Treasury Books and Papers: December 1736

Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, Volume 3, 1735-1738. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1900.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'Treasury Books and Papers: December 1736', in Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, Volume 3, 1735-1738, (London, 1900) pp. 195-204. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books-papers/vol3/pp195-204 [accessed 23 April 2024]

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

December 1736

Dec. 2.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
118. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon.
The report of the Surveyor General of Crown Lands, on the Duchess of Buckingham's memorial concerning the alum works, read. “My Lords have no objection against her Grace's becoming purchaser for the alum made upon the Crown's account in case the price she bids be equal to what others shall offer for the same. Her Grace is to be paid 3,990l. with interest for the stores and utensils at the said works, belonging to the late Duke at the time of his death so as the contract made with Prissick on behalf of the Crown for 200 tons of alum at 12l. per ton may stand alone and not be invested in her Grace's account as being made from her materials not then paid for. Know of Mr. Henry Maisters if he is willing to carry on and manage with the rest of the estate these allome works and if he be willing give him an authority for that purpose, in the instrument by which he is to be appointed Receiver of the said estate.” The Surveyor General also reports that the 1,000l. claimed by the Duchess appears to be a private contract between her and the proprietors and not binding on the Crown.
The Auditor of Imprests' report on the supers set on the late Earl of Portmore in the accounts of the Paymaster of the Forces, and the said Earl's demands in discharge thereof are to be put into the hands of Lord Sundon for his perusal. As also the report from same on the demands of Lady Katherine Jones for carrying on and passing the late Earl of Ranelagh's final account.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 4.]
Dec. 7.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
119. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon.
Mr. Hinxman's answer to the complaints lately charged against him by three of the verderers of New Forest read and their Lordships are satisfied therewith.
Order for a warrant granting to the Mayor and Burgesses of Newcastle upon Tyne the office of Trovor and Peisor for three lives, to be nominated by them; with the proviso that no privileges thereby granted interfere with the power of the officers of the Revenue to weigh or measure goods imported, exported or conveyed coastwise.
Order for the following issues out of the Civil List Revenues:—
£ s. d.
To the Cofferer of the Household towards clearing 1736, Michaelmas quarter 10,000 0 0
To the Earl of Cholmondeley 425 5
To the King's Printer, for twelve months' bills to 1736, Midsummer 3,956 1 4
Same for the issue to the Paymaster General of the Forces of so much as remains to be issued out of the supplies for the year 1736, to complete all the public services under his care of payment.
Order for a sign manual for the quarter's subsidy which will be due to the King of Denmark on the 19th instant. [Ibid. p. 5.]
Dec. 7. 120. Treasury warrant to the Auditor of the Receipt: to insert in the account of the General or Aggregate Fund for 1736, Christmas quarter, the sum of 17,500l. as a charge on the said fund as the quarterly part of the sum of 70,000l., then due to be paid for the service of His Majesty's Household and family, and to make the like charge on the said fund from time to time quarterly. The duties on low wines, strong waters, rum, brandy, arrack, &c., from 1736, September 29, to be united to, made part of and inserted quarterly on the said accompt of the General or Aggregate Fund. All in accordance with the provisions of the Act 9 Geo. II.
[Money Book XXXVIII. p. 405.]
Dec. 9.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
121. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon.
Order for the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy of 13,000l. out of supplies anno 1736 to answer services as in his memorial of this day.
Same for a sign manual for 1,891l. in the name of George Middleton, without account, to reimburse expenses for His Majesty's service, and so much more as the fees come to.
The memorial of the 2nd instant from the Deputy Paymaster of the Forces enclosing Sir Joseph Eyles's proposal for remitting subsistence money to Gibraltar and Minorca, 1736, December 25, to 1736–7, February 23, read and agreed to as follows, the rates of exchange being certified to be as usual:—16,800 dollars for Minorca, payable at sight in gold, at 55d. per dollar; 24,750 dollars for Gibraltar, payable at sight in gold, at 54½d. per dollar.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 6.]
[? Dec.
11.]
