Minute Book: April 1707

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 21, 1706-1707. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1952.

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'Minute Book: April 1707', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 21, 1706-1707, (London, 1952) pp. 24-29. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol21/pp24-29 [accessed 24 April 2024]

April 1707

April 1. Present: ut supra.
The memorial of the Ordnance for 4356l. 8s. 9d. and 1876l. 4s. 8d. is read and ordered. See the memorial.
Get a copy of the address [18 March 1706–7 Commons Journals XV, pp. 347–354] for Nevis and St. Christopher and the Queen's answer.
[Write to desire] some of the Directors of the Bank to be here to-morrow morning.
Send a copy of the report of the Committee about the frauds committed in drawbacks at the Custom House [to the Customs Commissioners] for their opinion what they think reasonable to be done to prevent the like evil practices for the future.
Write to Mr. Popple to represent to the Commissioners for Trade that the Queen having referred to my Lord Treasurer a memorial of Mr. Penn relating to a surrender proposed to be made by him of his Proprietary Government of Pennsylvania his Lordship did thereupon some time since desire the said Commissioners to consider what advantages the Crown might receive by such surrender more than it now doth from the said Colony and what might be a reasonable sum to be paid to Mr. Penn for such surrender.
And my Lord, having now received from the Customs Commissioners (in answer to a reference in that behalf) a paper or account of what the Duties on goods from Pennsylvania have amounted to, sends the same to the Commissioners for Trade for their perusal and better guidance in making an estimate of the quantum to be paid to Mr. Penn for the charges he was at in planting the said Colony and for the benefit the Crown is like to receive by the said surrender. Ibid., p. 57.
April 2,
forenoon.		 Present: ut supra.
The [draft of the direction] letter for 1976l. 14s. 10d. to Mr. Brydges for the Elector Palatine is read and approved.
[My Lord directed issues for the services as follows] out of the first money coming in by loans on the Act 6 Anne e. 27 for Continuing several Subsidies and Impositions viz.:
£ s. d.
to the Treasurer of the Navy
for half a year to the Yards to 1706 Sept. 29 38471 0 0
for Wages to Seamen 60000
for Wages to Marines 49688 18 0
for Sick and Wounded: to be paid over to Mr. Savory, Treasurer for that use: and is to answer bills of exchange being [to be charged as to] three fifths on the head of Wages and two fifths on the head of Victualling 4000
to clear quarters and debts of the [Sick and Hurt] Office for 6 months to Lady day 1706 whereof three fifths to be charged to the head of Wages and two fifths to the head of Victualling 4641 2 9½
for the Victualling, to wit for Necessary Money, bills of exchange, Short Allowance and other Contingents 25000
£191801 0 9½
£ s. d.
to Mr. How, Paymaster of the Guards and Garrisons for clearings [to the Guards and Garrisons] to 24 Feb. 1706–7 16657 11 0¼
for clearings to the 5000 [men for sea service] for same time 3886 5 1
for pay to the Invalids to same time 707 3 0
£21250 19 1¼
to Mr. Mason, Treasurer for Transports: to wit for the course of the Transports Office 30000 0 0
to James Brydges, Paymaster of the Forces abroad for subsistence and pay to the 40,000 men to June 23 next 122581 8 10
for ditto for the 10,000 men 29660
£152241 8 10
[The total of the above sums is incorrectly given as 459,367l. 8s. 8¾d.] Ibid., p. 58.
April 4,
forenoon		 Present: ut supra.
The Auditors of Imprests and Mr. Hallongius attend and the state of Mr. Vander Esch's account is read and also the state of the Dutch Regimental accounts, with the answer of Mr. Hallongius. Ibid., p. 59.
April 7,
forenoon		 Present: ut supra.
[Send word to the Principal] Commissioners of Prizes to attend to-morrow morning.
[My Lord Treasurer directs the] issue of 101,824l. 12s. 11½d. to Mr. Brydges out of loans on the Continued Subsidies, Impositions and Duties: for services as follows viz.: 1146l. for levy money of 382 Dragoons; 1775l. for levy money of horses lost by the Troops of Hanover the last campaign; 11,611l. 16s. 0d. for subsistence to the 20, 562 men is Spain and Portugal; 4148l. 16s. 0d. to complete the King of Portugal's subsidy for Jan. and Feb. last; 62, 124l. 1s. 1d. for the 40,000 men anno 1707; 14,830l. for the 10,000 Additional Forces; 6188l. 18s. 10½d. for the agio [on the] bread and forage [money] for the 12,000 Prussians. Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 60.
