Journal, March 1741: Volume 49

Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 7, January 1735 - December 1741. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1930.

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'Journal, March 1741: Volume 49', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 7, January 1735 - December 1741, (London, 1930) pp. 373-378. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol7/pp373-378 [accessed 19 March 2024]

Journal, March 1741

Tuesday, March 3. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Their Lordships took again into consideration the draught of a report and additional instruction, concerning the powder duty in the Leeward Islands (mentioned at the last meeting), and made some further progress therein.

Wednesday, March 4. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Their Lordships had again under consideration the draught of a report and an additional instruction, concerning the powder duty in the Leeward Islands (mentioned in yesterday's minutes), and made a further progress therein.

Thursday, March 5. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Their Lordships having again taken into consideration the draught of a report, and of an additional instruction, relating to the powder duty in the Leeward Islands (mentioned in the foregoing minutes), went through the same, and having agreed thereto, ordered it to be transcribed.

Friday, March 6. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter to the Secretary of this Board, from Mr. Burchett, Secretary to the Lords of the Admiralty, dated the 4th instant, signifying that Captain Thomas Smith, of the Romney, is appointed Commander in Chief of the ships designed to Newfoundland this year, and desiring that the proper heads of enquiry may be prepared for him, as soon as may be.

Ordered that the said heads of enquiry be prepared, as usual.

Tuesday, March 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on the subject of the powder duty in the Leeward Islands (mentioned in the minutes of the 5th inst.), having been transcribed, was signed; and the draught of an additional instruction to the Governor of the Leeward Islands, on the same subject, was likewise transcribed, agreed to, and ordered to be sent with the said report.

Wednesday, March 11. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe.

Leeward Islands.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, in pursuance of an Order of their lordships, dated December 5th, 1740, (mentioned in the minutes of the 8th of January last), referring back the draught of an additional instruction, lately prepared by this Board for the Governor of the Leeward Islands, relative to the preservation of all stores sent to any of the said islands, having been prepared, was agreed to, and signed; and the draught of an additional instruction having (as directed by the said Order) been adapted to an Order made by his Majesty in Council, the 8th of March, 1737/8, upon sending a supply of stores to Jamaica, the same was ordered to be transcribed and sent with the said report.

Thursday, March 12. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated November 17th, 1740, transmitting the following publick papers, viz:
Minutes of Council of Montserrat, from the 25th of June to the 29th of September, 1740.
Transcript of Acts of Montserrat, from February, 1680/1, to April, 1740.
An Act for establishing, regulating and disciplining the militia forces of Nevis. Passed the 23rd October, 1740.

In the said letter he takes notice of a mistake of his, in relation to one of the Council of Nevis, and also gives some account of the Virgin Islands, and what he thinks should be done in respect to them.

Read likewise another letter from General Mathew, dated November 24th, 1740, transmitting five Acts, passed at Antigua in June, August, October and November, Anno 1740.

Ordered that the said five Acts, together with that passed at Nevis, transmitted with the other letter, be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

Barbados.

Read a letter from Mr. Dottin, President and Commander in Chief of Barbados, giving an account of some disputes between the Council and Assembly of the island, in relation to the right of disposal of publick money, and also the right claimed by the Council to alter or amend Money Bills.

Friday, March 13. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Sir A Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Massachusetts Bay.

The draught of an instruction to Mr. Belcher, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, directing him to give all possible discouragement to a scheme lately projected and published at Boston, called the Land Bank (mentioned in the minutes of the 12th of February last), having been laid before the Board and agreed to, was transcribed; and the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, accompanying the same, having been likewise prepared, was agreed to and signed.

Tuesday, March 17. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Miscellanies.

Complaint having been made to the Board, that a copy of a letter from Colonel Thomas, Deputy-Governor of Pennsylvania, to this Board, of the 20th October, 1740, had been lately surreptitiously obtained from this Office, and that copies of the said letter had been dispersed (a copy from one of which was produced), and there being reason to believe that Mr. Richard Partridge, agent for Pennsylvania, had obtained the said copy, and caused it to be dispersed; he was thereupon desired to attend the Board, which he did accordingly on Friday last, and being asked some questions relating to the said complaint, he did not deny the fact; but declared, he would give no answer to any question that might tend to accuse himself; and behaved in such a manner as gave reason to believe, he had obtained or procured the said copy to be obtained from this Office. Whereupon the Board have this day ordered, that the said Richard Partridge should not be admitted to transact business at this Board, as agent for any of the plantations, until he shall have given satisfaction, in relation to the said complaint.

Ordered that no clerk do presume to give copies of any papers from this Office, without directions for that purpose from the Secretary, upon pain of being removed from his office.