122. Part of a paper of notes concerning the lease of the alum works at Sandsend and Lythe in the manor of Mulgrave, now reverted to the Crown on the death of Edmund, Duke of Buckingham, 1735, October 30. 1 page.
Appending:
—(a.) Extract of report from the Surveyor General of 1736, April 21, on said alum works. In duplicate. 4 pages.
(b.) Same of same from Mr. Burward and Mr. Chambers on the valuation of same. In duplicate. 4 pages.
(c.) Same of same from the Surveyor General of date 1736, September 29. 1 page.
(d.) Same of same from same of date 1736, October 13, as to Burward and Chambers' valuation. In duplicate.pages.
(e.) Instructions dated 1736, June 24, from the Treasury to Zachary Chambers and Jonathan Burward for their guidance in surveying the estates of the said Duke reverted to the Crown. 4 pages.
(f.) Draft assignment by the dowager Duchess of Buckinghamshire of sundry stores, utensils, &c., detailed, at said alum works. 3 pages.
(g.) An account and valuation of said stores and utensils as taken 1736, July 28. 1 sheet.
(h.) Comparisons of the inventories of said stores and utensils as taken 1736, July 28, and 1726, April 2, respectively. In duplicate. 2 sheets.
(i.) Statement of stock of alum at said works. 1 sheet.
(j.–k.) Two accounts of sundry disbursements on account of the Mulgrave and Seaton estate by George Prissick. 2 pages.
(l.) Account of expenses in rebuilding a mill at Sandsend; certified by George Prissick 1736, July 28.
(m.) Copy of a decree in Chancery 1724–5, March 2, concerning said alum works. 43 pages.
(n.) A rental or particular of the said manors of Mulgrave and Seaton. 15 pages.
(o.) Remarks on the report of the value, &c., of the manors, lands, &c., and alum mines, &c., abovesaid of the late Duke of Buckinghamshire. 6 pages.
(p.) Balance sheet showing the result of the year's working for 1735 of said alum mines. 1 page.
(q.) Account of alum received and delivered on account of the Duchess of Buckingham 1730–5. 1 page.
(r.) Wm. Newton to Sir Robert Walpole dated 1735–6, January 13, concerning the employment of his brother in said alum mines. 1½ pages.
(s.) The Duchess of Buckingham to [Sir Robert Walpole] dated 1735–6, February 22: concerning the accounts of the reverted estate and the conduct of Mr. Herbert, her son's heir, “attacking me the first moment he could after his buriall, in Chancery and Parliament at once…. I have since the King's reign claimed what all his predecessors paid me for some reason or other barring now and then, except when the Earle of Oxford had power of deciding matters, he represented the case of that revenue of 1,200li., that was by accident left dependant on the equity of those, who hereafter possesst King James's crown, in a light I believe made the Queen sorry that any advices or attempts had made so good natured a woman interrupt the payment of it on account of the wars she was engaged in, and what I know, that is I believe, the Duchess of Marlborough was the sole occasion of it—but that Her Majesty could have been prevailed on was the reason I refused, when marryed to the Duke of Buckingham, Lord Oxford's offer from Her Majesty to make me one of her Ladys of the Bedchamber. I can respect my superiorors, but I cannot serve them whilst I am ill-treated by any influences whatsoever. I told my Lord Oxford in as few words as I am able, who possess not a laconick stile, and told him I was very thankfull for the honour, but desired to be excused from the acceptance of it. I thankt him, who on the little acquaintance with his family, was disposed to do for me what many others would solicit extremely to obtain. I plainly told him the reason I give for not being desirous of obtaining that favour, but sho'd reckon myself obliged to him to procure me what I judged a strong equitable right from any King or Queen, to whom it was a mere trifle, but very convenient for a private person, whose fortune as it could not exceed what I might pretend too, so when it comes not in any degree up to what my situation in life might dispense with, and endeed require I sho'd be very glad to receive an addition to mine of what I reckond in some measure due to me. He had the good nature, and speedily too, which made it more obliging, to represent it in such a light as the Queen emmediately granted what he very exactly paid on my recept. King George interrupted it when he came to the Crown by being prevailed on his first seeing my name in his civill list to strike it out. Indeed he offerd to my Duke 2,000l. a year when he turnd him out of being President of the Councell, and I have the copy of the letter of thanks that same night sent to Lord Townshend of his thanks for the design and refusal of the offer. Long after, in conversation with Lord Sunderland, he mentiond what was done by the King to