America and West Indies: August 1720, 11-20

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 32, 1720-1721. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1933.

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

'America and West Indies: August 1720, 11-20', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 32, 1720-1721, (London, 1933) pp. 97-106. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol32/pp97-106 [accessed 12 April 2024]

August 1720, 11-20

[Aug. 11.] 182. Governor Hunter's Answers to preceding Queries, relating to New Jersey. Set out, N.Y. Col. Docs. V. 555; and N. J. Archives, 1st Ser. IV. 449. Endorsed, Recd. 11th Aug. Read 6th Dec. 1720. 4½ pp. [C.O. 5, 971. No. 85].
Aug. 11.
Whitehall.
183. Mr. Delafaye to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Transmits enclosed for their consideration. Signed, Ch. Delafaye. Endorsed, Recd. 12th. Read 18th Aug., 1720. 1 p. Enclosed,
183. i. Extract of letter from my Lord Ambassador Sutton. Paris, 15th Aug. 1720. Encloses following. Concludes: In the manner it is couched, without any apparent regard to the Treaty of 1686, it may become very pernicious to our Navigation in the West Indies, and consequently seems to deserve to be considered. ½ p.
183. ii. A regulation by the French King, 23rd July (N.S.) 1720, relating to the Trade of foreigners with the French Colonies in America. (1) All vessels engaged in foreign trade with the French Colonies are to be seized and tried etc. Copy. French. 3¾ pp. [C.O. 323, 8. Nos. 13, 13 i., ii.]
Aug. 11. 184. Mr. Popple to Mr. Pulteney. The Council of Trade and Plantations having observed in the Daily Courant of the 6th of this month a regulation said to be published at Paris concerning the commerce of foreigners in the French Colonies, and two ordinances of 1681 and 1698 being referred to therein, they desire you will procure them copies etc. (v. Aug. 23). [C.O. 324, 10. pp. 288, 289.]
Aug. 11.
Whitehall.
185. Order of the Lords Justices in Council. Their Excellencys in Councill this day taking into consideration the great importance of the Province of Carolina, both with regard to its own product, and as it is a frontier to H.M. Provinces in the Continent of America, and the eminent danger of its being lost in this criticall juncture by the confused state of its present Government, are pleased to order and it is hereby ordered, that the Governmt. of the said Province be forthwith taken provisionally into the hands of the Crown, and that the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations do prepare a Commission and Instructions for a Governor to be appointed by His Majesty, and that they likewise propose to their Excellencys what they judge further necessary to be done for the safety of the said Province. Signed, Temple Stanyan. Endorsed, Recd. 12th. Read 15th Aug., 1720. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 358. ff. 1, 2v.]
Aug. 11.
Whitehall.
186. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Lords Justices. In obedience to Order in Council, 19th May last, enclose following for their approbation. Annexed,
186. i. Additional Instructions by the Lords Justices to Governors of Plantations (Col. Shute, Mr. Burnet, Earl of Orkney, Sir Nich. Laws, Genl. Hamilton, Saml. Cox, Col. Bennet). Whitehal, Sept. 17, 1720. Whereas Acts have been pass'd in some of H.M. Plantations in America for striking bills of credit and issuing out the same in lieu of mony, in order to discharge their publick debts, and for other purposes, from whence several inconveniencies have arose. It is therefore H.M. will and pleasure that for the future you do not give your assent to or pass any act in H.M. — under your Government, whereby bills of credit may be struck or issued in lieu of mony or for paymt. of mony either to you the Governor or to the Commander in Chief, or to any of the members of H.M. Council or of the Assembly of the said—of— or to any other person whatsoever, without a clause be inserted in such Act declaring that the same shall not take effect till the said Act shall have been approved and confirmed by H.M., excepting Acts for raising and settling a publick Revenue for defraying the necessary charge of the Governmt. of the said—of— according to the Instructions already given you. [C.O. 324, 10. pp. 286–288; and 324, 34. pp. 13–15.]
Aug. 11.
London.
