Journal, October 1736: Volume 45

Journal, October 1736

Friday, October 1. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Three letters from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, were read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board; ordered that the several laws, upon which Mr. Fane had not yet reported, be sent to him for his opinion in point of law.

The Board then read the Act, passed at Montserrat, the 5th of June last, for the more effectual preventing all trade in those parts between his Majesty's subjects and the French.

Directions were then given for preparing the draught of an answer to the several letters from General Mathew, read at the last meeting and this day.

Wednesday, October 6. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Barbados.

The letter to Mr. Dottin, Commander in Chief of Barbados, agreed to the 30th ult., was signed.

Miscellanies.

The Board signed a letter to the Treasury, desiring payment of the quarter's salary due to the secretary and under officers at Michaelmas last, amounting to £287 10s.—and of the incidents for the same time, amounting to £260 16s. 8½d.

Leeward Islands.

The draught of a letter to General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, ordered to be prepared at the last meeting, was agreed to.

Carolina.

Georgia.

Florida.

Mr. Martin.

Mr. Martin, secretary to the Georgia trustees, attending, and acquainting the Board that the trustees could not conveniently attend this morning according to appointment, but desired another day, the Board fixed this day sennight for that purpose.

Thursday, October 7. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Five letters from Major Gooch, Lieut.-Governor of Virginia, were read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board.

Friday, October 8. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

The Board reconsider the letters, read yesterday, from Major Gooch, Lieut.-Governor of Virginia, and gave directions for preparing the draught of an answer thereto.

Leeward Islands.

The answer to the letters from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, agreed to the 6th instant, was signed.

The Board agreed to, and signed a letter to the Duke of Newcastle, for inclosing to him an extract of General Mathew's letter of the 31st of May last, relating to an intended descent on some of the Virgin Islands from Porto Rico.

Wednesday, October 13. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Carolina.

Florida.

Georgia.

The Trustees, Mr. Vernon, Mr. Hucks, Mr. Towers.

The Board take again into consideration the two letters from the Duke of Newcastle (Secretary of State), and the papers thereby referred to the Board, mentioned in the minutes of the 29th ult., relating to the bounds between Georgia and Florida; and the trustees, attending, the Board had some discourse with them upon the subject of the said letters and papers, and resolved to consider further thereof to-morrow morning; at which time, ordered that Mr. Shelton, secretary to the late Lords Proprietors of Carolina, be desired to attend.

Bahamas.

Mr. Jackson.

Memorial from Mr. Jackson, collector of the Customs at Providence, complaining of the illegal proceedings of Mr. FitzWilliams, the Governor of the Bahamas, was read; and the secretary acquainting the Board that Mr. Henry Popple, agent to the Governor, desired a copy of any complaint against the said governor, a copy was ordered accordingly.

Thursday, October 14. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir O. Bridgeman.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Florida.

Mr. Shelton.

The Board take again into consideration the two letters from the Duke of Newcastle (Secretary of State), mentioned in yesterday's minutes, relating to the bounds between Carolina and Florida; and Mr. Shelton, secretary to the late Lords Proprietors of Carolina, attending, as he had been desired, the Board asked him how far southward the Lords Proprietors had made any settlements towards Florida; he said, that he believed there never had been any to the south of the River Alatamaha, but that he would inform himself of one Captain Shubrick, who has been many years an inhabitant in South Carolina, and now settled in London, and he was desired to enquire, and attend again another day.

Virginia.

The Board then considered the draught of an answer to Major Gooch's letters, ordered to be prepared the 8th instant, and made a progress therein.

Friday, October 15. Present:—Earl Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen.

Virginia.

The letter to Major Gooch, Lieut.-Governor of Virginia, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, was agreed to and signed.

Wednesday, October 20. Present:—Earl Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Virginia.

Two letters from Major Gooch, Lieut.-Governor of Virginia, were read, with his speech and the addresses, therein inclosed, and a postscript to the letter to him, signed the last meeting, was signed.

Connecticut.

Letter from Mr. Talcot, Governor of Connecticut, relating to laws there affecting trade, was read.

Rhode Island.

Letter from the Governor and Company of Rhode Island, to relating to the same subject, was read.

Maryland.

Letter from Captain Ogle, Deputy Governor of Maryland, relating to the same subject, was read.

Massachusets Bay.

Two letters from Mr. Willard, secretary to the Massachusets Bay, inclosing publick papers, were read.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Florida.

Mr. Shelton.

Mr. Shelton, attending, as he had promised the 14th instant, he acquainted the Board that he had enquired of Captain Shubrick and other persons, well acquainted with Carolina, and that he could not learn that any settlements were ever made to the south of the Alatamaha River, during the time of the late Lords Proprietors, but that they always extended their claim as far south as St. Juan's River; that he could not hear that the Spaniards had ever settled to the north of St. Augustine.

New York.

