Journal, November 1754: Volume 61, Part 2

Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 10, January 1754 - December 1758. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1933.

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'Journal, November 1754: Volume 61, Part 2', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 10, January 1754 - December 1758, (London, 1933) pp. 76-81. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol10/pp76-81 [accessed 19 March 2024]

Journal, November 1754

Wednesday, November 6. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Montserrat.

Read a petition of George Frye, Esquire, late President of the Council of Montserrat, to the Board, setting forth his having been suspended by Governor Thomas, and praying that he may have copies of such minutes of Council and other proceedings as may be necessary to support his appeal to his Majesty.

Mr. Frye being called in, their lordships acquainted him that they had already laid before his Majesty the several papers transmitted by Mr. Thomas relative to his suspension, and therefore the Council Office was the proper place to apply to for copies of these papers.

Trade.

Read a letter from Mr. Wood, Secretary to the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, to the Secretary, dated 31st October, 1754, inclosing:—
An account of ships and tonnage cleared from England for foreign parts from Christmas, 1746, to Christmas, 1753.

Bermuda.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following paper received from Mr. Popple, Governor of Bermuda, entitled,
Observations on the instructions given to his Majesty's Governor of the Bermuda Islands, as well those which relate to the government of the said Islands, as those which respect the trade and navigation thereof, together with some proposed amendments thereto.

And their lordships took the said paper into consideration and made some progress therein.

Thursday, November 7. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Bermuda.

Their lordships made a further progress in the consideration of Mr. Popple's observations upon his instructions.

Friday, November 8. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Bermuda.

Their lordships made a further progress in the consideration of Mr. Popple's observations upon his instructions.

Tuesday, November 12. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

New York.

Their lordships took into consideration the state of his Majesty's province of New York.

Wednesday, November 13. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Edgcumbe.

New York.

Their lordships made a further progress in the consideration of the state of his Majesty's province of New York.

Tuesday, November 19. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Nova Scotia.

The Secretary acquainted the Board that he was desired by Colonel Hopson, Governor of Nova Scotia, to recommend the following particulars to their lordships' consideration, viz.:—
That the salaries of the clerks to the Treasurer and Paymaster of the Works be augmented from fifty to eighty pounds per annum.
That Mr. Green, the Treasurer, have leave to employ another clerk, without which Mr. Hopson apprehends the business cannot be properly apprehended.
That some gratuity be given or allowance made to Mr. Nesbitt who has for some time acted as Attorney General in the colony without fee or reward.
That an allowance be made to the person who issues the provisions to the augmentation of the Governor's regiment.

Their lordships upon consideration of the foregoing points gave directions to the Secretary to write to Mr. Lawrence thereupon and to desire he will make, if he finds it absolutely necessary, such allowances for the foregoing services as he shall think proper and charge them as contingent expences.

Ordered that a copy be made of the list of military stores wanting in Nova Scotia, transmitted by Mr. Lawrence, to be laid before his Majesty in Council, and that the draught of a representation thereupon be prepared.

Georgia.

Ordered that the draught of an estimate of what sums of money will be necessary for the support of the colony of Georgia for the year 1755 be prepared.

Barbados.

Read an Order of Council, dated the 12th of November, 1754, approving a representation of this Board proposing Henry Thornhill, Esquire, to be of the Council of Barbados in the room of Abel Dottin, Esquire, and directing this Board to cause a warrant to be prepared for that purpose.

Ordered that the draught of a warrant be prepared conformable to the foregoing order, and also the draught of a representation to his Majesty inclosing the same.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Sharpe, one of the clerks of the Council, dated 16th of September, 1754, to the Secretary, relative to the renewal of the Commission for holding Courts of Admiralty in the Island of Jamaica.

Ordered that the agent of the Island be informed of the contents of the above letter.

Read a petition to his Majesty from Thomas Beach, Esquire, Attorney General of Jamaica, complaining of his having been suspended by Mr. Knowles.

Ordered that the Secretary do deliver the said petition to the Clerk of his Majesty's Council to be laid before his Majesty.

South Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Harding, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, dated the 14th November, 1754, referring to the consideration of this Board the following papers, viz.:—
Memorial of Abraham Bosomworth praying payment of £349 12s. 1d. for sundries supplied to the Creek Indians, and also £372 8s. 2d. for moneys disbursed by him, the payment of which sums was recommended by the Duke of Bedford to the Governor, Council and Assembly of South Carolina.
A state of the case of Abraham Bosomworth.
Colonel Heron's certificate that Mr. Bosomworth was employed by him to go as agent to the Creek Indians.

Ordered that the Secretary do write to Mr. Harding to desire he would acquaint the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury that their lordships apprehend they cannot take Mr. Bosomworth's case into consideration, or give any opinion upon it, it appearing to be a transaction of which their lordships have never had any knowledge, and having been already under the consideration of his Majesty's Secretary of State who appears to have given directions upon it.

New Hampshire.

Read a letter from Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, dated 17th of August, 1754, in answer to one from Mr. Pownall acquainting him that by reason of a bad state of health for two years past, he has not been able to transmit publick papers regularly, but as he is now recovering, is preparing answers to their lordships' letters.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from Mr. Belcher, Governor of New Jersey, dated the 2nd of July, 1754, in answer to one from Mr. Pownall, inclosing an instruction from his Majesty relating to the emitting paper bills in that province.

