Journal, May 1770: Volume 77

Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 13, January 1768 - December 1775. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1937.

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'Journal, May 1770: Volume 77', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 13, January 1768 - December 1775, (London, 1937) pp. 186-190. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol13/pp186-190 [accessed 25 March 2024]

Journal, May 1770

Tuesday, May 1. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Roberts, Lord Greville, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Northey.

North Carolina, Antigua, St.Christopher's

The Earl of Hillsborough being present, draughts of representations to His Majesty recommending several persons to be appointed Members of the Councils in North Carolina, Antigua and St. Christopher's having been prepared pursuant to order, were approved and signed.

fo. 99.

Newfoundland.

Their Lordships took into further consideration the reports of Captains Byron and Pallisser, in respect to the memorial of the French Embassador relative to the concurrent fishery on the Coasts of Newfoundland, and Captains Byron and Pallisser attending, their Lordships expressed to them the great satisfaction they had received from the manner in which their reply was stated; an observation however having occurred, in respect to some expressions, which might create difficulty in making that use of it which was wished, they desired leave to withdraw it, in order to make some alteration therein.

East Florida.

fo. 100.

Mr. Walter Humphreys attends upon the subject of his petition to the King for two thousand acres of land in East Florida, which petition was referred to this Board by order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, and Mr. Humphreys being questioned as to his ability to carry such a settlement into execution, he stated himself to be a merchant concerned in trade to that Colony, that he had already a small quantity of land there, and proposed, if he succeeded in this application, to send over agents to stock the land with Negroes, in order to the culture of indigo;—Mr. Humphreys being withdrawn, their Lordships agreed to postpone the further consideration of his application until he should produce testimony from some merchant of known credit of his being what he states himself to be.

New York.

fo. 101.

New Hampshire.

Grenada.

Their Lordships took into consideration two Orders of the Lords of the Committee of Council, mentioned in the minutes of the 3rd of January last, the one referring to this Board, for their consideration, a Bill passed by the Assembly of New York, and transmitted by the Governor, for confirming estates claimed by or under aliens; the other, referring a Proclamation issued by the Governor of New Hampshire for fixing the rate at which foreign gold and silver coins should pass in that Colony, and it was ordered, that the said Bill and Proclamation should be referred to Mr. Jackson, for his opinion in point of law, and letters from the Secretary to him on those subjects were approved;—as was also a letter referring to him, for his opinion in point of law, a petition of Governor Melville and others for their Lordships' approbation of the assignment of a lease of lands in Dominica, which petition is mentioned in the minutes of the 19th of February last.

fo. 102.

Thursday, May 3. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Fitzherbert, Lord Greville.

East Florida.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, the Secretary laid before the Board certificates of several merchants and others trading to and interested in East Florida, testifying their knowledge of and dealings with Mr. Walter Humphreys, whose petition is mentioned in the preceding minutes, whereupon it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council should be prepared, recommending that the prayer of the said petition may be complied with.

New York.

fo. 103.

Their Lordships took into consideration the state of the Province of New York, preparatory to the forming a draught of general instructions for the Earl of Dunmore.

Friday, May 4. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Fitzherbert, Lord Greville, Mr. Northey.

Newfoundland.

fo. 104.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, the Secretary laid before the Board the report of Captains Byron and Pallisser, by way of reply to the articles of complaint contained in the French Embassador's memorial relative to the concurrent fishery on the Coast of Newfoundland, with some alterations made by them therein, correspondent to what was suggested by the Board in their discourse with them on this subject on the 1st instant; and the said report so altered having been read and considered, a representation to the King upon the French Embassador's memorial was approved and signed, and Lord Hillsborough was requested to present it to His Majesty.

Massachusetts.

East Florida.

Their Lordships took into further consideration the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon Sir Francis Bernard's petition for a confirmation of the grant of the Island of Mount Desert, which draught is mentioned in the minutes of the 12th of January last, and the said draught having been approved, was signed;—as was also a report to their Lordships upon the petition of Mr. Walter Humphreys for a grant of two thousand acres of land in East Florida.

fo. 105.

Georgia.

Read a letter from James Wright, Esquire, Governor of Georgia, dated September 28th, 1769, signifying that he had granted two certificates to Mr. Jones of his having acted as Chief Justice of that Colony from the death of Mr. Simpson to the arrival of Mr. Stokes, in order to intitle him to the salary of the said office from the death of said Simpson to the day of the date of Mr. Stokes' Warrant, and to a moiety of it from that day to Mr. Stokes' arrival.

Georgia.

Their Lordships, on consideration of Mr. Wright's letter, were of opinion, that it was reasonable that Mr. Jones should have the allowances according to the Governor's certificates.

fo. 106.

Thursday, May 10. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Lord Robert Spencer, Lord Greville.

The Earl of Hillsborough present.

New York.

