Journal, January 1771: Volume 78

Journal, January 1771

fo.1.

At a meeting of His Majesty's Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

Thursday, January 17th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Lord Greville.

Dominica.

fo.2.

The Secretary, in behalf of Alexis Pitault, Mary Anne, his wife, and also in behalf of Marie Magdalene Bye, widow, all inhabitants of the Island of Dominica, and possessors of lands there, under leases from His Majesty's Commissioners for sale of lands in the Ceded Islands, moved their lordships to grant their permission to the said persons to assign such leases to any of his Majesty's subjects, in consequence of licences for that purpose obtained from the Governor and Commander in Chief of Grenada, and their lordships accordingly directed the Secretary to certify their consent to such assignments.

Virginia.

fo. 3.

The Secretary, in behalf of the parties interested in an Act passed in the Colony of Virginia in June last, intituled "an Act to dock the intail of five hundred and fifty acres of land in the county of Gloucester, whereof Sarah, the wife of John Rootes, Gentleman, is seized, and for vesting the same in trustees for the purposes therein mentioned," moved their lordships for their representation to his Majesty for confirming the said Act, whereupon their lordships took it into consideration, together with Mr.Jackson's report thereupon, and it appearing to be liable to an objection in point of law, it was ordered, that it should lye bye until further application is made by the parties interested therein.

fo. 4.

The Secretary also, in behalf of the parties interested in an Act passed in the said colony of Virginia at the same time, intituled "an Act to dock the intail of certain lands whereof John Wormeley, Gentleman, is seized, and for settling other lands and slaves to the same uses," moved their lordships for their representation to his Majesty for confirming the said Act;whereupon their lordships took the said Act, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon into consideration, and no objection appearing thereto in point of law, and it having passed through all the forms prescribed by his Majesty's instructions, and having a clause inserted therein, suspending its execution until his Majesty's pleasure was known, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon should be prepared.

New York.

fo.5.

Read a letter from John Robinson, Esquire, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, to the Secretary to this Board, dated December 22nd, 1770, inclosing copy of a report of the Auditor General of the Plantations on a Quit Rent Act lately passed in New York, and signifying that the Lords of the Treasury see no objection to the said Acts being confirmed.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Stephens, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to the Secretary to this Board, dated January 9th, 1771, inclosing,
Copy of a letter from Mr. Johns to Commodore Hood, containing his observations on the timber at the several places he visited (by order) in the province of Nova Scotia, dated July 20th, 1770.
Prices of timber at different places in the province of Nova Scotia.

fo.6.

Ordered, that the abovementioned two letters and the papers therein referred to, do lye by for further consideration at another opportunity.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida, Plantations General.

Their lordships took into consideration his Majesty's orders signified by the Earl of Hillsborough, for their preparing and laying before Parliament estimates of the sums which will be necessary for supporting the civil establishments of the colonies of Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida, and for general Surveys of his Majesty's dominions in America, for the year 1771, and the following papers, communicated to the Board by the Earl of Hillsborough, pursuant to his Majesty's commands, were read, viz:—
St.John's.
fo. 7.
Extract of a letter from Walter Patterson, Esquire, Governor of St. John's, to the Earl of Hillsborough, representing the necessity of some allowance for building a church, a court-house and goal.
West Florida.
Copy of a letter from Peter Chester, Esquire, Governor of West Florida, to the Earl of Hillsborough, and copies of several papers inclosed therein, relative to the propriety of making some provision for building or purchasing a house for the Governor's residence.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida.

fo.8.

Their lordships also read the reports made by the several agents for Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, and West Florida, of the ballances remaining in their hands of former grants of Parliament for the service of the said colonies respectively, together with a letter from Mr. Robinson, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, to Mr. Pownall, signifying that their lordships recommend to this Board to make provision in the estimate for West Florida for an allowance to Lieutenant Campbell, Engineer, of four hundred and fifty pounds for making a Survey of several parts of that colony.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, Plantations General.

Their lordships agreed to the several sums necessary to be asked of Parliament for the services of Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida and general Surveys, and draughts of estimates were accordingly ordered to be prepared.

West Florida.

fo.9.

Ordered, that the consideration of what will be necessary for West Florida be postponed to Wednesday next, and that the agent there have notice to attend.

Wednesday, January 23rd. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Lord Greville.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, Plantations General.

The draughts of estimates of the sums necessary for the support of the civil establishments of the colonies of Nova Scotia, Georgia, and East Florida, and for general Surveys of his Majesty's dominions in America for the year 1771, having been prepared pursuant to order, were approved.

West Florida.

The consideration of the estimate for West Florida was further postponed to Friday next, and the agent ordered to attend.

fo.10.

Plantations General.

