America and West Indies: February 1700, 6-10

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 18, 1700. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1910.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'America and West Indies: February 1700, 6-10', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 18, 1700, (London, 1910) pp. 59-64. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol18/pp59-64 [accessed 25 March 2024]

February 1700

Feb. 6. Depositions about Mr. Day's conduct at Bermuda read. Secretary ordered to write Sir Tho. Day for his speedy answer to the heads of accusation.
In reply to the petition from Mr. Dellius, late Minister of Albany, praying for copies of all papers that have been sent to this Board against him, ordered that he be acquainted that when there are any proceedings against him at this Board he shall have notice of it and copies of such papers as may be proper, but till then their Lordships do not think fit to give copies of papers that lie before them.
Mr. Weaver acquainted their Lordships with the difficulty he found to get money out of the Treasury for the subsistence of the soldiers at New York, and desired a favourable recommendation from this Board to the Treasury. Letter to Mr. Lownds ordered accordingly. Being asked about the fees of Naval Officers at New York mentioned in Lord Bellomont's letter, Oct. 24, as reduced so low that such an officer could not subsist upon them, he said Lord Bellomont had been obliged to diminish those fees very much to gratify the last Assembly, who were bent upon having it done. Whereupon, considering that by the late Act for preventing frauds, etc. the place of Naval Officer in all the Plantations is made dependent on the Commissioners of H.M. Customs here, and Lord Bellomont having writ to them upon that subject, ordered that the Secretary enquire of Mr. Sansom what they have done therein.
Mr. Solicitor General discussed the Bill prepared by him for punishing Plantation Governors.
Mr. Morgan and several other M.P.'s accompanying Mr. Wool-laston, recommended him as an ingenious and honest man and very fit to serve H.M. in the Government of Bermuda. [Board of Trade. Journal, 12. pp. 358–362; and 97. Nos. 23, 24.]
Feb. 6. 95. Godfrey Dellius, late Minister at Albany, to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Petitions for copies of papers sent to the Board against him. Signed, G. Dellius. Endorsed, Recd. Read Feb. 6, 1699/1700. 1 p. [Board of Trade. New York, 9. No. 8.]
Feb. 6. 96. Minutes of Council of Massachusetts Bay. His Excellency read H.M. and other letters relating to the sending of Kidd and other pirates, etc. by H.M.S. Advice. Ordered that some of the pirates in custody be put on board forthwith, and that the Commissioners entrusted with their effects deliver them to such person as the Earl of Bellomont shall think fit in order to the remitting them to England by the Advice.
Ordered that Benjamin Alford be reimbursed 100 pieces of eight advanced by him for the relief of Robert Carver of Salem, Mariner, now captive in Sally.
Feb. 7. Letters from Gov. Winthrop of Connecticut and Mr. Sabin of Woodstock, relating to a conspiracy of the Indians against the English, were communicated by the Earl of Bellomont. Ordered that Gov. Winthrop be thanked and requested to endeavour the taking of Toby, an Indian, reported to have been a principal instrument in spreading lying reports, etc. to the Indians.
Letters ordered to be written to Major Church, Major Tyng, Major Hammond and Capt. Hill, Commander of H.M. Fort Mary at Saco, to advise them of the combination of Indians, and that they endeavour to disabuse and undeceive them, to apprehend Toby, and to excite their vigilance in observing the Indians' motions and behaviour.
40s. paid to John Ingolls, who was sent with the express from New Oxford. [Board of Trade. New England, 49. pp. 268–271.]
Feb. 7. 97. Copy of the Earl of Bellomont's Commission to John Chiampanti, constituting him Agent of New York, Sept. 18, 1699. Endorsed, Communicated to the Board by Mr. Chiampanti. Recd. Read Feb. 7, 1699/1700. 1½ pp. [Board of Trade. New York, 9. No. 9; and 54. pp. 83, 84.]
Feb. 7.
Whitehall.
98. William Popple to Mr. Lownds. The Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations desire your favourable assistance to Mr. Weaver in his application to the Treasury for payment of the subsistence due to H.M. forces at New York upon the new establishment, the want thereof being a great hardship, not only to the forces, but to the Earl of Bellomont himself, who has engaged his own credit for their support, and Mr. Weaver being forced, as he says, to remain here on purpose till it be obtained. [Board of Trade. New York, 54. p. 82.]
Feb. 7.
Whitehall.