me as what he thought much more extraordinary then the turning him out to please any sett of men: Lord Sunderland seem'd convinc'd it was hard from various considerations, and on some representations of his he gott the King to allow its being paid me in his reign, as it was till my Lord dyd: and by those payments (I am very sorry was made, since again interrupted), because it was one reason joind to some others, I knew were but too good ones, why he settled no more upon me at his death that he had settled my affairs as to the precarious ebbing and flowing 1,200l. per annum that it would be no more interrupted by the family on the throne as he judgd, tho when I became without the help of my Lord Duke and his estate it was then taken from me again. When I represented to Lord Sunderland once he shuffled me of with as civill words as Lord Oxford gave when I represented the case, but the one perform'd what I represented to assist me, the other forgott or for some reason or other promoted for no success. This Queen was pleas'd to begin one day on this subject herself, and said she would doe what she could, and commanded me to give in a sort of memoriall about the state of the case. I have never troubled her about doing it, tho it is soon done. It standing thus that King James was hurry'd away before he could provide for me fully, that the 10,000l. in money was to be kept at enterest, and this revenue of 1,600l. per annum was by a patent to be settled soon upon me as an additional provision, that King William thought it a debt of honour and equity upon him to perform, and payd it as regularly as most things in a court is or more … this King [George II.] having found no disposition to favour me in this matter and no legall formality being my case I have not troubled him upon the point, though he has reign'd so many years.”… Prays at least to be reimbursed the value of the money spent in the improvement of the estate now devolved to the crown by the death of her son. 19 pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCXLII. No. 50.]
Dec. 16. 123. J. Scrope to the principal officers of the Mint, enclosing for consideration and report thereon to the Treasury the representation as below from the Lord Lieutenant and Council of Ireland to the Queen in Council concerning the present state of the gold and silver coins current in that kingdom and the alterations proposed to be made in the value thereof. Treasury Chambers, December 16. 1 page.
Appending:
—(a.) Order of the Queen in Council dated Kensington, 1736, November 24, referring the said representation (b.) as below, to the Treasury for consideration and report. 1 page.
(b.) The said representation dated Council Chamber, Dublin, 1736, May 8, from the Lord Lieutenant and Council of Ireland to the King concerning the deplorable state of that kingdom for want of silver. “Silver is so scarce with us that the lowest premium paid for getting gold changed into silver is 4d. in the pound, and to increase our calamity the greatest part of the gold current here is in the two largest pieces of Portugal gold, which pass here one for 4li. and the other for 40sh.” Those through whose hands most of the money here passes receive about half their cash in these 4li. pieces. Rents if paid in specie are also paid in them. To get silver change for these pieces involves a loss of 6d., 8d., or 9d. in the £. This distresses the linen trade, the most valuable branch of trade here, shopkeepers and labourers and soldiers. “The occasion of our money running so much into gold and that still into the larger pieces is not only that gold has been unfortunately set here at a higher value in respect of silver than it passes for in England, so that it is a profit to bring gold into this kingdom and a loss to carry it out, but there is some advantage in bringing over the larger pieces of gold rather than the lesser. A 4l. piece, as it is called here, is not in England worth more than 72s. English, but here (where the English shilling passes for 13d.) it passes for 80s. Irish, which is 78s. Irish, answering to 72s. English, and 2s. more, and so the other pieces of the new Portugal species are proportionably rated. And it is much the same with the Moydore, the French Louis d'Ors, and the French and Spanish Pistoles and their respective subdivisions. And the guinea, which passes in England for 21s., passes here for 23s. Irish, which is 21s. English or 1l. 2s. 9d. Irish and 3d. more. So that if any person brings over 100l. English from England hither he will gain about 2l. 15s. 6d. Irish by bringing it over in foreign gold rather than silver, and 1l. 3s. 8d. by bringing it over in guineas rather than silver. On the other hand if he were to take money from hence to England to pay 100l. there he would lose 2l. 15s. 6d. Irish