Journal, August 1780: Volume 87

Journal, August 1780

fo. 150.

Friday, August 11th. Present:—Mr. Eden, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

The minutes of the last Board were read, approved and signed.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated August 9th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Messieurs Simpson and Birkley, for leave to export to Charles Town in South Carolina, on board the ship Eagle, sundry military stores, for the use of vessels fitting out there.

Their lordships being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for in the above petition should be allowed; and the draft of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared thereupon, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 151.

Africa.

Read a letter from Mr. Rutherford, Secretary to the Committee of Merchants trading to Africa, to Mr. Cumberland, dated on the 10th instant, and enclosing a letter from the President of the Chamber of Commerce at Liverpool, to the said Committee, informing them, that by a vessel arrived from Africa, advice was received that the Spaniards were settling the island of Ferdinand Po, which, with that of Annobono, was ceded to them by the Crown of Portugal.

The Board thereupon directed Mr. Elliott to transmit a copy of the said letter to Mr. Knox for the information of Lord George Germain.

fo. 152.

Monday, August 21st. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Gibbon.

Read the minutes of the last Board, which were approved and signed.

St. John's.

The Board resolved to take under their consideration the memorial of John Patterson in behalf of Walter Patterson, esquire, Governor of the Island of St. John's, at the next Board.

Bahama.

Read a letter from William Knox, esquire, to the Secretary, dated Whitehall, August 11th, 1780, enclosing,
A memorial of Messieurs Bradford and Symmer, members of the Council for the Bahama Islands, to Lord George Germain.

fo. 153.

Read a letter from Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, to the Board, dated Whitehall, August 18th, 1780, inclosing,
Copy of a letter from Montfort Browne, esquire, late Governor of the Bahama Islands, to his Lordship, dated Crooms Hill, Greenwich, July 26th, 1780,
and signifying his Majesty's pleasure, that the Board do proceed, with all convenient dispatch, to examine into the charges against the said Governor Browne, as well as those preferred by him against Lieutenant Governor Gambier, and certain members of his Majesty's Council for the Bahama Islands.

Read a memorial of John Gambier, esquire, Lieutenant Governor of the Bahama Islands, to the Board, stating the specific heads of complaint against Governor Browne.

fo. 154.

Read a memorial of Governor Browne, containing charges against Lieutenant Governor Gambier, John Brown, Samuel Gambier, Robert Hunt, Robert Stirling, and Thomas Atwood, esquires, members of the Council for the Bahama Islands.

Read a letter from William Knox, esquire, to the Secretary, dated August 12th, 1780, enclosing,
A memorial of William Collins, esquire, a member of the Council for the Bahama Islands, to Lord George Germain.

Read a letter from Mr. Knox to the Secretary, dated Whitehall, August 18th, 1780, enclosing the following copies and extracts of letters and papers from Governor Browne, Lieutenant Governor Gambier, and others, relating to the charges against the said Governor, together with a list of the same; and also minutes and journals of the Council and Assembly of the Bahama Islands, vizt.,
No. 1. Extract of a letter from Governor Browne, dated Nassau, New Providence, 29th February, 1779.
fo. 155.
No. 2. Extract of a letter from Governor Browne, dated Nassau, New Providence, 29th June, 1779.
No. 3. Extract of a letter from Governor Browne, dated Nassau, New Providence, 29th June, 1779.
No. 4. Copy of a letter from Lieutenant Governor Gambier to Lord George Germain, dated Providence, 31st July, 1779, enclosing,
1. Copy of the complaint and petition of the Lieutenant Governor and Council of the Bahama Islands.
No. 5. Copy of a letter from Governor Browne to Lord George Germain, dated Nassau, New Providence, the 24th of September, 1779.
Bahama.
No. 6. Extract of a letter from Governor Browne to Lord George Germain, dated Nassau, New Providence, November 12th, 1779.
No. 7. Copy of a letter from Mr. Symmer to Lord George Germain, dated New Providence, 13th December, 1779.
No. 8. Copy of a letter from Governor Browne to Lord George Germain, dated New Providence, 15th December, 1779, enclosing,
fo. 156.
1. Copy of a letter from Governor Browne to Lieutenant Governor Gambier, etc., dated Government House, 6th November, 1779.
2. Extracts from the Secretary's Office.
3. Extracts from the Secretary's Office.
No. 9. Copy of a letter from Governor Browne to Lord George Germain, dated Nassau, New Providence, 24th December, 1779, enclosing,
1. Extracts from the minutes of Council and Assembly on the 21st and 22nd of December, 1779.
2. Extracts from ditto.
No. 10. Copy of a letter from Lieutenant Governor Gambier and certain members of the Council for the Bahama Islands to Lord George Germain, dated New Providence, chief of the Bahama Islands, 31st January, 1780, enclosing,
1. Copy of Governor Browne's speech to the members of the Council and General Assembly, dated 21st December, 1779.
2. Resolve of the General Assembly on the 4th of January, 1780.
fo. 157.
3. Copy of Mr. Atwood's declaration at a Council held on the 4th day of January, 1780.
4. Copy of the minutes of Council of the 5th, 6th and 7th of January, 1780.
No. 11. Copy of a letter from Governor Browne to Lord George Germain, dated Nassau, New Providence, 6th February, 1780, enclosing,
1. Copy of a rebel Commission.
2. Resolve of the Council on the 3rd of April, 1780.
3. Copy of an address of the Council and Assembly of the Bahama Islands to John Maxwell, esquire, Governor of the said islands.
[These two papers, transmitted by Mr. Knox, were enclosed in a letter of Governor Maxwell's of the 26th of May, 1780. Governor Browne speaks of them in his letter, but afterwards apologizes for not sending them, as the ship was under way.]
Minutes of Council from the 8th of March to the 10th of May, 1780.
Journal of Council in Assembly from the 21st of March to the 1st of May, 1780.
Journals of the General Assembly from the 21st of March to the 1st of May, 1780.