99. Council of Trade and Plantations to Governor the Earl of Bellomont. We cannot return answer to your many letters at this time by reason of the short warning we have from Mr. Weaver of a ship's departure. We are daily making what progress we can in all the matters that you write about, and hope in a very short time to give you a particular account thereof. Signed, Stamford, Ph. Meadows, Wm. Blathwayt, Jno. Pollexfen, Abr. Hill, Geo. Stepney. [Board of Trade. New York, 54. p. 85; and 44A. No. 33.]
Feb. 7.
Whitehall.
100. Mr. Popple to Mr. Sansom. The Earl of Bellomont having informed the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations that the General Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay had reduced the fees of the Naval Officer there so low that they are not sufficient for the bare subsistence to an honest man, and that he had been obliged in compliance with the General Assembly of New York to do the same thing in that Province, so that there is great need a further encouragement should be given to those officers some other way, and that he had writ to the Commissioners of H.M. Customs upon the subject, their Lordships considering that the place of Naval Officer in the Plantations has by the late Act for preventing frauds and regulating abuses in the Plantation Trade been made dependent on the Commissioners of the Customs here, desire to know what they have done in that matter. [Board of Trade. New England, 37. pp. 308, 309.]
Feb. 7.
Whitehall.
101. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Mr. Brenton, informed that Lord Bellomont pressed for his return to his employment in New England, said the occasion was the determination of two appeals he had brought thence and laid before H.M. in Council.
Letter from Governor Bass, Feb. 1, read.
Letter written to Lord Bellomont.
Letter from Wm. Partridge and Benjamin Jackson, Sept 25, with their report upon Naval Stores in New England read.
Mr. John Chiampanty presented Lord Bellomont's Commission constituting him Agent for New York in Mr. Weaver's stead.
Letter from Sir Thomas Littleton, Feb. 6, recommending Sir Tho. Lawrence, read.
Letter from Lord Bellomont, Nov. 6, 1699, read.
Feb. 8. Acts of Jamaica, Dec. 1698, were read. Ordered that Mr. Crips be asked whether he object to the Act to enable Trustees to sell part of the lands of James Crips deceased. Their Lordships, having considered the objections of Mr. Lloyd to the Act appropriating £1500 to the use of the Rt. Hon. Sir Wm. Beeston, Knt., did not judge them of weight to hinder H.M. approving of the Act.
Secretary ordered to write to Mr. Burchett to know what account the Admiralty have of the two Commissioners sent by the Navy Board about Naval Stores to New England.
Feb. 9. Mr. Sansom's reply, Feb. 8, read.
Lord Bellomont's letter, Nov. 29, 1699, considered. Extracts about the pirate Gillam ordered to be sent to the East India Company, with intimation that it may be convenient that they secure what evidence they can against him for his trial here. Extracts relating to pirates' goods in Governor Cranston's hands and about Mr. Gardner, Dep. Collector of Rhode Island, ordered to be sent to the Lords of the Treasury. Extract about the designs of the French in fortifying the East coast of New England ordered to be sent to the Earl of Jersey to be laid before His Majesty.
Lord Bellomont's letter, Nov. 30, 1699, read, and upon consideration of his Report about Rhode Island directions were given for a Representation.
Mr. Stepney communicated an agreement, in Latin, between M. Pretorius, Envoy from the Duke of Courland, and several merchants in London relating to Tobago, Dec. 1699. [Board of Trade. Journal, 12. pp. 363–367; and 97. Nos. 25–27.]
Feb. 8
. Kensington.
102. Order of King in Council, approving of enclosed report of the Office of Ordnance and directing accordingly. Signed, Edward Southwell. Endorsed, Recd. Read Feb. 12, 1699/1.00. ¾p. Enclosed,
Feb. 7. 102. i. Report of the Office of Ordnance to the Earl of Romney, Master General of H.M. Ordnance. We are now ready to send men and materials over for the finishing the old fortifications and making such new ones as seems most necessary for the security of St. John's in Newfoundland, and conceiving it will be absolutely necessary for the carrying on of these works that the soldiers be employed, we hope H.M. will be pleased to direct that orders be given to oblige them to work, and for their encouragement we propose to allow each man 6d. per diem. We shall give directions to our Engineer to build barracks of stone and loome, but in case he should find it very difficult and expensive, then we propose that they should be built with timber boarded outside and inside and the chimneys of stone, which in our opinion would be as secure from fire, as warm and as serviceable. We cannot think it for H.M. service that any building there should be of brick, in respect of the vast charge of sending the lime and bricks hence. As to the other demands of the Company, we shall take care to send what belongs to our office. Signed, C. Musgrave, Lowther, Wm. Boulter. 1½ pp. Copy. [Board of Trade. Newfoundland, 4. Nos. 5, 5.i.; and 25. pp. 347–350.]
