Journal, September 1704: Journal Book I

Journal, September 1704

September 12, Present:—Lord Dartmouth, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Pollexfen, Mr. Prior.

Nevis.

Copy of an Order of Council approving Mr. Johnson to be Lieutenant Governour.

A copy of an Order of Councill of the 6th instant upon a representation of this Board of the 25th of the last month [fo. 115] proposing Colonel John Johnson to be Lieutenant Governour of Nevis, approving the same, was read.

Bermuda.

Memorandum about the instruction in lieu of the Habeas Corpus Act.

A memorandum upon a representation [fo. 115, 96] of the 17th of the last month, with an instruction to Colonel Bennet in lieu of an Habeas Corpus Act signifying that her Majesty has not thought fit to give any order therein, was read.

Jamaica.

Letter from Mr. Harley with a, memorial from the Danish Envoy for reclaiming some Danish vessells.

A letter from Mr. Secretary Harley of the 5th instant, refering to this Board a memorial from the Envoy of Denmark relating to some Danish vessells condemned at Jamaica and Barbados, was read, and an answer thereunto agreed upon and signed.

New Yorke.

Attorney General's report upon Act relating to Bayard and Hutchins.

Mr. Attorney General's report [fo. 113, 140] upon an Act past at New Yorke declareing the illegality of the proceedings against Colonel Nicholas Bayard and Alderman John Hutchins for pretended high treason, and for reversing and making null and voyd the said judgment and all proceedings thereupon, which was sent him the 24th of the last month, was read, and thereupon ordered that a copy of the said report be sent to the Lord Cornbury that he endeavour to get a clause for indemnifying such persons as have acted in those proceedings, added to that Act, according to Mr. Attorney General's foresaid report.

Surinam.

Two letters from Mr. Clifford.

Two letters from Mr. Jeronomy Clifford [fo. 73, 118] of the 28th of July and 12th instant were read.

Surinam.

Order of Council upon Clifford's petition desiring a dispatch in his accounts.

Letter thereupon to the persons to whom the said accounts are refer'd.

An Order of Councill [fo. 117] of the 6th instant refering to this Board the petition of Mr. Jeronomy Clifford, setting forth the delays he met with from the persons to whom the examination of his accounts is refer'd, and directing their lordships to recommend to the said persons the hastening their report, was read; whereupon directions were given [v. infra.] for preparing a letter to Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Gardner and Mr. Oosterland accordingly.

September 13. Present:—Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Pollexfen, Mr. Prior.

Plantations General.

Letter from Mr. Dummer about the Prince Packet-boat.

A letter from Mr. Dummer giving an account of the proceedings of the Prince packet boat to and from the West Indies, was read.

Surinam.

Letter to the merchants who have Clifford's accounts, for dispatch.

A letter to Mr. Samuel Shepherd [fo. 129], Mr. John Gardner and Mr. Jacob Oosterland, as ordered in yesterday's minutes [v. supra.] relating to Mr. Clifford, was signed.

Barbados.

Publick proceedings under consideration.

Then their lordships took into consideration the minutes of Councill and journals of the Assembly of Barbados [fo. 120] and read the journal of the Assembly from the 27th of October, 1702, to the 8th of June, 1703.

September 14. Present:—Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Pollexfen, Mr. Prior.

Jamaica.

Letter from Mr. Secretary Harley about the soldiers' hardships.

A letter from Mr. Secretary Harley [fo. 130] of the 12th instant relating to the hardships the forces at Jamaica labour under, was read; whereupon ordered that what has been already done upon that subject be looked out and laid before the Board to-morrow [H. fo. 426 &c.].

Barbados.

Merchants' memorial about convoys.

A memorial from several merchants and planters of Barbados [fo. 121] desiring a convoy for that island in October next, was read; and thereupon ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Bridges [fo. 121] to desire to know what number of ships will be ready at that time to saile to Barbados.

Barbados.

African Company's memorial about convoys.

