Treasury Books and Papers: May 1739

Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, Volume 4, 1739-1741. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1901.

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'Treasury Books and Papers: May 1739', in Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, Volume 4, 1739-1741, (London, 1901) pp. 21-26. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books-papers/vol4/pp21-26 [accessed 12 April 2024]

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May 1739

May 1.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
64. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Doddington, Winnington, Mr. Earle.
The Secretary at War represents to their Lordships the distress of the Independent Companies at Jamaica, through the failure of Mr. Popple, their agent, 1,500l. of said Popple's bills drawn on him for subsistence money supplied to him, having been returned protested. Said Secretary is to enquire more particularly concerning same and report his opinion.
Order for the issue to the Cofferer of the Household of 10,000l. in part of 1738, 'Xmas quarter, whereof 6,000l. for imprests to purveyors.
Same for same of 750l. each to the two Secretaries of State for Secret Service.
Auditor Shelley to hasten his report on Sir Andrew Thornhaugh's petition referred to him January 17 last about certain demands of the late Sir Thomas Hewet, Surveyor General of Woods.
The report of the 3rd ult. from the Board of Works read on the late Mr. Bridgman's demands for works in the gardens at Richmond, by the late Queen's orders. Order for a warrant for 742l. 18s. 10d. thereon.
Mr. Lowther is to pay Mr. Clay, the clockmaker, 13l. 2s. 0d. in full of all his demands for looking after and repairing the Treasury clock, 1721, March 25, to 1725, August 18, or any time after.
Sir Joseph Eyles's proposal for remitting the subsistence money to Gibraltar and Minorca, 1739, April 25 to June 24, agreed to as follows, the Paymaster of the Forces having certified the rates of exchange to be as usual, viz.:—
19,700 dollars for Minorca payable in gold at sight at 55d. per dollar.
18,800 dollars for Gibraltar payable in gold at sight at 54½d. per dollar.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 123; Letter Book XIX. p. 501.]
May 1. 65. Royal sign manual countersigned by the Lords of the Treasury, and directed to the Attorney or Solicitor General for a bill for the royal signature to pass the Great Seal of Great Britain, granting to Edward Weston and Andrew Stone the office of collector and transmitter to the Keeper or Register of Papers or Records concerning matters of State and Council of all and singular the Treaties, Instructions, Memorials, Letter books, and other papers which now are or hereafter shall be in any of the offices of the Principal Secretaries of State, or which shall or may belong to the same, and shall happen to be found in the hands of any other person whatsoever; all loco George Tilson, lately deceased, with the yearly fee or salary of 400l. with a maximum allowance of 100l. for clerks and incidents: said Weston and Stone to observe all such instructions as they shall receive from the King or the said Principal Secretaries of State for the due ordering and disposing of the said Treaties, &c. as aforesaid, and for transmitting same from time to time to the said office of Keeper or Register of Papers and Records as above.
[King's Warrant Book XXXIII. p. 271.]
May 1. 66. Treasury warrant to the Customs Commissioners, London, to permit the exportation of bells as below, belonging to Christ Church, Dublin.
Prefixing:—Extract of a memorial from the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Dublin [to the Customs Commissioners, England]. About a year since sent the 6 bells of said church to Bristol to be re-cast, and paid a duty of 22l. on the importation of same to England. Said bells are now cast into a set of 8, and are ready to be sent back waiting a Treasury warrant. Pray same and also the allowance of drawback, if any, on the re-exportation.
[Customs Book XIV. p. 351.]
May 8.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
67. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Mr. Winnington.
Order for the following issues out of the Civil List revenues:—
£ s. d.
To the Master of the Horse 3,000 0 0
To Mr. Selwyn, Junr., for the late Queen's servants 4,952 10
To Earl Waldegrave 1,430 0 0
To Mr. Ellis 850 0 0
To Mr. Schutz for the Privy Purse 3,000 0 0
To Mr. Middleton 2,090 19 0
Sir George Oxenden's memorial read, complaining that a piece of ground lying near Hedge Lane belonging to him is lately demised under the Exchequer Seal to one James Meredith. To be transmitted to the Surveyor General of Crown Lands to revise the proceedings therein and to examine the case with respect to the Crown's rights.
