America and West Indies: Miscellaneous, 1704

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 22, 1704-1705. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1916.

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'America and West Indies: Miscellaneous, 1704', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 22, 1704-1705, (London, 1916) pp. 349-352. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol22/pp349-352 [accessed 25 April 2024]

Miscellaneous, 1704

[? 1704.] 756. Planters and others interested in Barbados to the Queen. The inhabitants depend upon this Kingdom for the greatest part of the necessaries of life, and there is yearly sent to them from hence to the value of several hundred thousand pounds in corn, cloth and other manufactory of the nation, which does greatly contribute to the encouragement of navigation and keeping up the value of lands and rents. And from the said Island there is imported annually to the vallue of several hundred thousand pounds more in sugar, cotton, ginger, etc., which in times past were made and sold cheaper here than elsewhere and therefore the greatest part of them are sent abroad and sold in forraign places, and bring in a considerable annuall gain to the nation, more valluable than mines of gold and silver in respect of navigation and breeding seamen, employing our own people etc., as well as making the ballance of trade in our favour, etc. This so valluable and important an Island is in a languishing and decaying condition and unable to defend itself either against insurrections of the slaves or the invasions of an enemy, the planters and inhabitants are diminished, impoverished and burthened that they are not able to help themselves; within 20 years the Christian people there are lessened two thirds, and the Planters that remain do not make fower per cent. one with another of their Plantations. By reason of the late importation of great quantities of sugar from the East Indies by the Dutch, the impossibility of getting servants to go over, the danger and dearnes of navigation, negroes and other necessaries, the heavy duties that are on sugars, and particularly that which is refined in Barbados, the daily increas of forraign sugar Plantations etc., the Planters have just reason to beleive their condition will still be worse, if some timely remedy be not applied. The same is not unknown to our enemies, who being very near at hand and sensible of the vallue of the Island and its present weakness, have an eye upon us. And therefore in time of war, to prevent them making descents and carrying away of nigroes and ships, and to hinder the slaves and other ill-disposed persons from running of to the enemy, it is of absolute necessity that the forts and batteries, which are 28 in number, shall be continually guarded with a competent number of soldiers, which has been usually done by regular troops sent from England, but now there are none of H.M. forces there. And therefore the Christian inhabitants (who are every one that can bear arms listed in the Militia) have been forced during this present war to do that dutie, and therefore being by turns night and day employed in services they have not been enured unto, they are put to great trouble and charges, many of the poor inhabitants' wives and families being robbed in the night by slaves, while the men have been upon that duty, many others have dyed, and the meaner sort for fear of the danger and expence daily leave the Island to go to the Northern Plantations, and there are not now servants to be got from England or Scotland upon any terms to supply that deficiency, by means whereof, and the late war and sicknes the Island is greatly depopulated and in danger to be totally ruined. If the inhabitants that are destroyed and deserted by reason of the fatigue and expense of the Militia and the duty of guarding the forts had been preserved and employed with their families in making sugar, ginger and cotton, this nation had been thereby annually enriched much more than the expense of 500 regular troops. Pray for an effectual remedy. Signed, Robert Davers, J. Kendall, Wm. Bridges, Rd. Scott, Mel. Holder, Jno. Walter, Rowld. Tryon, John Hill, Wm. Griffith, Tho. Foulerton, Saml. Herbert, W. Andrews, John Gray, Tho. Gibbs, Thom. Waite, Tho. Forster, Wm. Tryon. 1½ large pp. [C.O. 28, 38. No. 34.]
