Journal, February 1776: Volume 83

Journal, February 1776

fo. 18.

Tuesday, February 6th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Robert Spencer. Mr. Gascoyne. Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Grenada.

The Secretary laid before the Board draughts of general instructions and of those for the observance of the laws of trade. for Sir George Macartney, appointed Governor of the islands of Grenada. The Grenadines and Tobago: and the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon having been prepared, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Council upon the petition of Messrs. Vidal and Tutet, mentioned in the minutes of the last Board day, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 19.

Their lordships took into consideration two Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, referring to this Board the petitions of Messrs. White and Edwards, and William Wilson, praying leave to export certain military stores: and their lordships were of opinion, that it would not be expedient to recommend the exportation prayed for.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated February 6th, 1776. referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of Messrs. Ruckers, praying leave to export certain military stores to the island of Grenada: and their lordships being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be recommended. the draught of a Report to the Lords of the Council was ordered to be prepared accordingly.

Grenada, St. Vincent's.

fo. 20.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the disallowance of the Act of St. Vincent's, mentioned in the minutes of the last Board day, having been prepared according to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Georgia.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, to the Secretary to this Board, dated December 22nd. 1775. transmitting several papers respecting the payment of a bill of exchange drawn on the late agent for the province of Georgia, and desiring him to receive the opinion of the Board thereupon, and communicate the same for the information of the Lords of the Treasury.

Ordered, that the Secretary do acquaint Mr. Robinson, that the Board are of opinion, that the late agent for Georgia was warranted in refusing payment of the above mentioned bill of exchange.

Nova Scotia.

fo. 21.

Read a letter from Francis Legge, Esquire, Governor of Nova Scotia, to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated November 20th, 1775, stating certain propositions for the publick service; and submitting, whether the sum of about three thousand pounds might not be added to the estimate for the year 1776.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the proposition contained in the above letter, were of opinion, that it would not be expedient to comply with the requisition by adding any sum to the estimate for those purposes.

Plantations General.

Read a memorial of Samuel Holland, Esquire, Surveyor General of the Northern district of North America, setting forth the progress he had made in that service, and the reasons which had compelled him to repair to England; and praying their lordships to recommend to Parliament the making provision for the subsistence and support of him and his associates, according to such estimate as to their lordships may seem meet.

fo. 22.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida, Senegambia, Plantations General.

Their lordships, pursuant to his Majesty's commands, signified to the Board by Lord George Germain the last meeting, took into consideration the estimates of such sums as will be necessary for supporting the civil establishments of Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, and West Florida in North America, and of the province of Senegambia in Africa; and also for continuing the service of the general Survey of his Majesty's dominions in North America, for the year 1776; and the said estimates having been agreed to, were ordered to be prepared accordingly.

Friday, February 9. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

St. Vincent's.

fo. 23.

The draught of a Commission for Valentine Morris, Esquire, to be Governor of the island of St. Vincent having been prepared pursuant to order, a representation to his Majesty thereupon was agreed to and signed.

Plantations General.

The draught of an additional instruction to the Governors of the several colonies not comprised in the Act of Parliament for prohibiting all trade and intercourse with certain colonies therein mentioned, having been prepared, in obedience to his Majesty's command signified to the Board on the 30th of last month, was agreed to, and the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon was ordered to be prepared.

Leeward Islands, Nevis.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of a private Act passed in the island of Nevis in July 1772, to enable Joseph Clarke, and the trustees named in his marriage settlement, to sell a plantation, thereby settled, to the Honorable John Richardson Herbert; and for vesting etc., was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 24.

Trade.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council, upon the petition of Messrs. Ruckers, for leave to export certain military stores to the island of Grenada, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

West Florida.

Read the copy of a letter from Peter Chester, Esquire, Governor of the province of West Florida, to the Earl of Dartmouth, dated April 22nd, 1775, relative to the expenditure of the money granted by Parliament for building a house for the residence of His Majesty's Governor of that province.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida, Senegambia.

fo. 25.

Plantations General.

The estimates of such sums as will be necessary for the support of the civil establishments of Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida and West Florida in North America, and of the province of Senegambia in Africa; and also for continuing the service of the general Survey of his Majesty's dominions in North America, for the year 1776, having been prepared, Mr. Gascoyne was desired to present them to the House of Commons, pursuant to his Majesty's commands.