Read a petition of the merchants of London trading to North America, praying the Board's assistance in procuring an additional bounty on Lumber, etc.,imported from the British Plantations, pursuant to their resolutions of last year upon the application then made to them.

Their lordships agreed to take the said petition into consideration on this day sevennight, and it was ordered, that some of the principal merchants should be desired to attend.

Grenada, St. Vincent's.

fo.11.

Read a petition of Francois Godin, Marie Angelique, his wife, and William Walker, of the Island of St. Vincent, praying leave that a lease of some lands in the said Island, granted by the Commissioners for sale of lands in the Ceded Islands to the said Godin, may be assigned to the said Walker, and it appearing, that the Governor has consented to the said assignment, it was ordered, that the Secretary should certify their Lordships' approbation thereof.

Leeward Islands, Antigua.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, recommending that Jeremiah Blizard, Esquire, may be appointed of the Council of Antigua, there being two vacancies.

Nova Scotia.

Their lordships took into consideration a Bill passed by the Council and Assembly of Nova Scotia, and transmitted by the Governor, "for raising money by lottery for making and repairing public roads," together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty on the said bill should be prepared.

fo.12.

Their lordships also read and considered nine Acts passed in Nova Scotia in the year 1768, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon.

Ordered, that the said Acts do lye by probationary, untill the further effect and operation of them shall be known.

Friday, January 25th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Lord Greville.

West Florida.

fo.13.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, Plantations General.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, their lordships took into further consideration the estimate of what sum will be necessary for the service of West Florida for the year 1771, and after some conversation with the agent on the subject of the ballance remaining in his hands of former grants, and also touching an allowance proposed to be made for a house for the Governor, the said estimate was agreed to and prepared, and Mr. Jenyns was desired to present it, pursuant to his Majesty's commands, to the House of Commons, together with the other estimates already agreed to.

Ordered, that the Secretary do transmit copies of the said estimates to the Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, together with a paper noticing the particulars, in which they differ from the estimates of last year.

Virginia.

fo.14.

Leeward Islands, Antigua.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of a private Act of Virginia, relative to the estate of having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed; as was also a John Wormeley, gentleman, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed; as was also a representation to his Majesty, recommending Jeremiah Blizard, Esquire, to be appointed of the Council of Antigua.

Wednesday, January 30th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Lord Greville.

New York, Virginia, North Carolina.

fo.15.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, their lordships took into consideration draughts of general instructions and of those relating to the observance of the laws of trade, prepared pursuant to order for the Governors of New York, Virginia and North Carolina; and the said draughts having been approved, representations to his Majesty thereupon were signed.

Virginia.

Their lordships, upon re-consideration of a private Act of Virginia relative to the estate of John Rootes, Esquire, mentioned in the minutes of the 17th instant, agreed to recommend the said Act for confirmation, and a representation to his Majesty thereupon was accordingly prepared, approved and signed.

Plantations General.

fo.16.

Their lordships took into consideration the memorial of the North American merchants, relative to a bounty on Timber and Staves from the Plantations, mentioned in the minutes of the 23rd instant, and several of the merchants attending, as also Governor Carleton, in order to give his opinion of the utility of such bounty, they were heard in what they had to offer thereupon, and being withdrawn, their lordships directed the Secretary to transmit to the Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury a copy of the said memorial, and of the Board's resolutions on that subject in March last, and to desire he will acquaint their lordships, that this Board continue in opinion, that the granting the bounties proposed in those resolutions will be of national advantage.

Virginia.

A representation to his Majesty, recommending Ralph Wormley, Esquire, to be appointed of the Council of Virginia, in the room of Mr. Blair, who has resigned, was agreed to and signed.

fo.17.

Massachusetts.

Their lordships took into consideration eleven Acts passed in the province of Massachusetts Bay in the years 1768 and 1769, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and a minute was taken for drawing up an article to be inserted in the instructions now preparing for the Governor of that province, forbidding him to assent to any Tax Act of the nature of those annually passed there, unless there be a clause inserted therein, exempting all persons from being taxed for the income and profits arising out of salaries, not payable out of monies granted to his Majesty by Acts of the General Court of the said province.

New Hampshire.

fo.18.

Their lordships also took into consideration eight Acts passed in the province of New Hampshire in 1767, 1768 and 1769, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and having gone thro' the examination of the said Acts, it was ordered, that they should lye by probationary, untill the further effect and operation of them should be known.

Nova Scotia.

Their lordships, upon reconsideration of an Act passed in the province of Nova Scotia in July, 1768, intituled, an Act for taking special bails in the country, upon actions depending in his Majesty's Supream Court of this Province, agreed to lay the said Act before his Majesty, for his Majesty's royal disallowance, as not consonant to the laws of England, and it was accordingly ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon should be prepared.