Minute Book: October 1711 | British History Online

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 25, 1711. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1952.

'Minute Book: October 1711', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 25, 1711, (London, 1952) pp. 100-108. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol25/pp100-108 [accessed 26 April 2024]

October 1711



Oct. 2. forenoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	The Commissioners of the Navy, Commissioners of the Victualling, Commissioners of the Sick and Wounded and Commissioners of the Transports are called in, in reference to the payment of the debts of their several and respective Offices from the time the Parliament hath provided for them by the South Sea Act, to wit from the 25th of March 1711.
	And [upon discoursing them] my Lord declares that all the debts in the said several and respective Offices upon contracts, debentures or bills in Course between the 25th March 1711 and the 29th Sept. following and all that shall become due on contracts made or other services usually paid in Course before the 29th day of Sept. 1711 shall be paid in South Sea Stock.
	And as for carrying on the services in the said several and respective Offices for the future, to wit from and after Michaelmas 1711 my Lord declares that the method of paying in Course in every Office is to be kept up and preserved.
	And that his Lordship out of the [Parliamentary] Supplies in [ready] money will make a sufficient provision for paying the same and [will] order money to be put into the hands of the respective Treasurers for that purpose.
	Therefore the said respective Offices are to have new books for their Course from the 29th day of Sept. 1711: but the old books are at the same time to be kept on foot for all debts incurred on contracts &c. made before the 29th of September 1711.
	My Lord thereupon recommends it to the several Officers to consider of the best methods for making these payments and to encourage and promote the same to the utmost of their power.
	Let copies hereof be sent to the several Offices abovementioned for them to govern themselves accordingly.
	(The marginal entry of the above minute is as follows: "Commissioners Navy, Victualling, Sick and Transports about subscribing their bills in [to] South Sea Company.")
	My Lord takes notice (the several Officers being present) of the great sums that are continually drawn on them in bills of exchange at rates very disadvantageous to the public; and observes that (as he is informed) the method of the Ordnance [Office] is to pay only the current price of exchange where they find bills so drawn. His Lordship is of opinion that unless the liberty taken by all Officers abroad of drawing bills at pleasure be restrained the public must suffer and therefore he recommends it to the respective Officers to consider of proper methods and put the same in practice for restraining thereof.
	[My Lord directs the] issue of 7,620l. 11s. 3d. to Mr. How for Guards and Garrisons out of the Contributions to the 2,000,000l. Adventure [9 Anne, c. 16]: and [my Lord does] direct him [How, the Paymaster of Guards and Garrisons] together with 9,562l. 10s. 2d. in tallies on the fourteenth 4s. Aid [1711 Land Tax tallies] in his hands (which may be disposed of at par), and with the further sum of 15,756l. 12s. 10d. on any other tallies in his hands on which he shall be able at any time to raise money at par, [these three sums making in all 32,939l. 14s. 3d.] to pay the sum of 32,939l. 14s. 3d. for subsistence to the Troops [in Great Britain] to Aug. 24 last according to a memorial dated 28 Sept. last.
	Mr. Brydges is called in. The Auditors' report about his accounts and on his memorial for stay of process [thereon] is read. Write to the Auditors to attend my Lord on the business of their said report to-morrow about 12 o'clock in the forenoon.
	His [Brydges'] memorial dated 2 Oct. 1711 is read wherein the extraordinary charge of the bread and forage for the Troops serving in Portugal is computed: and it appearing that the said extraordinary charge (over and above deductions for the Troops) will amount to 31,147l. 8s. 1½d. my Lord is of opinion that since this extraordinary charge happens by the King of Portugal's raising the prices on the said bread and forage by agreement with the contractors the same should be made good by deductions out of his subsidy: and that my Lord Dartmouth is to be spoken to on that head.
	His [Brydges'] memorial dated the 2nd inst. [is read] about payments to other heads of the service in Portugal than subsistence of the effectives. My Lord says that pay to General and Staff Officers on the spot and other heads warranted by the Establishment are not meant to be postponed: but he is to make particular demands for all such payments, besides the subsistence for the effective men. Treasury Minute Book XIX, pp. 72–3.
