Journal, September 1780: Volume 87

Journal, September 1780

fo. 169.

Saturday, September 9th. Present:—Earl of Carlisle, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Gibbon, Mr. Stuart.

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

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Lord George Germain, dated Whitehall, September 1st, 1780, inclosing,
A copy of a letter from James Trower, Lewis Burwell, Martin John Grant and William Elphinston, late Assistant Judges of his Majesty's Supreme Court of Judicature for the island of Jamaica, to his Lordship; also a copy of a petition from the said persons to his Majesty.

fo. 170.

And signifying his Majesty's pleasure, that the Board do examine into the whole of the proceeding in the Supreme Court relative to Mr. Harrison, as well as the suspension of the petitioners by Mr. Dalling; and acquainting their lordships, that he would direct copies or extracts of Mr. Dalling's correspondence upon the subject, to be laid before them, for their more compleat information.

The Board thereupon resolved, that when the necessary information should be transmitted, they would proceed to consider the several matters mentioned in the said letter.

Leeward Islands.

fo. 171.

Read a letter from Governor Burt to the Board, dated Antigua, June 13th, 1780, informing their lordships of an alteration in the Bench of the island of Nevis; and that he had been obliged to appoint John Dyer, esquire, to be a member of his Majesty's Council for the island of Montserrat; and transmitting the following Acts and papers, vizt.,
St. Christopher's.
An Act for granting an aid to his Majesty by a duty or tax of twenty shillings current money per poll on all Negroes and other slaves, and the further duty of twenty pounds in the hundred pounds on the yearly value of houses, warehouses, shops and tenements in the several towns within the said island, for repairing the forts and fortifications, for the better support of his Majesty's troops stationed in this island for the defence of the same, and defraying the other public expences of the said island.
Montserrat.
fo. 172.
An Act to lay a poll tax of twenty one shillings upon slaves; lay a tax of seven pounds upon all windmills and watermills, and five pounds upon horse mills; and to tax the houses in the town of Plymouth and places adjacent, in the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds; and fifty pounds upon each and every public billiard table in the said island.
Antigua.
An Act for vending to the inhabitants of this island the provision sent from England by the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, by order of his most sacred Majesty, for securing payment of all monies which shall grow due by the sale of the said provisions, for appointing a time of payment, and for other purposes therein mentioned.
Montserrat.
Minutes of Council of Montserrat, from the 9th October, 1779, to 9th March, 1780, both days included.
Minutes of the House of Assembly of the same island, from 1st October, 1779, to 1st April, 1780. St. Christopher's.
Minutes of the House of Assembly of the island of St. Christopher, from 13th April, 1779, to the 9th September, following.

fo. 173.

The Board thereupon resolved, that whenever any agent for Mr. Dyer should apply for that purpose, a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, recommending him to be of his Majesty's Council for the island of Montserrat.

Africa.

Read a letter from the Secretary of the African Committee to Mr. Cumberland, dated the 6th instant, transmitting,
Copy of a letter from the Governor and Council at Cape Coast Castle, dated the 31st March, 1780; also,
Copy of a letter from Richard Miles, esquire, late Governor, and the late Council, dated Cape Coast Castle, the 2nd April, 1780.

Bahamas.

fo. 174.

Read a letter from Montfort Browne, esquire, to Mr. Elliott, dated the 8th instant, desiring him to inform the Board, that in pursuance of directions from Lord George Germain to Governor Maxwell, he had delivered through the hands of the said Governor to the several members of his Majesty's Council for the Bahamas, the charges by him made against them and Lieutenant Governor Gambier, and inclosing,
An extract of a letter from Lord George Germain to Governor Maxwell, dated 3rd September, 1779.

Barbados.

Mr. Elliott laid before the Board the following public papers and Acts, transmitted from Barbados, vizt.,
List of his Majesty's Council, June 7th, 1780.
Abstracts of Christenings and burials from 1st January to 31st December, 1779.
Treasurer's certificate of new Negroes imported from 6th December, 1779, to 5th June, 1780.
Powder Receiver's account from 14th July, 1779, to April 18th, 1780.
fo. 175
Minutes of Council and Journal of Assembly from 11th May, 1779, to 18th of April, 1780.
Twelve Acts passed in May, July and September, 1779, and in January, February and April, 1780.

