Journal, May 1738: Volume 47

Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 7, January 1735 - December 1741. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1930.

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'Journal, May 1738: Volume 47', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 7, January 1735 - December 1741, (London, 1930) pp. 237-241. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol7/pp237-241 [accessed 19 March 2024]

Journal, May 1738

Tuesday, May 2. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Herbert.

Antigua.

Read a letter from Governor Mathews, dated February 23rd, 1738, enclosing one from Mr. Blizard, Speaker of the Assembly of Antigua, in relation to the two Attained Free Negroes called Johnson, as also minutes of Council and Assembly of Montserrat, for the quarter ending at Christmas, 1737, with an Act passed in Nevis, in 1737; which Act the Secretary was directed by the Board to send to Mr. Fane.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of New York, dated 18th of February, 1737/8, about settling a Publick Revenue and Triennial Assemblies in that Province.

The Board directed that the said Act should be sent likewise to Mr. Fane.

Thursday, May 4. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Herbert.

Antigua.

The Board had again under their consideration the affair of the two Blacks, against whom a Bill of Attainder was passed in Antigua, mentioned in the minutes of April 27th, and ordered a report to be prepared.

Friday, May 5. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe.

Leeward Islands.

Mr. Thomas Trueman, of London, Merchant, attended the Board with letters of Attorney from the persons interested in two Debentures of St. Christophers, Nos. 629 and 375, which by their lordships' orders were delivered to him.

North Carolina.

The Board had again under their consideration the affair of the Quit Rents and Blank Patents, and made a further progress therein.

Tuesday, May 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen.

Antigua.

The Board had under consideration the draught of the report, relating to the two Blacks, mentioned in the minutes of May 4th, and made some progress therein.

Massachusets Bay.

Rhode Island.

Their lordships also took into consideration the draught of the report, relative to the dispute betwixt Massachusets Bay and Rhode Island (ordered in the minutes of April 28), and made some progress therein.

Wednesday, May 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

South and North Carolina.

Read an order of Committee of Council, dated May 4th, 1738, directing this Board to report what sum they shall think proper to be allowed to Messrs. Skene and Abercromby, who were appointed by the late Governor of South Carolina to be Commissioners for settling the boundaries between that province and North Carolina, and the Board appointed Wednesday next for considering that affair.

Bahamas.

Mr. Wimble attending, prayed their lordships would be pleased to make a report in consequence of his petition, referred to this Board (mentioned in the minutes of the 8th of March last) concerning his losing the Rebecca Brigantine, and a draught of a report was accordingly ordered to be prepared. Mr. Jackson, whom he brought as evidence of the truth of his allegations, acquainted the Board that he knew nothing of the said Wimble's being forced into the Government's Service by the late Governor Woodes Rogers, at the time he was sent to Abico for wood.

Nevis.

Mr. Wavel Smith attending, prayed the Board to take into consideration his memorial, relating to an Act, passed in Nevis, in May, 1732, entituled, an Act for establishing the Courts of Kings Bench and Common Pleas etc. and the Secretary was ordered to write to Mr. Sharpe for his answer to the several reasons given by Mr. Smith against the said Act.

Massachusets Bay.

Rhode Island.

The draught of a report, relating to the dispute betwixt Massachusets Bay and Rhode Island about the boundary line, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to and signed.

Thursday, May 11. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

Antigua.

The draught of a report to the Committee of Council, in answer to an order, dated January 13th, 1737, referring the petition of the two Blacks, against whom a Bill of Attainder was past in Antigua, was agreed to, and signed.

Virginia.

The Board appointed Tuesday next for Mr. Leheup and Mr Sharpe to attend upon the affair of Lord Fairfax's grant of the Northern Neck in Virginia.

Friday, May 12. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Antigua.

Read the memorial of Mr. Henry Popple, in behalf of Colonel Thomas, of the Council of Antigua, complaining that Governor Mathews had refused him his seat in Council, on account of his having been appointed Governor of Pennsylvania, and the Board postponed the consideration of the same to another opportunity.

Bahamas.

A representation to His Majesty, in relation to the petition of James Wimble, mentioned in the minutes of March 8th, as also a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, inclosing the same, were agreed to and signed.

Tuesday, May 16. Present:—Lord Monson, Col. Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Herbert.

Antigua.