187. Brigadier Hunter to Mr. Popple. Encloses following. Signed, Ro. Hunter. Endorsed, Recd. 11th Aug., Read 6th Dec., 1720. Holograph. 1 p. Enclosed,
187. i., ii. Brigadier Hunter's Replies to Queries, 10th Aug., relating to New York. The most important are: —(v) Trade, shipping and mariners are considerably increased. Exports chiefly furs, tar and pitch, whale oil and bones for England; flour, pork and other provisions to the Southern Islands; horses to Surinam, Curaçoa and St. Thomas. Returns from latter in gold and silver, so far as avowed. (vii) The methods to prevent illegal trade are seizures and confiscations upon discovery, but the officers being frighted with appeals to the Admiralty here, under which they have been great sufferers, I doubt will not be so exact in the future. (viii) Produce of the country is corn, flour, tar, whale oil, pork. No sort of manufacture that deserves mention. (xii) Inhabitants increase daily, chiefly from New England, and of late from the North of Ireland. (xiii) Militia, about 6000. (xv) Five Nations very well inclined, but number only about 2000, besides the River Indians who are under their command. (xiii) The neigbouring Indians are more numerous but less considerable than ours. (xviii) The effect of the French settlements upon the Plantations is a general dread of the consequences, but no other effect as yet etc. The whole Set out, N.Y. Col. Docs. V. 555; N.J. Archives, 1st Ser. IV. 449. 4 pp. [C.O. 5, 1052. ff. 85, 86–87v., 88v.]
Aug. 11.
New York.
188. Col. Schuyler to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Abstract. Is embarking for Albany to meet the Sachims of the Five Nations there on the 16th and renew the Covenant with them, the Council agreeing that this is necessary, in order to steady them in H.M. interest and if possible to induce them to remove the encroachments of the French. Is taking with him such presents as the Council judged proper, and will write to the Governor of Canada after he has treated with the Indians, when he hopes to be able to do so in more pressing terms. The Province is perfectly tranquil. Set out, N.Y. Col. Docs. V. 558. Signed, Pr. Schuyler. Endorsed, Recd. 28th Sept., 1720. Read 18th Jan., 1720/1. 1½ pp. [C.O. 5, 1052. ff. 127, 127v., 128v.]
Aug. 15.
Barbados.
189. Mr. Frere to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Having on the 2nd of this instant recieved by the hands of Mr. Samll. Cox, a letter from the Right Honble. Mr. Secretary Craggs etc (v. 11th June), I thought it my duty to consider and answer the same in Council, but only four Members attending that day, and the rest (some of whom were very ill) having sent their excuses, I adjourned the Council by the advice of the attending Members to Fryday following being the 5th instant, and ordered letters to issue to the absent Members to require their attendance that day; The whole Councill accordingly mett on the 5 instant, and in the presence of Mr. Cox I lay'd the said letter before them, and demanded their advice and opinions upon it. Encloses copies of proceedings. I perswade myself that what has been done in this affair is agreeable to the Instructions given Mr. Lowther by H.M. Commission, which I take it to be my duty, as I am intrusted with the administration of the Government, to observe. Signed, Jno. Frere. Endorsed, Recd. 7th Oct., 1720. Read 18th May, 1721. 1 p. [C.O. 28, 17. ff. 89, 90v.]
Aug. 16.
Custome House, Boston in N. England.
190. John Jekyll, Collector, to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Reply to their enquiry through H.M. Commissioners of Customs, Oct. 30th, as to the progress of woollen and linnen manufactures in New England, and how the same are encouraged. As for ye woollens ye country in general make it for their own use and weave it commonly themselves. There are some fulling mills, and not farr from this place they make very good druggetts, camblets and serges which are sold daily to ye shops in this town, and wore by ye meanest sort of people, as for ye tradsmen and mechanical part they are very ambitious of appearing above themselves and will not be seen in anything beneath ye merchant or more substantial wch. is in ye produce of Europe. As for ye linnen manufacture ye Peasantry wear wt. they call homespun which is made of cotten and linnen tho' wee have had lately some hundreds of Irish families setled at ye Eastward wch. make as good linnens and diapers as in Ireland itself. Now as for ye encouragment thereto your Lordships well know this is a Charter Governmt. and except H.E. our Governor everyman of the Councill (who are ellected by ye People) are New England men and as far as I can guess have their dear Idol ye Charter much at heart and a great love for independency in genrl. etc. Signed, John Jekyll. Endorsed, Recd. 23rd Sept., 1720. Read 5th July, 1722. 1¾ pp. [C.O. 5, 868. ff. 278, 278v, 279v.]
Aug. 16.
Whitehall.
191. Mr. Popple to Brigadier Hunter. Desires him to attend the Board upon Mr. Walpole's Memorial 28th June, and to give them the best light he can into the course of receipts and payments of the public money in New York and the method of auditing their accounts. [C.O. 5, 1124. pp. 234, 235; and (corrected draft) 5, 1079. No. 118].
Aug. 16.
Whitehall.
192. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Lords Justices. In obedience to your Excellency's Order the 11th instant, we have prepared the draught of a Commission etc., wherein we have followed as near as might be the copy of a Commission formerly granted by his late Majesty King William the 3rd of ever glorious memory to Col. Copley for the Province of Maryland when it was thought necessary for the service of the Crown to resume the Government of that Province from the Proprietors. We shall likewise take care, in obedience to your Excellencies Orders to prepare a draught of proper Instructions etc., wherewith we shall likewise offer to your Excellencies, what we conceive further necessary to be done for the safety of the said Province; But that no time might be lost in so important an affair, we thought it our duty to lay the inclos'd draught of a Commission before your Excellencies by the first opportunity. We think it necessary upon this occasion, to inform your Excellencies, that altho' Carolina was originally granted intire to the Lords Proprietors and their boundaries afterwards inlarged, as we have been inform'd, by a subsequent Charter, whereby a part of the land formerly reputed Virginia was added to the former grant, yet they found it convenient to divide the same into distinct Provinces, by the names of North and South Carolina, which have had different Govrs. Assemblies and Courts of Justice, But we have been inform'd that the Governor of South Carolina has sometimes been likewise Governor of North Carolina and vested with a power of appointing a Deputy there. The draught of the Commissn. which we have prepar'd, is for Carolina in general, and we submit it to your Excellencies, whether the person to be appointed Governor by H.M. shou'd be impower'd by his Instructions to nominate a Lieut. or Deputy Governor for North Carolina, or whether such Lieut. Governor shou'd not rather be appointed immediately by H.M., as is practis'd in the Leeward Islands, where each Island has a Lieut. Govr. with a distinct Council and Assembly; all of them nevertheless subject to such orders as they shall receive from a Captain General of the said Islands. Annexed,
192. i. H.M. Commission for the Governor of Carolina. With marginal notes of subsequent amendments. Afterwards filled in for Francis Nicholson Esq., to be Governor of South Carolina. The preamble runs as follows: Whereas by great miscarriages and neglects in the Governmt. of our Province and Territory of South Carolina in America, the same is fall'n into such disorder and confusion, yt the publick peace and administration of Justice (whereby the properties of our subjects shou'd be preserv'd there) is broken and violated and the said Province become wholly void of defence against any foreign enemy, or even against the incursions of the barbarous Indians, whereby the Southern frontier to our Plantations on the Continent of America, and one of the most fruitfull of our Colonies, is in great danger of being depopulated, and the trade and advantages thereof forever lost from the Crown of Great Britain. And whereas Our said Province of South Carolina and our [good] subjects the inhabitants thereof, cannot be defended and secur'd by any other means, than by our taking provisionally the Government into Our own hands and immediate care; We therefore reposing especial trust and confidence in the prudence, courage, and loyalty of you the said Francis Nicholson etc, appoint you our Capt. General and Governor in Chief in and over our Province of South Carolina etc. Words in italics were subsequently inserted and word in brackets omitted. The Commission proper follows. [C.O. 5, 400. pp. 1–26.]
Aug. 16. 193. Letter of Attorney from several Palatines at New York empowering John Conrad Weiser, William Schef and Gerard Walract to represent their grievances to the King. Signed in the autumn of 1719. Endorsed, Recd. (from Mr. Long), 16th Aug. 1720. Copy. 1¾ pp. [C.O. 5, 1052. ff. 77, 77v., 78v.]
Aug. 16. 194. The humble petition of the inhabitants of the settlement of South Carolina now under arms to the King, sheweth that your petitioners for the preservation of this Colony and your Majesty's subjects here setled found themselves under an absolute necessity to elect the Honble. James Moore Esq. to be Governour of this settlement on behalf of your Majesty, since which we have been again alarum'd with an intended invasion of the Spaniards from the Havanah and by a scoutboat lately arriv'd we are informed that the Spanish fleet is now actually at St. Augustine from whence we hourly expect to be attack'd both by sea and land. That your petitioners have putt themselves into the best posture of defence they could but they have so long laboured under an heavy Indian war perpetual alarms both from our sd. enemy and Indians and pyrates that they are now reduced to the lowest ebb of fortune and cannot expect to be able to subsist or any time longer to defend this settlemt. unless we are imediately taken into yor. Majesties royall protection and assistance. Wherefore yor. petitioners in the most humble manner supplicate yor. Royall Majesty as our Representatives have already done to receive this settlemt. into yor. most gracious favour and imediate protection and suffer us no longer to be under the authority of any Lords Proprietors whose indigency or neglect hath hitherto been the chief occasion of all the miserable calamities we now labour under. Signed by 238 of the inhabitants. Endorsed, Recd. from Mr. Boon, Read 16th Augt., 1720. Copy. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 358. ff. 3 and 10v.]
