Journal, April 1756: Volume 63

Journal, April 1756

Thursday, April 1. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Fane, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Rigby.

Pennsylvania.

New Jersey.

Their lordships took into consideration the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs referring the petition of Cadwallader Evans of Pennsylvania, praying for a grant of the Islands in Delaware river, and Mr. Joshua Sharpe, sollicitor for the petitioner, attending with several other gentlemen who appeared in his behalf, and also Mr. Thomas Penn, one of the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania attending with Mr. Paris, his agent and sollicitor, they were called in and their Lordships having heard as well what Mr. Sharpe had to offer in support of the petition, as what Mr. Paris had to offer by way of objections thereto, they were ordered to withdraw, and their lordships agreed to consider of this affair at another opportunity.

Tuesday, April 6. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Rigby.

Trade.

East India.

The Secretary laid before the Board pursuant to their order of the 5th of March, a state of the exports of the united Company of merchants trading to the East Indies for the years 1752, 1753, and 1754, compared with the exports of the said company for the preceding years, and the draught of a report thereupon to the Lords of the Committee of Council was ordered to be prepared.

Massachusets.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon seventy-five Acts passed in the province of the Massachusets Bay in the years 1753 and 1754, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 25th of March last, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Shirley, Governor of the Massachusets Bay, containing the Board's observations upon two of the abovementioned Acts having been prepared pursuant to the said minutes, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

New York.

Their lordships took into consideration several letters and papers received from Sir Charles Hardy, Governor of New York, and mentioned in the minutes of the 30th of March, and ordered the draught of a letter to Sir Charles Hardy thereupon to be prepared.

Rhode Island.

Read a letter from Stephen Hopkins, Esquire, Governor of Rhode Island, to the Board, dated the 24th of December, 1755, in answer to their commands by a letter from Mr. Pownall, and inclosing the following papers, viz.:—
Account of the people in the colony of Rhode Island, whites and blacks, with the quantity of arms and ammunition in the hands of private persons.
Plan of the town and harbour of Newport, and of the fortifications erected for their defence.

Read a memorial of Richard Partridge, agent for the colony of Rhode Island, dated the 2nd of April, 1756, humbly praying that the Board would be pleased to advise the King to grant the said colony such a number of cannon as may make their fortification compleat etc., and inclosing the copy of a letter from the Governor of that colony to Sir T. Robinson, Secretary of State, dated 17th April, 1755.

Read a letter to Mr. Pownall from Mr. Partridge, agent for Rhode Island, dated the 3rd of April, 1756, inclosing the copy of one to him from Governor Hopkins, dated the 10th January, 1756, relating to the state of defence of that colony.

Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Wood, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, dated the 3rd of February, 1756, inclosing an account of gunpowder entered in the port of London for exportation to Carolina from the 1st of January, 1755, to the 1st of January, 1756.

South Carolina.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Fox, Secretary of State, dated the 3rd of April, 1756, signifying the king's pleasure that this Board should acquaint him with their opinion, in what way it may be most adviseable to dispose of the French neutrals that have been lately removed from Nova Scotia to Carolina and sent over to England by Governor Glen.

Ordered, that the Secretary do inform himself what number of the said French inhabitants have been sent over by Mr. Glen, and what reasons Mr. Glen has given for so extraordinary a measure.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary laid before the Board an account of petty expences and incidental charges of this office from the 5th of January to the 5th of April, 1756, amounting to four hundred, forty-seven pounds, eighteen shillings and sixpence, and a letter to the Lords of the Treasury desiring payment thereof, and of the salaries due to the Secretaries and under officers in the service of this Board for the same time, was signed.

Wednesday, April 7. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Belcher, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, to Mr. Pownall, dated Elizabeth Town in New Jersey, December 24th, 1755, inclosing the following papers, viz.:—
Proposals for convening an Assembly in Nova Scotia, dated October 24th, 1755.
Opinion in Council as to the removal of the French inhabitants in Nova Scotia, dated Halifax, July 28th, 1755.

