Treasury Books and Papers: August 1737

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

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'Treasury Books and Papers: August 1737', in Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, Volume 3, 1735-1738, (London, 1900) pp. 331-337. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books-papers/vol3/pp331-337 [accessed 29 April 2024]

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August 1737

Aug. 2. 113. Gil. Brown to the Treasury, concerning a proposed discovery by him and others. of considerable sums of money, due to and concealed from the Treasury, said proposed discovery relating neither to Customs, Excise, nor Taxes, Desires an explanation of the previous Treasury minute concerning the reward, so as to be assured of the quarter share, as usually paid in such discoveries. 1 page.
[Treasury Board Papers CCXCV. No. 55.]
Aug. 4.
Hampton
Court
Treasury
Chambers.
114. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington.
The letter dated North Carolina, 1737, May 11, to John Scrope from Eleazer Allen, Collector of the Quit rents in that province, read concerning the many obstructions and difficulties which hinder his collecting the same, and the arts and contrivances of one Mr. Moseley, a gentleman of the Council there, and others, his adherents, to defeat Allen's demands. Ordered to be transmitted to the Auditor of the Plantations or his Deputy to report a true state of the matters, with his opinion.
“Read a letter dated 2nd August from Mr. Revell, contractor for victualling Gibraltar, to be permitted to furnish kidney beans, oatmeal or rice in lieu of peas, apprehending that by the failure of the present crop of peas he shall not find sufficient quantity good and fit for keeping in store the time prescribed by his contract. State to my Lords the terms of his contract as to the species of provisions and the lieus allowed thereby, and know whether the said contract hath at any time been deviated from as to provisions and in what.”
Mr. Revell's memorial for 490l. 16s. 5d. for insurance of provisions at the rate of 1½ per cent. to January 30 last referred to the Comptrollers of Army Accounts.
Order for preparation of a King's warrant on the Paymaster General of the Forces for 2,000l. to be imprested to Mr. Revell to enable him to pursue with proper despatch the finishing of the work he is under contract to perform at Gibraltar, according to Revell's memorial now read in that behalf.
The report of the 2nd instant from the Board of Works, concerning repairing the house in the Mews, belonging to the Gentleman of the Horse, read and approved at the estimate of 765l.
Write to the Exchequer to make issues, out of the Civil List Revenues, as follow:—
£ s. d.
To the Privy Purse 3,000 0 0
To the Cofferer of the Household, in further part of 1737, Lady Day quarter 10,000 0 0
The Duchess of Ancaster's pension of 600l. per an., established and paid by Mr. Stuart, is determined from Lady Day last, so let a warrant be prepared to be signed by the King for determining the same accordingly.
… Norton to be a searcher at Boston in Lincolnshire, loco John Oliver, deceased.
Order for stay of process against the executors and sureties of Mr. Croker, late Receiver General of Taxes for Oxfordshire, till the last day of Hilary term next.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII pp. 39–40; Letter Book XIX. p. 448.]
Aug. 5. 115. Treasury warrant to the Customs Commissioners, authorising the trial for six months of a scheme, proposed as below, by Philemon Phillips, for preventing smuggling in Kent; and for the necessary orders thereupon for Robert Forster, one of the Customs Inspectors for the Thames, and said Phillips to join with the Surveyor General of Kent in the execution of same.
Prefixing:—Report to the Treasury from said Commissioners, dated 1737, May 27, on the memorial of Philemon Phillips, Master in His Majesty's Navy. Memorialist alleges that having taken a survey of the Kentish coast he finds that at St. Margaret's Bay and the three neighbouring parishes there are about 200 families which subsist by smuggling: there are upwards of 200 open boats, carrying from four to five hands, each employed in bringing the brandy and other goods from France, Flanders, &c., which goods are run between the North and South Foreland, near 100 decked vessels from 15 to 35 tons, belonging to Folkestone and carrying from six to ten hands each, are employed in the like trade. To prevent this memorialist proposes to station cutters, boats with sitters, &c., watch vessels, or officers variously at King's Gate or Bartholomew Gate, the mouth of Sandwich river, in the Downs, St. Margaret's Bay, Dover, Folkestone, Dymchurch. Have had both memorial and proposals examined by Mr. Collyer, Surveyor General of Kent, who certifies that great quantities of tea, brandy, and other goods are daily landed on the coast of Kent, and from thence conveyed to London by great gangs of smugglers, who come down on the coast with firearms, and run their goods in defiance of the officers. Advise a trial of memorialist's proposals for six months. [Customs Book XIV. pp. 231–3.]
