Journal, August 1713: Journal Book Q

Journal, August 1713

Q.

(There is no title on the fly-leaf of this volume.)

August 14. Present:—Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Gwyn, Mr. Foley.

Nova Scotia.

New England.

Letter from Mr.Harley, referring back one from the Board to my Lord Treasurer, on disbanded officers’ proposal for settling in North America.

Memorial thereupon

return'd them to be amended.

A letter from Mr. Harley of the 11th instant, referring back to this Board their lordships’ letter to the Lord High Treasurer of the 13th of the last month [P. fo. 398; fo. 3], upon a proposal from several disbanded officers and soldiers, relating to their making a settlement in North America, with a memorial from them to his lordship on the same subject, was read, as was likewise the said memorial; whereupon some of the said officers and soldiers attending, and being examin'd what was the lowest sum they thought necessary to be now advanced them per head for tools and arms, they said, twenty shillings apiece for tools, and as much for arms, was as little as they could accept with any view of success. Their lordships then return'd them the aforesaid memorial to amend the same, and insert therein the two abovementioned articles, in order to be laid before the Board the first opportunity.

Leeard Islands.

Letter from the Earl of Dartmouth, to prepare a commission and instructions for General Hamilton.

A letter from the Earl of Dartmouth, of the 12th instant, signifying her Majesty's having been pleas'd to appoint Walter Hamilton, esquire, to be Governor of the Leeward Islands, in the room of Colonel Douglas [fo. 6], and directing the Board to prepare his commission and instructions as usual, was read; whereupon ordered that the draughts of a commission and instructions be prepared accordingly.

August 18. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton.

Trade.

Letter from Sir William Hodges, with papers relating to our trade to Spain,

to be communicated to the Lord Viscount Bolingbroke.

A letter from Sir William Hodges, of the 5th instant [P. fo. 455], and the following papers therewith transmitted, were read, vizt., a copy of such articles of commerce with Spain, as were propos'd to be insisted on when a treaty with that Crown should be on foot; a copy of the Bilboa merchants’ reply to the Lord Lexington, relating to the setting our trade in that part of Spain; and a Spanish copy of an agreement made between the English factory in Bilboa and the town of St. Andera in 1700. Whereupon their lordships agreed to communicate the said papers, and particularly the 8th, 11th, 14th and 15th articles of the abovemention'd papers to the Lord Bolingbroke.

August 19. Present:—Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton.

Nova Scotia.

New England.

Memorial.

Disbanded officers and soldiers.

A memorial from several disbanded officers and soldiers [fo. 1, 7], containing an estimate of the charge of their intended settlement in Nova Scotia, as also of arms and utensils necessary for that undertaking, pursuant to their lordships’ direction to them the 14th instant, was read.

New York.

Letter to Colonel Hunter.

A letter to Colonel Hunter, Governor of New York, was sign'd.

Trade.

Treaty of Commerce with Spain.

Sir William Hodges and Mr. Mead summon'd.

Then the articles for a Treaty of Commerce with Spain, mention'd in the minutes of the 13th instant [P. fo. 450], were again read; whereupon their lordships resolv'd to take them into further consideration to-morrow at five a clock in the afternoon; and ordered that Sir William Hodges and Mr. Mead be desir'd to attend the Board at the same time [fo. 4].

August 20. Present:—Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Moore.

Trade.

Mr. Gilligan. Sir William Hodges and Mr. Mead at the Board.

Treaty of Commerce with Spain.

Third article.

New book of rates.

Mr. Gilligan, lately arriv'd from Spain, attending by direction of the Lord Bolingbroke, and Sir William Hodges, and Mr. Mead also attending [fo. 3, 10], as they had been desir'd, the draught of a treaty for commerce with Spain, mentioned in the minutes of the 13th instant, was read to them; and upon the 3rd article, relating to the settling of a new book of rates in Spain, Sir William Hodges and Mr. Mead said that it would be a very great disadvantage to trade, if the duties all over Spain were upon the same foot; for the duties of Andalusia are very high, and those of Biscay and Guipuscoa very low, so that if the latter were rais'd to be equal with those of Andalusia, that would entirely ruine the trade of those two provinces. Besides which, they said that no nation pays so high duties for their goods in St. Mary's, Cadiz and Sevill as we do.

