Journal, November 1779: Volume 86

Journal, November 1779

fo. 221.

Friday, November 12th. Present:—Mr. Eden, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Gibbon.

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

Bahama.

Read a letter from John Gambier, esquire, Lieutenant Governor of the Bahama Islands, to the Board, dated Providence, July 8th, 1779, stating, that in consequence of a memorial received from Captain John Grant, Commandant of his Majesty's troops in garrison in the Bahama Islands, complaining of the conduct of Montfort Browne, esquire, he had thought it his duty to acquaint their lordships therewith, and to transmit a copy of the said memorial, together with two other papers relative thereto, vizt.,
fo. 222.
Copy of the memorial of John Grant, Commandant commanding the detachment of his Majesty's garrison batallion in garrison in the Island of New Providence, to the Honourable John Gambier, Lieutenant Governor of the Bahama Islands.
Copy of the depositions of Alexander Rio, and Alexander Chisholme, two Lieutenants of the garrison batallion doing duty in New Providence, dated July 12th, 1779.
Copy of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton to Lieutenant Governor Gambier, dated New York, November 12th, 1778, acquainting the Lieutenant Governor, that he had ordered a detachment of Major Sutherland's garrison batallion under the command of Captain Grant, to embark for New Providence for the defence of the Bahama Islands.

fo. 223.

Leeward Islands, Antigua.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing that John Laforey, esquire, may be appointed of the Council for the Island of Antigua, was prepared, approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Read the following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, vizt.,
Order dated November 1st, 1779, referring to this Board, the petition of the Carron Company, praying leave to export to Jamaica, on board the ship Withywood, sundry ordnance and stores, for the use of ships fitting out in that island.
Order dated November 9th, 1779, referring the petition of Messieurs Hooker and Company, praying leave to export to the East Indies, on board each ship in the service of the East India Company, five barrels of gunpowder, for the private trade of the officers.

fo. 224.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the two foregoing petitions, were of opinion, that the exportation therein prayed for should be allowed; and the draughts of two reports to the Lords of the Privy Council thereupon, having been prepared, were approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following paper received from Mr. Rowe of the Treasury, vizt.,
An account of all goods imported into and exported from Scotland, in the year ended the 5th of January, 1779.

fo. 225.

Wednesday, November 17th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. de Grey. Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

Miscellanies.

A new Commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the 15th instant, appointing Frederick. Earl of Carlisle, Soame Jenyns, esquire, Robert Spencer, commonly called Lord Robert Spencer, the Honourable Charles Greville, William Eden. Thomas de Grey Andrew Stuart and Edward Gibbon, esquires, to be his Majesty's Commissioners for promoting the Trade of this kingdom, and for inspecting and improving his Majesty's Colonies in America and elsewhere, was opened and read: and the Earl of Carlisle and Mr. Stuart took their seats at the Board.

fo. 226.

Nova Scotia, Jamaica.

Their lordships read and considered seventeen Acts passed in the Province of Nova Scotia in June, 1779; and also twenty four Acts passed in the Island of Jamaica in December, 1778, together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon.

Nova Scotia.

Ordered, that two of the Acts beforementioned, passed in the Province of Nova Scotia, vizt., the Act for securing the estates of persons who have joined in rebellion, and the Act for laying a duty on tonnage and poundage on ressels coming into the harbour of Halifax, be reconsidered at next meeting, and that Mr. Jackson be desired to attend.

Trade.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Cumberland, dated November 10th, 1779, transmitting, by direction of the Lords of the Treasury, the following paper, and desiring that it may be laid before the Lords of Trade, for their opinion what may be fit to be done therein, vizt.,
fo. 227.
Copy of a report of the Commissioners of the Customs to the Lords of his Majesty's Treasury, on a petition of Samuel Courtauld, praying leave to import the remainder of a cargo of turpentine from Bourdeaux.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Mr. Robinson, in answer to the letter beforementioned, and acquaint him, for the information of the Lords of the Treasury, with the opinion of this Board upon the report therein transmitted.

fo. 228.

Wednesday, November 24th. Present:—Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Eden, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

Nova Scotia.

fo. 229.