Oct. 3, forenoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	The Postmaster [General's] representation of the state of Mr. Dummer's contract for the West India [packet boat postal] Correspondence [service] is read. Write to the Postmaster [General] to hire one of the pacquet boats (which are assigned to Mr. Mead) to carry the letters of the three last months that are lying in the [Post] Office: and that they [the Postmasters General] give their opinion how far that correspondence [packet boat service] is useful either as it regards the benefit of trade or the public service in time of war.
	My Lord would be informed also whether it may not be of service to the public to establish a boat to pass between Ireland and Port Patrick in Scotland.
	Send to the Lords of the Admiralty the representation made by the Commissioners of Excise concerning some [Navy] ship beer brewed at her Majesty's brewhouse that have been lately sold to merchants &c.
	Send to the Auditors of Imprests the report of the Secretary of War and the Comptrollers of the Army Accounts on Lord Barrymore's Regiment; for their opinion.
	The report from the Customs Commissioners touching the Lustring Company is read. [My Lord orders] the Attorney General to be advised with thereupon [as to] whether seizures or forfeitures can legally be granted before they incur. And [Mr. Lowndes is to] write to Mr. Renue on behalf of [or as a representative of] the Company to know the state of the Company in respect of their looms and the persons they now employ, with what increase they propose to make on the encouragements which they expect from her Majesty.
	Send back to the Commissioners of Excise their report on the propositions for alterations in their management; and direct them to send a distinct answer to every article therein with an account of officers removed and the causes thereof for the last three years and how many in that time have relinquished the service.
	[My Lord orders] a warrant to be prepared (on Mr. Borrett's report) for 70l. to be issued to the Bishop of London, or his order; to be distributed among the inhabitants of Hammersmith in lieu of the like sum recovered from rioters by their prosecution.
	Mr. Brydges' memorial [is read] for money for Seissan's Regiment and [he] is thereupon ordered to write to Mr. Sweet to enquire what the Dutch have paid and then my Lord will consider this demand.
	My Lord having some bills presented to him for acceptance drawn by Col. Hunter and payable to Mr. Braguard or order, his Lordship would know what authority Col. Hunter has to draw these bills; and orders that Mr. Dupre, his [Col. Hunter's] agent, be sent for to attend: and the Earl of Clarendon's letter about the Palatines [is] to be looked out.
	The letter of the 25th January last from the Navy Board about remains [of funds] in the hands of the Navy Treasurer and other matters [is by my Lord ordered] to be looked out and laid before my Lord.
	Mr. Rider's state of the Forest of Whittlewood was read. [My Lord orders that] Mr. Wilcox is to consult the Attorney General as to the proceedings at law mentioned therein and to consider all other the matters thereof and make his report thereupon. Ibid., p. 74.
Oct. 4.	Present: ut supra.
	Write to Mr. Brydges to let my Lord know whether he has any account of the States having disbanded the Regiment of Seissan.
	[My Lord directs the issue of] 92,000l. to the Treasurer of the Navy: out of Contributions to the 2,000,000l.: whereof 6,000l. is to be for Parliament [seamen's wage] tickets [under the Act 4–5 Anne, c. 6, clause 12] and for Recalls, 6,000l. for bills of exchange under the head of Wear and Tear; 30,000l. as a deposit to answer bills for the Course of the Navy from Sept. 29 last; 40,000l. for the like [to answer bills] on the Course of the Victualling and 10,000l. to answer such services in the Office of Sick and Wounded as my Lord shall direct.
	[Write] to the Secretary at War to attend to-morrow on his letter about recruiting the Garrisons out of the Invalids and filling up the Establishment for the gentlemen [volunteers] going to Spain.
	My Lord to have an account what Mr. Whitehall's employments are.
	Some papers are read and [the minutes of my Lord's decisions and] answers [thereto are endorsed] upon them. Ibid., p. 75.
Oct. 5.	Present: ut supra.
	The Virginia and Maryland merchants are called in. Their petition is read setting forth many hardships in respect to their trade and complaining of an order newly made by the Commissioners of the Customs to exact payment of their [the petitioners' tobacco] bonds (contrary to the usual practice) before the time allowed them for exportations is expired. My Lord refers it to the Customs Commissioners to consider and report thereon on Tuesday next: and [further] orders a copy to be sent to the Commissioners for Trade for their thoughts on those articles therein which concern the trade in general.
