Minute Book: August 1704

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 19, 1704-1705. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1938.

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

'Minute Book: August 1704', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 19, 1704-1705, (London, 1938) pp. 44-48. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol19/pp44-48 [accessed 19 April 2024]

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

August 1704

August 7 forenoon.
Windsor Castle.
Present : Lord Treasurer ; Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. Tourton is called in. He will forthwith furnish to Mr. Fox good bills for 106,6662/3 crowns at the former rate see supra p. 21-2 : payable at 60 days' sight for which my Lord will pay him in sterling money on or before the 1st September next [the exchange equivalent] amounting to 25,055l. 11s. 1¼d.
My Lord Treasurer to be put in mind at his first coming to London to send to the Prizes Commissioners to attend him about the difficulties [raised as to the distribution of Prize money].
[The draft of a] letter to Mr. St. John is read and approved for him to prepare a [royal] warrant for taking off respits on several officers and servants of the Earl of Essex's Regiment from 24 Feb. 1703 to 24 April following.
The like for a same to same to prepare a [royal] warrant for continuing two Deputy Commissaries at half pay from 24 Dec. 1701.
Memorandum : My Lord will speak to the Navy Commissioners and Victualling Commissioners about their bills drawn from Lisbon.
A new Commission for Prizes [is to be prepared] leaving out Mr. Anstis ; and his salary is to cease from midsummer last.
Memorandum : At my Lord's return to London send to the Auditor of the Receipt and the Clerk of the Pells about signing their certificates and the Pell Rolls [viz. those which are] in arrear and not made up.
The Navy Commissioners and the rest that were to have attended on Wednesday are to be put off. Treasury Minute Book XIV, p. 279.
Aug. 14 forenoon.
Windsor Castle.
Present : ut supra.
Mr. Fox is called in and presents a memorial of this day's date for several particular services for the 40,000 men, amounting [in all] to 13,385l. 8s. 4½d. Ordered that he take up 13,000l. on Land Tax tallies in his hands for the said 40,000 men at 5 per cent. interest and that he apply same (together with 385l. 8s. 4½d. of money remaining in his hands) for the said 40,000 men to the uses mentioned in his memorial.
[My Lord ordered] 10,307l. 15s. 5¼d. to be issued to the Cofferer to complete last midsummer quarter [to the Household] for salaries, pensions and emptions.
[Likewise] 6200l. 6s. 7d. to be issued to Visct. FitzHarding for the same quarter to the servants payable in the Treasurer of the Chamber's Office.
[Likewise] 6073l. 11s. 4¼d. to be issued to the Paymaster of the Works, to wit, 4112l. 7s. 9½d. for a quarter ended at Lady day last [for the Works] and the remaining 1961l. 3s. 6¾d. to complete [6961l. 3s. 6¾d.] for the new building at St. James's.
[Likewise] 887l. 14s. 5¾d. to be issued to Mr. Roberts for the Works at Windsor to Lady day last according to accounts signed by the principal officers of the Works there.
[Likewise] 400l. to be issued to the Paymaster of the Works for a quarter to the 1st inst. to Mr. Wise on his contract for the Gardens.
[Likewise] 2500l. to Mr. Lowndes for Secret Service.
[Likewise] 500l. to Mr. Cornwall for bringing an express from the Duke of Marlborough.
[Likewise] 1000l. to Col. [Daniel] Park for [bringing] another express from the said Duke.
[Likewise] 1000l. to the Lord Tonbridge [Visct. Tunbridge] for [bringing] another express from ditto.
[Likewise] 460l. to the Speaker [of the House of Commons] on his allowance of 5l. a day [for 92 days] to July 31 last. Ibid., p. 280.
Aug. 16 forenoon.
Cockpit, Treasury Chambers.
Present : ut supra.
Mr. Wise [is called in and submits] an estimate of works to be done in St. James's Park and another for alterations in Kensington Gardens. Both are referred to the Officers of the Works.
Mr. William Methuen, brother to Mr. Methuen, Ambassador in Portugal, is to be paid 200l. out of secret service moneys to satisfy a bill drawn by the said Ambassador for that sum [on] July 1 last from Lisbon for her Majesty's particular service.
Mr. Sneyd's petition [is read and is ordered] to be referred to the Agents for Taxes. Direct them to report as soon as may be. Ibid., p. 281.
Eodem die afternoon. Present : ut supra.
