Minute Book: March 1709

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23, 1709. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1949.

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'Minute Book: March 1709', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23, 1709, (London, 1949) pp. 5-8. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol23/pp5-8 [accessed 13 April 2024]

March 1709

March 1, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[Send word to the] late Commissioners of Prizes and the late Receivers of Prizes to attend [here] next Monday morning. Ibid., p. 299.
March 4. Present: ut supra.
[Send] to the Auditors of Imprests to attend on Monday morning with a state of the accounts of all moneys issued since the commencement of the present war.
[Send] to the [Queen's] Rem[embrancer] to attend then with the account of what process has been issued against such accomptants to whom money has been issued since the commencement of the present war as have not made up their accounts.
[My Lord directs] 10,000l. to the Treasurer of the Navy for bills of exchange [to be issued] out of the last payment [instalment due to be made] by the East India Company. Ibid., p. 300.
March 7. Present: ut supra.
The Gentlemen of the Bank are called in. They desire that the Exchequer Bills may be issued by 300,000l. monthly, the first issue to be upon passing the Act. This is approved [conditionally by the Lord Treasurer] unless it be otherwise ordered by Parliament.
If the Bank will advance to Mr. Howe [Paymaster of Guards and Garrisons] a sum of 25,000l. on a deposit of Land Tax tallies in his hands for the service of the present year my Lord agrees that they shall be repaid within three months together with interest after the rate of 5 per cent. per an. from the time of advancing the money to the days of repayment.
[Send word to the] Attorney and Solicitor General to be here on Thursday at 11 o'clock. Ibid., p. 301.
March 12, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
Sir Henry Furnese [informs my Lord that he] will accept 70,000l. in Land Tax tallies of the year 1709 (being [those] first struck in Mr. Bridge's name) [on condition that or] so as the 5 per cent. interest be made to commence from Jan. 12 last; and 70,000l. more in tallies to be struck in his own name on the said tax [and to be registered and paid] in course.
This total of 140,000l. [my Lord Treasurer directs to be issued to Mr. Brydges, Paymaster of the Forces Abroad, and] to be applied as follows: viz. 23,842l. 11s. 4d. for the King of Portugal's subsidy for the months of May and June 1709; and 16,157l. 8s. 8d. as in part of the grant for the Forces in Spain and Portugal; and 100,000l. towards carrying on the subsistence in Flanders.
Sir Henry is also willing to take the like tallies in course for the sum of 9,375l. for the King of Denmark's subsidy for three months due the 4th inst. Treasury Minute Book XVI, p. 302.
March 12, forenoon. Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
If the Bank of England will advance to Mr. Brydges a sum of 20,000l. on a deposit of Land Tax tallies [put] in his [Brydges'] hands for the service of the present war my Lord Treasurer agrees that they shall be repaid within two months together with interest after the rate of 6 per cent. per an. from the time of advancing the money to the days of repayment.
A like agreement for 25,000l. to be advanced [by the Bank] to Mr. Howe [Paymaster of Guards and Garrisons] on [credit of the] like tallies.
[Send] a letter to the Attorney General not to proceed any further on the matters referred to him relating to derelict lands in Lincolnshire or any other places until further order. Ibid., p. 303.
March 14, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
The Duke of Marlborough comes in. [The Lord Treasurer directs that] the recruit money for 2,467 Imperialists is to be paid according to a memorial now brought [by the said Duke from the Secretary of War] according to Prince Eugene's desires.
The memorial of the officers of the Forces in Flanders for 203l. 12s. 2¼d. for nine weeks' stoppages [respite] lost by the length of the last campaign is read and approved.
Send to the Auditors of Imprests to be here to-morrow morning. Ibid., p. 304.
March 15, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
The Auditors of Imprests and Mr. Brydges are called in. My Lord Treasurer acquaints the Auditors that the Duke of Marlborough is very desirous that Mr. Brydges' accounts for the service of Flanders (for which particular sums have been appropriated by Parliament) may be made up distinctly from his other accounts, in regard the Duke conceives it will not only despatch so much of his accounts but likewise be agreeable to him and consonant to the Acts of Parliament. The Auditors say they have no objection thereto: and Mr. Brydges and the Auditors agree to make up those accounts accordingly. Ibid., p. 305.
March 22, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
The Agents [for Taxes are] to be here on Friday morning [to assist my Lord who intends then] to appoint Receivers [for the Land Tax anno 1709] and they are to bring their list [of the state of the accounts of all the existing Receivers as a guide] as usually they have done.
Mr. How bringing back from the Exchequer the letter [of direction] by which the subsistence of the Forces is ordered to be paid from Jan. 19 last to Feb. 22 last, my Lord Treasurer orders that he have instead thereof a letter directing the same subsistence to be raised [by way of loan] upon the tallies in his hands for the 50,000l. on the Land Tax anno 1709 and that the residue of the 50,000l. be raised upon the same tallies towards carrying on the subsistence from Feb. 22 last.