South Carolina.

Nova Scotia.

The Secretary acquainted the Board that he had pursuant to their lordships' order, made enquiry what number of French, late inhabitants of Nova Scotia, had been sent over from South Carolina, and what reasons Mr. Glen had given for this measure; and that he was informed that the said inhabitants were six in number, and that the only reasons assigned by Mr. Glen were contained in a certificate transmitted with them, of which he had obtained a copy, and which is to the following effect, viz.:—
South Carolina.
To all to whom this present writing of certificate shall come, greeting,
I, James Glen, Esquire, Governor, Captain General and Commander in Chief in and over his Majesty's province of South Carolina, do certify that Bernard Goudier and Joseph la Blanc were subjects of his Majesty King George the Second, and were inhabitants of Beau-Bassin in Nova Scotia, and for their misbehaviour were sent to this place by Governor Lawrence, and are by me thought necessary to be sent to Great Britain to be dealt with according to his Majesty's pleasure.
Given under my hand the 14th day
of January Anno Domini, 1756.
James Glen.

Their lordships after some time spent in the consideration of this affair, ordered the draught of a letter to Mr. Fox, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, to be prepared in answer to that from him mentioned in the preceding minutes.

Nova Scotia.

Read a memorial of Mr. Ainsley, praying an allowance for his trouble and expences in bringing some dispatches from Dover.

Ordered, that Mr. Kilby, agent for the affairs of the settlement, pay to the memorialist five guineas for his trouble and expence in bringing the abovementioned dispatches from Dover.

Tuesday, April 13. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Rigby.

New York.

The draught of a letter to Sir Charles Hardy, Governor of New York, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 6th instant, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Massachusets.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Shirley, Governor of the Massachusets Bay, having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of the 6th instant, was signed.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon seventy-five Acts passed in the province of the Massachusets Bay having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of the 6th instant, was signed.

Trade.

East Indies.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, with a state of the exports of the united Company of merchants trading to the East Indies for the years 1752, 1753, and 1754, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 6th instant, was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

South Carolina.

Nova Scotia.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Fox, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, relating to the French inhabitants of Nova Scotia lately sent over to England by Mr. Glen, Governor of South Carolina, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 7th instant, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Nova Scotia.

Read a memorial prepared by Mr. Kilby, agent for the affairs of Nova Scotia, to be presented to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, praying that the sum of eight hundred, forty two pounds and tenpence may be issued to him, to be paid to Chauncy Townsend, Esquire, in consequence of his Majesty's warrants directed to him for tht purpose; and the said memorial having been approved of, Mr. Kilby was ordered to present it to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury for their Lordships' directions thereupon.

Pennsylvania.

New Jersey.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following paper received from Mr. Joshua Sharpe, solicitor for Mr. Evans, in behalf of his petition for a grant of certain Islands in Delaware river in America, viz.:—
A list of the Islands in the bay and river of Delaware, with the map thereof, which Cadwallader Evans prays may be taken into consideration with his petition now before the Right Honourable the Lords of Trade and Plantations.

Their lordships took the said paper into consideration, together with Mr. Evans's petition mentioned in the minutes of the 1st instant, and ordered the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council thereupon to be prepared.

Pennsylvania.

Read Mr. Attorney General's report upon an Act passed in Pennsylvania in August, 1755, for extending so much of an Act of Parliament for punishing mutiny and desertion, and for the better payment of the Army and their quarters, passed in the twenty eighth year of the present reign, etc., etc.

Ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the seven Pennsylvania Acts mentioned in the minutes of the 26th of March be prepared.

Wednesday, April 14. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Rigby.

Pennsylvania.

New Jersey.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the petition of Cadwallader Evans, praying for a grant of certain Islands in Delaware river, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

South Carolina.

Nova Scotia.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Fox, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, relating to the French inhabitants of Nova Scotia lately sent over to England by Mr. Glen, Governor of South Carolina, having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of yesterday, was signed.

Georgia.