St. John's.

Read a memorial of the proprietors of the island of St. John in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, who have paid their quit-rents and complied with their engagements to Government.

Resolved, that the said memorial be taken into further consideration on Tuesday, the 20th instant, and the parties interested were desired to attend.

fo. 26.

Tuesday, February 13. Present:—Mr. Jenyns. Mr. Gascoyne, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Keene. Mr. Greville.

Nova Scotia.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attended, and laid before the Board, by his Majesty's commands, a petition to his Majesty from several members of the Council of Nova Scotia, and one other petition from certain persons, inhabitants of that province, complaining of the conduct and proceedings of Francis Legge, Esquire, Governor of the said province.

fo. 27.

His lordship likewise acquainted the Board, that it was his Majesty's intention immediately to direct the said Governor to return to England, in order to lay before his Majesty a state of the province; and that it was his Majesty's pleasure, that the Board do. without delay, take those petitions into consideration, and give such directions thereupon, as should be necessary to a full examination and hearing of the matters therein complained of, upon Governor Legge's arrival.

The Board agreed to take this matter into consideration on Tuesday next, and it was ordered, that Messrs. Binney and Tonge, subscribers to the above mentioned petitions (now in England) be desired to attend on that day.

New York.

The Secretary acquainted the Board that, in pursuance of their lordships' order of the 30th of January, he had wrote to Mr. Lotbiniere on the subject of his petition, and received for answer, that he had no propositions to submit to the Board, having given in a definitive state of his case to the Lords of the Council; and the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee upon the above case being prepared, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

fo. 28.

Trade.

Read two Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petitions of Messrs. Tappenden and Co., and Messrs. Isaac and Benjamin Lester, for leave to export certain military stores to Jamaica and Newfoundland; and their lordships were of opinion, that it would not be expedient to allow of the exportation prayed for.

Leeward Islands, Antigua.

Their lordships took into consideration several Acts passed in the island of Antigua in the years 1774 and 1775, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon; and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing the disallowance of one of the said Acts, intituled, an Act for the ease and relief of several insolvent debtors confined in the common gaol the sixth day of April in the present year of our Lord 1775.

fo. 29.

Ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor of the Leeward Islands be prepared, recommending that he should obtain a law to be passed for the amendment of the Act, for reviving, continuing and amending an Act intitled, an Act for establishing Courts of Common Pleas, Error, King's Bench and Grand Sessions, etc., etc., by repealing the clause contained in the said Act, which imposes an oath on every counsel or person admitted to practise the law in the island of Antigua.

Bermuda.

Their lordships took into consideration several Acts passed in the Bermuda Islands in March and May 1775, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon; and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing the disallowance of the two following Acts, vizt.
fo. 30.
An Act to repeal an Act, entitled an Act for an addition to and amendment of an Act, entitled an Act to prohibit any persons from retailing rum or liquors publickly without licence from the justice of the peace.
An Act as well to prohibit for a certain time the exportation of Indian corn, Guinea corn, wheat, barley, rice, beans, pease, oats, rye, and wheat flour, bread or biscuit, yams and potatoes, as to stipulate the respective prices of the same.

Plantations General.

fo. 31.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty with the draught of an additional instruction to the Governors of certain colonies and plantations in America, requiring them to carry into strict execution an Act passed in the present session of Parliament, for the prohibiting of all trade and intercourse with several colonies therein mentioned. having been prepared pursuant to order. was approved, transcribed and signed.

Tuesday. February 20th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns. Mr. Gascoyne, Lord Robert Spencer. Mr. Greville.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

The following representations to his Majesty were agreed to and signed: vizt.

Leeward Islands, Antigua.

Representation to his Majesty, proposing the disallowance of an Act of Antigua, for the ease and relief of several insolvent debtors confined in the common jail etc.

Bermuda.

Representation to his Majesty, proposing the disallowance of two Acts passed in the Bermuda Islands, mentioned in the minutes of the last Board.

fo. 32.

St. John's.

Representation to his Majesty proposing the confirmation of an Act passed in the island of St. John in October 1774. for the effectual recovery of certain of His Majesty's quitrents.

Leeward Islands.