by taking over foreign gold to pay it, and 1l. 3s. 8d. by taking guineas hence to pay it. So that at present nobody can afford to import silver coin hither or will export gold coin hence if he can get silver to carry out. There is likewise a disproportion between our greater and lesser pieces of foreign gold to the advantage of the greater pieces. For as their present weight and value are settled here there is 2d. profit in bringing over a 4li. piece rather than two 40sh. pieces, and the same profit in bringing over a 40s. piece rather than two 20s. pieces, and the same profit in bringing over a 20s. piece rather than two 10s. pieces, and whilst this is our case silver must be still decreasing with us and our gold run into the larger pieces. We beg therefore to represent it to your Majesty as our humble opinion that this evil would be remedied if the value of gold were settled here according to the inclosed paper No. 1, in which the guinea is valued at 1l. 2s. 9d. Irish or 21s. English, which it passes for in England, and the Moydore and all other foreign gold is rated at the quantity of English silver coin it usually passes for in England, only that to encourage the importation of lesser pieces of foreign gold in some measure to supply our want of silver and to get rid of our larger pieces of foreign gold, which are wholly useless in all the lesser transactions of trade, we give about a penny a piece advantage to the lesser pieces of foreign gold in respect of the larger pieces of the same species.
We humbly hope this our request will appear the more reasonable to your Majesty because when the rate of quadruple, double, and single Pistoles, and of Moydores and their subdivisions were settled in the year 1712, and when the rate of the new Louis d'ors was settled in 1714 the guinea past in England for 1l. 1s. 6d., and when the new Portugal species of gold were settled in 1725 they were settled in proportion to what the Moydore had been settled at here before, as may appear by a report from the Treasury to his late Majesty dated 1725–6, January 5, in pursuance of our desire from hence that they might be set on the same footing with the Moydore: so that our foreign gold was originally rated here upon the value gold bore in England when a guinea past for 1l. 1s. 6d., since which, time though the guinea has been reduced 6d. in England yet there has been no reduction of gold since in Ireland.
As we think this reduction of gold will keep with us what little silver we have and gradually change our greater pieces of foreign gold into the lesser, in order to our getting some foreign silver, of which at present there is none current among us, we most humbly propose that the price of foreign silver here may be raised to about the middle price of silver bullion in England that it may stay with us till it is called away by the rise of the market in England. For at present the value of foreign silver coins with us is fixt at the rate of 5s. 71/166d. Irish per oz. or 5s. 2d. English. But as foreign silver for many years has bore a better price in England than this no merchant can utter foreign silver here as money without loss, and therefore will always send it away as a commodity to England or Holland. But if our foreign silver were raised to about 5s.d. per ounce, which is about the middle price of silver bullion in England and comes to 5s. 9¾1/611d. Irish it would be from time to time worth the merchant's while to utter foreign silver here as money. And this we humbly propose may be done by settling the Mexico piece of eight, weighing 17 pwts. 4 grs. at 5s. Irish, and rating all other foreign silver in proportion, as is done in the scheme annext No. 2; only that some of the pieces, to make even money, are set about a farthing a piece higher than their real value, and there is the more reason to do this because as all foreign silver passes with us by weight it still continues in the nature of bullion with us as well as it is esteemed so in England, and may therefore very reasonably be set at the middle price of silver bullion in England.”
Followed by Table (a.):—Value set upon the several species of gold coin current in the kingdom of Ireland. (17 items.)
Table (b.):—Value set upon the several species of foreign silver coins. (17 items.) 8 pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCXCIII. No. 2; Letter Book XIX. p. 428.]
Dec. 21.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
124. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon.
Order for preparation of the warrants for paying the Gentlemen and Grooms of the Bedchamber 1736, Michaelmas quarter; also the Lord Privy Seal and other Lords payable at the Exchequer for same quarter.
John Lowther is to succeed Wm. Dawson, deceased, as searcher of the Customs, Newcastle port.
