Journal, February 1742: Volume 50

Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 8, January 1742 - December 1749. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1931.

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'Journal, February 1742: Volume 50', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 8, January 1742 - December 1749, (London, 1931) pp. 5-9. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol8/pp5-9 [accessed 18 March 2024]

Journal, February 1742

Tuesday, February 2. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Mr. Pelham.

South Carolina.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, upon the petition of Mr. Livingstone and his associates for a tract of land in South Carolina, ordered by the minutes of the 28th of last month, having been prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Wool.

A report to the House of Commons, with a scheme for the registering of wool in Great Britain, having been agreed to by the Board, was ordered to be transcribed.

Wednesday, February 3. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

Massachusets.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 14th January, 1741–2, referring to this Board an extract of a letter from Mr. Shirley, Governor of the Massachusets Bay, dated the 17th of October last, to the Duke of Newcastle, together with a Bill, passed by the Council and Assembly of that province, for supplying the Treasury with £36,000 in Bills of Credit, and also the said Governor's speech to the Council and Assembly, containing remarks on the said Bill. Resolved that the Bill be taken into consideration the first opportunity. Ordered that a copy of the said Bill be prepared.

Friday, February 5. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter from Captain Thomas Smith, Governor of Newfoundland, dated at Lisbon, December 19th, 1741, transmitting answers to queries—the state of Placentia, the general fishing scheme and other publick papers, whose titles are as follows, viz:—
Captain Smith's answers to queries in his Majesty's instructions, relating to the fishery of Newfoundland.
A return of the detachment of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, as also
A return of Captain Joseph Gledhill's Company in MajorGeneral Philips's Regiment of Foot, at Placentia, the 1st of August, 1741.
Account of ordnance stores, issued and expended at Placentia, from the 1st of August, 1740, to the 31st of July, 1741.
A remain of ordnance and ordnance stores, the 1st of August, 1741, under the care and charge of William Sanderson, ordnance Storekeeper at Placentia.
Account of ordnance stores left in Fort St. George, at St. John's.
A general scheme of the fishery and inhabitants of Newfoundland, for the year 1741.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary laid before the Board an account of the incidental charges of this office, from Lady day to Midsummer, 1741, amounting to the sum of £253 16s. 4d., and a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, and of the salaries due to the Secretary and under officers for the same time, which was agreed to, and signed.

Tuesday, February 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Keene, Mr. Pelham.

Massachusets.

The Board took into consideration the Bill, passed by the Council and Assembly of the Massachusets Bay, for supplying the Treasury with £36,000 in Bills of Credit (as mentioned in the minutes of the 3rd instant), and directed the Secretary to write a letter to Mr. Alderman Baker, desiring his attendance at this Board to-morrow, between eleven and twelve, and that he will bring with him such gentlemen as he shall judge proper, in order for the Board to have their sentiments upon the said Bill.

Ordered likewise that Captain Tomlinson be desired to attend at the same time, upon that subject.

Wednesday, February 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Massachusets.

Mr. Alderman Baker, not attending, as was desired by yesterday's minutes, Captain Tomlinson, who waited without, was called in; and the Board, after some discourse had with him on the subject of the Bill, passed by the Council and Assembly of the Massachusets Bay (mentioned in the same minutes), appointed Friday morning next for the further consideration of the said Bill, at which time Captain Tomlinson was desired to attend again, and bring with him Alderman Baker and such other merchants, concerned in the trade to New England, as should be desirous of communicating their sentiments to the Board.

Barbados.

Sir Thomas Robinson, Governor of Barbadoes, attending, desired their lordships would be pleased to lay the draught of his instructions before his Majesty, as soon as conveniently may be; whereupon they were ordered to be transcribed with all expedition.

Thursday, February 11. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Mr. Pelham.

Barbados.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, accompanying the general instructions, and instructions for trade, for Sir Thomas Robinson, Baronet, Governor of Barbados, as also of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for inclosing the same, having been laid before the Board, were agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

Tuesday, February 12. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

A representation to his Majesty for accompanying the general instructions, and instructions for trade, for Sir Thomas Robinson, Baronet, Governor of Barbados (in the preceding minutes, ordered to be transcribed), was signed; as was also a letter to the Duke of Newcastle inclosing the same.

Massachusets.

Captain Tomlinson attending, with Messrs Yeamans, Tonnereau and Caswall, as desired by the minutes of the 10th instant, upon the subject of the Massachusets Bay Bills for supplying the Treasury with £36,000, in Bills of Credit;—after some discourse with them thereupon, their lordships ordered a copy of the said Bill to be delivered to them, to consider of amongst themselves, that the Board may have the sentiments of the merchants trading to New England, upon the subject of the said Bill, on Wednesday morning next [Wednesday, February 17th].

Plantations General.

At the same time Captain Tomlinson communicated to the Board a paper, entituled: Heads of an Act of Parliament to regulate the British American currencies, together with the reasons, and illustrations relating to the proposed Act. He likewise left with the Board the following papers, viz.:—
Massachusets.
Letter from several merchants at Boston, dated the 19th August, 1741, to the merchants in London, trading to New England, relating to the progress of paper currencies or Bills of Publick Credit in those parts; particularly two neighbouring publick combinations in the charter Governments of Rhode Island and Connecticut, and inclosing one of the Bills in each of those colonies.
Rhode Island.
Attested copies of Money Acts, passed in the colony of Rhode Island, in June, 1737.—May and August, 1738.—In September, 1740, and copy of protest to that Act.—Money Acts in December, 1740, and May, 1741.—And copy of Act ascertaining tenors of Bills of Public Credit in May, 1741.
Reasons for another Act of Parliament to put a stop to their iniquitous proceedings in the colony of Rhode Island, by setting up Land Banks, the name given in their Acts to their several emissions of loan money.