Seven letters from Mr. Clarke, Deputy Governor of New York, were read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board. In one of the above letters, Mr. Clarke having given his opinion upon Mr. Stork and Livingston's petition for land in the Mohawk's country (F. 7), the Board gave directions that Mr. Stork should be directed to attend the Board upon that subject next Tuesday; ordered that the draught of an answer be prepared to Mr. Clarke's above letters.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Florida.

The Board then reconsidered the letters and papers from the Duke of Newcastle (Secretary of State), mentioned in the minutes of 14th instant, relating to the bounds between Carolina and Florida, and gave directions for preparing a letter to the Governor of South Carolina upon that subject, as also the draught of a letter, for inclosing to the Duke of Newcastle an extract of the Board's representation of the 20th of June, 1728, containing an account of the southern bounds of Carolina, in answer to his Grace's above-mentioned letters.

Thursday, October 21. Present:—Earl Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Sir O. Bridgeman, Colonel Bladen.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Florida.

The draught of the letter to the Duke of Newcastle, ordered yesterday to be prepared, relating to the bounds between Carolina and Florida, was agreed to.

Letter from Mr. Broughton, Commander in Chief of South Carolina, inclosing his answer to the queries relating to duties, etc., affecting the trade of this kingdom, was read; and the draught of a letter to Mr. Broughton, ordered yesterday to be prepared, relating to the south bounds of Carolina, was agreed to.

North Carolina.

Mr. Huey desires a day may be appointed for considering his and Mr. Crimble's petition for settling some land in North Carolina, mentioned in the minutes of 22nd ult., and next Wednesday was appointed for that purpose.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Florida.

Ordered that a copy of Monsieur Geraldino's memorial, referred to the Board by the Duke of Newcastle's letter, read the 29th of September last, complaining of the inhabitants of Georgia, be sent to Mr. Oglethorpe for his answer thereto.

New York.

The draught of an answer to the letters from Mr. Clarke, Lieut.-Governor of New York, read yesterday, was agreed to, and signed.

Montserrat.

The draught of a representation, proposing Mr. Roynon and Mr. Fenton to be councillors of Montserrat, in the room of Mr. Hodges and Mr. Roberts, who have been some years in England, being agreed to, the representation was signed.

New Jersey.

Letter from Mr. Hamilton, President of the Council and Commander in Chief at New Jersey, acquainting the Board with the death of the late President, was read, and directions were given for preparing an answer thereto.

North Carolina.

Letter from Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, dated December 5th, 1735, was read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board; ordered that the Acts, mentioned in the above letter, be sent to Mr. Fane for his opinion thereon in point of law.

Friday, October 22. Present:—Earl Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Sir O. Bridgeman, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

North Carolina.

The Board upon reconsidering that part of the Governor of North Carolina's letter, read yesterday, which relates to the late Lords Proprietors' seal, ordered that letters should be wrote to Captain Burrington, late Governor of that province, and Mr. Shelton, secretary to the late Lords Proprietors, to know, what was done with the said seal.

South Carolina, Georgia.

Florida.

Letter to the Duke of Newcastle, relating to the bounds between Carolina and Florida, which was agreed to yesterday, was signed.

The letter to Mr. Oglethorpe upon the same subject, which was yesterday to be prepared, was agreed to, and ordered to be sent.

Bahamas.

Mr. Jackson.

Mr. Jackson, collector of the Customs of the Bahamas, attending, presented to the Board a petition acquainting their lordships with his having obtained the depositions of one Cox and Yerworth, two of the inhabitants, to the truth of his former petition against Mr. Fitz-Williams, Governor of the Bahamas, read the 13th instant, and praying the Board to appoint a day, for examining the said two deponents, was read; and the Board appointed next Thursday for that purpose, and ordered that Mr. Henry Popple, agent to the Governor, be directed to attend at the same time.

Maryland.

Letter to Captain Ogle, Deputy Governor of Maryland, was agreed to, and ordered to be sent, as also,

Rhode Island.

A letter to the Governor of Rhode Island, and

Connecticut.

A letter to the Governor of Connecticut.

New York.

The secretary then laid before the Board the copy of a commission, dated the 13th of July last, appointing George Parke, Esqr., Lieut.-Governor of New York, and the same was read.

North Carolina.

The secretary likewise laid before the Board the copy of a letter he had received from Captain Burrington to the Commissioners of the Customs, concerning some regulations that may be made in North Carolina, for the advantage of the revenue of that province, and the same was read.

New York.

A letter from Mr. Guerin, agent to the late Colonel Cosby, Governor of New York, inclosing a printed proposal, mentioned in one of Mr. Clarke's letters, read the 20th instant, for granting a tract of land in that province to foreign Protestants, and a letter from Messrs. Simons at Dublin, upon that subject, was read.

Tuesday, October 26. Present:—Earl Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Sir O. Bridgeman.

New York.

Mr. Stork.

Mr. Stork, whose petition for a grant of land on the Mohawk's River in New York, read the 15th of January last, attending, as he had been desired, he was acquainted with the purport of Mr. Clarke, the Deputy Governor's letter of 18th June last, inclosing one from Mr. Colden, the Surveyor General, read the 20th instant, signifying that half of the land petitioned for, was long since granted. Mr. Stork then said he did not know it, when he presented his petition, and that he should not now give the Board any further trouble; ordered that the draught of a report be prepared to the Lords of the Committee of Council, in answer to their order, referring to the Board Mr. Stork's above-mentioned petition.