Feb. 8.
Custom House London.
103. Mr. Sansom to Mr. Popple. In answer to yours of yesterday relating to the Naval Officers at New England and New York, the Commissioners have not yet had time to come to any resolution upon my Lord Bellomont's letter thereupon. Signed, Jno. Sansom. Endorsed, Recd. Read Feb. 9, 1699/1700. ½p. [Board of Trade. New England, 10. No. 13; and 37. p. 336; and, (memorandum only), New York, 9. No. 10.]
Feb. 8.
Kensington.
104. Order of King in Council referring enclosed memorial from the Admiralty to the Council of Trade and Plantations for their report upon this matter and as to what dimensions of timber are prohibited by the Swedes from exportation. Signed, Edward Southwell. Endorsed, Recd, Read Feb. 13, 1699/1700. ¾p. Enclosed,
Feb. 5. 104. i. Lords of the Admiralty to the King. It having been represented to this Board that the inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay continually cut down the best trees, which are fit for use in H.M. Navy Royal, and carry them to their mills, where they convert them into boards, to the great prejudice of H.M. service, and whereas by the last clause of the Charter, granted the colony in 1691, it is particularly provided that no trees fit for the use of H.M. Navy should be cut down without the Royal Licence, we humbly propose that directions be forthwith sent to the Earl of Bellomont to establish such law or laws as may effectually preserve the trees in all the parts of his government that are or shall be fit for H.M. service according to the intent of the reserve made in the aforesaid charter. Signed, J. Bridgewater, D. Mitchell, G. Rooke, Geo. Churchill. Copy. 1 p. [Board of Trade. New England, 10. Nos. 12, 12.i.; and 37. pp. 375–377.]
Feb. 9.
Whitehall.
105. Wm. Popple to Mr. Burchett, asking for an account of the two Commissioners sent by the Navy Board about Naval Stores to New England. [Board of Trade. New England, 37. p. 338.]
Feb. 10.
Admiralty
Office.
106. Mr. Burchett to Mr. Popple. The Navy Board being now in hand with a survey of the specimens of Naval Stores sent from New England, my Lords of the Admiralty have directed them to make all possible dispatch therewith, and then to make their report, at which time they will also transmit an account of the proceedings of the two persons sent over by them to New England in conjunction with other two nominated by Sir Henry Ashurst, which will then be transmitted to you. Signed, J. Burchett. Endorsed, Recd. Read Feb. 12, 1699/1700. ¾p. [Board of Trade. New England, 10. No. 14.]
Feb. 10.
Office of
Ordnance.
107. Board of Ordnance to the Council of Trade and Plantations. If your Lordships could prevail with any merchants trading to Newfoundland to carry over our stores, it would ease our office of a very great charge. Signed, C. Musgrave, Wm. Boulter, Jon. Charlton. Endorsed, Recd. Read Feb. 12, 1699/1700. 1 p. [Board of Trade. Newfoundland, 4. No. 5; and 25. p. 351.]
Feb. 10.
Whitehall.
108. William Popple to Sir John Fleet, Governor of the Company of Merchants of London trading to the East Indies, communicating the paragraphs of Lord Bellomont's letter, Nov. 29, 1699, relating to Gillam the pirate. [Board of Trade. New England, 37. p. 337.]
Feb. 10.
Bristol.
109. Sir Thomas Day to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I have received your commands to give in my answer to the information against my son, the Governor of Bermuda. I thankfully acknowledge your Honours' great favour in giving me time hitherto to put in an answer, and should (were it possible) do it with all speed, but being now here by the leave of the House of Commons about my pressing occasions, I did hope you would have borne with me till my return at least to London, if not until I could have had an answer from my son, which I dayley expect, and therefore have left the affidavits and other papers relating to his defence in London. I entreat your forbearance till I come up which will be in less than 10 days. Signed, Tho. Day. Endorsed, Recd. Read Feb. 13, 1699/1700. 2 pp. [Board of Trade. Bermuda, 4. No. 14.]
Feb. 10.
Bermuda.
110. Governor Day to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Duplicate of letter of Jan. 29. Signed, Sam. Day. Endorsed, Recd. June 13th, Read 20th ditto, 1700. 2 pp. Annexed,
110. i. Abstract of above. ½p. [Board of Trade. Bermuda, 4. Nos. 13, 13i. ; and 30. pp. 23–27.]