Read a petition of Colonel Martin, setting forth his services, and praying the Board to recommend him to the King for a grant of twenty thousand acres of land in New York.

A representation to His Majesty in favour of Colonel Martin's request was agreed to and signed.

Grenada, Dominica.

fo. 107.

Read a petition of Richard Neave, of the City of London, merchant, setting forth that he had obtained the consent of the Commander in Chief of the Southern Caribbee Islands to an assignment to him of a lease of lands in Dominica granted to John Blackall and Nicholas Comyn, late of the said Island, and praying the Board's approbation of said assignment.

Ordered, that the said petition do lye by for further consideration at another opportunity.

Virginia.

Read a memorial of Colonel Mercer, setting forth that he has agreed in behalf of the Ohio Company to join with Messrs. Walpole, Pownall and others for purchasing a new Province on the Ohio River, and therefore that he withdraws his former memorial containing a caveat against any grant being made to those persons.

fo. 108.

Trade.

Read a letter from Dr. McBride to the Secretary to this Board, dated February 24th, 1770, in answer to his of the 19th, and signifying his compliance with the Board's proposal.

Grenada.

Read a letter from John Harvey, Esquire, one of the Council of Grenada, to the Secretary, dated March 31st, 1770, in answer to one from him respecting his intention of returning to that Island.

fo. 109.

Monday, May 21. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Northey.

The Earl of Hillsborough present.

Grenada, Dominica.

Their Lordships took into consideration Mr. Neave's petition, mentioned in the preceding minutes; and the Secretary was ordered to certify their approbation of the assignment to Mr. Neave of the lease of lands in Dominica therein mentioned.

New York.

fo. 110.

The Secretary laid before the Board a draught of general instructions, and also a draught of those relating to the observance of the laws of trade prepared for the Governor of New York, and the said draughts having been read and approved, a representation thereupon to His Majesty in Council was agreed to, and signed.

Leeward Islands, Antigua.

Virginia.

Read Mr. Jackson's reports upon one private Act passed in Antigua in October, 1769, and upon two private Acts passed in Virginia in November, 1769, together with the several Acts therein referred to; and their Lordships having, at the request of the persons interested therein, agreed to lay the said Acts before His Majesty for His Royal confirmation, representations to His Majesty thereupon were accordingly prepared and signed.

Virginia.

fo. 111.

Mr. Bell attends upon his petition for one hundred and twenty thousand acres of land in Virginia, which petition is mentioned in the minutes of the 26th of February last; and Mr. Bell having been informed, that their Lordships did not see any reason for complying with his request, a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council to that effect was agreed to, prepared, and signed.

West Florida.

Read a petition of Major Farmar, late of the 34th Regiment, praying a confirmation of his title to lands in West Florida, part of which is held under purchase from the French inhabitants, and part under a grant from the Indians.

Ordered, that the said petition be taken into consideration on Thursday next, and that Major Farmar have notice to attend.

fo. 112.

Nova Scotia.

Read a petition of Hugh Bailley, late of Bengal in the East Indies, and of George Walker, formerly Commander in Chief of the Royal family private ships of war, to this Board, praying for grants of certain tracts of land therein particularly specified in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Ordered, that the said petition do lye by for further consideration, when the petitioners shall make application for that purpose.

fo. 113.

Thursday, May 24. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert.

West Florida.

Their Lordships took into further consideration Major Farmar's petition, mentioned in the preceding minutes; and Major Farmar attending, he was informed, that their Lordships were of opinion, that the prayer of his petition could not be complied with, as there was no precedent of any confirmation of titles to lands in America claimed under the circumstances stated in the said petition.

fo. 114.

Wednesday, May 30. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Roberts, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Fitzherbert, Lord Greville, Mr. Northey.

New York.

The Secretary laid before the Board a list of papers relative to the Province of New York, of which Lord Dunmore desired to have copies for his information in the Government of that Province, and it was ordered, that such copies should be prepared and delivered to his Lordship.

Grenada.

Read a report of Richard Jackson, Esquire, to this Board, dated May 29th, 1770, on an assignment made by Gabriel Brousse and Alexander Stewart to Governor Melvill and Andrew Bruce of lands in Dominica.

fo. 115.

Ordered, that the Secretary do give notice to the agent for the petitioners for this Board's approbation of the assignment of the lease therein mentioned, of the objections stated by Mr. Jackson.

New Hampshire.

Read a report of Richard Jackson, Esquire, to this Board, dated May 28th, 1770, on a Proclamation issued by the Governor of New Hampshire on the 2nd of March, 1769, for ascertaining the value of gold and silver coins current in that Province.

Ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council be prepared, pursuant to their Lordships' Order referring the said Proclamation to the consideration of this Board.

fo. 116.

Quebec.

Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation affairs, dated May 25th, 1770, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, a petition of Sir Jeffery Amherst to the King, praying that His Majesty would grant him the estates belonging to the Jesuits in Canada.