Journal, January 1739: Volume 47

Journal, January 1739

Wednesday, January 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Sir Archer Croft, Mr. Plummer.

North Carolina.

Read two letters from Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, one dated 15th January, 1738, and the other June 13th, 1738; in the first he complains of the great want of a decision of the disputes about the blank patents and validity of their laws, and recommends Mr. Murray for a Councillor, in the room of Mr. Porter, deceased; the other gives an account of the disputes between South and North Carolina about their boundary line, and transmits copies of three laws proper to be repealed.

The Board ordered a report in favour of Mr. Murray, and will consider of the settlement of the lines, whenever any application is made from South Carolina.

The Board likewise ordered a letter to be writ to Mr. McCulloch, to desire his attendance to-morrow at eleven, in order to discourse with him about the three above mentioned laws.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, dated October 12th, 1738, mentioning a box of public papers sent with it, vizt., Acts and minutes of Council and Assembly of that Island, the box not yet received.

Leeward Islands.

Read 2 letters from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, one dated September 14th, 1738, transmitting minutes of the Council of St. Christophers, and the other, dated October 21st, 1738, giving a state of the Councils of Nevis and Antigua, and enclosing public papers. And the Board directed that letters should be writ to the agents of the two Islands of Nevis and St. Christophers, desiring their attendance this day fortnight [Wednesday, January 25th], and at the same time ordered a representation to be prepared for Benjamin King, Esq., to be one of his Majesty's Council in Antigua, in the room of Sir William Coddrington, deceased.

New York.

Read two letters from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of New York, one dated October 22nd, 1738, acquainting the Board that he has dissolved the Assembly, who have not settled the revenue, nor given answer to the Bermuda petition against the New York Tonnage Act; the other, dated November 21st, 1738, acknowledging his receipt of the Board's letter of the 19th August last etc.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from Mr. Popple, Governor of Bermuda, to the Board, dated September 27th, 1738, enclosing an address to his Majesty, and giving reasons why a supply of stores of war should be sent, and an addition of 50 men made to the Independent Company there. And the Board ordered that the address be transmitted to the Duke of Newcastle, in order to be laid before his Majesty, and also agreed to consider further of the letter, when application should be made by the agent.

Barbados.

Read a letter from Mr. Dottin, President and Commander in Chief of Barbados, dated November 4th, 1738, acknowledging the receipt of the Board's letter of the 2nd of August, 1738, and giving an account of the increase of the French Settlements at Santa Lucia; and the Board directed that a copy of the paragraph, relating to that affair, should be transcribed and sent to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

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

North Carolina.

Mr. McCulloch attending, as had been desired by the minutes of yesterday, the Board had some discourse with him about Mr. Johnston's letters, and upon the subject of the three laws, mentioned therein, as proper to be repealed.

St. Christophers.

Read a letter from William McDowall, Esq., signifying his resignation of his place of Councillor in St. Christophers, and the Board was pleased to order a representation to be prepared, recommending Edward Jessop, Esq., to succeed him in that station.

Friday, January 12. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plummer.

Barbados.

Two letters to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, one enclosing an extract of the President of the Council of Barbados's letter to the Board, relating to the increase of the French Settlements at Santa Lucia, mentioned in the minutes of Wednesday last.

Bermuda.

The other enclosing an address from the Islands of Bermuda to his Majesty, mentioned likewise in the same minutes, were agreed to, and signed.

Wednesday, January 17. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Antigua.

A representation to his Majesty, recommending Benjamin King, Esq., to be one of his Majesty's Council in Antigua, in the room of Sir William Coddrington, deceased, was agreed to, and signed.

North Carolina.

A representation to his Majesty, recommending James Murray, Esq., to be one of his Majesty's Council in North Carolina, in the room of Edmund Porter Esq., deceased, was agreed to, and signed.

St. Christophers.

A representation to his Majesty, recommending Edward Jessop, Esq., to be one of his Majesty's Council of St. Christophers, in the room of William McDowall, Esq., who has desired leave to resign, was agreed to, and signed.

