Journal, April 1744: Volume 52

Journal, April 1744

Tuesday, April 3. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Jamaica.

Mr. Gregory, a member of his Majesty's Council in Jamaica, whose letter was read the 20th of last month, attending, acquainted the Board, that he designed to return thither again some time the latter end of this year.

Plantations General.

Mr. Alderman Baker attending, the Board had some further discourse with him on the subject mentioned in the minutes of the 22nd of March last.

Wednesday, April 4. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Plantations General.

Lieutenant Hodgson, mentioned in the minutes of the 13th of last month, attending, laid before the Board a letter from himself to the Board, dated April 3rd, 1744, which was read, containing a distinct account of the Mosquito Shore and the Bay of Honduras, as also the following papers, viz.:—
Instructions given by his Excellency Edward Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to Captain Robert Hodgson, Commander of the Mosquito Shore, in December, 1741.
Captain Hodgson's reasons offered to the Council of War, held in December, 1741, at Spanish Town, for settling Rattan and Bonaco.
Copy of a letter from the logwood cutters in the Bay of Honduras, to Governor Trelawney, dated April 28th, 1743.

Thursday, April 5. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

New York.

Mr. John Sharpe, solicitor for Mr. Evans, attending, as was appointed by the minutes of the 20th of last month, the Board, after some discourse had with him on the subject of Mr. Evans' petition, referred to this Board by Order of the Committee of Council, as mentioned in the said minutes, ordered the draught of a report thereupon to be prepared.

Friday, April 6. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Mr. Herbert, Sir Charles Gilmour.

New York.

The draught of a report upon the subject of Mr. Evans' petition, mentioned in the preceding minutes, having been laid before the Board, the same was taken into consideration, and some progress made therein.

Massachusetts Bay.

Read a letter from Mr. Kilby, agent for the province of the Massachusetts Bay, dated the 3rd of April, 1744, enclosing some observations, relating to the imminent danger that country is exposed to, by the probability of the French immediately seizing their barrier, the province of Nova Scotia.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Kilby to desire he would attend this Board next Tuesday morning [Tuesday, April 10th].

Trade.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Wood, to move the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs for a copy of "An account of the amount of the new duty of 2s. and 10d. per piece on cambrics imported, from the 1st of August, 1742, to Christmas, 1743," as also of "An account of the total amounts of the value of all exports and imports, to and from England and Germany, for seven years, ending at Christmas, 1742, distinguishing each year," for the use and information of this Board.

Tuesday, April 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Massachusetts Bay.

Mr. Kilby, agent for the province of the Massachusetts Bay, attending, as appointed by the minutes of the 1st inst., the Board has some discourse with him on the subject of the Paper of Observations enclosed in his letter, read the 6th inst.; at the same time he informed the Board that he had laid the same paper before his Grace the Duke of Newcastle and the Lord Winchelsea, First Commissioner of the Admiralty.

Trade.

Read a letter from Mr. Wood, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, dated April 9th, 1744, transmitting the following accounts, desired by the Secretary's letter of the 6th inst., for the information of this Board, viz.:—
An account of the total amount of the value of all exports and imports to and from England and Germany, for seven years, ending at Christmas, 1742, distinguishing each year, and also distinguishing how much by woollen manufactures, how much by other British manufactures and how much by foreign commodities re-exported, as also how much by linens and how much by other foreign commodities imported.
An account of the new duty of 2s. and 10d. per piece on cambricks imported, from 1st August, 1742, the commencement of the said duty, to Christmas, 1743, and also of what part of the said duty has been applied as a bounty on British and Irish linens exported.

New York.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, on the subject of Mr. Evans' petition, mentioned in the minutes of the 6th inst., having been again laid before the Board, and reconsidered, the same was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

Thursday, April 12. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

New York.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, having been transcribed, as ordered by the preceding minute, was laid before the Board and signed.

Plantations General.

Captain William Cunningham, engineer, attending, together with Lieutenant Hodgson, the Board had some discourse with them on the subject of the Island of Rattan.

Friday, April 13. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Plantations General.

The Board had under consideration the reference relating to the settlement of the Island of Rattan, and the form of a civil government there, and made some progress therein.

Antigua.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Paris to attend some day next week, as shall be most convenient to them, the Board being desirous of having some discourse with them on the subject of the Absentee Acts, lately passed at Antigua, as mentioned in the minutes of July 27th last past.

Tuesday, April 17th. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Read Mr. Fane's report upon two Acts, prepared in 1742, by the Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America. (Vide Journal 1742–3, March 4th.)

Ordered that the Secretary write to the Secretary of the Georgia Trustees, to desire his attendance on Thursday next about twelve [Thursday, 19th inst.], [fo. 54 and 55], in order to have some discourse with him on the subject of the said Acts, which were referred to this Board by the Lords of the Committee of Council.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter from Mr. Corbett, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated April 13th, 1744, desiring that heads of enquiry may be prepared at this office for Captain Young, Commander of his Majesty's ship the Kinsale, who is soon to sail from Spithead to convoy the trade to Newfoundland.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Corbett, and acquaint him, that as Captain Smith is to go to Newfoundland in a month or six weeks, as Commodore and Governor, with the proper commission and instructions, their lordships are of opinion, that it will not be necessary to send any heads of enquiry by Captain Young, who is now going as convoy thither.

New Hampshire.

Read a letter from Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, to the Board, dated Portsmouth, January 23rd, 1743–4, relating to the state of that province, and the impediments he finds in settling of it.

Their lordships agreed to reconsider this letter the first opportunity.

Wednesday, April 18. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Plantations General.

