Journal, September 1735: Volume 44

Journal, September 1735

Wednesday, September 3rd. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell.

Trade.

Custom House ledger for 1729.

Letter from Mr. Manley, deputy secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, dated August 28th, 1735, with copy of the Inspector General's leidger for the year 1729, was read [fo. 114].

New England.

Land bank at Boston.

Letter from Mr. Attorney General, dated the 27th August, 1735, to the secretary, in answer to one wrote him the 23rd ditto, for his opinion on a scheme for erecting a land bank at Boston in New England [fo. 197, 260].

Hempseed prayed for,

Letter from Mr. Belcher, Governor of New England, dated June 28th, 1735, with minutes of Council and Assembly of New Hampshire, and desiring 500 bushels of hempseed may be sent to that province [fo. 209].

and a pattern of that country silk sent.

Letter from Governor Belcher, dated July 14th, 1735, inclosing a pattern of silk made in Connecticut in New England.

Jamaica.

Letter to the Governor.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Ayscough, Lieut-Governor of Jamaica, ordered to be prepared the 14th of the last month, was agreed to.

South Carolina.

Purry about provision for servants carried thither.

Mr. Purry attending, acquainted the Board that his father writes word from South Carolina, that the Assembly there were about determining to provide only for freemen (new comers) and not for their servants; the Board resolved to recommend the providing for servants also to the Lieut-Governor [fo. 217].

Virginia.

Letter to the Governor.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Gooch, Lieut-Governor of Virgina, ordered to be prepared the 13th of the last month, was agreed to.

Bahama.

Weak state of defence.

Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated August 14th, 1735, referring an address from the Council and Assembly of the Bahama Islands, praying for assistance to put them into a better state of defence, was read [fo. 210].

Plantations General.

Letters of marque.

Letter from Mr. Burchet, secretary to the Admiralty, dated 26th August last, with the form of a letter of marque or commission for a private man of war, and instructions for such merchants etc., as furnish out such ships, was read; and ordered that copies thereof be sent to Mr. Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, and to all the other Governors of plantations [fo. 182, 210].

North Carolina.

Letters from the late and present Governors about councillors, products and manufactures.

Three letters from Captain Burrington, late Governor of North Carolina, dated June 1st, September 17th and October 7th, 1734, giving account of two vacancies in the Council there, and of new councillors and other officers sworn in, were read; and three letters from Gabriel Johnston Esqr., present Governor of North Carolina, dated December 12th, 1734, and 25 May, 1735, relating to the products and manufactures of that province, and proposals for improving the same to the benefit of this kingdom.

Pitch and tar and blank patents for land.

Ordered that Mr. Cary be wrote to for the prices of plantation pitch and tar; and that the case about blank patents for land in that province be sent to Mr. Attorney General for his opinion thereon [fo. 227].

Thursday, September 4th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

New Hampshire.

Representation proposing five hundred bushels of hempseed to be sent thither.

A representation, proposing 500 bushels of hempseed to be sent as a present from his Majesty to the people of New Hampshire, to encourage them to proceed in the production of that commodity, ordered to be prepared yesterday, was agreed and signed [fo. 206].

South Carolina.

Duty on Negroes.

A letter from Mr. Wood to the secretary, dated September 3rd, 1735, complaining of the duty on the importation of negroes in South Carolina, being by an Act lately passed in that government, was read, and their lordships resolved to consider further of it, when the Act arrives at this office.

Bahama.

State of Defence.

The order of the Committee read yesterday, about the state of defence of the Bahama Islands, was again considered; ordered that Colonel Armstrong be desired to attend the Board thereupon to-morrow morning [fo. 207, 211].

Virginia.

Letter to the Governor.

Letter to Major Gooch, Lieut-Governor of Virginia, agreed yesterday, was signed.

New York.

Letter to the Governor.

The draught of a letter to Colonel Cosby, Governor of New York, in answer to his letters, read the 14th of the last month, was agreed to [fo. 189, 212].

Plantations General.

Draughts of letters of marque net to be sent to the Governors.

The Board, taking into consideration the draught of the circular letter ordered yesterday, for inclosing the copies of the commissions and instructions for letters of marque or private ships of war, agreed to defer the same, lest it might give any general alarm there of an approaching war [fo. 208].

Letter to Mr. Ayscough, Lieut-Governor of Jamaica, agreed to yesterday, was signed.