Aug. 8. 116. Royal sign manual, countersigned by the Lords of the Treasury, to the Attorney or Solicitor General for the preparation of a bill to pass the Privy Seal, containing an indenture tripartite between the King of the first part, Sir Jonathan Cope, Bart., of the second, and Thomas Walker of Clifford Street, Burlington Gardens, Surveyor General; John Eckersall of St. James's House, Westminster, Receiver General and Cashier of Customs; and William Lowndes of Astwood, co. Bucks, one of the Auditors of His Majesty's Land Revenues, of the third, for the sale by the said Cope to the said Walker, &c., in trust for the Crown, of all those several wharves and quays, with their several rights, members, &c., situate in the parish of All Hallows, Barking, and known by the several and respective names of the Old Wool Quay and the New Wool Quay, otherwise Custom House Quay, and all those messuages, tenements, house, warehouses, storehouses, vaults and cellars to the said wharfs and quays belonging, heretofore occupied by Richard Merrywhether, John Lateward and Edward Owen, and all those eight cranes, now standing on the said wharfs and quays, together with the stairs formerly repaired or new made by Sir John Cope, Bart., deceased, heretofore called the Queen's Stairs, and now called Stone Stairs, adjoining the said wharves, and the paved alley leading to the said stairs, with the shop thereon erected, and the Compting House under the east end of the Custom House, together with the paved walks underneath the two wings of the Custom House, all which premises were heretofore in the tenure of Richard Lateward, afterwards in the tenure of Richard Merrywether and Edward Owen, and now or late in the tenure of John Lateward and Edward Owen, their under-tenents or assigns, and all gateways and other ways, passages, lights, easements, &c., &c., to the premises appertaining: and further all that parcel of ground in Thames Street in All Hallows, Barking, whereon lately stood a brick messuage or tenement, commonly called the Vine Tavern, formerly in the tenure of Sir Peter Eaton, and that other parcel in the said street, whereon lately stood the messuage, known sometimes as the “Whitehorse,” sometimes as the “Woolpack,” and afterwards converted into a tavern, and known as the “Rose and Dolphin,” together with all appurtenances, said messuages having been pulled down by the Customs Commissioners, and converted into rooms and offices for the use of said Commissioners and their clerks: all for a consideration of two yearly rents of 750l. for the said wharves and 326l. for the said pieces of ground, to commence from 1736, December 25, for one year, and from and after 1737, December 25, the single yearly rental of 1,326l.
[King's Warrant Book XXXII. pp. 398–404.]
Aug. 9.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
117. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington.
Order for a sign manual for 8,050l. to Mr. Scrope, for His Majesty's Secret Service.
The Lady Deloraine is to be paid what is due to her on the 500l. per an. in lieu of diet, “so make an issue to the Cofferer for that purpose accordingly.”
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 41.]
Aug. 11.
Hampton
Court.
118. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington.
The Taxes Commissioners attend, and their certificates of the charge, discharge and remains of all the Receivers General read and considered by their Lordships. Agreed to continue all the said Receivers General, except those marked in the said certificate with the letter R., as being respited. New ones to be nominate^ for the places of those that are dead.
The Taxes Commissioners are to examine strictly the sufficiency of the effects given in by the representatives of Joseph Veale, deceased, to answer his debt to the Crown, “and be careful to the best of their powers to secure and speedily recover same.”
Said Commissioners to write to the Acting Commissioners of several counties, marked in the abovesaid list, to hasten the collecting of outstanding arrears, so as the Receivers may pass their accounts, and to take care that process go against the said Acting Commissioners, in case of unreasonable delay.
