined and vouched, will order same to be satisfied out of the land revenues of the Crown by the Receivers thereof, or pay the same upon account in case his former accounts are passed.
Jacob Pouchaud is to have the allowance of 200l. per an. paid by Mr. Stewart to his father, David Pouchaud, some time since deceased, continued to him from the day of his said father's decease. Order for a warrant to Mr. Stewart to pay same accordingly.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 198.]
Feb.
(“12
Month or
Feb.”)		 32. Copy of a letter signed by 68 Quakers of the County of York to Cholmley Turner, Esq., their representative in Parliament, on behalf of Governor Belcher. Strong applications being made for depriving Belcher of his governments in New England, it is apprehended that the objections to him are founded on the artful misrepresentations of malevolent adversaries. “Some of us are personally acquainted with this gentleman, and many of us have received favourable accounts of his administration…. Our friends (the people called Quakers) are considerably numerous in those Provinces, and … amongst the rest of the King's subjects there have the happiness of partaking the Governor's lenity and favour.” Therefore desire Turner's interposition on the Governor's behalf, with the Duke of Newcastle, in whose province the affair principally lies.
“Jos. Storr, one of the subscribers living at Hull in Yorks, a person of some considerable estate, who sent up this letter to Richard Partridge, writes him thus, viz., ‘thou might be bold to tell Ch. Turner that if there had been time and occasion every one of our Friends in the County would readily have signed it, and I doubt not but if thou tell him so he'll believe thee.’”2 pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCII. No. 31.]
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