The Taxes Commissioners to attend on Thursday next about Mr. Burridge's affair under Mr. Kelsal's negotiation in Holland.
Leave of absence for three months to Mr. Wyvill, one of the Commissioners of Excise in North Britain.
Order for the following issues out of the Civil List revenues:—
£ s. d.
To George Middleton 2,090 19 0
To the Earl of Wilmington 1,000 0 0
To Mr. Blair 199 11 6
To Mr. Ranby 200 0 0
To Mr. Walpole 1,300 0 0
William Poole to be Receiver General of Stamp Duties, loco Henry Cartwright, deceased: Wm. Blair to be a Commissioner of Stamp duties, loco Brinley Skinner, who is going Consul to Venice.
George Hawkins is to be paid 14l. 14s. by Mr. Lowther out of the King's money in his hands to reimburse the like sum expended by him for His Majesty's service.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 7; Letter Book XIX. p. 428.]
[After
Dec. 25.]
125. Statement of account, uncertified, for the four quarters of the year 1736, of the income from, charge upon, and deficiency of the Additional Stamp Duties for paying 24,000l. per annum to the Bank of England from 1731, midsummer, and 14,000li. per annum for 3½ per cent. annuities at the Exchequer from 1731, Michaelmas. (Total deficit for the year, 4,816l. 18s. 10d.). 1 page.
[Treasury Board Papers CCXCIII. No. 4.]
126. Computation of the capital stock of the South Sea Company with the annuities thereupon and the charges of management. 1 page. [Ibid. No. 6.]
127. An account of the gross amount of the duties arising from foreign sail cloth imported into England from 1734, Christmas, to 1736, Christmas; also an account of the bounty paid on British- made sail cloth exported to foreign parts for same period. 1 page.
[Ibid. No. 7.]
Dec. 26. 128. Treasury warrant to the Auditor of the Receipt to issue to John Lawton 105l. for Christmas quarter for himself and three clerks for sorting and digesting records in the Court of the Receipt of the Exchequer.
Appending:—Lawton's certificate of work done during the quarter. “Since Michaelmas last Mr. Stewart has been sorting old records of several kinds, Mr. Whiston and Mr. Farley have been methodising the books of the Court of Wards and Liveries and Mr. Smart and Mr. Strachey have been sorting Star Chamber Records.” [Money Book XXXVIII. pp. 407–8.]
Dec. 28. 129. (a.)-(u.u.) Weekly cash statements of disposable money in the Exchequer, showing “net receipts per week” and “remains and receipts added,” arranged under the following heads, viz.:—For His Majesty's Civil Government; for the late King's debts; for Queen Anne's debts; for uses to be appointed; for the service of the year 1735 or 1736 respectively; all for the weeks ending on dates as follow: —
1735–6, January 6 (including (a.) (i.) a note of “unsatisfied warrants for which letters are writ”); January 20 (including (b.) (i.) as above); January 27; February 3 (including (d.) (i.) as above); February 10 (including (e.) (i.) as above); February 17 (including (f.) (i.) as above); February 24 (including (g.) (i.) as above); Marcn 2 (including (h.) (i.) as above); March 16 (including (i.) (i.) as above); March 23 (including (j.) (i.) as above); 1736, March 30 (including (k.) (i.) as above); April 6 (including (l.) (i.) as above); April 13 (including (m.) (i.) as above); April 20 (including (n.) (i.) as above); April 27 (including (o.) (i.) as above); May 4 (including (p.) (i.) as above); May 11 (including (q.) (i.) as above); May 18 (including (r.) (i.) as above); May 25 (including (s.) (i.) as above); June 1 (including (t.) (i.) as above); June 8 (including (u.) (i.) as above); June 15 (including (v.) (i.) as above); June 22 (including (w.) (i.) as above); July 6 (including (x.) (i.) (x.) (11.) as above); July 20 (including (y.) (i.) as above); July 27 (including (z.) (i.) as above); August 3 (including (aa.) (i.) as above); August 10 (including (bb.) (i.) as above); August 17 (including (cc.) (i.) as above); August 24; August 31 (including (ee.) (i.) as above); September 7 (including (ff.) (i.) as above); September 14 (including (gg.) (i.) as above); September 21 (including (hh.) (i.) as above); September 28 (including (ii.) (i.) as above); October 5 (including (jj.) (i.) as above); October 12 (including (kk.) (i.) as above); October 19 (including (ll.) (i.) as above); October 26; November 2 (including (nn.) (i.) as above); November 9; November 16 (including (pp.) (i.) as above); November 30; December 7; December 14 (including (ss.) (i.) as above); December 21 (including (tt.) (i.) as above); December 28 (including (uu.) (i.) as above). 89 pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCXCIII. No. 8.]