Nova Scotia.

Presents for Indians.

Two letters from Colonel Armstrong, Lieut-Governor of Nova Scotia, complaining of the want of presents for the Indians etc., were read, and the Board resolved to proceed further thereon to-morrow morning.

Friday, September 5th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

South Carolina.

Certificate of the time the late Governor died.

Mr. Johnson attending, desired a certificate of the day Colonel Johnson, late Governor of South Carolina, died, the same was ordered.

Bahama.

State of Defence, Colonel Armstrong of the Ordnance Office excused himself for his not attending.

Letter from Colonel Armstrong of the Ordnance Office, excusing his attendance on the Board, as desired yesterday, in relation to the defence of the Bahama Islands [fo. 210, 215].

Trade.

Grievances on it in Sweden.

Letter from the Lord Harrington, dated at Hanover, 12/23rd August, 1735, with an extract of one from Mr. Finch, Minister at Stockholm, relating to the grievances our trade and manufactures lye under in Sweden, was read, and an answer ordered to be prepared [fo. 203, 213].

Ordered that Mr. Norris and Mr. Major be desired to attend the Board thereon on Tuesday morning next.

Nova Scotia.

Presents to the Indians, how disposed of.

Letter from Colonel Philips, Governor of Nova Scotia, dated November 30th, 1734, giving an account in what manner the presents, sent by his late Majesty to the Indians in that province, were disposed of.

New England.

Letters about the woods to be ordered to be sent to the Nary Board.

Five letters from Colonel Dunbar, dated January 22nd, 1732/3, and April 14th, August 7th and two of October the 4th, 1733, were read, and an extract of one from him, dated the 25th of August, 1732, was ordered to be sent to the Navy Board [fo. 216].

New York.

Letter to the Governor.

Letter to Colonel Cosby, Governor of New York, agreed yesterday was signed [fo. 210].

Tuesday, September 9th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Sweden, new duties on import and export.

Mr. Norris and Mr. Major attending, as they had been desired the 5th instant, Mr. Norris presented to the Board a copy of a letter he had received from Sweden about the new impositions, prohibitions and other grievances the English trade lyes under there, which was read; and Mr. Major acquainted the Board that the imposition in Sweden, called the Liceat Duty, is a tonnage duty upon all goods imported and exported, and amounts to about 4½ per cent. on iron, if exported by Swedes, and double, if exported by English, and the like double duty on tar exported by the English; and Mr. Major presented a paper to the Board entitled, A view of the navigation between this kingdom and Sweden and of the grievances it lyes under in Sweden [fo. 212, 214].

Ordered that copies of the two said papers be sent to the Lord Harrington, and the draught of a letter to his Lordship, ordered at the last meeting, was agreed to.

New England.

Answer to the Governor's letters.

And the draught of a letter to Mr. Belcher, in answer to all his, was likewise agreed to.

Wednesday, September 10th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

North Carolina.

Letter to the Governor.

Draught of a letter to Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, was, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed; and the

Trade.

Sweden.

Letter to the Lord Harrington, agreed to yesterday, was signed [fo. 213].

South Carolina.

North Carolina.

Boundaries.

Ordered that a letter be wrote to Mr. Broughton, Lieut-Governor of South Carolina, for a draught of the boundary line between that province and North Carolina, signed by the commissioners, who laid it out [fo. 156].

North Carolina.

Three new councillors.

A representation, recommending William Forbes, James Innes and Thomas Wardroper Esqrs., to be councillors in North Carolina, was read.

New England.

Letter to the Governor.

The letter to Mr. Belcher, Governor of New England, agreed to yesterday, was signed.

Bahama.

State of defence.

Two orders of the Lords of the Committee, dated March 6th, 1734/5, and August 14th, 1735, about the state of defence of the Bahama Islands, read the 10th of July and 3rd September, 1735, were again read, and the draught of a representation thereon was ordered to be prepared [fo. 211, 216].

Leeward Islands.

Letter from the Governor read.

Letter from General Mathews, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated June 18th, 1735, with several papers, therein referred to, were read; ordered that the secretary write an answer thereto.

Thursday, September 11th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Plantations.

French encroachments represented.

Letter to the Duke of Newcastle, with extract of one from General Mathews, read yesterday, giving an account of the strength of the French, and of their encroachments on the British Islands in the West Indies, was signed [fo. 218].

