Journal, February 1735: Volume 44

Journal, February 1735

Tuesday, February 4th. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Sir A. Croft.

Trade.

Consul at Ancona.

The representation about settling a consul in the Pope's dominions, agreed at the last meeting, was signed, as also a letter for inclosing the same to the Duke of Newcastle [fo. 4. 16].

Leeward Islands.

Treaty between Dutch and French islands.

The representation upon the treaty of neutrality concluded between the French governor of Martinique and the Dutch governor of St. Martins, agreed also at the last meeting, was also signed, as likewise a letter for inclosing the same to the Duke of Newcastle [fo. 16].

Wednesday, February 5th. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Antigua.

Powder duty to be revived on vessels.

The report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the memorial of Mr. Yeamans, agent for Antigua, for reviving the powder duty on vessels trading to and from that island, mentioned in the minutes of the 31st of the last month, was agreed [fo. 15, 21].

Thursday, February 6th. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman, Sir A. Croft.

Plantations General.

Da Costa's petition for a tract of land.

An order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated , referring to the Board a petition of Mr. Da Costa and others praying for a grant of a tract of land in America, 400 miles distant from any European settlement, was read, and directions were given for desiring Sir William Chapman and the other petitioners to attend the Board on Tuesday sevennight [fo. 25].

Massachusets.

3 orders referring to the Board several Acts.

An order ohe Lords of the Committee of Council of July 25th, 1732, referring to the Board 8 Acts passed in the Massachusets Bay in December and February, 1731.

A 2nd order of the said Committee, dated November 1st, 1734, referring 7 Acts passed in the Massachusets Bay in November, 1733 and March, 1733–4, and

Acts sent to Mr. Fane.

A 3rd order of the said Committee, dated January 13th, 1734/5, referring to the Board 15 Acts passed in the Massachusetts Bay in April and June, 1734, were read, and directions were given for sending to Mr. Fane all the Acts of that province (that have not already been sent to him) for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Georgia.

Three draughts of laws considered.

An order of the Committee of Council of January 13th, 1734/5, referring to the Board 3 draughts of Acts, proposed to be passed into laws for the new colony of Georgia, was read, and directions were given for abstracting the said Acts [fo. 24].

Pennsylvania.

A law confirmed for repealing divers other laws.

An order of the Committee of Council, dated January 13th, 1734–5, referring to the Board an Act passed at Pennsylvania, in the 7th year of his Majesty's reign, for confirming the repeal of divers laws of that province, and directions were given for sending the same to Mr. Fane for his opinion thereupon, and whether the king's appeal of a Pennsylvania law by virtue of his order in Council only, may not be deemed effectual.

North Carolina.

Differences between the late Governor and officers there, referred to the present Governor.

Minutes of the Council of North Carolina in September, 1734, including several affidavits etc., relating to differences between the Governor and several of the principal officers in that government, were read, and directions were given for sending a copy thereof to Mr. Johnston, the present Governor of that province, for him to enquire into and report to the Board the truth thereof.

Antigua.

Powder Act to be revived.

Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the petition of Mr. Yeamans, agent for the Island of Antigua, for reviving the Powder Act of that island, agreed the 5th instant, was signed [fo. 18, 27].

New York.

Impost on negroes complained of.

An order of the Committee of Council, dated November 1st, 1734, referring to this Board the petition of the merchants of Bristol to his Majesty, praying the repeal of an Act passed at New York laying an impost on slaves, and [fo. 114].

New Jersey.

Paper money and duty on copper ore complained of.

Two orders of the said Committee, dated November 1st, 1734, referring to the Board 2 petitions from the merchants of Bristol, complaining of two Acts passed in New Jersey, the one for making £40,000 in bills of credit and the other for laying a duty on copper ore exported not directly to Great Britain, were read, and their lordships resolved to consider further thereof at another opportunity [fo. 114, 126].

Wednesday, February 12th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe.

South Carolina.

Mr. Wright's petition against an Act for regulating the courts.

Order of the Committee of Council of January 13th, 1734–5, referring to this Board the petition of Robert Wright Esqr., Chief Justice of South Carolina, against An Act passed in that province the 9th of April last, for the better regulating the courts of justice there, and altering the time of holding courts, was read, and orders were given for sending the same to Mr. Fane for his opinion thereupon in point of law [fo. 116].

Thursday, February 13th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Leeward Islands.

Acts not received to be sent for.

The secretary acquainting the Board that he was informed several laws were passed in the Leeward Islands, which had not been sent to this office; ordered that a letter be writ to General Mathews, and that a list of the Acts now in the office be sent to General Mathews, that he may return to the Board copies of all such as are not mentioned therein.

Tuesday, February 18th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Georgia.

Draughts of three Acts considered and sent to Mr. Fane.

The secretary laying before the Board the three draughts of Acts proposed to be passed into laws for the new Colony of Georgia, mentioned in the minutes of the 6th instant, as likewise an extract thereof, then ordered to be made; their lordships took the same into consideration, and gave directions that they should be sent to Mr. Fane for his opinion thereupon in point of law [fo. 20, 26].

Plantations General.

Da Costa's petition for a tract of land considered and postponed.