Thursday, January 18. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Connecticut.

Read a letter to the Board, dated from New York, November 20th, 1738, from Philip Cortland and Daniel Horsemanden, Esqrs., two of the Commissioners appointed by his Majesty, June 3rd, 1737, to review a Judgment given upon a former Commission in a controversy depending between the Governor and Company of Connecticut, and the Tribe of the Mohican Indians there, concerning some tracts of land, which the Indians complained of having been unjustly dispossed of by the former; in which letter the said Commissioners set forth the partiality of those of Rhode Island in the proceedings upon the said controversy; annext thereto, which was also read, was the representation and certificate of the proceedings upon a hearing by Commission in May and June, 1738, [the Mohican Indians against the Governor and Company of Connecticut], signed by the two forementioned Commissioners, members of the Council of New York, and dated there August 10th, 1738; and the Board ordered the said papers to lye by, till a return shall be made by the other Commissioners.

Bahamas.

The following papers delivered in by Governor Fitzwilliams, were laid before the Board, and the titles thereof read, viz.:—
Treasurer's Accounts, between June 24th, 1737, to June 24th, 1738.
Minutes of the Council, between December 26th, 1737, and March 25th, 1738.
Six Naval Office Lists of ships and vessels entered and cleared at New Providence, from Michaelmas, 1737, to Midsummer, 1738.

Tuesday, January 23. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe.

Pennsylvania.

Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated January 12th, 1737/9, referring to this Board three Acts, passed in Pennsylvania, in August and September, 1738, and the titles thereof being read, their lordships directed that the said Acts should be sent to Mr. Fane for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from Mr. Popple, Governor of the Bermudas, to the Board, dated November 25th, 1738, complaining of great inconveniencies attending his 73rd instruction, and giving reasons both for and against it, with regard to loading and unloading of vessels in Castle Harbour or St. George's Harbour only; whereupon the Board directed the Secretary to transmit an extract of the said letter to Mr. Carkesse, in order to be laid before the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, and to have their opinion thereon.

Montserrat.

Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated January 12th, 1737/9, referring to this Board the petition of Mr. Yeamans to his Majesty, for a supply of Ordnance Stores wanted in the Island of Montserrat; and the Board was pleased to appoint Wednesday the 31st instant, to consider of the said petition, and to desire Mr. Yeamans' attendance on that day.

Wednesday, January 24. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Nevis.

St. Christophers.

Mr. Butler, agent for Nevis, and Mr. Coope, agent for St. Christophers, attending, as they had been desired, by the minutes of the 10th inst., delivered at the Board each a separate account of the state of the Councils in those two islands.

Barbados.

The Board had under consideration two letters from Mr. Dottin, President of the Council and Commander in Chief at Barbados, one dated August 20th, 1737, the other January 24th, 1737/8, concerning the expences of holding the Grand Sessions there, and having had the 46th instruction to the Governor, and the Acts of that Island of 1708 and 1719, relative to that subject, before them, they spent some time therein, and postponed the further consideration of that affair till the new Governor is appointed.

Thursday, January 26. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter to the Secretary from Capt. Watson, enclosing his answer to the Board's queries concerning the Fishery of Can¸co, together with a state of the French strength, trade and fishery at Cape Breton, for the year 1738.

Leeward Islands.

The Board had under consideration the state of the Virgin Islands, and made some progress therein.

Wednesday, January 31. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

New York.

The Board had under consideration the two last letters from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor of New York, one of the 22nd October, mentioned in the minutes of the 13th instant, the other of November 21st, mentioned in the same minutes, and ordered the Secretary to prepare the draught of an answer to the same.

Montserrat.

Mr. Yeamans, agent for Montserrat, attending, as desired by the minutes of the 23rd instant, together with Mr. Sharpe, his Solicitor, the Board took into consideration the said agent's petition to his Majesty for a supply of Ordnance Stores, mentioned in the same minutes, and made some progress therein.