Their lordships, pursuant to the resolution of the 17th instant, took into their further consideration the following Acts passed in the Province of Nova Scotia in June, 1779, vizt., an Act intituled an Act for the more effectual securing all the goods, chattels, lands and tenements belonging to such persons who have deserted this province to join his Majesty's rebellious subjects in other colonies; and an Act intituled an Act for laying an additional duty on the tonnage of vessels coming into the harbour of Halifax; and Mr. Jackson attending as desired, their lordships had some discourse with him on the said Acts; after which it was ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia should be prepared, acquainting him with the objection which occurred to their lordships, against a clause in the first of the said Acts, which renders void deeds and sales of land by persons who have deserted or shall desert the province, within three months before their desertion.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from William Mathew Burt, esquire, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated St. Christopher's, June 15th, 1779, transmitting the following publick papers, vizt.,
Antigua.
Minutes of Council of the Island of Antigua, from October 1st, 1778, to April 1st, 1779, exclusive.
Three Acts passed in the Island of Antigua in March and April, 1779.
Two Acts passed in the Island of Montserrat in March, 1779.

Montserrat.

fo. 230.

Antigua.

Read a letter from William Mathew Burt, esquire, to the Board, dated Antigua, September 26th, 1779, transmitting the following publick papers, with his observations thereon, and acquainting their lordships with the death of James Athill, esquire, one of the Council of Antigua, and that he intends to call up Lockhart Russell, esquire, to that Board; and desiring that Mr. Jeffreson, whom he had appointed to be of the said Council in the room of Otto Bayer, esquire, deceased, together with Mr. Russell, may be recommended to his Majesty, permitting Mr. Jeffreson's mandamus to have the priority of date to Mr. Russell's. The papers transmitted with his letter are, vizt.,
Two Acts passed in the Island of Antigua in May and July, 1779.
Nevis.
One Act passed in the Island of Nevis in May, 1779.
Nevis.
fo. 231.
St. Christopher's.
Minutes of Assembly of the Island of St. Christopher from the 1st of October, 1778, to the 25th March, 1779, inclusive.
Four Acts passed in the Island of St. Christopher in June, July and August, 1779.

Antigua.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Sir Grey Cooper, transmitting to him, for the information of the Lords of the Treasury, an extract of so much of the Act passed in the Island of Antigua in July, 1779, for enabling persons therein named to borrow a sum of money by bills on the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, etc., as more immediately concerns that Department; and desiring that he will move their lordships of the Treasury for their advice upon the measure.

Ordered, that the Acts beforementioned, excepting the last recited Act, be sent to Mr. Jackson, for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Leeward Islands.

fo. 232.

The draught of a letter to William Mathew Burt, esquire, respecting councillors in the Leeward Islands, having been prepared pursuant to order of the 6th of August last, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Plantataions General.

Their lordships being informed by the Secretary, that Mr. Hodgson had requested that a day might be appointed for hearing him by his counsel, agreable to the minute of the 1st of July last, the Board was pleased to appoint Thursday, the 9th of December next, for that purpose, and the Secretary was desired to acquaint Mr. Hodgson therewith, and also to give notice to Mr. Robert White, of the day appointed for the said hearing.

Trade.

The Secretary informed their lordships, that in pursuance of the minute of the 17th instant, he had on the 19th, written to Mr. Robinson on the subject of the petition of Mr. Courtauld.

fo. 233.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of his Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, dated the 18th of November, 1779, referring to this Board for their examination and report, an account of sundry goods of the growth, product or manufacture of Great Britain, as also of other goods and merchandize exported from the Port of London for account of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies. between the 29th of September, 1778, and the 29th of September, 1779.

Read the following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, vizt.,
Order dated November 16th, 1779, referring the petition of John Ingram, praying leave to export to Bermuda, on board the ship Betsy, sundry ordnance and stores, for the use of privateers.
Order dated November 19th, 1779, referring the petition of Jukes Coulson, praying leave to export to Lisbon, on board the ship Nuestra Senhora de Madre de Dios, ordnance and stores, for the use of a Brazil ship.
fo. 234.
Order dated November 19th, 1779, referring the petition of Charles and Edward Hague, praying leave to export to Flushing, on board the ship Success, sundry ordnance therein mentioned, for the use of ships employed in the Guinea trade.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the three foregoing petitions, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and the draughts of reports to the Lords of the Privy Council thereupon, having been prepared, were approved, transcribed and signed.

Antigua.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing that Robert Jeffreson, esquire, may be appointed one of the Council for the Island of Antigua, should be prepared.