Read Mr Fane's report containing his objections to an Act, passed in Antigua, in April, 1737, for the tryal of John Coteen, a free Negro, and Thomas Winthorpe, a free Mulatto man, upon the evidence of slaves.

Trade.

Hamburgh.

Read a letter from Lord Harrington, dated May 12, 1738, together with letters and papers from Sir Cyril Wych, inclosed therein, relating to the Herring Trade, and some difficulties put upon it by the Senate of Hamburgh. And their lordships directed the Secretary to write a letter to Patrick Lindsay, Esqr., desiring his attendance at this Board to-morrow, in order to have some discourse with him on that subject.

Virginia.

Lord Fairfax attending with Mr. Sharpe, his Solicitor, and Mr. Leheup likewise attending, as agent for Virginia, upon the subject of the dispute about the Northern Neck in Virginia, the Board was pleased to appoint this day month for the hearing and considering that affair.

New Hampshire.

A petition from David Dunbar, Esqr., Lieut. Governor of New Hampshire, praying the Board to recommend his case and sufferings to the Duke of Newcastle, and likewise to obtain a renewal of his Licence of Absence from his duty for a twelve month, was read, and the Board ordered a letter to be writ to his Grace, conformable to the prayer of the petitioner.

Wednesday, May 17. Present:—Lord Monson, Col. Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

St. Christophers.

A letter from Mr. Edward Mann, signifying his desire to resign his seat in Council in St. Christopher's, was read, whereupon their lordships resolved to recommend Mr. Matthew Mills, Junior, in his stead.

Trade.

Hamburg.

Patrick Lindsay, Esqr., and Mr. Fall attending, the Board had some discourse with them on the subject of the Herring Fishery, and directed that extracts from Sir Cyril Wych's letters, and the papers enclosed in them, should be sent to them, in order to have them communicated to the Deputies of the Royal Boroughs in Scotland. Ordered at the same time that a letter be writ to Lord Harrington, in answer to his of 12th instant, relating to this affair.

South and North Carolina.

Mr. Abercromby attending, as directed by the minutes of May 10th instant, the Board had some discourse with him on the subject of his demand on account of his running the boundary lines betwixt the two provinces of South and North Carolina, and referred the further consideration to another opportunity.

New Hampshire.

A letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle recommending the petition of David Dunbar, Esqr., mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to, and signed.

Thursday, May 18. Present:—Lord Monson, Col. Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

St. Christopher's.

A representation to his Majesty, recommending Mathew Mills, Junr., Esqr., to be of the Council in St. Christophers, was read, agreed to, and signed.

Trade.

Hamburg.

A letter to Lord Harrington, pursuant to an order of the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to, and signed.

Tuesday, May 30. Present:—Lord Monson, Col. Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

North Carolina.

The Board had again under consideration the affair of the Quit Rents and Blank Patents, and made a further progress therein.

Plantations General.

An order of the Committee of Council, dated May 27th, 1738, referring the memorial of Mr. Henry McCulloch, with some proposals for rendering his Majesty's Colonies in America more advantageous to Great Britain, was read, and the Board directed that Mr. McCulloch should attend to-morrow.

South Carolina.

An order of the Committee of Council, dated the 27th May, 1738, referring the petition of John Cartwright for a grant of 200,000 acres of land in South Carolina, in order to make a settlement thereon, was read; and Mr. McCulloch, as his agent, was directed to attend this Board on the subject in the said petition.

Antigua.

Read a letter from Governor Mathews, dated March 31st, 1738, giving an acount of the taking of an English vessel by a French Guarde Coste; and the Board directed that an extract of the said letter, together with an annexed paper, relating to the capture, should be transmitted in a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

South and North Carolina.

Read a letter to the Secretary from Mr. Abercromby, together with papers relating to the expences of running the boundary line between South and North Carolina.

Wednesday, May 31st. Present:—Lord Monson, Col. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Jamaica.

Bermuda.

The Secretary laid before the Board four copies of orders of Council, two relating to Jamaica, dated March 8th, 1737/8; and two relating to Bermuda, dated April 6th, 1738, and the titles of the same were read.

North Carolina.

Mr. McCulloch attending, the Board had some discourse with him, in relation to his memorial, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, and their lordships having made some progress in that affair, were pleased to appoint Wednesday next for the further consideration of it, upon which day he was directed to attend again.