Bahama.

State of defence.

Representation upon the state of defence of the Bahama Islands and repairs of Fort Nassau, ordered yesterday to be prepared, was agreed to.

New England.

Surveyor of the woods discountenanced.

Letter from Colonel Dunbar to the secretary, dated October 25th, 1733, complaining of Governor Belcher and the judges of the Vice Admiralty there, for discountenancing of him, in relation to prosecutions for trespasses in the king's woods there, was read [fo. 212, 217].

Friday, September 12th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

North Carolina.

Letter to the Governor.

Letter to Colonel Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, agreed to the 10th instant, was signed.

South Carolina.

Letter to the Governor.

Letter to Colonel Broughton, Lieut-Governor of South Carolina upon what Mr. Purry informed the Board the 3rd instant, relating to the Assembly of South Carolina providing for freemen new comers, and not for white servants, was agreed to [fo. 207].

New England.

Complaint about the woods.

Six letters from Colonel Dunbar, dated December 24th, 1733, February 25th, 1733/4, June 28th, December 4th, 12th and 30th, 1734, were read; and several papers, therein referred to, being laid before the Board, their lordships resolved to consider further thereof at another opportunity; and to appoint some day for conferring with Sir Charles Wager and the Navy Board, upon what is therein said about the king's woods [fo. 216, 218].

Tuesday, September 16th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Jamaica.

Acts sent to Mr. Fane.

Letter from Mr. Ayscough, Lieut-Governor of Jamaica, dated July 3rd, 1735, transmitting four Acts, passed there in June, 1735, was read, and the Acts ordered to be sent to Mr. Fane for his opinion thereon in point of law.

New England.

Complaints about woods.

Their lordships reconsidering those parts of Colonel Dunbar's letters, as relate to the destruction of the woods, read at the last meeting; [fo. 217, 223];

Plantations General.

French encroachments.

Ordered that Mr. Gulston, contractor for masts, be desired to attend the Board on Thursday morning next on that subject.

Memorial from Mr. Yeamans about French families remaining upon the Islands of Santa Lucia, St. Vincent's and Dominica, was read [fo. 216].

And a letter, transmitting a copy thereof to the Duke of Newcastle, to be laid before the Queen, was signed.

Antigua.

Letter about the sugar trade.

Mr. Yeamans then presented to the Board an extract of a letter from the Speaker of the Assembly of Antigua to himself, dated July 6th, 1735, about the sugar trade, and thanking the Board for the volume of Antigua laws, which was read.

Bahama.

State of defence.

The report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, relating to the state of defence of the Bahama Islands, and to what Mr. Fitzwilliams writes, complaining of the necessary works wanting for the repair of Fort Nassau, agreed to the 11th instant, was signed [fo. 216].

Wednesday, September 17th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Nova Scotia.

Letter to the Governor.

Draught of a letter to Lieut-Governor Armstrong in Nova Scotia was agreed [fo. 222].

Virginia.

Settlement of Switzers.

Petition from Mr. Ochs, for settling a colony of Switzers and Germans behind the mountains on the back of Virginia, was read, together with some observations of Mr. Sprogell, relating to mines in Virginia and to the trade of those parts, as also a certificate from Sprogell of Mr. Stauber's being a fit person to make new settlements, were read; and their lordships resolved to reconsider those papers, so far as relates to grants of lands, if the parties concerned apply for the same, when the boundaries shall be settled between the Lord Baltimore, Lord Fairfax and the proprietors of Pennsylvania, and in the meantime to talk with Mr. Sprogel about the mines.

South Carolina.

Secretary complains of the register office being attempted to be taken from him.

Letter from Mr. Hammerton, secretary of South Carolina, to the secretary of this Board, dated November 12th, 1732, with a memorial, complaining of the Assembly for taking the register's office from him by the Quit Rent Act, was read; but the Board having already reported against the quit rent law, in which the grievance is contained, it did not appear necessary to proceed any farther at present on that subject.

Pennsylvania.

No laws there affecting our trade

Letter from Mr. Gordon, Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, dated November 12th, 1732, signifying that there are no new laws made or manufactures set up there, which may affect the trade or manufactures of this kingdom, was read [fo. 249, 252].

Connecticut.