The Board had under consideration a plan for establishing a civil government at Rattan, pursuant to an Order of Council, dated the 2nd February ult., and read the 17th ditto, and made some progress therein.

Thursday, April 19. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Antigua.

Mr. John Sharpe and Mr. Paris attending, as desired by the minutes of the 13th inst., together with Mr. Martin, agent for the Island of Antigua, the Board had some discourse with them concerning a petition against the Acts passed in that Island for double taxing absentees, and came to a resolution to take up the consideration of the same again, when the respective parties shall be prepared for it.

Georgia.

Mr. Martyn, Secretary to the Trustees for the colony of Georgia, attending, as desired by the minutes of the 17th inst., the Board had some discourse with him concerning two Acts, entitled:—
An Act for the better regulation of public houses, and retailers of rum in the province of Georgia, and for suppressing the odious and loathsome sin of drunkenness.
An Act to repeal so much of an Act, made in the 8th year of the reign of his present Majesty, entitled, An Act to prevent the importation of rum and brandies in the province of Georgia, as prohibits the importation of rum into the said province from the other British colonies,
and agreed to take the same into consideration again, after he shall have spoken to the said Trustees upon the said Acts.

Friday, April 20. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Plantations General.

The Board reconsidered the plan for establishing a civil government at Rattan, and made a further progress therein.

Tuesday, April 24. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Trade.

Sweden.

Read a letter from the Lord Carteret to the Board, dated the 21st inst., enclosing an extract of one to his Lordship from Mr. Guy Dickens, his Majesty's minister at Stockholm, and transmitting, by the king's command, for the information of this Board, the two following papers, relating to a confederacy between the proprietors of the iron works in Sweden, to raise the price of that commodity, viz.:—
Projet d'une nouvelle Convention pour rehausser le Prix du Fer en Suède. Stockholm, le 17° Mars, 1744.
Règlement pour les authorisez des proprietaires des Forges. Stockholm, le 17° Mars, 1744.

Wednesday, April 25. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Colonel Gooch, Lieutentant Governor of Virginia, to the Board, dated January 24th, 1743–4, wherein he acknowledges his error in suffering premiums to be paid, by virtue of an Act not confirmed, and gives a reason, why he did not recommend Mr. Fairfax for a Councillor.

Read a letter from Mr. Nelson, junior, Deputy Secretary of Virginia, to the Secretary of this Board, dated December 20th, 1743, enclosing (pursuant to the direction of the Act of Parliament), a certificate of the naturalization of Peter Stephan, a German, in October, 1743.

Plantations General.

Jamaica.

The Board had under consideration the draught of a report on the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, of the 6th of February last, relating to an Independent Company to be kept on the Mosquito Shore, and made some progress therein.

South Carolina.

Read two letters from Mr. Glen, Governor of South Carolina,— the first dated Charles Town, December 26th, 1743, signifying his arrival there, and publishing his Majesty's commission with the usual solemnity. The other of the 6th of February, 1743–4, giving some account of the state of the province, and transmitting the following papers:—
Mr. Glen's speech to the Council and Assembly of South Carolina, as also their addresses to him, in answer thereunto, dated in January, 1743–4.
Journal of Council in Assembly, from the 18th of May, 1742, to the 18th February, 1742–3.
Nine Acts, passed at South Carolina, in May, 1743.

Thursday, April 26. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Plantations General.

The Board had again under consideration the draught of a report, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, relating to an Independent Company to be kept on the Mosquito Shore, and made a further progress therein.

The five following copies of Orders of Council, lately transmitted from the Council Office, were laid before the Board, and the titles thereof were read, viz.:—
Jamaica.
Copy of an Order of Council, dated the 28th of July, 1743, approving a representation of this Board, proposing Edmund Hyde, Esquire, to supply a vacancy in the Council of Jamaica, by the resignation of Rose Fuller, Esquire.
Massachusetts.
Copy of an Order of Council, dated the 11th August, 1743, approving a draught of an additional instruction prepared by this Board for Mr. Shirley, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, directing him not to give his assent for the future to any Bill for erecting a new town, or dividing an old one, without a suspending clause inserted therein.
Copy of an Order of Council, dated the 5th of January, 1743–4, approving a representation of this Board upon twelve Acts, passed in his Majesty's province of the Massachusetts Bay, in 1740 and 1741.
Virginia.
Copy of an Order of Council, dated the 1st of September, 1743, approving a representation of this Board, proposing William Fairfax, Esquire, to supply a vacancy in the Council of Virginia, occasioned by the death of James Blair, Esquire.
Bermuda.
Copy of an Order of Council, dated the 29th November, 1743, approving the draught of an instruction prepared by this Board for the Governor of his Majesty's Bermuda Islands, revoking the 73rd article of the said Governor's instructions, whereby he is directed to oblige all ships to anchor, load and unload their goods in Castle Harbour or St. George's.

Trade.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Wood, to move the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs for a copy of the undermentioned accounts, for the use and information of this Board, viz.:—
An account of foreign linens imported into that part of Great Britain called Scotland, for seven years, viz., from Christmas, 1735, to Christmas, 1742.
An account of the quantity of borax and camphor, (fn. 1) imported and exported, from Christmas, 1733, to Christmas, 1742, distinguishing each year.

Friday, April 27. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Plantations General.

Jamaica.

The Board having gone through the consideration of the draught of a report, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, the same was agreed to.

Ordered that Lieutenant Hodgson be desired to attend this Board on Tuesday morning next [Tuesday, May 1st].

Plantations General.

The Board took into consideration the reference, mentioned in the minutes of the 17th of February last, relating to the advantages to the commerce of his Majesty's subjects in the West Indies, by making a settlement at Bellese, and made some progress thereon.