fo. 158.

Read and considered a report of Mr. Jackson's, upon twelve Acts passed in the Bahama Islands, in March and April, 1780, as mentioned in the minutes of the 15th of the last month.

Ordered, that Mr. Elliott do transmit to Lieutenant Governor Gambier, the charges preferred against him by Governor Browne; and that he be desired to inform the Board, whether he means to be heard by Counsel in support of the complaints against Governor Browne; and in that case, when he will be ready to appear with his proofs, and be heard thereupon. And also, whether he is authorized to appear in behalf of any, and which of the different members of Council, against whom those charges are made by Governor Browne; desiring him to inform the Board, whether he means on his part, to be heard by Counsel, in support of the charges against Lieutenant Governor Gambier.

Ordered, that a representation to his Majesty be prepared, advising the disallowance of an Act passed in the Bahama Islands, entitled; An Act for raising a sum of money, and empowering Commissioners for putting this island in a better state of defence.

fo. 159.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated August 11th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Lane, Son and Frazer, for leave to export to Charles Town in South Carolina, on board the ship Calvert, forty barrels of gunpowder, for the use of the inhabitants of that province.

Their lordships being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and the draft of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared thereupon, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Read two letters from the Secretary of the Customs to the Secretary, dated Custom House, London, July 4th, and the 4th of August, 1780, transmitting,
Ledgers of imports and exports for the years 1773 and 1774.

Senegambia.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Elliott, dated Treasury Chambers, 3rd of August, 1780, referring to the consideration of this Board,
The accounts of Governor O'Hara.

fo. 160.

Ordered, that Mr. Elliott do write to Mr. Robinson, and acquaint him, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, that as it does not appear to the Board, that the said accounts contain any new matter, and that what occurred to them thereupon was fully communicated to the Lords of the Treasury at a conference on the 14th day of November, 1776; as was observed in Mr. Elliott's letter to Mr. Robinson of the 1st of June, they cannot form any other judgment or opinion thereupon.

Jamaica.

Mr. Elliott laid before the Board the following journals of Assembly of the Island of Jamaica, together with the undermentioned Acts passed in the said island in April, 1780.
Copy of the Journal of the Assembly from August 17th, 1779, to December the 23rd, following.
Copy of the Journal of the Council in Assembly from the 10th to the 21st of April, 1780.
Copy of the Journal of Assembly from the 11th to the 21st of April, 1780.
fo. 161.
An Act for granting an additional subsistence to his Majesty's eighty eighth Regiment of Foot, quartered in this island.
An Act to entitle Bryan Mackey, a free quadroon, the reputed son of William Mackey, esquire, to the same rights and privileges with English subjects, under certain restrictions.
An Act to entitle Johannah Gaul of the parish of St. Thomas in the East in this island, a free Mulatto woman, and her several children, and grandchildren, named John McDermit, James McDermit, Charles McDermit, Jannet McDermit, Agness Johannah Troup, and Elizabeth McDermit, to the same rights and privileges with English subjects, under certain restrictions.