A memorial from the Royal African Company [fo. 121], desiring that two convoys a year may be appointed for Barbados, and the Leeward Islands, was read.

Trade.

Canary merchants' memorial about hard-ships received in those islands.

Letter to Mr. Pouldon &c. thereupon.

A reference from Mr. Secretary Harley upon the petition of several merchants trading to the Canary Islands, relating to hardships they had received there from Mr. Pouldon and others, being presented to the Board by Mr. Samuel Swan and other complainants, was read; and thereupon ordered that a letter be writ to the said Pouldon and those concerned with him, that they attend the Board on Thursday next [fo. 124], and these gentlemen were desired to attend at the same time.

Virginia.

Copy of an Order of Councill for Dudley Diggs to be Counsellour.

Copy of an Order of Councill of the 23rd of February last, upon a representation of the 16th of the same month [H. fo. 408] for constituting Colonel Dudley Diggs a counsellour in Virginia, approving the same, was read.

Order of Council on the representation about Virginia Bills.

An Order of Councill of the 6th instant upon a representation of the 25th of the last month [fo. 114] relating to a body of Virginia Bills, approving the same, was read.

Barbados.

Journals of Assembly under consideration.

Then their lordships proceeded in considering the journals of the Assembly of Barbados [fo. 119, 121] and read those from the 8th of June to the 3rd of August, and from the 31st of August to the 2nd of November, 1703.

September 19. Present:—Lord Dartmouth, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Prior.

Barbados.

Letter from Mr. Holder about convoy.

A letter from Mr. Holder of the 15th instant, in answer to one writ to Mr. Bridges the 14th ditto [fo. 119], desiring to know what number of ships would be ready to saile for Barbados in October next was read.

The memorials about convoys read a second time.

Letter to Mr. Bridges thereupon.

The memorial from several merchants and planters of Barbados [fo. 119, 120] as also the memorial of the Royal African Company, relating to convoys appointed for that island, mentioned in the last minutes were again read; whereupon ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Bridges and Mr. Holder [fo. 122] to desire them together with the rest of the gentlemen concerned, to attend the Board to-morrow morning upon that matter.

Journals of Assembly under consideration.

Then their lordships proceeded further in the consideration of the journals of the Assembly of Barbados [fo. 120. 124], and read those from the 2nd November, 1703, to the 16th of March, 170¾, and from the 8th of February, 1703, to the 16th of May, 1704.

Barbados.

Letter from Sir Beville Granville with minutes of Councill.

Letter from Sir Bevill Granville, Governor of Barbados, to the Board dated the 2nd of July last, together with the minutes of Councill from the 26th of May, 1704, to the 27th of June, 1704, therein refer'd to, were laid before their lordships and read.

September 20. Present:—Lord Dartmouth, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Prior.

Barbados.

Merchants and the Governour of the Royal African Company about convoys.

Mr. Holder [fo. 121, 123] with several Barbados merchants as also the Governour of the Royal African Company attending upon the subjects of their late memorials relating to convoys for Barbados, and being asked several questions upon that subject, their answer in substance was as follows:—That 26 out of 37 of their ships having been taken this year by the French, it was absolutely necessary to send another fleet with goods, utensills &c. for the supply of that island. That they should have by the end of October 12 ships certain which would be ready to saile for that island. But if they could be assured of convoy there would be more than 20, besides several others that would take that opportunity of sailing to the Leeward Islands. That whatever the number of ships may be that shall now go out, double that number, by the addition of other ships from other plantations will return with the convoy that was now desired, which they prayed might be one 4th and one 6th rate. That the fleet now intended for Barbados be allowed to stay but 70 days after their arrival there, and that then two of the guard ships now there, do come away as convoys to the homeward bound fleet, and the two now desired remain in their stead. They added that it was absolutely necessary for the good of that island that two convoys be annually sent thither. They further said that they expected a fleet of 40 ships from thence in November next, and that they designed to make their application at the Admiralty for cruizers to meet them about the mouth of the Channell.