Agreed that Francis Sorrell, Secretary to said Commissioners, be appointed administrator in behalf of the Crown of the estate and effects of Samuel Burridge in Holland, Flanders and elsewhere on giving 5,000l. security, “and that a Privy Seal (if necessary) be passed to secure Burridge's debtors against any further claims by the Crown or otherwise upon payment of their debts to the said Sorrell, and having his receipt or discharge in respect thereof” according to the said Commissioners' memorial of the 9th instant in that behalf.
The Customs Commissioners' report of the 16th April last read on the case of Samuel Hyde and John Bance, concerning debentures for tobacco shipped and exported within [sic for without] the term of three years, if taken from the date of the Master's report upon importation. “My Lords conceive it an equitable case for relief. But as the Commissioners say the Master's report is the time allowed by the law, and they apprehend the parties cannot be relieved, see whether anything, and what, hath been done in cases of this or the like nature.”
Order for the issue to the Wardrobe of 8,250l. 16s.d. to clear the debt in that office for 1737, Lady Day quarter.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 42.]
Aug. 16. 119. Petition to the Treasury from Neil McViccar, His Majesty's Almoner in North Britain. Sets forth that there is 108l. 6s. 8d. yearly allowed by the Civil Establishment of Scotland for defraying the expense of alms and Beedsmen's gowns on his Majesty's birthday. The rule as to the Beedmen is that there shall be as many of them, and that each of them shall have as many pence as His Majesty is years old, by which means there comes to be a gradual yearly increase. The above annual allowance of 108l. 6s. 8d. has from 1729 to 1736 fallen short of the expense of the birthdays by 64l. 1s. 4d. Petitioner's predecessors have always had such increased allowance. Prays allowance of this amount accordingly.
Referred to the Barons of the Exchequer, Scotland.
[North Britain Book XII. p. 110.]
Aug. 16.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
120. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Sundon, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
Orders for the following issues out of the Civil List Revenues: —
£ s. d.
To the King's Goldsmith, for plate 1736, Christmas quarter 2,183 6 0
To the Cofferer of the Household, to clear 1737, Lady Day quarter 5,525 0 0
To the Count Montijo, per Sir Clement Cotterell 1,083 18 0
To the Speaker of the House of Commons 500 0 0
Same for the issue of the sums wanting to satisfy the orders signed for Sheriffs, as they shall apply for same.
“My Lords, on reading a letter signed Gilbert Browne and dated the 2nd instant, by which he desires that a minute made the 8th day of July last with relacon to a reward for discoveries he pretends to make may be so explained that the quantum of the reward may not be left doubtful, their Lordships adhere to the former minute, and think it most reasonable for him to explain and give satisfaction to their Lordships about the said discoveries before anything further be concluded thereupon.”
A plate is to be prepared for printing off Exchequer bills for the 500,000l. to be raised on the Act for the duties on sweet wines, &c.
Mr. Prissick, applying on the behalf of the Duchess of Buckingham, to be empowered to collect the arrears of rent of Mulgrave and Seaton Manors, and to take away the alum made at the works since the 700 tons were sold and delivered to the Duchess upon his discharging the 10l. per ton, payable to him for making the same. “My Lords say the settling of the lease of these manors and works and the terms thereof are before the Surveyor General and Mr. Prissick must waite for an answer till the particular and the Surveyor's rate thereupon comes before their Lordship.”
John Nowell, at the recommendation of the Earl of Carlisle, is to succeed Mrs. Colton as distributor of stamps for the city of York. [Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 43.]
Aug. 17. 121. J. Scrope to the Auditor of the Receipt to cause a copper plate to be engraved in the usual form for printing off Exchequer bills on sweet wines, in accordance with the Act of last Session, so as said bills may be in readiness, according as their Lordships shall direct issues to be made out of same, the said Act having provided that 500,000l. to be raised on said duties for the public service may be raised either by loans or by Exchequer bills or by both as the Lords of the Treasury shall judge adviseable.
Appending: —Draft or sample of such Exchequer bill for 100l.
[Letter Book XIX. p. 448.]