To this Mr. Gilligan said, that he believ'd these gentlemen were under a mistake; for that all the English merchants at Cadiz and other parts of Spain (with whom both the Lord Lexington and he have frequently had occasion to correspond) agree that the duties at Cadiz and St. Mary's are lower than in other parts of Spain. Whereupon Mr. Mead desiring to have a copy of the said 3rd article, that he might give their lordships some observations upon it, a copy was immediately made, and given him accordingly.

As to the 13th article, relating to the duties to be paid in the Canaries, Sir William Hodges and Mr. Mead propos'd that, instead of stipulating that the duty shall be the same as what was paid in the time of the late King Charles the Second, it be expresly mention'd, six per cent. upon the value of goods to the King, and one per cent. towards maintaining the fortifications there.

These gentlemen being withdrawn, their lordships desir'd Mr. Gilligan to take the foresaid draught of a project for a Treaty of Commerce, as also the Spanish copy of the Lord Lexington's memorial, and the answer thereunto on the part of the King of Spain, the minutes of this Board of the 13th instant, the copy of the articles of commerce with the Bilboa merchants’ reply to my Lord Lexington, receiv'd from Sir William Hodges (mention'd in the minutes of the 18th and 19th instant), for his observations thereupon, which he promis'd to do accordingly.

August 21. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton.

Leeward Islands.

General Hamilton, Governor, at the Board.

Present councillors.

Vacancies.

Nevis.

St. Christopher's.

Antigua.

Montserrat.

New councillors for Nevis.

St. Christopher's.

Antigua.

Montserrat.

General Hamilton, who is appointed Governor of the Leeward Islands, attending [fo. 2, 7], with Mr. Rowland Tryon, their lordships took into consideration the lists of the present councillors, as also of persons recommended to supply vacancies in the several Councils of the said islands. Whereupon, it appearing that for the Island of Nevis, there are now no more than nine members of her Majesty's Council; for that of St. Christopher's, seven; for Antigua, eleven; and for Montserrat, seven; their lordships, after some discourse with these gentlemen, resolv'd to propose to her Majesty the constituting and appointing the following gentlemen members of her Majesty's said respective Councils, vizt., Michael Williams, John Choppin and Joseph Symonds, to supply the present vacancies in the Council of Nevis; Ralph Willett, John Duport, Clement Crook, William Woodrope and John Garnet, to supply the like vacancies in the Council of St. Christopher's; Thomas Williams to supply the like vacancy in Antigua; and John Bramble, Anthony Ravell, Anthony Fox, William White and James Crookshank, clerk, to supply the like vacancies in her Majesty's Council for the Island of Montserrat.

General Hamilton's commission, instructions, and instructions for trade.

Representation signed.

Then the draughts of a commission and instructions to General Hamilton for the government of the Leeward Islands, as likewise a draught of instructions to him particularly relating to the Acts of Trade [fo. 6], were severally laid before the Board and agreed, and a representation signed, wherewith to lay the same before her Majesty.

Nova Scotia.

New England.

Disbanded officers’ memorial.

Several of the disbanded officers and soldiers attending, their memorial (mention'd in the minutes of the 19th instant) was again read [fo. 3, v. infra], and they declaring that they cou'd not pretend to settle in Nova Scotia without such encouragement as is mention'd in their said memorial; they were acquainted that their demand is so high, their lordships cou'd not represent anything to my Lord Treasurer in their favour.

Memorial from Mr. Coram on the same subject.

A letter from Mr. Harley, of the 20th instant, refering to the Board a memorial to the Lord High Treasurer from Mr. Coram, relating to the settling several disbanded officers and soldiers in North America [v. supra], was read, and communicated to the said officers and soldiers; whereupon they desir'd, in case anything was done in favour of the said Coram's project, that they might come in for a share thereof, which their lordships promis'd to take care of accordingly.