Journal, November 1756: Volume 63

Journal, November 1756

Tuesday, November 2. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Rigby, Mr. Hamilton.

Antigua.

Their lordships being acquainted that Mr. Joshua Sharpe was attending without in behalf of the merchants interested in and trading to the Island of Antigua and had something to offer to their lordships respecting the petition concerning the augmentation of the regiment there, appointed to be taken into consideration this day, he was called in and acquainted their lordships that the merchants had in consequence of the notice given them wrote to the late Attorney General of the Island, now at Bath, apprehending he might have some instructions upon this point from the gentlemen on the Island, but had as yet received no answer, whereupon their lordships agreed to postpone the consideration of this affair untill Thursday, the 11th instant.

Georgia.

Their lordships taking into consideration the diligence and zealous endeavours of Mr. Ottolangi, principal director of the silk works in Georgia, came to a resolution that he should be allowed for his services the sum of one hundred pounds out of the ballance of the grants of Parliament for the years 1753 and 1754, remaining in the agents' hands and appropriated by warrant to the service of the colony under the direction of this Board.

Ordered, that the draught of a warrant directing and impowering the agent to pay the said sum of £100 to Mr. Ottolangi or his order be prepared.

Read a letter from Mr. West, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, dated the 15th of October, 1756, signifying a request of their Lordships that this Board would favour them with their opinion as to the nature and quantum of the presents to be given to the Creek Indians.

Ordered, that the Secretary do acquaint Mr. West for the information of the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury that this Board is of opinion that the sum of £1500 should be allowed for the purchase of goods for presents to the Creek Indians, and that the said goods should be consigned to the Governor or Commander in Chief in Georgia, to be by him given to the Indians at such times and in such quantities as he shall with the advice of the Council think most proper.

Massachusets.

Read a letter from Mr. Harding, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, dated the 28th of October, 1756, inclosing a memorial of the agent for the province of the Massachusets Bay, desiring a reimbursement of expences that province has been at for stores and provisions furnished the troops in America and signifying their Lordships' request that this Board would favour them with their opinion upon it.

Ordered, that the Secretary do acquaint Mr. Harding for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury that this Board not being at all acquainted with the order mentioned by Mr. Bollan in his petition to have been sent by the Secretary of State to the Colonies, respecting the Crown being at the expence of provisions and stores, nor that any officer is appointed in the colonies to make up any account of expences incurred by the colonies for such services and to draw bills for the same, as mentioned in the prayer of his petition, their lordships cannot take upon them to give any opinion upon it.

North Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Dobbs, Governor of North Carolina, dated the 21th of July, 1756, acknowledging the receipt of the Board's letter of the 17th of February, and transmitting a plan for a fort proposed by him to be erected at Cape Lookout, together with a draught of the harbour there, and inclosing:—
Copy of a letter from him to the Earl of Loudoun, containing a full account of the state and condition of that province, dated 10th July, 1756.
A list of the militia and tythables in the province of North Carolina.

Ordered, that the Secretary do transmit to the Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty such parts of Mr. Dobbs' letter as relates to the utility of erecting a fort at Cape Lookout and remind him of the letter wrote to him on the 7th of November, 1755, desiring the favour of that Board's sentiments upon this proposal.

Plantations General.

Read a letter from Mr. Fox, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, dated October 12th, 1756, acquainting the Board that he had given directions in pursuance of their lordships' letter of the 9th of the same month, relating to the embargo to be laid in the plantations.

Wednesday, November 3. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Rigby, Mr. Hamilton.

Pennsylvania.