Ordered, that the above Acts, together with those transmitted from the Leeward Islands, be sent to Mr. Jackson, for his opinion thereupon.

fo. 176.

Tuesday, September 12th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Gibbon.

Africa.

fo. 177.

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

Read a letter from Lord George Germain to the Board, dated the 4th instant, inclosing a memorial to his Lordship, from Richard Camplin, esquire, late one of the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, setting forth, that in the year 1777 he had been called upon by this Board, to clear up some matters relating to the proceedings of the said Committee, to whom he was then Secretary; which having done, greatly to the public benefit, he was thereupon dismissed from his employment: That, having afterwards been chosen one of the said Committee, he had for three years persisted in his endeavors to detect the frauds committed by the servants of the said Company of Merchants on the coast of Africa, in which he had so far succeeded, that informations had been filed by the Attorney General against several of the delinquents: That his employment in the said Committee having ceased since July last, and he, having suffered by his exertions for the public benefit, he hoped that his Lordship, together with this Board, to whom his services were well known, would recommend him to Treasury, for such relief as he might be thought to deserve; and desiring, that the Board would join his Lordship in recommending him to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, for such relief.

Ordered, that a letter be prepared to Lord George Germain, expressing the readyness of the Board, to concur in recommending Mr. Camplin to their lordships' attention.

fo. 178.

Nova Scotia.

Lord Carlisle laid before the before the Board letter to his Lordship from the Reverend Mr. Bennet, inclosing an authenticated copy of the minutes of Council at Halifax, (to whom the merits of a memorial of the said Reverend Mr. Bennet to this Board was referred), dated 18th November 1778, and requesting his Lordship's consideration of is case.

The Board thereupon think it will be proper, to insert the sum of £212 18s. 10d. Nova Scotia money, as due to Mr. Bennet, in the next estimate to be laid before Parliament, for the civil establishment of that Province; and that a future allowance to him be taken into consideration, when the said estimate is formed.

Leeward Islands, Bahamas.

Ordered, that letters be prepared to Governor Burt and Governor Maxwell, in answer to those received from them.

Miscellanies.

fo. 179 (1).

Mr. Elliott was directed to write to Mr. Todd of the Post Office, desiring him to move the Post Master General, that all letters coming to, or going from, their lordships, and signed by them as directed by the Act of the 4th of his present Majesty, may be free of any postage, as they conceive they are intitled to that privilege, under the said Act, whether in Parliament or not, and that without any limitation of time or weight.

fo. 179 (2).

Saturday, September 23rd. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Sloane, Mr. Gibbon, Mr. L'Anglois.

Miscellanies.

A new Commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the 16th instant, appointing Frederick, Earl of Carlisle, Robert Spencer, esquire, commonly called Lord Robert Spencer, William Eden, Thomas de Grey, Andrew Stuart, Edward Gibbon, Hans Sloane, and Benjamin L'Anglois, 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 Mr. Sloane and Mr. L'Anglois took their seats at the Board.

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

fo. 180.

Africa, Bahamas, Leeward Islands.

Letters to Lord George Germain, Governor Maxwell, and Governor Burt, having been prepared as directed by the minutes of the 12th instant, were approved and ordered to be transcribed.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from Governor Burt, dated the 28th July last, information the Board, that he had been under the necessity of superceding the clerk of the House of Assembly of Saint Christopher's, and that he understood the Assembly meant to controvert his right of appointment to the vacancy, and transmitting,
St. Christpher's.
Minutes of Assembly of the Island of Saint Christopher's from 7th October to 6th March last.
Antigua.
fo. 181.
An Act passed in the Island of Antigua on the 29th February last, intitled, An Act for preventing the practices of slaves vending sugar, rum molasses, and sugar canes; And also for reveiving An Act entitled, An Act for preventing abuses in carrying on the inland trade of this island; regulating the hire and manumission of slaves, and for advertising runaways committed to gaol.