Read the following letters and papers received from Mr. Reynolds, Governor of Georgia, viz.:—
Letter from John Reynolds, Esquire, Governor of Georgia, to the Board, dated September 22nd, 1755, relative to the suspension of Mr. Clement Martin, one of the Council.
Letter from John Reynolds, Esquire, Governor of Georgia, to the Board, dated October 8th, 1755, transmitting:—
List of the names of all persons to whom any allotment of lands have been made by the Court of President and Assistants in Georgia between the 21st October, 1741, and the 4th October, 1754; extracted from their minutes.
Journal of the Assembly from January 26th to March 7th, 1755.
Copy of proclamation requiring all persons claiming lands by virtue of grants from the late Trustees, or by allotments from the late President and Assistants, to give in their claims to the Governor in Council on or before the 30th day of June, 1755, dated May 26th, 1755.
Copy of proclamation requiring all persons claiming lands by grants from the late Trustees or by allotments from the late President and Assistants, to exhibit their claims in writing to the Governor in Council on or before the 7th day of April, 1755, in order to obtain fresh grants, dated the 1st day of January, 1755.
Copy of the manifest or invoice of the ship Minerva's cargoe, Patrick James, master, bound for London, dated 4th April, 1755.
Copy of the manifest or invoice of the snow Neptune's cargoe, John Rutherford, master, bound for London, dated March 7th, 1755.
Lists of ships and vessels entered and cleared in the port of Savannah from October 29th, 1754, to December 25th, 1755.

Pennsylvania.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, upon seven Acts passed in Pennsylvania in 1755, having been prepared pursuant to yesterday's minutes, was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

Thursday, April 15. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns.

Pennsylvania.

New Jersey.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the petition of Cadwallader Evans praying for a grant of certain Islands in Delaware river, having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of yesterday, was signed.

Pennsylvania.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon seven Acts passed in the province of Pennsylvania in 1755, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of yesterday, was signed.

Leeward Islands.

Read the following letters and papers received from Mr. Thomas, Governor of the Leeward Islands, viz.:—
Letter from George Thomas, Esquire, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated at Antigua, November 12th, 1755, in answer to one from the Board, dated August 6th last.
Letter from George Thomas, Esquire, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to Mr. Pownall, dated at Antigua, the 10th of December, 1755.
Letter from George Thomas, Esquire, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated 20th of February, 1756, transmitting the following papers, viz.:—
State of the several Councils in the Leeward Islands, and of the establishments civil and military in the year 1756.
List of inhabitants, number of negroes, arms, quantity of powder, etc., etc., in Antigua, 1756.
Number of inhabitants, negroes, etc., in the Island of St. Christopher's, 1756.
List of inhabitants and negroes in the Island of Navis, 1755.
List of inhabitants on the Virgin Islands, number of negroes, cannon, musquets, etc., 1756.
Account of ordnance, their condition, the condition of the carriages, quantity of shot, etc., in the several forts of the Island of Antigua, taken in December, 1755.
State of the forts at St. Christopher's in 1756.
State of the forts, number of inhabitants, negroes, etc., on the Island of Montserrat, on the 8th of February, 1756.
State of the forts at Nevis in the year 1755.
Letter from George Thomas, Esquire, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to Mr. Pownall, dated at Antigua, February 22nd, 1756.

Virgin Islands.

Read a letter from Captain Purcell, Deputy Governor of the Virgin Islands, dated at St. Christopher's January 10th, 1756, to Mr. Pownall, in answer to one from him, and transmitting:—
List of the inhabitants of his Majesty's Virgin Islands taken January 1st, 1756, with the number of whites and negroes; also the quantity of cannon, and small arms, with the several fortifications and batteries.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Robert Dinwiddie, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, to the Board, dated February 23rd, 1756, in answer to their lordships' commands in two letters from Mr. Pownall, and transmitting:—
List of tithables in the Dominion of Virginia, whites and blacks; with observations.

Plantations General.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the present state of defences of the plantations be prepared, so far as returns thereof have been made to the Board from the several colonies.