Instruction not to pass laws hurtful to our trade received by the Governor.

Two letters from Mr. Talcot, Governor of Connecticut, one acknowledging the receipt of the instruction against laying duties, or passing any laws hurtful to the trade of Great Britain; the other relating to encouragements wanting to forward the cultivation of naval stores etc., were read.

Plantations General.

Receiver of Admiralty dues.

Letter from Mr. Byng to the secretary, dated June the 19th, 1733, signifying his having surrendered his place of receiver of Admiralty dues in the plantations.

Thursday, September 18th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Nova Scotia.

Letter to the Governor.

Letter to Colonel Armstrong, Lieut-Governor of Nova Scotia, in answer to his of the 24th of October, 1734, and 14th January, 1734/5, agreed to yesterday, was signed [fo. 220].

New England.

Contractors for masts obstructed, and appeal brought to the Crown.

Letter from Colonel Dunbar of the 12th December, 1734, about the contractors for masts for the Royal Navy having purchased liberty from some owners of land to cut masts, read the 13th instant, was again read [fo. 218].

And Mr. Gulston attending, said he knew the case, and had petitioned the Crown to have an appeal granted in New England against determinations made there against the contractors for trespasses; and that an appeal had been granted, and the 24th of February next was appointed for hearing.

Case of property of soil, sent to Attorney General.

And then a letter from Mr. Shirley, Advocate General in New England, stating the case of the property of the Massachusets Bay, and to some prosecutions carried on there against the said contractor's agents, for trespasses on private property for cutting masts thereon for the Navy, was also read; together with four other papers, therein referred to, on the same subject; and the draught of a letter, inclosing the same to Mr. Attorney and Solicitor General for their opinion thereupon, was agreed to.

Massachusets.

Public papers received.

Four letters from Mr. Willard, with publick papers of the Massachusets Bay, were read, as also some votes of the Assembly, therein inclosed; and an answer, acknowledging the receipt thereof, was ordered to be sent.

St. Christophers.

Wavel Smith Esqr., removed from the Council, and Mr. Payne rejected.

Reasons for removing Wavel Smith Esqr., from the Council of St. Christophers, were read, and the Board observed that he had been removed from that Council; and an order of the Committee of Council of 18th June, 1734, disapproving Mr. Abraham Payne, for a member of the Council of St. Christophers, and directing this Board to propose some other person to fill the vacancy in that Council, was also read, and the Board resolved to consider further thereof to-morrow.

Rhode Island.

Laws complained of.

Letter from Mr. Kay, collector of the Customs in Rhode Island, complaining of laws passed there, relating to his office, and inclosing two Acts [fo. 257].

Trade.

Running of wool.

Two schemes to prevent the exportation of wool, were read, as were also,

South Carolina.

Naval office list of ships.

Two letters from Mr. Fox, naval officer at South Carolina, with lists of ships entered and cleared there [fo. 257].

Friday, September 19th. Present:—Earl of Fitzwalter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell.

St. Christophers.

A new councillor represented.

Order of the Committee of Council, read yesterday, disapproving Mr. A. Payne for a member of the Council of St. Christophers, was again read, and a representation, proposing John Williams, Esqr. to be a member of the said Council in the room of the said Payne, was signed [fo. 263].

Trade.

Bremen, herrings.

Letter from Lord Harrington of 21st August, 1734, read September 4th, 1734, relating to the trade at Bremen, and a letter from Sir William Chapman, read the 19th December, 1734, were again read, and a letter from Sir William Chapman, dated February 25th, 1734/5, relating to the herring trade, was now read, and the Board resolved to consider further thereof at another opportunity.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

State of defence.

Letter from Mr. Fury and Mr. Yonge, agents for South Carolina, and another from Mr. Martyn, secretary to the trustees for the Colony of Georgia, setting forth what is wanting to secure those provinces, were read; but the Parliament having provided for this service, the Board declined intermeddling therewith.

Montserrat.

Tonnage duty Act disapproved.

Memorial from Mr. Henry Popple, desiring leave for Governor Mathews to pass an Act for laying a duty of 4d. per ton on all vessels coming loaden from Montserrat, was read; and the Board, reconsidering their report of the 24th of July, 1734, for stores for all the Leeward Islands, think this act unnecessary, as well as contrary to the Governor's instructions.

The Board then adjourned to the 14th of the next month.