That no person be suffered to inspect any books or papers belonging to this Office, without leave from the Board; and any officer belonging to the Board, who shall permit or allow thereof, without such leave, shall be removed from his employment.

That no person whatsoever, not being in the service of this Office, be permitted upon any occasion to go into the clerks' room, without leave from this Board; whereof the Secretary, clerks and doorkeepers are to take notice.

Georgia.

The Secretary laid before the Board a book, delivered by Mr. Harman Verelst, accomptant to the Georgia Trustees, entituled, An account of the progress of Georgia in America from its first establishment in1732, to this time.

Wednesday, March 18. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter from Mr. Burchet, Secretary to the Lords of the Admiralty, to the Secretary of this Board, dated the 17th instant, signifying that his Majesty's ship, the Rochester,is intended to proceed forthwith to Newfoundland, and praying that if the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations choose to have any heads of enquiry given to her captain, they may be transmitted to the Admiralty, as soon as possible.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from Mr. Popple, Governor of the Bermuda Islands, dated November 10th, 1740, transmitting the following publick papers, viz:
Copy of an Address of the Governor, Council and Assembly of the Bermuda Islands, in America, to his Majesty, dated May the 8th, 1740, praying that two small men of war may be stationed there etc. for their defence.
Copy of Mr. Mosyer's opinion concerning intailed estates in Bermuda, October the 29th, 1684.
Case relating to a legal right to dock the intail of all such estates in the Bermuda Islands, whose descents might be barred by fine and recovery in England.
An Act to prevent law suits, passed October 8th, 1740.
Extract of a letter from Alured Popple, Esq., Governor of Bermuda, to William Popple, Esq., dated November 10th, 1740.

Ordered that the said Act and case, transmitted therewith, be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon, in point of law; as likewise an extract of as much of Governor Popple's letter, as relates to the said Act and case, together with a transcript of the copy of Mr. Mosyer's opinion concerning intailed estates in Bermuda, dated October 29th, 1684, also inclosed in the said letter.

Thursday, March 19. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Russia.

Turkey.

Read an Order of the House of Lords, dated the 18th inst., directing this Board to lay before that House copies of all papers, relating to the opening a trade through Russia to Persia, that are with them, together with a copy of their report thereupon; also a copy of their report on the two memorials of the Levant Company, of June 28th, 1739, and September 9th, 1740—dated October 9th, 1740.

Ordered that the said copies be prepared.

Leeward Islands.

The Board had under consideration the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, in pursuance of an Order from their lordships, dated January 26th, 1740, referring to this Board a paragraph in a report from the Principal Officers of his Majesty's Board of Ordnance, relating to the sending a supply of Ordnance etc. to the Leeward Islands (as mentioned in the minutes of the 12th of February last), and made some progress therein.

North Carolina.

The Secretary laid before the Board 13 Acts, passed in North Carolina, in the year 1740.

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

Friday, March 20. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

Leeward Islands.

The Board had again under consideration the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council (mentioned in yesterday's minutes), and made some further progress therein.

Trade.

Russia.

Persia.

The Secretary laid before the Board copies of the several papers in this Office, relating to the opening a trade through Russia to Persia, together with a list of them, which the Lord Monson was desired by the Board to present to the House of Lords, in pursuance of their Order of the 18th inst., read yesterday.

Tuesday, March 24.Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter from the Duke of Newcastle, dated the 20th instant, directing this Board to prepare the draught of a commission and instructions for Thomas Smith, Esq., appointed Governor of Newfoundland.

Ordered that the said draught be prepared accordingly.

Plantations General.

Mr. Thomas Lowndes, having delivered to the Secretary, in order to be laid before the Board, a paper which he calls, A supplement to the method to regulate the paper currency of America etc., the same was read, and ordered to lye by for further consideration.

Leeward Islands.

The Board, having again had under consideration the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, mentioned in the minutes of the 19th and 20th instant, agreed to the same, and ordered it to be transcribed.

Wednesday, March 25. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

The draught of the report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, having been transcribed according to order, the same was agreed to, and signed.

Newfoundland.

The draught of a commission for Thomas Smith, Esq., commander of his Majesty's ship the Romney, appointed Governor of Newfoundland, having been prepared and laid before the Board, a representation to his Majesty, accompanying the same, was agreed to, and signed, as likewise a letter to the Duke of Newcastle, enclosing the same.

Thursday, March 26. Present:—Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Denmark.

Ordered that the Secretary write a letter to George Morley, Esq., Secretary to the Russia Company, desiring he would inform the Board whether the gentlemen trading to the Sound have considered Baron Söhlenthal's memorial concerning cockets, a copy of which was sent to them the 20th of January last.