The draughts of a letter to the Governor of the Leeward Islands, recommending that he should obtain a law to be passed for the amendment of the Act. for reviving, continuing and amending an Act entitled an Act for establishing Courts of Common Pleas. etc.. etc.. having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved. transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 19th of February. 1776, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of Lewis Teissier, for leave to export to Nantes, by the way of Ostend, one hundred and eighty barrels of gunpowder, being for trade to old Calabar in Africa: and their lordships were of opinion, that it would not be expedient to allow of the exportation prayed for.

fo. 33.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated February 7th. 1776. referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of John Prince, commander of the ship Latham, praying leave to export to Bombay and Bengal. a quantity of sword blades as merchandize: and their lordships being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be recommended, the draught of a report to the Lords of the Council was ordered to be prepared accordingly.

St. John's.

Their lordships, agreable to their resolution of the 9th instant, took into further consideration the memorial of the proprietors of the island of St. John, who have paid their quitrents, and complied with their engagements to Government, stating the insufficiency of the said quitrents as a fund for the support of the civil establishment of that island, and praying to be recommended for a grant of Parliament upon estimate in aid thereof.

fo. 34.

Walter Patterson. Esquire, Governor of St. John's, attending, together with several gentlemen. proprietors of lands in that island, subscribers to the said memorial) their lordships, after conversation had on the matters therein contained, caused the minute of their proceedings on the 25th of May, 1769, relative to the separation of the island of St. John from the Government of Nova Scotia, to be read; as likewise their report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on the 30th of the same month; and having explained to the satisfaction of the memorialists that they could not, consistently with those proceedings, take up the consideration of the memorial presented, unless the same should come by reference before them, the said Governor and subscribers present desired leave to withdraw their memorial, in order to present it to his Majesty in Council; and their lordships consenting thereto, it was accordingly withdrawn.

fo. 35.

Nova Scotia.

Jonathan Binney and William Tonge, Esquires, subscribers to the two petitions mentioned in the minutes of the last Board, complaining of the conduct and proceedings of Francis Legge, Esquire, Governor of Nova Scotia, attended; and their lordships being of opinion, that the said petitions stated certain articles of complaint of too general and indeterminate a nature to direct the Governor in his defence, and the complainants requesting, that further time might be granted them to prepare such specific articles as were required, they were advised to get them ready with all possible expedition, that the same might be laid before their lordships at their next meeting, and no time lost in transmitting them to the Governor, for his defence.

fo. 36.

Tuesday, February 27th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Nova Scotia.

fo. 37.

The Secretary, in pursuance of what passed at the Board upon their last meeting, laid before their lordships a paper, prepared by Jonathan Binney, Esquire, explanatory of the general charges contained in the two several petitions complaining of the conduct of Governor Legge; and the same having been read, was ordered to be copied and transmitted to the said Governor; together with copies of the abovementioned petitions; and the draught of a letter to Governor Legge, inclosing these copies, and signifying their lordships' directions, that he should lose no time in preparing his answer to the several articles therein contained, being prepared, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated February 23rd, 1776, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of sundry merchants trading to Canada, for leave to export to Canada certain military stores, therein specified, for trade.

Trade

Their lordships, upon consideration of the said petition, were of opinion, that it might be adviseable to recommend the exportation of the military stores therein specified, provided they were consigned to the Commander in Chief at Quebec; and provided also the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, upon application made to them, should not object to their being received on board such one of his Majesty's ships of war. as should be appointed to convoy the trade to Quebec.

fo. 38.

Isaac Pratt, whose petition is mentioned in the minutes of the 30th of last month, attended, and delivered to the Board a paper signed by Peter Michell. Esquire. Secretary to the East India Company, certifying, that the court of directors of the said company have granted liberty to the commanders and officers of the ships Marquis of Rockingham and Hector, now outward bound to the East Indies, to export a quantity of sword blades, not exceeding eighteen thousand, for Bombay, on account of privatstrade.

Ordered thereupon, that a report to the Lords of the Council be prepared, recommending the exportation prayed for.

West Florida.

fo. 39.

Read a memorial of the agent for West Florida, stating that he had intelligence, that Mr. Romans of that province, for whom a provision is made upon estimate by Parliament of fifty pounds per annum, had joined the rebels, and praying the directions of the Board, whether he should issue payment of a bill of exchange drawn on him by the said Mr. Romans.

Ordered, that the agent be acquainted, that their lordships are of opinion, that he would be fully justified in with-holding payment of the said bill, in consideration of the intelligence abovementioned.