[? 1704.] 757. Agents of Barbados and other Gentlemen of estates in and merchants trading to Barbados to the Queen. On Oct. 17, and 3 other times, petitioners applied in vain to be heard by the Council of Trade and Plantations before they reported upon the matter of George Lillington, not doubting to have fully satisfied their Lordships that the complaints of Lillington were false and groundless. Pray that the Order of Council [Nov. 16] may be suspended and the matter further examined into. Signed, Pat. Mein, Robt. Steward, Tho. Foulerton, Saml. Childe, J. Kendall, Jno. Walter, Wm. Walker, Raynes Bate, Robt. Davers, Jno. Bromley, Richard Scot, Richd. Bate, Robt. Chester, J. Stanley, Wm. Bridges, Mel. Holder, Wm. Clealand. [C.O. 28, 38. No. 33.]
[? 1704.] 758. Agents of Barbados to Sir Charles Hedges. Pray H.M. confirmation of Col. Alleyn, Col. Clealand, and Col. James Colliton, appointed by the Governor to the Council of Barbados, they being Gentlemen of known loyalty and well qualified to serve H.M. No date, signature or endorsement. [C.O. 28, 38. No. 32.]
[? 1704 or
1705 ?]
759. Merchants trading to Newfoundland to the Queen. Praise Capt. Lloyd, and propose that he command an expedition of 500 men to surprise Placentia in the winter when the French ships are returned to Europe. Mr. Jackson, the Minister, has been the occasion of all the disturbances that have hapned of late in Newfoundland. 20 signatures. [C.O. 194, 22. No. 10.]
1704. 760. Acts of Antigua. [C.O. 8, 3. pp. 148ff.; and 8, 1. pp. 201ff.]
761. Acts of Barbados. Printed. [C.O. 30, 4. pp. 206ff.; and 30 1. pp. 159ff.; and 30, 3. pp. 380ff.; and (MS.) 30, 6; and 319, 1. pp. 222ff.]
762. List of Acts of Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica. [C.O. 5, 274.]
763. Acts of Bermuda. Printed. [C.O. 39, 2. pp. 65ff.; and (MS.) 39, 4.]
764. Acts of South Carolina. Printed. [C.O. 5, 411. pp. 105ff.]
765. Acts of Jamaica. Printed. [C.O. 139, 8. pp. 107ff.; and (MS.) 139, 9.]
766. Acts of the Leeward Islands. [C.O. 154, 6. passim.]
767. Acts of Maryland. Printed. [C.O. 5, 730; and 5, 732; and 5, 729.]
768. Acts of the Massachusetts Bay. Printed. [C.O. 5, 772. pp. 227ff.; and 5, 773. p. 147.]
769. Acts of New Hampshire. Printed. [C.O. 5, 948. pp. 25ff.; and (MS.) 5, 951. pp. 9ff.]
[? 1704.] 770. Copy of an Act of New Jersey for settling and ascertaining the current rates of foreign coyns, in pursuance of H.M. Proclamation of June 18, 1704, and the letter of the Council of Trade, June 29, 1¼ pp. [C.O. 5, 980. No. 34.]
1704. 771. Acts of New Jersey. Printed. [C.O. 5, 1005. pp. 3ff.; and 5, 1004.]
772. Acts of New York. Printed. [C.O. 5, 1145. pp. 57ff.; and 5, 1146.]
773. Acts of St. Christophers. [C.O. 240, 1. pp. 5ff.]
774. Acts of Virginia. Printed. [C.O. 5, 1380, 1381, 1382.]
775. Abstract of Letter from the Governor of New York. [C.O. 5, 1133. pp. 155ff.]
776. Abstracts of letters from Governor Handasyd. [C.O. 137, 41.]
777. Abstracts of letters from Governor Sir Wm. Mathew and Lt. Governor John Johnson. [C.O. 152, 36. pp. 1ff.]
778. Abstracts of letters from New Hampshire. [C.O. 5, 944. pp. 1–3.]
779. Abstracts of letters from Col. Quary. [C.O. 5, 922. pp. 1ff.]
780. Abstract of Grants of Land, New York. [C.O. 5, 1134. p. 75.]
1704. 781. List of Grants of Lands in South Carolina, with quit rents. [C.O. 5, 398. pp. 20–27.]
[? 1704.] 782. Extract of Lord Cornbury's Commission for the Government of New York, relating to grants of lands. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 3. No. 20.]
1704ff. 783. MS. Index of documents relating to Plantations General, [C.O. 326, 49.]; to Jamaica [C.O. 326, 39]; Virginia [C.O. 326. 31]; Maryland [C.O. 326, 20].