[Aug. 16.] 195. An Act for supporting the present Government under the administracon of the Honble. James Moore Esq. or any succeeding Governor (of South Carolina). Whereas by reason of the ill Governmt. and male administracon of the proprietors of this settlement and their officers more at large set forth in the general representacon of the grievances of the inhabitants etc. (v. Feb. supra), and by reason of the inability and incapacity of the said Proprietors to protect or defend this Collony from the continuall massacres and insults of our enemy Indians or the invasion of foreign enemies they the said inhabitants have been driven to so great extremities that no ordinary meanes could be were or can be sufficient to extricate themselves from the evills aforesaid. Wherefore the said inhabitants taking into their consideracon their calumitous circumstances and for the preservation of their lives and estates according to the supreme Law of Nature and the duty they owe under the said Soveraigne Lord the King to prevent the desertions of the people and to save so noble a Collony from falling in to the hands of H.M. enemies did with one heart and voice renounce the said proprietors and every of them their heires and successors and did unanimously elect the Honble. James Moore Esqr. to be Governor of this Settlement for and on H.M. behalfe. And whereas the said James Moore as Governor, and for the due and regular Governmt. of the said Settlemt. and the preservation of H.M. peace and the better to oppose and withstand our said enemies did constitute and appoint divers officers both civil and military untill H.M. pleasure should be known in this behalfe, we therefore humbly pray his most sacred Majestye that it may be enacted and be it therefore enacted by the said Honble, James Moore Esqr. Governor for and in H.M. name and by and with the advice and consent of the Representatives of the said inhabitants of the said Settlemt. now mett at Charles Town that as well he the said James Moore Govr. as also all persons acting in this present Generall Assembly and other officers and ministers civill and military whatsoever created or to be created by him the said James Moor and acting under his authority or made created or continued by a General Convention of the said inhabitants or made created or continued by the present Generall Assembly or by the now common House of Assembly by force or virtue of any law or custom of this Province at any time in forme before the said late revolution of the Settlement bee and are hereby confirmed in their respective offices untill H.M. or the Governor shall see fitt to remove them etc. All acts by the said Convention Governor or Assembly or any officer under them hereby declared good and valid etc. unless H.M. or the Parliament of Great Britain or the General Assembly of this Settlement shall repeal the same etc., and all parties concerned in the late Revolution or in the said Governmt. of affaires are hereby justified and indemnified. All actions brought against such officers on account of the premisses etc. shall be deemed null and void etc. 2 pp. [C.O. 5, 358. ff. 5, 5v.]
Aug. 16.
Whitehall.
196. Mr. Popple to Rev. Mr. Gordon. Asks for information in writing of the trade carried on between New England and any foreign Plantations, particularly to the French and Dutch settlements in horses; and what returns they receive for them, and what is the consequence of such trade. [C.O. 5, 915. p. 315.]
Aug. 17.
Suffolk Street.
197. Mr. Gordon to Mr. Popple. Reply to preceding. The Dutch Sugar Colony of Surinam lyes so low, and is so woody that they don't build any windmills there for want of wind, and (except upon the banks of their river, where they have watermills) all their sugar is made with mills turn'd round with horses, of which they do not breed any themselves, but are altogether supply'd from New England and Rhode Island in English bottoms which carry thither salt fish also, and hogshead staves, and for returns export chiefly molasses, which the Dutch sell much cheaper than the English can afford it, and with that molasses they make rum, with which the Colonys about New England are above half supply'd. I have also known several vessels come from Surinam to Barbados with hard timber and molasses, which they have sold, even there, to good profit. From New England and Rhode Island they carry horses, boards, staves, fish and all sorts of deal timber to Martinique, Guardaloop, French Hispaniola and Cheyanne, a flourishing French Colony etc. From all these places they have great quantitys of sugar and molasses; and, from Martinique, all their cocoa and indigo. From New York the French colonys are chiefly supply'd with flower, bacon, and some horses, in return for which they export great quantitys of sugar and cocoa, and ship it directly to Holland. In my humble opinion this trade tends to the encrease and improvements of foreign sugar Colonys, and the decrease of our own, and is, at present, very prejudicial to H.M. Revenue; for, without this trade, the sugar, rum and molasses consumed in the Northern Colonys would be exported from the English sugar Colonys, and pay H.M. not only a duty of 4½ p.c., but also the enumerated duty as we call it, for all sugars exported to our Colonys. The quantity of sugars imported to our Colonys from the French and Dutch is so great that they send a great deal of it even to England as the produce of our own Colonys; by which means H.M. is not only defrauded of the double duty, but also of the enumerated duty supposed to have been paid upon their first exportation from the Colony where they were made. If a moderate duty were laid upon the produce of all foreign Colonys when imported into English Colonys; and if it were made equally penal to export the produce of any foreign Colonys after they are once imported to an English Colony, to any place but Great Britain, as it is to export their own produce, such a Law would, in a great measure, prevent many of the frauds, and very much improve the Revenue. Mr. Worsam etc., when about 4 years agoe he liv'd at New York, sent over to Barbados a calculate of the French sugar imported there, the very 4½ p.c. duty of which amounted I think to above £1500 per ann. etc. Signed, W. Gordon. Endorsed, Recd. 17th, Read 18th Augt., 1720. 3 pp. [C.O. 5, 867. No. 73.]