The Board then took again into consideration the order of the Committee, read the 6th instant, and Sir William Chapman, Mr. Bristow, Mr. Chitty, Baron Sivasso, Mr. Salvador, Mr. Da Costa, Mr. Webb and several others of the petitioners attending, their lordships desired to be informed where the land, they petitioned for, was situated, and how they knew that it lay so many miles distant from any European settlement, as mentioned in their petition; to which Sir William Chapman replied, that as their proposed settlement, if it took effect, would be of very great consequence to the nation, which might be prevented, if known, and that if undertaken by any other European nation, would have a very contrary effect, he desired in behalf of all the petitioners, that the whole affair might for the present be kept secret; which being promised, he presented to the Board a paper containing a description of the place, and of its situation, as likewise another, containing their reasons for undertaking the said settlement, both which papers being read, the Board gave directions that they should be locked up by the secretary and not communicated to any person until further orders [fo. 18, 30.]

Sir William Chapman and the other gentlemen were then desired to attend again on Tuesday morning next.

Thursday, February 20th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Georgia.

Three Acts considered.

Mr. Oglethorpe, Mr. Hucks and Mr. Towers, three of the trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in South Carolina, attending, as likewise Mr. Fane, Mr. Fane's report upon the three Acts passed by the said trustees sent to him on Tuesday last, was read, and their lordships, after some discourse with the said trustees upon the subject of the said Acts, agreed to take the same into consideration at another opportunity [fo. 24, 33.]

Antigua.

Powder Act to be continued.

An order of the Lords of the Committee of Council of the 13th of February, 1734/5, approving the report of this Board of the 6th instant, proposing the continuance of the powder duty on the tonnage of vessels in Antigua, and directing the Board to prepare the draught of an additional instruction to the Governor for permitting him to pass an Act for that purpose, was read; and directions were given for preparing the said draught of an additional instruction accordingly [fo. 21, 28, 87].

Friday, February 21st. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

The draught of an instruction allowing the Governor to pass an Act to continue the powder duty on vessels at Antigua, ordered to be prepared yesterday, being laid before the Board, was agreed, and a report, for inclosing the same to the Lords of the Committee, was signed [fo. 27, 87.]

Virginia.

German Protestants not to pay taxes.

Order of the Committee of Council of 13th instant, referring to the Board the petition of the minister, elders and members of a settlement of German Protestants in Virginia, praying to be exempted from paying parish taxes, was read, and a representation in favour thereof was signed, as also a letter to Major Gooch, Lieut.-Governor of Virginia [fo. 39.]

Tuesday, February 25th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Brudenell.

Plantations General.

A new settlement proposed in America.

Sir William Chapman, Mr. Webb, Mr. Hume, Messrs. Da Costa and several other gentlemen, who attended the Board on Tuesday last, in relation to the new settlement proposed in America, attending again, the Board acquainted them that having taken their said petition into consideration, as likewise what they had offered upon the subject, they were of opinion that although their proposed settlement might be of great consequence to the trade of this nation; yet considering the present state of Europe, and that the land in question might possibly be claimed by some European prince, they could not at present advise his Majesty to make the grant they petition for [fo. 25, 35].

Sir William Chapman then presented to the Board two papers, the one containing an answer to an objection that might be made against the said settlement, the other, Mr. Da Costa's deposition with regard to the situation and description of the said place, which was read, and ordered to be locked up by the secretary, until further orders.

Wednesday, February 26th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Antigua.

Mr. Byam to be a councillor.

Mr. Yeamans, agent for Antigua, acquainting the Board that Mr. Francis Carlisle, one of the Council of that island, was dead, a representation for recommending Mr. Samuel Byam to supply the said vacancy, was signed.

Bahamas.

Fevers rife there and slaves rebellious.

A letter from Mr. Fitzwilliams, Governor of the Bahama Islands, relating to the contagious fever that has lately raged there, and to an insurrection intended by the negroes, was read; and directions were given for making an extract of the said letter to be enclosed to the Duke of Newcastle.

Thursday, February 27th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Letter to the Duke of Newcastle, a contagious fever.

The letter, ordered yesterday to be prepared, to the Duke of Newcastle, with the extract of one from Mr. Fitzwilliams, Governor of the Bahama Islands, relating to a contagious fever reigning there, and an insurrection of the negroes, was agreed and signed.

St. Christophers.

Petition against the Powder Act.

A petition from several merchants for the repeal of an Act of St. Christophers for raising gunpowder and small arms on the tonnage of vessels, was read, as also the said Act and Mr. Fane's report thereon; and their lordships resolved to take the said Act into further consideration on Tuesday morning next; ordered that Mr. Sharpe, who appears in behalf of the petitioners, and Mr. Coope, the agent of St. Christophers, have notice thereof.

Friday, February 28th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen.

Georgia.

Three Acts to be approved.

A representation, proposing the confirmation of three Georgia Acts mentioned in the minutes of the 20th of the last month, was agreed and signed [fo. 26, 87].

Trade.

Running of wool.

An order from the Committee of the House of Commons of the instant, directing this Board to lay before them copies of such proposals as have been offered to their lordships since 1730, to prevent the running of wool from this kingdom and Ireland, was read; and Colonel Bladen acquainting the Board that having discoursed with the said Committee, they conceived a copy of the last report to the House of Commons in March, 1731–2, upon the several proposals that were then made to the Board for preventing the running of wool, would answer the purpose of the said Committee; ordered that a copy of the said report be made accordingly [fo. 34].