Wednesday, November 20. Present:— Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Nova Scotia.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty with a list of ordance stores wanting in Nova Scotia, having been prepared pursuant to the preceding day's minutes, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Barbados.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty with the draught of a warrant appointing Henry Thornhill, Esquire, to be of the Council of Barbados, having been prepared pursuant to the preceding day's minutes, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Georgia.

Their lordships took into consideration the draught of an estimate of what sums will be necessary for the service of the colony of Georgia for the year 1755, prepared pursuant to yesterday's minutes, and the said estimate was agreed to.

Georgia.

Nova Scotia.

Ordered that the Secretary do transmit the above mentioned estimate, and also the estimate for the service of Nova Scotia for the ensuing year, to the Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and desire him to lay them before that Board.

Thursday, November 21. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Maryland.

The Earl of Halifax laid before the Board a letter to him from Mr. Sharpe, Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, inclosing a representation of the Assembly of that province to this Board, desiring they would intercede with his Majesty and the Parliament, that the Act of Navigation may be so explained that they may have a liberty of importing foreign salt directly from foreign parts for the use of the fishery.

Ordered that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon be prepared.

Tuesday, November 26. Present:— Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Stone, Mr. Edgcumbe, Mr. Pelham.

Maryland.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the representation of the House of Delegates of Maryland, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Read the following memorials, viz.:—
South Carolina.
Georgia.
Memorial and representation of Coosaponakees, a Princess of the Upper and Lower Creek Nations of Indians, to the Board, relative to certain disputes concerning lands and other points between his Majesty's subjects and the Creek Indians.
Memorial of Mr. Bosomworth in behalf of himself and wife setting forth their services amongst the Creek Indians.

Ordered that the Secretary do write to Mrs. Bosomworth to desire her attendance at the Board on Thursday next.

Wednesday, November 27. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Nova Scotia.

The Secretary laid before the Board a memorial prepared by Mr. Kilby, agent for Nova Scotia, to be presented to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, praying payment of £2,256 12s. 6d. to discharge several warrants and bills for the service of that colony.

Nova Scotia.

The said memorial having been approved of Mr. Kilby was directed to present it to the Lords of the Treasury for their Lordships' directions upon it.

Virginia.

Read the following letter and papers received from Mr. Dinwiddie, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, viz.:—
Letter from Mr. Dinwiddie to the Board, dated 23rd September, 1754, acquainting their lordships with the desertion of the North Carolina troops and the refusal of the Assembly to grant supplies for carrying on the expedition against the French on the Ohio and inclosing:—
Minutes of Council in Assembly from the 22nd of August to the 5th September, 1754.
Journal of the House of Burgesses of Virginia beginning 22nd August and ending 5th September, 1754.
Three Acts passed in Virginia in August and September, 1754.

Ordered that the said Acts be sent to Mr. Lamb for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Ordered that a copy of Mr. Dinwiddie's letter be made to be laid before his Majesty, and that the draught of a letter inclosing it to Sir Thomas Robinson, His Majesty's Secretary of State, be prepared.

Thursday, November 28. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Virginia.

The draught of a letter to Sir Thomas Robinson, inclosing a copy of Mr. Dinwiddie's letter mentioned in yesterday's minutes having been prepared, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Maryland.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the representation of the House of Delegates of Maryland, having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of yesterday, was signed.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Ordered that the consideration of Mrs. Bosomworth's memorial be postponed till Tuesday next, and that the Secretary do desire her attendance on that day.

Virginia.

Their lordships took into consideration the letter and papers received from Mr. Dinwiddie mentioned in yesterday's minutes.

Friday, November 29. Present:— Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Trade.

Africa.

Read the following papers received from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, viz.:—
Copies of several letters from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, to the Governors of Cape Coast Castle and James Fort in the River Gambia and John Apperley, Esquire, Chief Engineer at Annamaboe.
Copy of a letter from Monsieur Arsenac, Governor of Goree, to James Skinner, Esquire, Governor of James Fort in the River Gambia, and of several letters from sundry of the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa.

Ordered that a copy be made of the Governor of Goree's letter to the Governor of James Fort to be laid before his Majesty, an Fort to be laid before his Majesty, and that the draught of a letter to Sir Thomas Robinson inclosing the same be prepared.

Jamaica.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated 26th November, 1754, referring to the consideration of this Board a petition of several inhabitants of Jamaica to his Majesty, praying his Majesty to restore the seat of government, etc. to St. Iago de la Vega, untill his Majesty shall have determined upon the several petitions relative to the removal of it.

Tuesday, December 3. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham.

Virginia.

The draught of a letter to Sir Thomas Robinson, inclosing the copy of one from Mr. Dinwiddie, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of Thursday last, was signed.

Trade.

Africa.

The draught of a letter to Sir Thomas Robinson inclosing the copy of one from the French Governor of Goree to the Governor of James Fort in the River Gambia, having been prepared pursuant to the preceding day's minutes, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Their lordships took into consideration the memorials of Mr. and Mrs. Bosomworth mentioned in the minutes of the 26th of November, and the memorialists attending were called in, and their lordships informed them, that as the memorials contained a great variety of matter which required a further consideration before their lordships could form a judgement upon them, they should fix an early day for taking them into consideration, and when they had come to a resolution upon them, notice should be given to them to attend.