Sir Theodore Janssen's proposal dated the 22nd inst. relating to bills for 100,000 Crowns for the Duke of Savoy is read and agreed to as follows:
I gave my bills on Friday last the 18th inst. to Comte Briancon for Turin for 50,000 Crowns payable at 45 days' date and 50,000 crowns at 75 days' date, being Crowns of 82 sols each, money of Piedmont: for repayment of which at 58½ pence per crown I humbly offer to take tallies on the twelfth 4s. [Land Tax] Aid: [making in all] 24,375l. Ibid., p. 306.
March 23, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[The draft of] a letter [of direction] for striking tallies for 635,614l. 6s. 2½d. on the remainder of the Land Tax anno 1709 is read and approved.
The reports of the Attorney and Solicitor General concerning Mariot's lease are read, wherein they differ in opinion. My Lord therefore desires the Attorney General to convene the Queen's Counsel and desire them to give their opinion (without regard to their having been of counsel for the Earl of Wharton or Mr. Maryot) to the end my Lord may lay the same before her Majesty. Ibid., p. 307.
1709. March 26, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
[Send] to the Commissioners for Sick and Wounded to be here on Monday. Ibid., p. 308.
March 28, forenoon. Present: ut supra.
Upon reading a memorial from the Commissioners for the Equivalent concerning several matters therein at large expressed my Lord Treasurer is pleased to answer as follows, viz. that as soon as it appears by the abbreviats which the Customs Commissioners and Excise Commissioners in Scotland have transmitted, and are from time to time to exhibit, that those revenues have produced in real money since the Union any surplus beyond the two sums of 30,000l. and 33,500l. per an., for which the Equivalent has been already paid, my Lord will immediately give his warrant for paying over such increase to the Commissioners of the Equivalent.
As to the form of making up the said abbreviats my Lord Treasurer doth not apprehend that the said Commissioners of Customs and Commissioners of Excise can by the 15th article of the Union properly certify anything to be due by way of Equivalent in their said abbreviats but [only] the real increase above the said two sums of 30,000l. and 33,500l. per an.; and if in the opinion of the Commissioners of the Equivalent that matter wants to be explained his Lordship will advise with her Majesty's learned Counsel thereupon.
But as for the money that has been paid and may hereafter be paid out of the Customs to the Lords of Session for salary my Lord agrees entirely with the Commissioners that it is to be reckoned as part of the real produce of the Customs and no ways to be placed amongst the charges of management and his Lordship will give direction to the Customs Commissioners accordingly.
And whereas the Commissioners of the Equivalent say that notice is taken by the creditors who have right to the Equivalent money that the expenses bestowed in managing the Customs and Excise doth consume a very great part of the produce and prevent the advantages which they might have from the increase [of the yield thereof] my Lord says he hopes the Commissioners appointed to manage those revenues have taken all due care not to apply any more [moneys] to the charge of management than what was absolutely necessary; and although what is expended may seem a good deal whilst the revenues are so low yet perhaps if part of the charge of officers were saved the revenues might lose much more than that amounts to, for want of sufficient Guards, and be thereby rendered incapable of improvement; which [result] would be apparently to the disadvantage of the said creditors as well as a prejudice to fair traders and a loss to her Majesty in her revenues. But if the Commissioners of the Equivalent or the said creditors have anything in particular to offer on that head his Lordship will give it such a consideration as it may deserve.
Upon reading a memorial presented to my Lord by Mr. Brydges for 30,000l. for some pressing occasions of the Troops under his pay my Lord agrees that if the Bank will advance to him [Brydges] the said sum of 30,000l. on a deposit of Land Tax tallies [anno 1709] the same shall be repaid within two months with interest after the rate of 6 per cent. per an. Treasury Minute Book XVI, pp. 309–310.
March 29. forenoon. Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Send to the Agents for Taxes to be here on Thursday about appointing Receivers [for the Land Tax anno 1709].
Mr. Brydges brings the resolution of the Bank of this day's date containing the conditions on which they will supply him with 20,000l. for the pressing services of his office, to which my Lord agrees as follows:
At a Court of Directors 29 March 1709.
Ordered: that the Bank will advance 20,000l. to Mr. Brydges on a deposit of Land Tax tallies if my Lord Treasurer will repay it out of the first moneys to be advanced of the 400,000l. on the fund of the Excise or in two months which[ever of these alternatives] shall first happen: [with interest] at 6 per cent. per an.
Ibid., p. 311.
March 31. Present: ut supra.
[My Lord directs the issue to Mr. Lowndes of] 2,000l. for secret service.
[My Lord orders] Mr. Walpole [the Secretary at War] to have 500 [copies of the] Acts against Mutiny &c.
Desire my Lord Halifax [Auditor of the Receipt] to be here tomorrow morning.
[My Lord directs the issue to the] Commissioners of Transports of 5,500l. for bills of exchange. Ibid., p. 312.
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