Journal, October 1738: Volume 47

Journal, October 1738

Tuesday, October 3. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Flanders.

Read a letter from Lord Harrington, dated 29th August, 1738, with two inclosed papers, delivered to Mr. Drummond, one of his Majesty's Commissaries at Antwerp, containing some preliminary points proposed by those of the Emperor as a basis for settling a Treaty of Commerce between Great Britain and the Austrian Netherlands, as likewise the plan for a Treaty of Commerce with Holland, given by the Imperial Commissaries; and the Board having taken the same into consideration, agreed to reconsider them, as soon as the returns relating to the Exports and Imports to and from Flanders shall be received from the Custom House.

Read a letter from the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs at Dublin, dated August 29th, 1738, transmitting an account of the Exports and Imports to and from Holland and Flanders for ten years, ending at Lady Day, 1737; and the Board directed the Secretary to write another letter to the Commissioners, desiring them to send as good a separate account of the Exports and Imports as they can make.

Trade.

France.

Naples.

Sicily.

Read a letter from Lord Harrington of 8th Sept., 1738, and three papers enclosed, received from Don Thomas Geraldino, Minister from the King of Spain, containing expedients for preventing an illicit trade being carried on by the subjects of France to the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, and his desiring to know whether the King of Great Britain be willing to come into the same expedients, and the Board directed that letters should be writ to Mr. Jackson and other merchants trading to those parts, desiring their attendance on Thursday sennight [October 12th].

Wednesday, October 4. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Flanders.

North Britain.

Read a letter from the Commissioners of the Customs at Edinburgh, dated August 31st, 1738, transmitting an account of goods exported from North Britain to Flanders, and imported from Flanders to North Britain, for ten years ending Anno 1737.

South Carolina.

Read two orders of the Lords of the Committee of Council, both dated July 27th, 1738, the first referring to this Board the petition of John Hammerton, Esq., to his Majesty, relating to a Composition of Fees due to him as Secretary and Register of South Carolina, and to other the king's officers in that province, for surveying and granting the lands in the new townships, which fees the Publick Treasurer has refused to pay, notwithstanding the Governor's order to him for that purpose; the other, likewise referring to this Board the petition of the said John Hammerton to his Majesty, relating to the refusal made by the late Governor of South Carolina to admit the Petitioner to the Office of Register of that province, though granted to him by letters patents from his Majesty; and their lordships agreed to take the said two orders into consideration on this day three weeks, and at the same time directed the Secretary to write to Mr. Fury to attend the Board that day [Wednesday, October 25th].

Trade.

Read a letter from Mr. Tilson, by order of the Lords of the Treasury, to the Secretary of this Board, dated August 16th, 1738, referring a petition of Mr. Smith, praying a reward for a scheme laid by him before this Board, to prevent the running of wool, and their lordships agreed to take the said petition into consideration the first convenient opportunity.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Major Gooch, Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia, dated August 6th, 1738, enclosing the accounts of his Majesty's Revenues of Quit Rents etc., and of 2 shilling per hogshead etc., arising within that Colony, both ending April 25th, 1738.

Leeward Islands.

Read two letters from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, one dated June 17th, 1738, giving account of an Act of Montserrat for repairing Plymouth Fort and Magazine, the other, dated the 21st, of the same month and year, containing remarks on two Acts, passed at Antigua; and the said Acts were ordered to be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon, together with a Tax Act, passed at Nevis, in May, 1738.

South Carolina.

Read a letter from Colonel Bull, President of the Council and Commander in Chief of South Carolina, dated July 30th, 1738, signifying that the Nation of Choctaw Indians, on the N.E. side of the Mississippi River consisting of 46 towns and 16,000 men, who have hitherto been in the interest of the French, have lately sent several messengers to the Government of South Carolina, to propose and desire a Friendship and Commerce with the English; and the Board ordered that search be made into the books of this office, to see what sums have been allowed for presents to the Five Nations on the borders of New York, and agreed to reconsider the affair, as soon as that account shall be laid before them. Ordered at the same time that a copy of the said letters should be transmitted to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

Thursday, October 5. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

South Carolina.

The letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, enclosing a copy of that from Mr. Bull, President of the Council to this Board, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to, and signed.

Trade.

Mr. Smith, attending upon the subject of his petition, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, their Lordships had some discourse with him, and ordered the draught of a report to be prepared.

Thursday, October 12. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

France.

Naples.

Sicily.

Mr. Richard Jackson, not being able to attend on account of his indisposition, as desired in the minutes of the 3rd instant, the Board ordered that another letter should be writ to him, signifying their lordships desire of seeing him on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday morning in the next week, if his health permits.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary laid before the Board an account of the incident charges of this Office, from Lady Day, 1738, to Midsummer following, amounting to £294 15s. 9d., and a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, and of the salary due to the Secretary and under Officers for the same time, was agreed to and signed.

Friday, October 13. Present:—Col. Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Pennsylvania.

Read a letter from Colonel Thomas, Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, dated August 3rd, 1738, relating to one Cheston, master of a vessel, who had wrongfully brought away two Negroes belonging to the Governor of Bonavista, one of the Cape de Verde Islands, together with the deposition of the said master, giving the ill treatment of the Governor as his reasons for so doing; and the Board directed copies of the said letter and deposition should be transmitted to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

Trade.