Nevis

Read a letter from Governor Burt, dated 29th July last, informing the Board of some extraodinary charges made against the Bench of Justices and others and in the Island of Nevis, and transmitting,
No. 1. Copy of a letter from the President of the Council, and Speaker of the Assembly of the Island of Nevis, to Mr. Burt.
No. 2. Copy of a petition of the Grand Jury of the said island, to the Council and Assembly.
No. 3. Copy of a report of the Committee of Council and Assembly, relative to the said petition.
No. 4. Copy of a remonstrance and petition of the Council and Assembly to Mr. Burt.

fo. 182.

The Board ordered that the said Act, passed in the Island of Antigua, be referred to Mr. Jackson, for his opinion; and that Governor Burt be informed, in addition to the letter now wrote to him, that as he had transmitted the above papers from Nevis, previous to his calling upon the persons charged therein for a justification of their conduct, the Board cannot from an opinion thereupon, until they are made acquainted with the result of his intended enquiries into the matters alledged; and which they desire he may transmit, with all possible dispatch.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from Governor Bruere, dated 25th March, 1780, transmitting the following papers.
No. 1. Answers of several persons to the charges in the agent's memorial.
No. 2. Copy of a letter Captain Merrick to the clerk of the Committee.
No. 3. Observations of Governor Bruere upon the charges aforesaid.

fo. 183.

The Board resolved that the said papers, and the several matters referred, be taken into consideration at some early opportunity.

Africa.

Read a letter from the Secretary of the Committee of Merchants trading to Africa to Mr. Elliott, transmitting according to the directions of the Board.
No. 1. Copy of a report of a committee appointed to examine the accounts of Mr. Charles Bell.
No. 2. Copy of a report of a committee appointed to examine the accounts of David Mill, esquire.
No. 3. Copy of a report of a committee appointed to examine the accounts of Mr. Thomas Trinder.
No. 4. Copy of minutes of the Committee.
No. 5. Appendix, being copies of papers referred to the foregoing reports.

fo. 184.

Read a letter from Thomas Farr, esquire, one of the African Committee, to Mr. Elliot, acquainting him that as the Secretary of the Committee had thought proper to withhold the protest made by Mr. Manesty and himself, he had inclosed a copy of it to be laid before the Board, and enclosing,
A copy of the said protest.

The Board resolved to consider the said several papers on Saturday, the 30th instant.

Quebec.

Several accounts of shipping, duties, and imports and exports, in the Province of Quebec, and formerly transmitted from thence, were laid before the Board.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 15th instant, referring the petition of James Jones, praying leave to export to Rotterdam, on board the ship Indian Trader, sundry military stores, for the use of ships trading to the Dutch West India Islands.

fo. 185.

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

Miscellanies.

Read a letter from Mr. Todd to Mr. Elliott, in answer to one directed to be wrote to him on the 12th instant, by which it appearing, that doubts had arisen, whether their lordships were individually intitled to the priviledges in question, Mr. Elliott was directed to have a conversation with Mr. Todd upon that subject.

fo. 186.

Saturday, September 30th. Present: — The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Gibbon, Mr. Sloane.

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

Africa.

Read a letter from the Secretary of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa to Mr. Cumberland, inclosing,
Copy of a letter from the Governor and Council to the Committee, dated April last.

fo. 187.

Read a memorial from the Merchants of Bristol trading to Bristol (sic) to the Board, setting forth, "that they had been informed that Mr. John Shoolbread, lately appointed one of the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, had moved in the said Committee, that the proceedings upon several informations, filed against divers persons charged with misapplication of the Parliamentary grants for maintaining and supporting the forts upon that coast, should be suspended"; to which the said Committee, having assented, they conceived was a delay and subversion of public justice; that the said John Shoolbread, being charged as a party in the said informations or some of them, the memorialists apprehend he ought not to have acted as one of the Committee; and charging him with misbehaviour, pray for such redress, as their lordships by the Act of 33 George 2nd, were authorized to afford them.

The Board thereupon resolve, that the said memorial be taken into consideration, together with the other papers upon the same subject, at some other early opportunity.