	Send to Baron Scrope for his consideration a paper [now] read to my Lord about spirits imported from Scotland [which are] specified in the transire [the coastal 'let pass'] to be imported free from Duties by Act of Parliament.
	As also a proposal about the woods in the Highlands of Scotland.
	My Lord [orders that] when the Victualling Commissioners next attend [he is] to be minded of Mr. Heysham's bills of exchange from Jamaica.
	[Write] to ask Baron Scrope for a letter [which is] in his hands [being] against permitting Officers to forage their own Troops in Scotland.
	Sir Isaac Newton's report of the values (upon an assay) of the Spanish two Ryial piece is read; and my Lord orders that some scheme or method be framed by comparing or adjusting the value of the said money as may be useful to the Commissioners going to Spain [about the accounts of the Forces there]. Write to Sir Isaac Newton to that purpose.
	[My Lord orders] Mr. Borret to advise with the Queen's Remembrancer about [drafting] the form of a bond [so as] to answer the method proposed for an accountant's giving security after a capias [has] issued for [his] rendering a due account; and to attend the Attorney General for his approbation [of the said form of bond].
	[My Lord directs the Exchequer to] issue 1,596l. 10s. 0d. to satisfy [royal] warrants signed [by the Queen] for presents to Foreign Ministers [Foreign Ambassadors on their return home from England].
	Mr. Granville [Secretary at War] comes in about the business of recruiting the Regiments in Garrison out of Invalids. And my Lord being of opinion that that affair may be so turned as to save a considerable expense to the public desires him to reconsider and make his further report thereupon.
	Mr. Brydges [is] called in. His memorial is read for stay of process [on his accounts]. My Lord respites it till Mr. Borret shall have settled with the Attorney General the [abovesaid form of a] bond proposed to be taken from an accountant when a capias issues [requiring him] to render an account.
	His [Mr. Brydges'] memorial is read demanding 30,441l. 3s. 3d. for stoppages from Regiments in Spain and Portugal. [Hereupon my Lord] ordered that it be sent to the Secretary at War to enquire into the causes of those stoppages and as my Lord believes a great part will appear to be for pay of Officers here, desire him to report the names of the Officers, how long they have been here, upon what account and by whose leave.
	His [Brydges'] report dated this day is read on Sir Solomon de Medina's further memorial for some part of his demands to be advanced to him till Mr. Cardonnel shall have passed his examination upon them or [the same] be otherwise adjusted.
	My Lord [says he]'s inclined to order an advance of 15,000l. to be assigned to Sir Solomon by Mr. Brydges in South Sea Stock in case he will accept the same.
	His [Brydges'] memorial dated this day is read acquainting my Lord that the Bank will give their bills for 50,000l., the remainder of the 200,000l. [exchange agreed to be remitted by the Bank], no otherwise than at an average of three [months'] usance: as also another memorial relating to the forage of the Forces in Flanders for their winter quarters.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer will speak to the Bank about the 50,000l., as also about a further advance of 20,000l. about the charge of forage [and which is] to be remitted on Friday next.
	His [Brydges'] memorial dated this day is read about the subsistence of the prisoners in Spain, with an estimate of the charge thereof to Sept. 23 [last]. [My Lord orders that] Mr. Brydges is to send here an account of the provision made for the satisfying of bills already drawn. Then [he or William Lowndes is to] write to Sir William Hodges and Sir John Lambert, taking notice that my Lord is informed they did not duly advise their correspondents [in Spain] thereof as they ought to have done. Treasury Minute Book XIX, pp. 76–7.
Oct. 10.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	[Send] to the Commissioners of Stamp Duties to be here to-morrow at twelve a'clock.
	The Governor and several Directors of the Bank are called in. Their memorial is read about [departmental] officers that do not lodge their cash at the Bank. They say that not above five or six of the [county] Receivers General of the Land Tax keep their cash entirely with the Bank and that very few of the [Departmental] Treasurers or Paymasters in town do keep their cash either in bank or in Exchequer Bills, but in goldsmiths' hands.