Aug. 17.
Treasury Chambers.
198. Mr. Tilson to Mr. Popple. When Mr. West was appointed etc. (v. 6th May), it was intended that the standing fee of £100 guineas pr. annum apeice to the Attorney and Sollicitor General and 10 guineas pr. annum to each of their Clerks should cease, and that the Board of Trade should (as often as they might have occasion to apply for the opinion of either of them) give the ususal fee for such their opinion, and bring the expence thereof into the Contingent bill of their Office. The Lords Commrs. of H.M. Treasury desire that their Lordships may take their measures accordingly etc. Signed, Chris. Tilson. Endorsed, Recd. 25th, Read 26th Aug. 1720. Addressed. 1 p. [C.O. 388, 77. No. 84; and 389, 37. pp. 188, 189.]
Aug. 18.
Whitehall.
199. Mr. Delafaye to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Upon your representation of 16th inst. etc., the Lords Justices direct that you give all possible dispatch to the report you are to lay before them of what is further necessary to be done for the safety of Carolina, etc. Signed, Ch. Delafaye. Endorsed, Recd. Read 19th Aug., 1720. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 358. ff. 11, 12v.]
Aug. 19.
Boston, N. England.
200. Governor Shute to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Encloses following. I shall by the next ship send an account of the stores of New Hampshire. Since I sent an answer to the Query relating to the manufactures of this country I have been informed that there are some camblets and druggets made in the country and sent to some of the shops in Boston, but I don't observe that they are worn by any but the ordinary people. I hope I shall quickly receive some answer relating to the affair of the Speaker mentioned 1st June etc. For tho' in the next Assembly they chose another Speaker, I find they still persist in the opinion that the King's Govr. has no negative upon the Speaker. Capt. Carey who left London 29th May was taken by a pirate ship of 26 guns and a sloop of 10 near the banks of Newfoundland who took and destroyed so much of his cargo as amounts to about £8000 sterling; and also reports that they had fallen upon and destroy'd the fishery of Newfoundland. Signed, Samll. Shute. Endorsed, Recd. 27th Sept. 1720, Read 7th March, 1720/21. 2 pp. Enclosed,
200. i, ii. Accounts of the stores of war expended and remaining at H.M. Castle William, Boston, June 24th, 1720. Signed, Zec. Tuthill, Lt. Endorsed as preceding. 2 pp. [C.O. 5, 868. ff. 5–6, 7v.–9 (with abstract).]
Aug. 20.
Whitehall.
201. Mr. Secretary Craggs to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Enclosed I transmit a Memorial setting forth the reasons why a Comptroller should be appointed over the King's Woods in New England, and as H.M. is inclined to confer that place on the present Governour there if it be found proper to erect such an office, you are to report your opinion thereon etc. Signed, J. Craggs. Endorsed, Recd. 20th Augt., Read 1st Sept., 1720. 1 p. Enclosed,
201. i. Memorial to the King. Proposing the appointment of the Governor of New England as Comptroller of H.M. Woods. No date or signature. 2¼ pp. [C.O. 5, 867. Nos. 74, 74. i.]
Aug. 20.
Salem in N. England.
202. Charles Blechynden to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Reply to queries as to woollen and linnen manufactures. Duplicate of 16th Aug. Signed, Chas. Blechynden. Endorsed, Recd. 23rd Sept., 1720., Read 5th July, 1722. 1¼ pp. [C.O. 5, 868. ff. 280, 280v., 281v.]