[Order for] 8000l. to the Navy for the Ordinary of the Navy : out of money [to be raised on tallies and orders] remaining in the Treasurer of the Navy's hands :
and 20,000l. for wages : to be supplied out of [loans to be raised on the] Land Tax tallies in the said Treasurer's hands, at an interest not exceeding 5 per cent.
The Auditors of Imprests, the Navy Commissioners and Mr. Dodington are called in. Mr. Dodington acquaints my Lord Treasurer that all my Lord Orford's accounts are near adjusted with the Navy Commissioners, exclusive of the Victualling part, and that the Navy Commissioners have signed a certificate (relating to interest) which is to the satisfaction of the Auditors and [he] wants no further direction [from my Lord] to the Navy Commissioners, for that there are but very few and very small particulars unadjusted.
[Send] a letter to the Navy Commissioners to make out a bill for allowing 67l. 10s. 0d. on the Earl of Orford's ultimate account for brokerage paid to Benjamin Levi as appears by an account signed by him for 110,084l. 3s. 5d. in tallies and orders on [the Duty on] coals discounted in 1698 and 1699. [This letter is] to be prepared [after enquiry is made] if there have been precedents of the like kind before.
Mr. [George] Dodington presents to my Lord a large volume containing [an account of] imprests made and discharged during the Earl of Orford's being Treasurer of the Navy : also a memorial for some allowance for his [Dodington's] own service in the Navy [Office in the matter of the said Earl's accounts] since 4 May 1699 [when the said Earl ceased to be Navy Treasurer]. My Lord thinks this very reasonable and promises it shall be done.
Mr. Charles Hore and Mr. James Hore and the rest of the parties concerned with them [in the matter of rewards for discovering frauds in the Victualling Office] are to attend here this day week in the afternoon. The Victualling Commissioners also are to attend then.
My Lord orders a copy of the abstract of Mr. Dodington's book of imprests to be made out for "his Lordship."
The Victualling Commissioners are called in and their letters desiring money for bills of exchange &c. are read. My Lord tells them he will consider their demands and order some money for the Victualling as soon as may be. My Lord asks them how they transact their affairs in Portugal. They answer that they have an agent there who draws the bills on them at the current price who has an allowance of 2 per cent. commission. My Lord asks whether this be by any contract in writing. They say yes. Ordered that they forthwith send hither a copy of that contract. Treasury Minute Book XIV, pp. 281-2.
Aug. 18 forenoon. Present : Lord Treasurer ; Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Upon reading Mr. Howe's memorial of this day's date [my Lord Treasurer] ordered that Mr. Howe do take up 12,000l. (in further part of 50,000l. which he was authorised by minute of 25 July last to take up on the Land Tax tallies in his hands for this year's service as occasion should require), and out of the said 12,000l. to apply 11,253l. 8s. 8d. for 28 days' subsistence to the Troops and Regiments in England from the 25th August inst to the 21st Sept. next according to a memorial of this day signed by J. Merrill.
Ordered that 2737l. 18s. 4d. be issued to Mr. Howe in further part of 87,125l. 10s. 0d. towards the charge of 10,000 soldiers for sea service : to be issued out of the Queen's share of prizes : and to be applied as follows viz. :
£ s. d.
for 28 days' subsistence to Col. Rivers' Regiment to Sept. 24 next 737 18 4
to Lord Paston's Regiment on account of subsistence 700
to Col. Rooke's [Regiment] on the same account 700
to the six Companies added to the Regiments commanded by Col. Handasyde, Col. Levesey and Col. Whetham, 100l. each on account of subsistence 600
£2737 18 4
The Duke of Ormonde and Mr. Southwell come in. The Duke presents an account of demands [on or due] from England to reimburse the Treasury of Ireland several sums expended on Regiments sent to the West Indies &c. : also several other memorials : vide the minutes taken thereupon [which are endorsed on the said memorials].
The reports of the Comptrollers of the Army [Accounts] about the West India Regiments [are ordered] to be carried to Windsor next Monday and the said Comptrollers are to attend my Lord [Treasurer] there at 9 of the clock that morning.
The Commissioners of the Transports are to attend at Windsor next Monday at 9 in the morning about demands for the Portugal transports.