April 8, forenoon. Present: Lord Treasurer; Chancellor of the Exchequer.
[The Principal] Commissioners of Prizes are called in. [My Lord Treasurer directs that] they are to inform themselves what care is taken[for an account &c. when and] of prizes be taken in the East Indies.
Sir Christopher Wren and Mr. Hanbury are to be here to-morrow afternoon. Speak with Sir Christopher about the [State] Paper Office [and the provision for records therein].
Sir Theodore Janssen's proposal for remitting two months' subsidy to the Duke of Savoy is read viz. to give his bill for Turin dated March 23 last for 106,6662/3 Crowns payable at 60 days' date at the rate of 57 ½ pence per Crown of 82 sols each, money of Piedmont. The Lord Treasurer agrees thereto and Sir Theodore will gibe his bills as above so as to go by this night's post. Ibid., p. 62.
April 9, afternoon. Present: ut supra.
[The draft of a] letter to Auditor Godolphin about arrears [of Crown land revenues] in Wales is read and approved.
Mr. Hanbury is called in. My Lord Treasurer is contented that he tarry in Cotton House till the other Library Keeper comes, and will speak to my Lord Chancellor recommending Mr. Hanbury to be one of the Judges for Wales when there shall be a vacancy.
Then Sir Christopher Wren is called in and his report about the Cotton Library is read. Ibid., p. 63.
April 12, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[The Principal] Officers of the Mint are called in. Upon reading their report concerning several things desired by the officers of [ the Mint in] Scotland for the service of the Mint there my Lord directs that the officers of the Mint here do forthwith provide such of them [ the things] as are absolutely necessary and that the same shall be paid for out of the Equivalent.
As to the expressions in the Scotch inventar [ inventory] which the mint officers do not well understand [ my Lord Treasurer will] speak to Sir David Nairn to explain them and also to consider of the speediest way of sending the said things to Scotland for the Mint as soon as the same are provided.
[My Lord approves the draft list or letter of] disposition for 403,334l. 13s. 4d. [for the Navy Guards, and Ordanance etc.]: out of tallies on the Land Tax anno 1707:L to wit as follows:
tallies already struck £
for Wages to seamen 30000
for Guards and Garrisons 100000
tallies to be levied according to the following course but to bear no interest till they are endorsed by the Lord Treasurer £ s. d.
to the Navy for Wages to seamen 100693 13 4
for the City of Carlisle in lieu of tolls 2641
Jos. Musgrave and his 2 brokers 5000
to the Ordnance for sea service 30000
ditto for land service 30000
(the salt petre being to be paid for out of the above 2 items)
ditto in further part of 10,000l. for the wharf and storehouse at Portsmouth 5000
to the Navy for Wear and Tear 100000
£403334 13 4
[My Lord] ordered 1000l. for secret service [to be issued to William Lowndes out of Civil List money].
The Auditors of Imprests and Mr. Hallongius are called in. The stated account of Mr. Vander Esch is read. My Lord Treasurer finds the clause in an Act of Parliament [1 Anne St. 2. c. 24 see Commons Journals XV p. 573] bars his Lordship from determining this account.
[My Lord directs the] issue of 15,449l. 10s. 7d.: out of this year's funds, for interest of debentures. Ibid., pp. 64–5.
April 22,
forenoon.		 Present: ut supra.
The Excise Commissioners are called in. Their report of this day concerning Scotland is read, upon which an authority from the Queen will be sent immediately down to Scotland by the Queen's servants of that kingdom to enable the present officers employed in the Excise there, and such others as shall be thought fit to be added to them, to collect and levy the Duties of Excise there till further order according to such a scheme as shall be given (and is preparing) for that purpose by the Excise Commissioners in England.
The said Commissioners are to consider and prepare a draft of a commission to pass under the great seal of Great Britain on the first day of May next for the future management of the Excise in that part now called Scotland and the Islands thereto belonging and are to advise with the Attorney General therein.
[Send a letter asking for] some of the Bank to be here to-morrow morning.
The Customs Commissioners are called in. Their report of this day concerning Scotland is read: upon which the Commissioners are directed to send down officers to the five principal ports of Scotland to be assistant to the present officers of the Customs in that kingdom to collect and levy the Duties after the first of May next till further order according to the laws and methods of England. And the Commissioners are to furnish for the service of Scotland the Book of Rates and the Acts of Parliament since passed relating to the revenue of England; and also copies of the Standing Orders, Rules and Instructions and forms of the bonds and [of] all other despatches from hence as now in practice here: and that the Duties be computed in distinct columns for wine, brandy etc. according to the said report. Ibid., p. 66.