Barbados.

Representation about convoys.

After these gentlemen were withdrawn [fo. 122, 128] their lordships drew up and signed a representation thereupon.

September 21. Present:—Lord Dartmouth, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Prior.

Barbados.

Minutes of Council under consideration.

Their lordships proceeded in the consideration of the minutes of Councill of Barbados [fo. 121] and read those from the 5th October to the 21st of December, 1703, from the 18th of January, 170¾, to the 8th of April following, and from the 28th of April to the 16th of May, 1704.

Trade.

Canary merchants.

Mr. Raworth attending [fo. 120, 125] and desiring copies of the papers annexed to the petition of the Canary merchants mentioned in the minutes of the 14th instant, and further time to answer the same, their lordships ordered that copies be given him accordingly, and appointed Tuesday next for receiving his answer. And the gentlemen on the other side attending afterwards were acquainted with the same thing.

Barbados.

Leeward Islands.

Jamaica.

Letter to Mr. Burchet about ships attending those islands.

Ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Burchet [fo. 127] to desire to know the number and rates of ships of war now on the service of Barbados, the Leeward Islands and Jamaica.

Jamaica.

Letter from the Governour.

A letter from Colonel Handasyd of the 28th of July last, was read, and the papers therein refer'd to laid before the Board and are as follows:—

Publick papers.

List of the fleet under convoy of three of her Majesty's men of war, which sailed from Jamaica the 11th July last.

Minutes of Councill of the 4th and 27th July, 1704.

Minutes of Councill in Assembly from the 11th April, 1704, to the 13th of June following. Duplicate.

Acts past at a General Assembly in April, May and June, 1704. Duplicate.

Leeward Islands.

Letter from Colonel Codrington.

A letter from Colonel Codrington to the Board, dated at Antegoa the 8th of July last, was read.

September 26. Present:—Lord Dartmouth, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Prior.

Trade.

Answer to Canary merchants' petition.

Copy given for their reply.

Mr. Raworth and Mr. Taylor [fo. 124, 129] presented to their lordships their answer to the Canary merchants' petition, which was read, and the Canary merchants at the same time attending and desiring a copy thereof, in order to make their reply, their lordships ordered that a copy be given them accordingly, and that both sides attend again on Tuesday next.

Barbados.

Complaints against the Governour.

Mr. Heysham [fo. 129, 131] with several merchants and planters of Barbados presented to their lordships the following papers, viz.:— A letter from Mr. Secretary Hedges of the 20th instant refering to the Board a petition [fo. 131] from some of the Assembly at Barbados to her Majesty, containing complaints against Sir Bevill Granville. An Order of Councill [fo. 134] of the 21st instant upon the petition of four of the members of the Councill of Barbados, praying to be restored to their places in the said Councill, from which they had been suspended by Sir Bevill Granville. The answers of the four abovesaid gentlemen to Sir Bevill Granville's reasons for suspending them, and a memorial [fo. 134, 269] to the Board from the said four suspended members, in vindication of their proceedings. Whereupon their lordships acquainted these gentlemen that Sir Bevil Granville having promised a full account of all these matters by the next packet boat, they could not come to any determination till then; and if they would call here on Thursday sev'night they should be informed whether any such account was then come or no.

Copies thereof to be given to Sir John Stanley.

Sir John Stanley attending afterwards and desiring copies of such papers as had been or should be presented to the Board against Sir Bevill Granville, ordered that he have copies accordingly.

Miscellanies.

Letter to the Lord Treasurer about passing the account of money formerly received for this Office.

The secretary laid before the Board a particular of the charge disbursed in passing the account of the money formerly received by way of imprest for the service of this Board, through the several offices according to the methods of the Exchequer, and desiring their lordships' favourable recommendation thereof to the Lord Treasurer in order to his final discharge. A letter to that effect was accordingly signed.