Trade.

Wool.

A report to the House of Commons, with a scheme for the registering of wool in Great Britain (ordered in the minutes of the 2nd instant to be transcribed), was signed.

Tuesday, February 16. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Herbert.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, dated November 21st, 1741, with his observations on the barracking and quit rents laws, and the laws for settling the North East part of the Island, and transmitting the following papers, viz.:—
Answers to the Board's queries, relating to the state of the Island.
Letter. Queries and his answers.

Massachusets.

Read a letter to the Secretary, from Mr. Willard, Secretary of the Massachusets Bay, dated Boston, December 2nd, 1741, transmitting several publick papers, which were laid before the Board, and are as follows, viz.:—
Minutes of Council, from the 9th March to the 28th of August, 1741.
Minutes of General Assembly, from the 27th of May to the 28th of August, 1741.
Six Acts, passed at Boston the 8th of August, 1741.

Wednesday, February 17. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

Massachusets.

Mr. Alderman Baker, Captain Tomlinson, Messrs. Yeamans, Townsend, Tonnereau attending, as appointed by the minutes of the 12th instant, the Board had some discourse with them on the subject of the Massachusets Bill for supplying the Treasury with £36,000, in Bills of Credit. The said gentlemen having delivered their sentiments thereupon, they withdrew, and the Board took the same into consideration; and after some time spent therein, agreed to resume the further consideration thereof at another opportunity.

Thursday, February 18. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Mr. Pelham.

Trade.

Wool.

The Report to the House of Commons, with the scheme for registering of wool in Great Britain, which had been signed the 12th instant, being laid before the Board, Colonel Bladen was desired to present the same to the House, which he promised to do accordingly.

Friday, February 19. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Keene.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter from his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, dated the 18th instant, signifying his Majesty's pleasure that the Board prepare the draught of a commission and instructions for John Byng, Esquire, Commander of the [ ], appointed Governor of Newfoundland, in order that the same may be laid before his Majesty for his approbation.

Ordered that the said draughts be prepared accordingly.

Massachusets.

The Board had again under consideration the Massachusets Bill for supplying the Treasury with £36,000 in Bills of Credit; and after some time spent therein, ordered the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, on that subject, to be prepared.

Tuesday, February 23. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Keene.

Massachusets.

The draught of the report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, having been prepared (as ordered by the minutes of the 19th instant), the same was laid before the Board, and considered, and some alterations therein having been proposed, the same were agreed to.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Colonel Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, to the Board, dated November 6th, 1741, mentioning his having sent to Mr. Leheup, agent for the province, a remonstrance from the gentlemen of his Majesty's Council to this Board, relating to Mr. Dinwiddie's demands; inclosing likewise the account of his Majesty's Revenue of 2s. per hogshead, etc., arising in Virginia, from the 25th of April, to the 25th of October, 1741.

Read likewise a letter to the Secretary from Mr. Leheup, dated December 16th, 1741, inclosing a representation of the Council of Virginia to this Board, relating to Mr. Dinwiddie, Surveyor General of his Majesty's Customs in the South District of his Majesty's dominions in America, with their reasons against his having any share in the legislative and judicial authority within that Colony; though he is admitted a member of that Board as a Councillor of State, whereby they may have the benefit of his advice and assistance in all matters relating to his Majesty's Customs.

Wednesday, February 24. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Kenne, Mr. Pelham.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Mr. Dinwiddie, Surveyor General of his Majesty's Customs in the South District of his Majesty's dominions in America, dated at Virginia, the 30th of November, 1741, relating to his dispute with the Council of that Colony, and inclosing the resolve of the majority of them on that affair, the 15th of October, 1741.

Massachusets.

Then the Board had again under consideration the alterations, proposed to be made yesterday, in the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, upon the subject of the Massachusets Bill for supplying the Treasury of that province with £36,000, in Bills of Credit, and having made some progress therein, resolved to take the same into further consideration to-morrow morning.

Thursday, February 25. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Keene, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plumer.

North Carolina.

Read a letter to the Secretary from Mr. McCulloch, dated at Wilmington, in North Carolina, November 12th, 1741, mentioning some representations and memorials to the Lords of the Treasury and to this Board, which he has transmitted by different ships.

South Carolina.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following publick papers, transmitted from South Carolina, and brought to the office by Mr. Fury, agent for that province, viz.:—
Minutes of Council, from the 11th January, 1737–8, to the 16th of December, 1738; and from the 16th of December, 1738, to the 18th of August, 1739.
Journals of the Upper House of Assembly, from the 18th of January, 1737-8, to the 18th September, 1738; and from the 18th of September, 1738, to the 7th of June, 1739.
Acts passed there, from 1735, to 1741. Several of them being duplicates, the eight original Acts were ordered to be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon in point of law.

Massachusets.

The draught of the report (mentioned in yesterday's minutes), having been reconsidered, was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.