April 23,
forenoon.		 Present: ut supra.
[Send word] to the Commissioners for Prizes to be here on Friday morning. Likewise to Mr. Delaval to be here on that morning.
The Gentlemen of the Bank are called [about the Exchequer Bills for 1,500,000l. authorised by the Act 6 Anne c. 21 and the method of making forth the same]. My Lord Treasurer directs payments as follows out of same:
£ s. d.
to the Navy for their course 112850 3 8
to the Victuallers to complete their Deficiencies of the years 1703 and 1705: and is to be applied to their Course and to be reckoned as part of the money given in the last Session of Parliament to make good [certain] Deficiencies to wit 50,000l. by an extraordinary advance to the Duke of Savoy and 9922l. 8s. 8¾d. by so much of the of 47,500l. which [or as] was lent to the Emperor 59922 8 8¾
to the Ordnance towards the wharf and storehouse at Portsmouth 5000
for interest on unsatisfied Irish debentures 49000
more for the Course of the Navy to make even money 27 7 7¼
£226800 0 0
Mr. Brydges is called in. His memorial is read and minutes are taken thereon.
The Customs Commissioners and Excise Commissioners are to attend on Friday afternoon.
[My Lord directs] 1000l. on Mr. Lowndes's order for secret service.Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 67.
April 25,
forenoon.		 Present: Lord Treasurer. Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Col. Park is to be paid out of the Four and a Half per cent. Duty.
The Prizes Commissioners are to send hither what accounts they have from their Agents in the Plantations by the pacquet boat now arrived or otherwise.
[Send word] to Mr. Moor to be here on Monday upon [the consideration of] reports. Send to Mr. St. John and Mr. Brydges to be here then. Ibid., p. 68.
Eodem die,
afternoon.		 Present: Lord Treasurer.
The Customs Commissioners are called in. My Lord Treasurer orders them to prepare an account of all goods exported from the 1st of February 1706–7 to the 1st of May 1707 by certificate (except corn) for Scotland or any foreign parts, expressing the kinds and qualities of the goods exported, the sums drawn back or for which the exporters are entitled to a drawback, the names of the exporters and of the persons who make oaths to obtain the said drawbacks. And they are to write to the officers in Scotland to send such an account as they are able to give of the kinds and quantities of all goods imported into Scotland between the said two dates and to whom they are consigned there[struck through] from whence and by whom they were imported and in what ships. And they [the Customs Commissioners in England] are forthwith to abstract the powers and directions of their own Commission in order to prepare the draft of a Commission for the Customs in Scotland and send hither the same.
Send word to Mr. Ferne to be here to-morrow morning.
There are to be a Receiver General, Secretary and Solicitor [of Customs] sent to Scotland who are conversant in the laws and practices of the Customs here. Also [there must be for Scotland] an Accomptant General and Comptroller independent of each other. The [English Customs] Commissioners are to present fit persons for these places and [to advise] such salaries and allowances for them as they think reasonable.
The Solicitor of the Customs is to attend the Attorney General for his advice in altering the forms of bonds and other instruments and dispatches relating to the Customs, upon occasion of the Union. Ibid.
April 29,
forenoon.		 Present: Lord Treasurer.
Sir Simon Harcourt, the Attorney General, come in. There are also present the Earl of Seafield, the Duke of Montrose, Earl of Mar, Earl of Loudoun and Sir David Dalrymple.
The draft of the Commission for the Customs in that part of Great Britain called Scotland is read.
Likewise the draft of the Commission for the Excise there.
The Lords of Scotland will consider these drafts and return them to-morrow morning. Ibid., p. 69.
Eodem die
afternoon.		 Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
[The draft of a] letter for repairing the Convocation House is read and approved.
The Attorney General comes in. The Customs Commissioners are called in. They present several queries concerning the merchandises from Scotland. My Lord Treasurer orders them to be referred to the Attorney and Solicitor General to advise what directions are proper for him to give thereupon.
The Commissioners are to present to my Lord three fit persons to be Commissioners of Customs in Scotland. Ibid.
April 30,
forenoon.		 Present: ut supra.
The Attorney General comes in. There are also present the Earl of Loudoun, the Earl of Seafield Lord Chancellor [of Scotland], the Duke of Montrose, the Earl of Mar and Sir David Dalrymple.
The drafts of the Commissions for Customs and Excise in the part lately called Scotland are agreed, with blanks for the names and salaries of the Commissioners.
Desire my Lord Chief Baron to be here on Friday morning. Ibid., p. 70.
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