The under-mentioned petitions read, all relating to 650l. of the public money paid for subsisting Col. Cornwallis's regiment in Scotland and the bills to answer same, being unanswered by reason of the failure of Mr. Popple, late agent to the said regiment, viz.:— From James Douglas, agent for Allan Whitefoord, Receiver General of the Land Tax in Scotland; from said Whitefoord strengthening the allegations of Mr. Douglas's petition; from Col. Cornwallis in answer to Mr. Douglas's petition. Same to be transmitted to Mr. Paxton to lay before the Attorney and Solicitor General for their consideration.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. pp. 124–5; Letter Book XIX. p. 502.]
May 9. 68. Letters patent of surrender to the Treasury by the Rt. Hon. Robert Lord Walpole of his office of Clerk of the Pells, he having been appointed thereto by the Treasury 1721, April 5.
[Warrants not relating to Money XXVI. p. 179.]
69. Letters patent, in Latin, by the Lords of the said Treasury appointing Robert Lord Walpole Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer (officium scribendi omnia et singula Tallia et Contra Tallia de quibuscumque Billis ad Receptum Scaccarii, &c.) loco George Earl of Halifax, deceased.
[Ibid. p. 180.]
70. Same by same appointing Edward Walpole Clerk of the Pells loco Robert Lord Walpole with like emoluments and in as ample form as in the case of Chideock Wardour, Sir Edward Wardour, Henry Pelham or Robert Lord Walpole or any other his predecessors in said office.
[Ibid. pp. 191–4.]
May 12. 71. Account certified by Charles Carkesse, Custom House, London, of the quantity of sugar imported into His Majesty's northern colonies in America from Jamaica, Barbados and the Leeward Islands, for 7 years past (viz. 1729–35 inclusive) distinguishing each year, each colony and each island. 14 large sheets.
[Treasury Board Papers CCC. No. 31.]
[May 12 ?] 72. Paper of four accounts as follows:—
(1) The quantities of sugars exported from Barbados and the Leeward Isles, 1734, 'Xmas, to 1738, 'Xmas.
(2) Same of same imported into England from abovesaid places in same period.
(3) Same of same exported from abovesaid places, 1726, 'Xmas, to 1738, 'Xmas, extracted from the Journals of the collectors of the Customs in the said respective Islands.
(4) Same of same imported into England from abovesaid places in same period. In duplicates, 3, 2 and 2 pages.
[Ibid. No. 32.]
May 15.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers.
73. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Doddington, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
Nathaniel Cowdray as first clerk to the Auditor of the Receipt and Richard Hammond as first clerk to the Clerk of the Pells were approved and had the oaths of office administered to them.
Mr. Paxton, solicitor for affairs of the Treasury, to pursue without delay the passing his accounts of the moneys imprested to him for law charges.
The petition of William Gooch, Governor of Virginia read for consideration for extraordinary services. Referred to the Auditor of the Plantations.
Same of Ruperta Howe, Rangeress of Alice Holt and Woolmer Forests, for repairs there read and referred to the Surveyor General of Woods.
Order for the following issues out of the Civil List revenues:—
£ s. d.
To the Judges and others for Hilary term last 6,582 10 0
To the Master of the Robes for 1738, 'Xmas quarter 496 18 0
Lady Belle Finch is to have 300l. per an. by the hands of Mr. Stewart, from Lady day last during the King's pleasure.
Joshua Tucker to be deputy King's waiter to Nicholas Mann loco Posthumus Beckford, deceased. Thomas Lench, tidesman on the superior list, London port, to be deputy to Thomas Yorke, King's waiter there. Memorandum.—This office was given by warrant dated 1738, Novr. 1, to Jonas Evett, but he has never appeared to take it upon him. Hugh Smith, tidesman in the inferior list, to be preferred to the superior list loco said Lench and George Easton to succeed Smith in the inferior list.
Mr. Pelham, secretary to the embassy in France, to be paid up on his several appointments to Lady day last.
Edward Jordan's letter, dated Priors Lee, April 11 last, concerning the proceedings against his brother relating to cider, referred to the Excise Commissioners for report.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. pp. 126–7; Reference Book X. p. 126; Letter Book XIX. p. 503.]
May 15. 74. Treasury warrant to the Surveyor General of Crown Lands for a particular or abstract of certain outhouses adjoining the Duke of Norfolk's house in St. James's Square, of which said Duke prays a reversionary lease.
Prefixing:—Report to the Treasury from the said Surveyor on said Duke's petition for same, with plans of the premises.
[Crown Lease Book V. pp. 129–131.]