Leeward Islands.

Letter from Mr. Coope, agent for St. Christophers, relating to illegal trade between the Leeward Islands and the French, the seizure of vessels and to the Treaty of Neutrality, as also inclosing an extract of the French King's edict of 1727, relating to the said treaty, was read; ordered that a copy thereof be sent to Mr. Fane for his information, and a translation of the said edict.

Bermuda.

Plantations General.

Letter from Mr. Dinwiddie, collector of the Customs in Bermuda, proposing a surveyor general to go through the king's colonies, and give an account thereof, was read.

North Carolina.

Captain Burrington.

Captain Burrington, the late Governor, attending, as desired the 22nd instant, acquainted the Board that when he arrived in that government, he took the proprietors' seal into his possession, and not having the king's seal till some months after, he was obliged to use the proprietors' seal at first; but when that arrived he transmitted the proprietors' seal to the Duke of Newcastle, one of the king's Secretarys of State.

St. Christophers.

Mr. Coope.

Mr. Coope, agent for St. Christophers, attending, he desired the Board would please to report in favour of the two Acts, passed at St. Christophers in 1732 and 1733–4, for granting a poll tax on slaves, and five per cent. on rents to pay publick debts, and settling the salaries of several officers, and for reducing the secretary's fees etc., begun to be considered the 10th of June last; but as he acquainted the Board, that he expected in about a month an answer to some letters he had wrote to that island upon this subject, their lordships agreed to postpone this matter for some time. [v. November 2nd.]

Nova Scotia.

Letter from Colonel Armstrong, Lieut.-Governor of Nova Scotia, dated the 19th of June last, with several papers relating to a vessel from Ireland being seized and plundered by the Indians, and to the insolence of the French priests in that province, was read; ordered that an extract of so much of the said letter, as relates to the French priests, be sent to the Duke of Newcastle for his information. Ordered that the draught of an answer be prepared to Colonel Armstrong's said letter.

Miscellanies.

Mr. Burrish, being appointed supra cargo to Mocha and being gone from the office; ordered that Mr. Popple do prepare such representations and reports, as shall be necessary, until another solicitor and clerk of the reports be appointed.

Wednesday, October 27. Present:—Earl Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Sir O. Bridgeman, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

New York.

Draught of a report, ordered yesterday to be prepared, upon Mr. Stork's petition for a tract of land in New York, was agreed to.

Nova Scotia.

Draught of a letter to the Duke of Newcastle, ordered yesterday to be prepared, for inclosing an extract of the letter from Colonel Armstrong, Lieut.-Governor of Nova Scotia, read at the same time, was agreed to.

North Carolina.

Mr. Huey, Mr. McCulloch.

The Board take again into consideration Mr. Crimble's petition for a tract of land on North Carolina, read the 9th of June last, and his proposals, read 15th of September last; as also a letter from Mr. Huey, with his remarks upon proposals for settling land there, read 22nd of the same month; and a letter from Mr. Huey, relating to a proposal for paying the quit rents here, was now read. The Board, after some discourse with Mr. Huey and Mr. McCulloch, who appeared for Mr. Crimble, agreed to consider further of this petition at another opportunity.

Bahamas.

Two letters from Mr. Fitzwilliams, Governor of the Bahamas, dated the 8th and 20th of March last, with some papers inclosed, relating to the want of repairs in the forts there, and to a late mutiny in the garrison there, were read.

Ordered that an extract of such part of the said letters as relate to the want of repairs, etc., be sent to the Duke of Newcastle (Secretary of State), and to Sir William Yonge (Secretary at War); and an extract of so much of the said letters as relate to the station ship, to Mr. Burchet, Secretary to the Lords of the Admiralty; ordered that the draught of an answer be prepared to Mr. Fitzwillliams' above-mentioned letters.

Thursday, October 28. Present:—Earl Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen.

New York.

The report to the Lords of the Committee upon Mr. Stork's petition for land in New York, which was agreed to yesterday, was signed.

Nova Scotia.

The letter to the Duke of Newcastle, inclosing an extract of a letter from Colonel Armstrong, Lieut.-Governor of Nova Scotia, relating to the French priests in that province, agreed to yesterday, was signed.

Bahamas.

Mr. Jackson, Mr. H. Henry.

Governor's agent, Mr. Smith, chaplain to complainant, Mr. Cox, Mr. Yerworth, Mr. Vittery.

The memorial from Mr. Jackson, collector of the Customs at Providence, complaining against Mr. Fitz-Williams, Governor thereof, read the 13th instant, was again read. A memorial from Mr. Jackson and three depositions from Mr. Cox, Mr. Yerworth and Mr. Vittery, complaining of Mr. Fitz-Williams, were read; ordered that Mr. John Colebrooke, an inhabitant of the Bahamas, be desired to attend next Tuesday.