Ordered, that the said Acts be referred to Mr. Jackson, for his opinion thereupon.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Elliott of this date, transmitting,
fo. 162.
A memorial of Messieurs Watson and Rashleigh to the Lords of the Treasury, stating that in a former memorial of the 18th of November last, they had shewn, that the Province of Nova Scotia had demanded ten pence per gallon, on thirty two thousand, two hundred and forty four gallons of West India rum, imported into the Province by them. That in consequence thereof, their lordships referred the consideration of their said memorial to this Board, who wrote to the Lieutenant Governor on the 20th of January following to report thereupon. Since which the memorialists have received no further satisfaction, they therefore humbly solicit a reconsideration of their former memorial: That their papers may be called for from the Board of Trade, together with Sir Richard Hughes's letter in answer to that of their lordships; and upon a due consideration, to grant that speedy relief, their singular case seems to demand.

fo. 163.

Ordered, that Mr. Elliott do write to Mr. Robinson, and acquaint him, for the information of the Lords of the Treasury, that the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, having sent the Board a defective return of the imports required by their letter of the 15th of December last, of which an extract had been sent to Mr. Robinson, in Mr. Cumberland's letter of the 10th of January; they had been obliged to write to him again on that head, and that it was not possible for them to have received an answer from him, and therefore their lordships could not at present form any opinion upon the subject matter of the said memorial.

fo. 164.

Thursday, August 31st. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Eden, Mr. de Grey.

Read the minutes of the last Board, which were approved and signed.

Bahama, Senegambia, Nova Scotia.

Mr. Elliott informed the Board, that he had wrote to Governor Browne, Lieutenant Governor Gambier, and Mr. Robinson, as directed by the minutes of the last Board.

Bahama.

The draft of a representation to his Majesty, being prepared pursuant to order of the 21st instant, on an Act passed in the Bahama Islands, intitled, An Act for raising a sum of money, and empowering Commissioners for putting this island in a better state of defence, was read, approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 165.

Read a letter from Montfort Browne, esquire, to Mr. Elliott, dated Crooms Hill, Greenwich, August 28th, 1780, in answer to his of the 22nd instant, stating, that he was ready at any day the Board should appoint, to appear to defend the accusations preferred against him by Lieutenant Governor Gambier, and certain members, late of his Majesty's Council for the Bahama Islands; but if they meant to support their charges by counsel, that he would wish to have time to be provided also, and that with respect to his charges against them, he was equally prepared.

Read a letter from Lieutenant Governor Gambier to Mr. Elliott, dated August 28th, 1780, in answer to his of the 22nd instant, stating his wish to be heard by counsel, and that the hearing might be deferred till the latter end of October or the beginning of November; and that, with respect to any complaint Governor Browne had against him, he was ready to appear in his own justification, on any day their lordships should please to appoint, and doubted not, but that the other members of Council would be equally ready.

fo. 166.

Ordered, that Mr. Elliott do write to Governor Browne and Lieutenant Governor Gambier, and inform them, that the Board will, on the first Thursday in November next, be ready to hear the charges against Mr. Browne, and also the charges preferred by him against the said Lieutenant Governor, and certain members of his Majesty's Council of the Bahama Islands, so far as relates to the said Lieutenant Governor.

Africa.

Ordered, that Mr. Elliott do write to the Secretary of the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, and desire, that the said Committee do lay before this Board, an account of their proceedings since the 1st of January last, respecting the accounts of their servants upon the coast of Africa; and of the steps that have been taken on their part therein.

Leeward Islands.

The Board determined to take into consideration the present state of the Virgin Islands, whenever the ill state of health of Mr. Jackson will admit of his attendance thereupon.

fo. 167.

Trade.

Read the three following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, vizt:—
Order, dated August 25th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Joseph Skegg, for leave to export to Flushing, on board the ship John and Mary, sundry military stores, for the use of three English privateers now lying there.
Order, dated August 30th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Robert Sinclair, for leave to export to Cork, on board the ship Mary, sundry military stores, for the use of arming vessels at that place.
Order, dated August 30th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Messieurs Bright, Baillie and Bright, for leave to export to his Majesty's West India Islands, on board the ship Renown, sundry military stores, for the use of private ships of war.

fo. 168.

Their lordships, being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for in the abovementioned petitions should be allowed; and the drafts of three reports to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared thereupon, were approved, transcribed and signed.

St. John's.

The Board were pleased to postpone the consideration of Mr. Patterson's memorial.

Newfoundland.

Read a memorial of Major Griffith Williams of the Royal Artillery, praying a representation from their lordships to the King for a confirmation of three different grants of land in Newfoundland.

Ordered, that Mr. Elliott do acquaint Major Williams, that their lordships, however willing and desirous to comply with the request of his memorial, it will not be possible to proceed therein, until he can furnish the particulars of the allotments held by him in Newfoundland, and advising him to lay those particulars before the Board as soon as possible.