Journal, March 1777: Volume 84

Journal, March 1777

Tuesday, March 4th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Trade.

fo. 62.

Read a letter from Matthew Lewis, esquire, to Mr. Cumberland, dated War Office, 27th of February, 1777, relative to the recruits recommended by the Board to be taken out in the trading ships bound to Quebec with stores for the Indians, and transmitting, by direction of the Secretary at War, to be laid before this Board,
Copy of a letter from Lord Barrington to Mr. Robinson, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, dated 22nd of February, 1777, relative to the parties intended to be sent out to Canada this spring.
Copy of Mr. Robinson's letter to Lord Barrington in answer thereto, dated February 25th, 1777.

Trade.

fo. 63.

The Secretary acquainted the Board, that Mr. Watson, one of the merchants trading to Canada, whose petition is mentioned in the minutes of the 4th of last month, had obtained fifty recruits to go on board his ship the St. Lawrence, in which the lady of the Brunswick General was to take her passage.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 26th of February, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of James Montgomery, praying leave to export to the Mosqueto Shore certain military stores, therein mentioned, for the Indian trade.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the foregoing petition, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and the draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council thereupon having been prepared accordingly, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 64.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 24th of February, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Messrs. Murray, Sanson and Company, praying leave to export to Montreal, for the Indian trade, on board the ship New Adventure, forty quintals of musquet ball and forty Indian fuzees.

Mr. Sanson, one of the petitioners, attending, was called in, and their lordships having entered into an examination of such points as they thought necessary, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed: and the draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council having been prepared accordingly, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 65.

Mr. Lowes, one of the Carron Company, whose petition is mentioned in the minutes of the 18th of last month, attending, was called in, and made a proposal on behalf of the said Company, for chartering a ship for conveyance of their ordnance stores to Ferrol, and submitting whether their lordships would be satisfied with the burthen and force of the said ship as proposed.

Their lordships approving of the same, recommended to the petitioner to prepare and present a memorial accordingly.

Newfoundland.

Read a memorial of William Thomas, merchant of Poole, to the Board, praying, that he may be protected in his occupations upon the two rivers at the bottom of Hawkes Bay on the Coast of Labrador, for the purpose of carrying on the salmon fishery.

fo. 66.

Mr. Mauger attending on behalf of the petitioner, was called in and acquainted, that a letter of the same nature as that of the Earl of Dartmouth's of the 9th of March, 1773, would, upon his application to the Secretary of State, be sent to the Governor of Newfoundland.

Trade.

Read a letter from Wyndham Beawes, esquire, his Majesty's Consul at St. Lucar, to the Board, dated the 7th of February, 1777, transmitting,
A list of ships arrived at St. Lucar from the 1st of January to the 31st of December, 1776, with an account of their loadings and reloadings.

East Florida.

fo. 67.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the address and petition of several refugees from the rebellious provinces, now in East Florida, mentioned in the minutes of the 28th of January last, having been prepared pursuant to order, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary having acquainted the Board, that Mr. Davies, a clerk in their lordships' office, whom he had found it necessary to suspend since the 1st of January last for neglect of duty, pursuant to a minute of the Board of the 23rd of July, 1764, attended and prayed to be restored to his place, he was called in, and their lordships having reprimanded him for his conduct, were pleased to allow of his resuming his place upon his promising a diligent attention to the duties of his employment in future.

fo. 68.

Tuesday, March 11th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

East Florida.

A representation to his Majesty upon the address and petition of several refugees from the rebellious provinces now in East Florida, having been transcribed pursuant to order, was signed.

Trade.

fo. 69.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 5th of March, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Henry Wildman, praying leave to export to the Island of Jamaica, on board the ship Savanna La Mar, certain military stores, therein mentioned, for the use of the inhabitants of the said island.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated March 8th, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Messrs. Isaac and Benjamin Lester of Poole, merchants, in behalf of themselves and other merchants concerned in the Newfoundland fishery, praying leave to export a quantity of military stores to the coast of Newfoundland, on board their ships employed in that trade, for the use of the fishermen.

fo. 70.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the two foregoing petitions, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and it was ordered, that draughts of reports to the Lords of the Privy Council thereupon should be prepared accordingly.

Dominica.

fo. 71.

The Secretary laid before the Board an Act passed in the Island of Dominica in November, 1776, intituled, an Act for laying certain duties on all bottled and other liquors therein particularly named imported into this island on which no duty has been already laid by an Act of this island, intituled, an Act for laying certain duties on goods, wares and merchandize to be imported into this island not being of the growth, produce or manufacture of Great Britain, and for applying the same towards erecting and supporting a publick hospital; together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon; as also a paper transmitted by the Governor of Dominica, intituled, Reasons for passing the above Act; and it was ordered that the draught of a letter to the Governor of Dominica upon the said Act should be prepared.