Dec. 30.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
130. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Lord Sundon.
Order for the following issues out of the Civil List funds: —
£ s. d.
To the Cofferer of the Household to complete
26,940l. for 1736, Michaelmas quarter
10,000 0 0
To the Treasurer of the Chamber on the
established allowance, same quarter
6,383 4 11
Same, more for lodgings at Kensington 2,417 2 3
To Mr. Stuart on the establishment of pensions payable by him, same quarter 10,596 10 6
To the Band of Pensioners, same quarter 9,735 8
To the Great Wardrobe in part of 10,090l. 17s.d. for same quarter 5,000 0 0
To the Duke of Cumberland 2,000 0 0
To the Princesses Amelia and Caroline 1,325 5 0
To the Band of Pensioners 1,500 0 0
Order for the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy, out of funds anno 1736, of 43,413l. 10s. for services as in his memorial of the 23rd instant. [Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 8.]
1736. 131. An estimate by Charles Bridgeman of the expense of making a road over Barnes common from Putney Lane end to the lane going up to Roehampton for the use of their Majesties. (Total, 273l. 2s.) ½ page.
[Treasury Board Papers CCXCIII. No. 10.]
132. Papers of estimates for the year 1736 as follow: —
(a.) Services incurred anno 1736 and not provided for by Parliament. (Total, 56,413l. 14s.d.) 2 pages.
(b.) Charge of Guards, Garrisons and Land Forces. (Total, 649,270l. 2s.) In triplicate. 6 pages.
Together with
(b.) (i.) Estimate of the decrease in charge of said Guards, Garrisons and Land Forces for 1736 as compared with 1735. (Total decrease in 1736, 145,259l. 2s.d.) In triplicate. 3 pages.
(c.) Charge of His Majesty's Forces in the Plantations, Minorca and Gibraltar. (Total, 216,228l. 10s. 11d.) In triplicate. 3 pages.
Together with
(c.) (i.) Estimate of the increase in the charge of said forces in 1736 as compared with 1735. (Total increase in 1736, 518l. 4s.d.) In quadruplicate. 4 pages.
(d.) Charge of the office of Ordnance. (Total, 84,350l. 17s. 5d.) 1 page.
(e.) Charge of the outpensioners of Chelsea Hospital. (Total, 24,518l. 10s.) In triplicate. 3 pages.
Together with
(e.) (i.) Estimate of the increase in the charge for 1736 for said hospital as compared with 1735. (Total increase in 1736, 5,668l. 0s. 10d.) In triplicate. 3 pages.
[Ibid. No. 11.]
133. Detailed statement of account of (1) the net income of His Majesty's Civil List revenues, and (2) payments to heads of expense of His Majesty's Civil Government: for the separate years 1727–35:—
Net income. Expense.
£ s. d. £ s. d.
1727–8 708,228 2 621,302 12
1729 880,400 15 864,756 9 10½
1730 771,304 4 806,176 10
1731 810,440 1 802,836 0 11¼
1732 862,664 11 823,670 2 5
1733 835,378 4 10¼ 822,508 10
1734 862,432 0 10 920,148 12 10¼
1735 815,556 4 10¾ 814,481 7
1 sheet. [Ibid. No. 12.]
[1736 ?] 134. Statement of the surplus of the 2/7ths ninepenny Excise and the ninepenny Excise for 99 years, for the years 1724–35. 2 pages.
[Ibid. No. 16.]