The draught of the report to the Lords of the Treasury, in pursuance of the petition of Mr. Smith, referred to this Board by them, as mentioned in the minutes of the 4th instant, was agreed to, and signed.

Read a letter from Mr. Parker, dated January 16th, 1737/38, from Comenda Fort, on the Gold Coast, enclosing a scheme with some proposals for the advantage of the Trade there, and the Board referred the consideration of the same to another opportunity.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Adams of Nova Scotia, together with a petition to his Majesty enclosed, praying a Pension or some other provision on account of his former services, and of his present blindness, old age and necessity; and the Board ordered the said letter and petition should lye by, till further application be made by some agent in his behalf.

Wednesday, October 18th. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Naples.

Sicily.

Mr. Jackson attending, as desired, by the minutes of the 12th instant, together with Mr. Heames, the Board had some discourse with them on the subject of the papers delivered by Señor Thomas Geraldino, and mentioned in the minutes of the 3rd instant, and upon their request, ordered them copies of the same papers, that they might consider them more at leisure, and have the opinions of other Merchants trading to the two Sicilys.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from Alured Popple, Esq., Governor of Bermuda, dated August 21st, 1738, giving an account of his arrival, and transmitting minutes of Council and Assembly, his speech to the Council and Assembly, with their answers, and three Acts, passed by him, relative to his salary.

Ordered that the said Acts be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon.

Ordered also the draught of a representation to be prepared, recommending Nathaniel Bascome, William Riddell and John Harvey, Esq., to be of the Council of Bermuda, in pursuance of the Governor's request, signified in the same letter, which representation being prepared, was accordingly agreed to and signed.

Ordered also that a draught of an answer be prepared to the Governor's letter, with a compliment to him on his safe arrival.

Pennsylvania.

A letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, transmitting copies of that from Colonel Thomas, and of the deposition of Cheston, mentioned in the minutes of the 13th instant, was agreed to, and signed.

Bermuda.

Read also a letter from Mr. Dinwiddie to Governor Popple, transmitted in his letter to the Board, with a proposal relating to the introducing a new sort of British Coin into his Majesty's Dominions of America, which the Board agreed to take into their consideration, and compare it with Mr. Wood's scheme.

Thursday, October 19. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

South Carolina.

A representation to his Majesty from the Chief Justice and other officers of Justice in South Carolina, relating to the passing an Act for the regulating a Court of Exchequer, erected in that province, together with several papers thereunto annexed, was laid before the Board, and read.

Wednesday, October 25. Present:—Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter to the Secretary from Mr. Waldo, praying copies of several papers in the office relating to Nova Scotia, and their lordships referred the consideration of the said prayer to another opportunity.

New England.

Read a letter from Governor Belcher, dated August 29th, 1738, together with a copy of a conference with the Penobscot and Norridge Walk Indians in July, 1738, enclosed therein.

Leeward Islands.

Read two letters from Mr. Mathews, Governor of the Leeward Islands to the Secretary, the first dated July 19th, last part, transmitting duplicates of 4 Acts, two of Antigua, one of Montserrat, and the last Tax Act of Nevis, together with the minutes of an Assembly of Antigua for 3 years, to the 1st of June, 1738. The other of August 5th, 1738, signifying that he has sent by Mr. Boyd a box of public papers, viz., minutes of Council and Assembly.

Thursday, October 26. Present Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

South Carolina.

Mr. Hammerton attending this day, instead of yesterday, as had been appointed by the minutes of October 4th, together with Mr. Sharpe, his Solicitor, and Mr. Fury, agent for the province of South Carolina, their lordships took into consideration his petition, referred to them, as mentioned in the minutes, relating to the Office of Register, which he claims by letters Patent from his Majesty, and made some progress therein.

The Board had likewise under consideration Mr. Hammerton's other petition, mentioned in the same minutes, relating to the refusal made by the Treasurer of the province to pay him and other officers their Fees, notwithstanding the Governor's order to him for that purpose, in which also some progress was made.

Tuesday, October 31. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

South Carolina.

The Board having again had under consideration the first of Mr. Hammerton's petitions, mentioned in the minutes of the 26th instant, relating to his Office of Register, directed the Secretary to send to Mr. Hammerton, to desire his attendance to-morrow.

Trade.

Antwerp.

Ordered the draught of a letter to the Honourable the Commissioners of the Customs to be prepared, desiring as expeditious an answer as they can make to the letter of July 6th from this Board to them, and the same being accordingly prepared, was agreed to, and signed.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant-Governor of New York, dated September 16th, 1738, enclosing the copy of one from the Commissioners of Indian affairs to him, dated at Albany, August 30th, 1738, complaining of some intended encroachments of the French; and the Board ordered copies of the same to be transmitted to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle as also the draught of an answer to Mr. Clarke's letter to be prepared.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from Mr. Morris, Governor of New Jersey, dated at Perth Amboy, September the 11th, 1738, giving an account of his having published his Commission, and of the people's joy at having a Governor to themselves, and of their hopes of having a Trade to Great Britain directly from New Jersey, and the Board ordered the draught of an answer, acknowledging the receipt of it.