Aug. 18. 122. Warrant under the royal sign manual to the King's Advocate General and Procurator General in the Admiralty Court and Courts Ecclesiastical to appear before the Judge of the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury, there to assert the King's right and title to the debts owing abroad to Samuel Burridge, formerly Receiver General of Taxes for part of Devon, deceased, in order to have the administration with the will annexed of the goods, &c., of said deceased, granted to Francis Sorrell of St. Margaret's, Westminster, for the King's use and benefit, with the intention that the moneys collected thereupon shall be instantly paid into the Receipt towards discharging Burridge's debt to the Crown. [King's Warrant Book XXXII. p. 394–5.]
Aug. 22. 123. Order by the Auditor of the Receipt for the issue to the South Sea Company of 1,000,000l. to be divided and distributed by said Company among the proprietors of their capital stock, commonly called Old South Sea Annuities, towards sinking and discharging so much of their shares or interests in the said capital stock in manner as prescribed by the Act 10 Geo. II. for repealing the present duty on sweet wines, &c.
[Order Book XVI. pp. 375–6.]
Aug. 30.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
124. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Winnington Mr. Earle.
Their Lordships approve of the Excise Commissioners' memorial of the 19th instant, concerning offering a reward for the discovery of persons guilty of insulting those concerned in detecting the retailers of spirituous liquors. The amount of the reward left to the determination of said Commissioners.
The memorial in the name of Perez, ambassador from Morocco, read for the delivery of goods of various sorts and in great quantities, and said to be his own. The Customs Commissioners to state what the goods are and the duty thereon, and what favour has been shewn to the said embassy in the like occasions hitherto.
The Taxes Commissioners' letter read concerning Mr. Davenport, the Receiver General for Cheshire and North Wales. The respite removed, and Davenport, continued Receiver for land tax 1737.
My Lords, on reading the Treasurer of the Navy's memorial of the 3rd of August instant for 137,260l. 4s. 1d. for the uses therein menconed, do agree to the payment of one month's course to 31st March last and to one quarter instead of half a year demanded for the yards, and postpone the 15,000l. demanded for recalls until they know for what ships and when they were last paid or recalled.
Order that the 317l. 12s. 6d. demanded by Jonathan Burward and Zachary Chambers for services touching the estate of the late Duke of Buckingham, being formerly agreed to, be paid out of the moneys arising by the rents and profits of said estate, and remaining in the hands of Mr. Maisters, receiver thereof.
Same for a sign manual for 5,000l. to John Scrope for Secret Service, and 400l. to Charles Hatton, as royal bounty.
Thomas Forbes to be deputed collector at Lewis in Pennsylvania, loco Henry Brooke. John Lewis to be deputed the preventive officer in Newfoundland, said office having been vacant for some time past.
Edward Randolph's petition concerning his and his sureties' composition, pursuant to an Act of Parliament in that behalf, referred to the Customs Commissioners,
Orders for the following issues out of the Civil List Revenues: —
£ s. d.
To Mr. Walpole, on hid ordinary as ambassador in Paris 1,300 0 0
To the Paymaster of the Works, for the charge of lighting- and maintaining the lamps [in “Westminster Hall], according to a report from that Board [of Works] 205 19 0
The memorial of the Paymaster General of the Forces on the proposal of Sir Joseph Eyles for remitting the subsistence money to Minorca and Gibraltar 1737, August 25, to October 24, read and agreed to as follows, the rates of exchange being certified to be as usual:—15,850 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. pp. 44–5; Letter Book XIX. p. 449.]
Aug. 30. 125. Treasury warrant to the Surveyor General and principal officers of the Board of Works to make buildings, repairs, and conveniences for the accommodation of Mr. William Cowper, Clerk of the Parliament, and his clerks at his room joining to the House of Lords, pursuant to an address of the House of Lords to His Majesty: all at an estimate of 700l.
Prefixing:
—Report to the Treasury from said Board of Works, dated 1737, August 30. “The reason why we propose to build it in so plain a manner is because it can be of no use should the Houses of Parliament ever be rebuilt.”
[Lord Chamberlain's Warrant Book II. p. 84.]