[My Lord orders a royal] warrant to be prepared for authorising the Paymaster of Ireland to pay over to the Lord Harry Scott and Lord Orrery 1000l. each on account of subsistence to their Regiments which they are now raising.
[My Lord orders] Mr. Pauncefoot to attend at Windsor next Monday morning and to bring with him an estimate of the charge of raising so many men for Echlin's Regiment as have lately been detached from it for Portugal.
The Duke of Ormonde moves that the charge of repairs &c. of fortifications in Ireland, which comes to a great sum yearly, may not be accounted part of the charge on the Establishment for Concordatums, that head being no ways capable of bearing the same. My Lord Treasurer think this very reasonable and hopes that the Parliament of Ireland will think it necessary to make some distinct provision for this charge.
Memorandum : to speak with Mr. Blathwayte about the muster rolls of Whetham's Regiment being signed by only two Privy Councillors.
Memorandum : to put my Lord Treasurer in mind next Monday of writing to the Postmaster[s] General. Ibid., pp. 283-4.
Aug. 21 forenoon.
Windsor Castle.
Present : ut supra.
Some petitions are read : the minutes [thereon] are [endorsed] upon them.
[My Lord Treasurer orders] 1000l. more to be imprested to Mr. Dummer on account of the West India pacquet boats.
[My Lord orders] the Postmaster[s] General to be acquainted that the pacquets do not come so duly from Holland as they did in the late war, which 'tis supposed is occasioned by Mr. Vanderpool's sending them from the Brill instead of Helvoetsluis : that my Lord takes notice there is allowed 120l. a year out of the Post Office to the said Mr. Vanderpool, which my Lord thinks not reasonable to be continued unless he takes care to send over the letters as duly and speedily as they use to be.
[Write to] the Governor or Deputy Governor and some of the Directors of the Bank to attend my Lord Treasurer at the Treasury in Whitehall on Friday morning about making further loans on the Malt &c.
Mr. Fox to attend then.
Sir Henry Furnese to attend at the same time.
[Write to] Mr. Churchill to come to the Treasury on Friday morning about explaining his contract with Col. Shrimpton for furnishing shoes, stockings, shirts and neckcloths for the soldiers in Portugal ; to wit whether 'tis expected they should be paid for out of the offreckonings of the soldiers or by a further deduction out of their subsistence. Ibid., p. 285.
Aug. 25 forenoon.
Cockpit, Treasury Chambers.
Present : ut supra.
The Agents for [managing] the tin affair in the country [in Cornwall and Devon] are from time to time in all matters to correspond with Mr. Aynstys who will lay the same before my Lord.
On the petition of my Lady Weston [my Lord orders that the Clerk of the Signet do] prepare a sign manual for a privy seal to discharge the arrears of rent reserved on the lease to the Earl of Carlisle and Sir Geo. Fletcher.
Upon reading the reports of the Comptrollers of the [Accounts of the Army or] Forces concerning the four Regiments which were in the West Indies and returned into Ireland my Lord is clearly of opinion that the muster taken in Ireland some time after their being there ought not to govern the whole time of the Expedition, because it is notorious that several of the Officers did not go in the service and the Regiments came very thin home : and his Lordship is of opinion that the money which shall be issued to clear these Regiments be applied by particular persons who shall be empowered to examine the arrear due to every Officer and soldier.
Refer the several papers concerning Rivers's Regiment to the [Army Accounts] Comptrollers and to Mr. How and Mr. St. Johns.
The Gentlemen of the Bank are called in.
[My Lord Treasurer orders] 1000l. to be issued to Mr. Fox out of the Duty of 25 per cent. on French goods : to be paid over to Mr. Hull for the service of the War.
The [Navy] Victuallers [and] Mr. Hore and his brothers are to be heard on the 8th Sept. next in the forenoon at 9 o'clock.
Issue 6974l. to the Navy out of loans on Land Tax and Tonnage : to be for the Victuallers, for bills of exchange, Necessary Money and Contingencies of the [Navy] Office.
[My Lord orders] 1488l. 12s. 9¾d. to be issued to Mr. Fox, part for the 40,000 men and part for the 10,000 men : the same being intended to satisfy Sir Henry Furnese for so much he has advanced on their pay. Treasury Minute Book XIV, p. 286.