Wednesday, April 28. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Rigby.

Miscellanies.

A Commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain, being dated the 13th of April, 1756, constituting and appointing George Dunk, Earl of Halifax, Andrew Stone, James Oswald, Thomas Pelham, John Talbot, Soame Jenyns and Richard Rigby, Esquires, together with William Gerard Hamilton, Esquire, Commissioners for promoting the trade of Great Britain and the Dominions thereunto belonging, and for inspecting and improving his Majesty's Plantations and Colonies in America and elsewhere, was opened and read.

Georgia.

Read the following letter and papers received from Mr. Reynolds, Governor of Georgia, viz.:—
Letter from Mr. Reynolds, Governor of Georgia, to the Board, dated January 5th, 1756, relating to the present state of that province.
Representation of the forts and garrisons that are necessary for the defence of Georgia, and and estimate of the expence.
Plans and elevations of the forts necessary in Georgia.
A map of the inhabitated part of Georgia.
A memorial of John Reynolds, Esquire, Governor of Georgia, relative to the insufficiency of his salary and perquisites to maintain him.
Copy of the minutes of the Council of Georgia from May 30th, 1755, to October 24th following.
Copy of the minutes of the Council of Georgia from October 31st, 1755, to December 14th following.

Georgia.

Their lordships took the said letter and papers into their consideration, as also those mentioned in the minutes of the 14th instant; and ordered the draught of a letter to Mr. Reynolds in answer thereto to be prepared.

Ordered, that Mr. Martyn, agent for the affairs of the colony, do out of any money lying in his hands appropriated by Parliament to the support of the colony of Georgia, forthwith transmit to the Governor of the said colony the sum of one thousand pounds sterling, seven hundred of which to be by him applied and paid in discharge of the demands upon the public on account of the silk culture for the year 1756, and the remaining three hundred to be applied in discharge of the contingent expence incurred within the same time, and to no other purpose whatever, and that fifty pounds of the said sum of one thousand pounds be sent over in copper coin, and the residue in Spanish milled dollars.

Nova Scotia.

The Secretary laid before the Board a memorial prepared by Mr. Kilby, agent for the settlement of Nova Scotia, to be presented to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, praying that the sum of seventeen thousand, one hundred fifty five pounds, eighteen shillings and four pence may be issued to him to discharge bills drawn upon him by the Governor of the said province for especial services; and the said memorial having been approved, Mr. Kilby was ordered to present it to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury for their Lordships' directions thereupon.

Read a memorial of Finalia Lockman, wife of Charles Lockman, one of the surgeons in Nova Scotia, praying that directions may be given to the Governor to reimburse to her husband the sum of forty seven pounds, two shillings and six pence paid by him for medicines on account of the settlement.

Ordered, that a copy of the said memorial, and the vouchers thereunto annexed, be transmitted to the Governor of Nova Scotia, with directions to him to examine the same, and if he finds the account to be a reasonable and proper one, to reimburse Mr. Lockman his expences.

Thursday, April 29. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Oswald.

Plantations General.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the present state of defence of several of the colonies in America having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 15th of April, was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Charles Knowles, Esquire, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated February 16th, 1756, complaining of the Receiver General of the Revenue there, and his officers, and transmitting:—
Minutes of the Council of Jamaica from the 30th day of June, 1755, to the 7th of February, 1756.
Journal of the Council in Assembly of Jamaica from September 23rd, 1755, to the 7th of February, 1756.
Votes of the Assembly of Jamaica from the 20th day of November, 1755, to the 7th day of February, 1756.
Six Acts passed at Jamaica on the 31st of January and the 7th of February, 1756.

Ordered, that the said Acts be sent to Sir Mathew Lamb for his opinion thereon in point of law.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Mr. Bromfield, late an officer of the revenue in Jamaica, under the Receiver General, and referred to in Mr. Knowles's letter, to desire his attendance at the Board on Tuesday next the 4th of May.

Georgia.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Reynolds, Governor of Georgia, in answer to several received from him, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.