Leeward Islands, Antigua, Nevis.

fo. 72.

Their lordships took into consideration six Acts passed in the Island of Antigua in December, 1775, and March and April, 1776; as also two Acts passed in the Island of Nevis in April, 1776, together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon, and it was ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor of the Leeward Islands should be prepared upon the Act of Antigua, to alter and amend an Act for regulating the militia, and likewise upon the Nevis Act, for granting an aid unto his Majesty by a duty or tax of five shillings per poll on the negroes and other slaves belonging to the inhabitants, etc.

Barbados, Grenada.

Their lordships also took into consideration four Acts passed in the Island of Barbados in 1775 and 1776; and one Act passed in the Island of Grenada in February, 1776, for raising a sum of money on the inhabitants of Carriacou, together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon.

Africa.

fo. 73.

Mr. Gascoyne acquainted the Board with the progress made in the African business, and their lordships determined to take up the consideration of the report to be made to the House of Commons thereupon on Tuesday next.

Tuesday, March 18th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Trade.

fo. 74.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 11th of March, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Samuel Scott, praying leave to export to Barbados, on board the ship George, one hundred barrels of gunpowder, for the use of his Majesty's fort in the said island.

Mr. Scott attending was called in, and their lordships having entered into an examination of such points as they thought necessary, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and it was ordered that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council should be prepared accordingly.

fo. 75.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 11th of March, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Peter Hodgson, for leave to export to the Province of Quebec, on board the ship Glasgow, or any other ship that may offer, one hundred and thirteen Canada musquets and two pair of pistols.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the above petition, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and the draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council having been prepared accordingly, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 76.

Leeward Islands, Nova Scotia.

Draughts of reports to the Lords of the Privy Council upon the petitions of Henry Wildman, and of Messrs. Isaac and Benjamin Lester having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the last Board, were approved, transcribed and signed.

The draught of a letter to the Governor of the Leeward Islands upon an Act of Antigua to alter and amend an Act for regulating the militia; and likewise upon an Act passed in the Island of Nevis for granting an aid unto his Majesty by a duty or tax of five shillings per poll on the negroes and other slaves belonging to the inhabitants, etc., having been prepared pursuant to order, was agreed to, transcribed and signed; as was also the draught of a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia upon the memorial of Mr. Arthur Gould, Register General of the said province, mentioned in the minutes of the 25th of last month.

fo. 77.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mariot Arbuthnot, esquire, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, to Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, dated January 1st, 1777, transmitting,
Minutes of the proceedings of his Majesty's Council from the 12th of July to the 13th of August, 1776.
List of the members of the Council.
Estimate for supporting and maintaining the civil establishment of Nova Scotia for the year 1777.

Dominica.

fo. 78.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated the 11th of March, 1777, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report to the said Committee, a petition of Brouno Largarite, a free mulatto man, late of the town of Roseau in the Island of Dominica, to his Majesty, praying, for the reasons therein contained, that he may, in behalf of himself and others, be heard by counsel against an Act passed in that island in September, 1774, for regulating the manumission of slaves, etc.

The petitioner attending was called in and acquainted, that their lordships would be ready to hear him, by his counsel, upon the Act mentioned in his petition on Tuesday, the 8th of April; and it was ordered, that notice thereof should be given to the agent for the Island of Dominica; as also to Mr. Jackson, desiring the favour of his attendance on that day.

fo. 79.

Grenada.

The Secretary laid before the Board the copy of a letter from Lord Macartney, Governor of Grenada, to Lord George Germain, dated the 25th of November, 1776, transmitting two Acts, the one for opening and establishing a great road across the island, and the other to establish regular markets, etc., recommending the allowance of the said Acts, and stating his reasons for assenting to the Market Act.

Africa.

fo. 80.

The Secretary read to the Board the proceedings of the Lords, who undertook to prepare information for the report to be made to the House of Commons upon the general state of the trade to Africa, at their several meetings of the 14th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 24th and 27th of last month and 3rd instant, which proceedings may be seen at length in appendix to this journal, page 126, and it was agreed to proceed further in this business on Tuesday next.

Ordered, that the Secretary of the African Committee do lay before this Board an account of the number of slaves exported from the Gold Coast of Africa in the year 1775.