May 16. 75. Royal letters patent by the King countersigned by the Lords of the Treasury. “Whereas by reason of the many frauds, incroachments, concealments and abuses committed with respect to the grants of lands and the quit rents reserved thereon in the Provinces of South and North Carolina in America, before the property of the soil thereof became invested in us, and likewise for want of a true regulation had in the publick offices in those provinces since, our royal instructions to our Governors as commanders in chief there have not hitherto had their desired effect, by reason whereof our officers there continue under great difficulties in ascertaining our quitrents, and great disputes and animosities have arisen in our said provinces thereupon, by which means our revenues are not duly collected and accompted for in our said provinces, and our subjects there are likewise left in a precarious situation with regard to their titles to the lands in their possessions,” therefore think fit to appoint a particular officer to be the royal Commissioner for supervising, inspecting and controlling the royal revenues and grants of land in the said province. Henry MacCulloh, Esq., therefore appointed to said post with full power to examine and inquire into all frauds, concealments, neglects, delays and abuses with regard to said grants of lands there and said quit rents, and towards preventing and determining all disputes relating to the premises, to inspect into the registers and records of the said provinces, and to summon to be examined before him all persons capable of giving information therein, and in case of discovery of lands held under irregular titles as exempted from quit rents, or liable to less quit rents than as prescribed in the King's instructions or lands held in greater quantities than quit rents are paid for, or lands not regularly settled according to the conditions of the original grants; then to certify all such illegal claims, possessions or pretended exemptions to the Attorney General in said respective provinces to be immediately proceeded against according to law. In the contrary case then to certify and attest the truth of any grants or claims of land there for the satisfaction of parties desiring the same. With further power to said Commissioner to inquire into the present method of passing grants of land through the several offices in said provinces, and to settle and to regulate same so as to answer the royal instructions to the Governors there and to prevent frauds, and further to settle and adjust proper order and rules for the more speedy collecting, receiving and accompting for said quit rents. All with a salary of 200l. per an.
Appending:—Orders, rules and instructions to be observed by said Henry MacCulloh in said commission as above.
[King's Warrant Book XXXIII. pp. 281–291.]
May 17. 76. Treasury warrant for the execution of a royal sign manual for the issue of 35l. to the Kings, Heralds and Pursuivants at Arms, being their droits or largess money on the creation of the following noblemen, viz., Barons Hervey, Hardwicke, Talbot, Poulett of Hinton, and Strange of Knokin, Baroness [de] Clifford, and Earl of Malton.
[Ibid. p. 275.]
May 22. 77. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Winnington, Mr. Earle.
Order for the issue to the Paymaster of the Forces, out of Exchequer bills on malt 1739, of 123,076l. 2s. 8d., for such services under his care of payment as my Lords shall direct; according to his memorial in that behalf of this day. Said Paymaster to apply out of the proper moneys in his hands the said 123,076l. 2s.d., which, with 299,250l. already applied, is to clear off-reckonings, clearings, pay of garrisons, fire and candle, and staff officers from 1737, Dec. 25, to 1738, June 24, according to the account annexed to the said memorial.
The report of the Board of Works read for 1,055l. to defray the charge of works and repairs in St. James's park. “My Lords judge that many works comprehended in that sum are not now to be performed. Write to the Board of Works to certifye such as may properly be done this summer season, with an estimate of the charge.”
The Customs Commissioners to be written to for leave of absence, without loss of pay, to George Gould, landwaiter, London port, and Stephen Kingwell, tidesman, ibid. for 3 months' each.
Order for Mr. Lowther to pay out of the King's money in his hands 99l. 13s.d. to John Tucker for Joseph Swaffeild's expenses in prosecuting Richard, John, and William Flan for raising stone without licence in His Majesty's quarries in the Isle of Portland.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 128; Customs Book XIV. p. 354; Letter Book XIX. p. 503.]
May 24. 78. Treasury warrant to the Auditor of the Receipt to make forth and place as so much cash in the office of the Tellers at the Receipt, 150,000l. on Exchequer bills on malt 1739.
[Money Book XXXIX. p. 380.]
May 30. 79. Treasury endorsement of a royal sign manual, dated 1739 May 1, for the issue to William Cayley, consul at Cadiz, 110l. for a bill of extraordinary expense in June 1738, as below.
Appending:—Said bill of expense “For the maintaining several days and sending to Gibraltar 45 Moors, 26 of whom had been taken out of a British merchant ship on the Coast of Barbary by a French man of war and were delivered up by order of the Court of France and the other 19 had been cast away in a British merchant ship near Rota and were delivered up by order of the Court of Spain: the charge of each being 48 shillings and ten pence half penny.”
[King's Warrant Book XXXIII. p. 273; Order Book XVII. p. 110.]