	See what [Treasury] Minutes were entered importing any agreement for an allowance to the Bank for taking Land Tax tallies anno 1711 and in what Course of payment those tallies are placed.
	Their [the Bank's] memorial for the interest due at Michaelmas last upon Exchequer Bills is read and approved. My Lord directs an order to be prepared for issuing the same to Mr. Herne and Mr. Edwards.
	My Lord will consider their [the Bank's] demands for the [working expenses and] charges of the two Lotteries of 1,500,000l. each in 1710 and 1711.
	[My Lord directs the issue out of Civil List funds of] 1,000l. to Mr. Lowndes for secret service.
	Likewise 717l. to Mr. Compton for [the Queen's] bounties. Ibid., p. 78.
Oct. 11.	Present: ut supra.
	The Sub-Governor and other Directors of the South Sea Company are called in and present a memorial for the charge of taking further subscriptions. My Lord directs them to make an estimate of this charge as particular as may be and that they be as good husbands as possible for the Queen, who is to bear this charge. And my Lord approves Mr. Robert Knight (he giving the security requisite) for [the office of] taking in the Bills &c. [as follows].
	On reading a petition of the persons possessors of Navy Bills and Victualling Bills and Transport Bills, concerning Bills dated between 26 March and 24 June 1711 to be paid in South Sea Stock, my Lord [tells the petitioners that he] will direct the Navy Commissioners to allow interest on the said Bills to Xmas 1711, deducting the first six months' interest upon every Bill according to the Course of the Navy.
	The Governor and Deputy Governor of the Bank [are called in and] acquaint my Lord that the Court of Directors are willing to advance 20,000l. more upon the same terms and security upon which they lately agreed to advance 200,000l.: and Mr. Bridges is directed to alter the defezance [clause in the loan agreement] so that the tallies deposited may be a security for the whole 220,000l. and interest.
	[Send] to Mr. Cæsar [the Navy Treasurer] to make a demand [for money for the Navy, viz.:] for the Yards, distinguishing the several quarters [for which pay is due].
	Desire the Attorney General to be here to-morrow about the power of the Bank for lending money. In the meantime look out the clauses in their several Acts [of Parliament].
	The Commissioners of Stamp Duties are called in. Their papers are read and minutes [of my Lord's decisions and answers thereon are endorsed] on them.
	My Lord consents that Mr. Bridges may take the bills [of exchange] from the Bank for the 70,000l. remaining, so as [i.e. on condition that] the whole 220,000l. be reduced to an average of three [months'] usance.
	My Lord thinks it reasonable that the Troops serving in Portugal [should] have credit for the extraordinary charge of the bread and forage contracted for by the King of Portugal; but that the same be deducted out of the said King's subsidy [in order] to refund to her Majesty the said extraordinary charge; and that Mr. Brydges do make his demands accordingly.
	Mr. Bridges will write to Mr. Morris by this night's post to supply the Regiments at Gibraltar with subsistence upon account; the Queen being [engaged upon the] making a new Establishment for that place, which will be brought express per Mr. Killegrew. Treasury Minute Book XIX. p. 79.
Oct. 12.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	[Write] to the Board of Ordnance to send an account what quantities of powder have been sent to Spain and what accounts they have of issuing the same or any part thereof and what remains.
	Mr. Brydges [for the Forces Abroad] and Mr. How [for the Guards and Garrisons are] to be directed to pay what they owe to the Ordnance for arms furnished to the Troops under their [respective] pay: out of the tallies remaining in their hands.
	[My Lord directs the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy of] 3,000l. for recalls for one week.
	The tobacco merchants are called in. They will in a few days send their remarks on the report of the "c." [the hundred weight] of the Customs.
	Memorandum: to enquire how the account of the old tack of the Customs in Scotland stands. Ibid., p. 80.
Oct. 16.	Present: ut supra.
	[Send] to Mr. Meriel and Mr. Arnold to be here on Thursday.
	[Write] to the Secretary at War to send an account what orders are gone out for recruiting Regiments on the Irish Establishment: and care must be taken that they have no recruit money out of the Land Tax by order of the Justices [of Peace]. Ibid., p. 81.