Tuesday, March 25th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

East Florida.

fo. 81.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attended and acquainted the Board, that it was his Majesty's pleasure, that their lordships should consider of and prepare the draught of an additional instruction to the Governor of the Province of East Florida, impowering him to grant lands in that province, under certain conditions, to several persons, late of Georgia, who have taken refuge in East Florida from the persecution of the rebels, and to others well affected to Government, who shall resort thither to settle.

The draught of an additional instruction having been prepared accordingly, was approved, and a representation to his Majesty accompanying the same was signed.

fo. 82.

Quebec.

Their lordships took into consideration the state of his Majesty's Council in the Province of Quebec, and, there being two vacancies, a representation to his Majesty, recommending that William Grant, esquire, of St. Roe in the Province of Quebec, lately deputed to officiate there as Receiver General of his Majesty's Revenues, may be appointed of the Council in the said province, was agreed to and signed.

fo. 83.

Read an Order of the King in Council, dated March 19th, 1777, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of Henry Caldwell of Lauzon in the Province of Quebec, praying, for the reasons therein contained, that his Majesty will be graciously pleased to direct a grant to be made to him and his heirs of an exclusive privilege to establish a ferry between the petitioner's seigneurie to the opposite shore upon his providing sufficient boats for the same, and passing over people, etc. at the accustomed rates.

Ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor of Quebec be prepared, inclosing a copy of the above Order of Council and petition, and desiring his report, whether any or what local objections there may be against his Majesty's complying with Mr. Caldwell's request, and signifying that their lordships had recommended Mr. Grant, lately deputed to officiate as Receiver General of his Majesty's Revenues in Quebec, to be of the Council in the said province.

fo. 84.

Trade.

Read a letter from Monsieur De Gentilly to the Board, respecting a new discovery made by him for dyeing of woollen cloth in purple, marone and deep blue.

St. Vincent's.

Read a letter from Mr. Knox to Mr. Cumberland, dated March 13th, 1777, transmitting, by direction of Lord George Germain,
Copy of a letter from Valentine Morris, esquire, Governor of St. Vincent, to Lord George Germain, dated the 4th of December, 1776, respecting the want of a sufficient number of councillors to carry on the publick business, and recommending three gentlemen to supply vacancies.

fo. 85.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing that John Collins and Thomas Ottley, esquires, may be appointed of the Council in St. Vincent's, having been prepared, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated March 19th, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of William Robertson of Mahon in the Island of Minorca, praying leave to export to the said island, on board the ship Elizabeth, sundry iron cannon and swivels, for the defence of ships trading to the Mediterranean seas.

The petitioner attending, was called in and acquainted, that the exportation prayed for could not be allowed.

fo. 86.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 19th of March, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of John Ingram, praying leave to export to Pensacola in West Florida, on board the ship Juno, sundry military stores therein specified, for trade in that province.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 24th of March, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Thomas McCord of the city of Montreal in the Province of Quebec, praying leave to export to the said province, on board the ship Mary, sundry military stores therein mentioned for trade.

fo. 87.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the two foregoing petitions, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and draughts of reports to the Lords of the Privy Council thereupon having been prepared, were agreed to, transcribed and signed; as was also a report to the Lords of the Privy Council upon the petition of Mr. Scott, mentioned in the minutes of the 18th instant.

Dominica.

fo. 88.

The Secretary acquainted the Board, that the agent for the Island of Dominica had requested him to move their lordships for a copy of the petition of Brouno Largarite, praying to be heard by counsel against an Act passed in that island in September, 1774, for regulating the manumission of slaves, etc. and also for a copy of the said Act, mentioned in the minutes of the 18th instant.

Ordered, that copies of the aforementioned petition and Act be made and delivered to the agent.

Africa.

Read a letter from Henry Garnett, esquire, Master of Merchants' Hall, Bristol, to Mr. Cumberland, dated March 19th, 1777, in answer to a letter from him of the 13th of last month, requesting their opinion of the general state of the trade to Africa.

Read a letter from William How, esquire, to Mr. Cumberland, dated Custom House, the 22nd of March, 1777, transmitting,
fo. 89.
(fn. 1) An account of ships cleared out of and belonging to the Port of Bristol for Africa, from the year 1750 to the year 1776, both inclusive, distinguishing each year.
A list of vessels that have sailed from the Port of Liverpool for Africa from the year 1750 to the year 1776.

The draught of a report to the House of Commons upon the general state of the trade to Africa, etc., was read and ordered to be transcribed.

Ordered, that the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa be desired to attend the Board on Tuesday, the 8th of April.