Oct. 26. forenoon.	Present: [attendance not stated]. (fn. 1)
	Pursuant to my Lord Treasurer's direction,
	A state is to be made of all such bills of exchange as have been presented at the Treasury, Navy [Office] or any other [Departmental] Offices and that it be distinguished therein for what services the same were drawn, at what rates and when the same will fall due. Letters to be written to the proper Offices [for a statement from them accordingly].
	[My Lord orders the] issue [as follows to the Navy] upon Mr. Cæsar's memorial:
		£	s.	d.
	for paying 32 ropemakers who are to be discharged out of Portsmouth Yard to save a growing charge	2,000	0	0
	for Midsummer and Michaelmas quarter 1710 for Deptford [Yard]	17,739	0	0
	for answering inland bills of exchange drawn on the Victuallers [the Victualling Commissioners]	4,118	11	10
	[My Lord likewise directs the] issue [as follows] to the Ordnance:
				£
	for land service			10,000
	for sea service			10,000
	[My Lord likewise directs the] issue [as follows] to Mr. Howe [Paymaster of Guards and Garrisons]:
		£	s.	d.
	for 28 days' subsistence to Sept. 21 last for the Guards and Garrisons	20,809	17	4
	for 61 days' pay to the Garrisons to Oct. 24 inst.	2,718	4	5¾
	in part of 9,983l. 17s. 6¼d. for General and Staff Officers from 23 Dec. 1710 to 29 Sept. 1711	6,359	11	9
	for one quarter's allowance for the [Office of the] Secretary at War and Comptrollers [of Army Accounts their] Office to Sept. 29 last	1,041	18	7½
	in part of 4,716l. 7s. 10d. for 28 days' subsistence to the 5,000 men for sea service from Aug. 25 to Sept. 21 last	3,216	7	10
		£34,146	0	0¼
	Of the said total of 34,146l. 0s. 0¼d. the sum of 7,988l. 7s. 2d. [is] to be supplied by Mr. Howe out of the tallies remaining in his hands [to wit by his raising money by discounting the same]; the rest and all the other sums abovementioned [are] to be issued out of any money in the Exchequer of the funds of this year 1711. Ibid., p. 82.
Oct. 29.	Present: [attendance not stated].
	Pursuant to my Lord Treasurer's direction,
	Issue to Mr. Brydges (out of the money in the Exchequer arising out of this year's funds) 2,000l. to be applied towards the pay of the five Regiments (under his care of pay) lately arrived from Canada. But he is to take care to apportion the same as near as may be to the numbers of effectives in each of the said Regiments. Ibid., p. 83.
Oct. 30.	Present: [attendance not stated].
	Pursuant to my Lord Treasurer's direction,
	Ordered that out of the 10,000l. reserved in the hands of the Navy Treasurer for the service of the Sick and Wounded 6,000l. be imprested to Mr. Savery for the uses following: viz.
				£
	upon account of what has incurred since Michaelmas last and may incur for subsistence of prisoners in the several ports			1,400
	upon account of what has incurred since Michaelmas last and may grow due for quartering Sick and Wounded seamen			3,000
	for contingent and incident charges and services in the said [Sick] Office from time to time			1,600
				£6,000
	The Commissioners for Sick and Wounded are from month to month to make a demand of such sums as shall be necessary for carrying on the service in their Office from Michaelmas 1711; setting down in particular the numbers of prisoners and the numbers of Sick and Wounded in quarters as near as they can and for what particular services the said demands are made from time to time.
	The [Principal] Officers of Ordnance having complained that the Captains of the men of war after they are sailed from hence with sufficient quantities of good powder (exceeding the ancient allowances) do unnecessarily buy great quantities abroad at unreasonable prices and (for the most part) bad in kind, for which they draw bills on that [the Ordnance] Office and that by such service and the multiplicity of bills those [artificers] that serve the Office here are extremely discouraged, it is desired that no Captain should have power to buy any powder abroad or draw bills for the same until the proportion he carries with him be reduced to a certain quantity. Treasury Minute Book XIX, p. 84.