Their lordships being acquainted that Mr. Charles, stating himself to be agent for the Assembly of Pennsylvania, was attending without pursuant to their lordships' appointment, he was called in, and desired that the copy of the notice given by him to the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania personally to attend the Board on this day might be read, and the said copy was accordingly read and is as follows, viz.:—
Copy. Golden Square, 1st November, 1756.
Gentlemen,
You will be pleased to receive from me as agent of the representatives of the Freemen of Pennsylvania this notice, that I do intend on Wednesday next, the 3rd instant, to move the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations at their Board that you do lay before their lordships sundry papers and writings of a public nature and concern, particularly the laws of the government of the counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware. I am to pray that you will then give your personal attendance, and have the honour to be Gentlemen,
Your most humble
and most obedient servant,
Signed, R. Charles.

The Honourable the Proprietors of Pennsylvania.

The Secretary having then acquainted their lordships that Mr. Paris, as agent and attorney to the Proprietaries was attending without and desired leave to be heard against any motion Mr. Charles may make respecting any matter that concerned the said Proprietaries, he was called in and acquainted their lordships that in consequence of the notice given to the Proprietaries by Mr. Charles, he was ordered by them to attend the Board, that they might know by what authority Mr. Charles called upon them to produce papers, that admitting that he was agent for the Assembly of Pennsylvania, which could not appear, as the Assembly under whose appointment he acts is expired and a new one elected, yet he apprehended he had no right to call upon the Proprietaries to produce papers relative to a very distinct and separate colony.

To which Mr. Charles replyed that as to the first objection, though he was appointed agent by an Assembly not now existing, yet he had a right to act as such until it was known that he was superseded, and that as to the 2nd objection, the papers he intended to move for were of a very publick nature affecting the interests not only of the province of Pennsylvania in particular, but were also of general concern to all his Majesty's colonies in America, and might when produced appear essentially to affect the province of New York for which he was agent, that he should therefore insist upon the personal appearance of the Proprietaries, and moved their lordships to issue a summons for their attendance accordingly.

Whereupon the parties were ordered to withdraw and their lordships upon consideration of what had been offered agreed, that as Mr. Charles had stated that the papers he intended to move for were of a publick nature and general concern to the interests of his Majesty's subjects in Pennsylvania in particular and of the other colonies in general he should be at liberty to make his motion, and that the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania should be desired to give their personal attendance, and the parties were accordingly called in and acquainted therewith and then they withdrew.

Agreed that Friday, the 12th instant, be fixed for hearing Mr. Charles's motion and that the Secretary do give notice to the Proprietaries accordingly.

Georgia.

The draught of a warrant authorizing and directing the agent for Georgia to pay to Mr. Ottolangi, director of the silk works in Georgia, the sum of £100 for his services, out of the ballance remaining in his hands of the money granted by Parliament for the service of this colony in the years 1753 and 1754, having been prepared pursuant to the preceding minutes, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

New York.

Their lordships upon further consideration of the Act passed in the province of New York in 1756, for enabling the surviving executors of the last will and testament of Philip van Cortlandt, Esquire, to sell and dispose of so much of the real estate whereof he died seized, as will be sufficient to pay his debts, mentioned in the minutes of the 27th of October last, agreed that it should lay by for further consideration.

Thursday, November 11. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton.

Georgia.

Read a letter from Mr. Harding, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, to the Secretary to this Board, dated the 5th of November, 1756, signifying that their lordships agree in opinion with the Board both as to the quantum of the present to be given to the Creek Indians and the manner of distributing it.

Mr. Ellis, Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, attending without was called in and their lordships acquainted him that his Majesty had thought proper to order the sum of £1500 to be applyed in the purchase of goods for presents to the Creek Indians which would be consigned to him to be distributed to the Indians at such times and in such quantities, as he should with the advice of the Council think most proper, taking care that the whole was not delivered at one time unless his Majesty's service should absolutely require it, but that a proper quantity should always be reserved in store to answer any emergency, and then he withdrew.

New York.

Their lordships being informed that Mr. Robert Charles, sollicitor for the parties concerned in a private Act passed in the province of New York in 1756, mentioned in the minutes of the 3rd instant, was attending without and had something to offer to their lordships thereupon, he was called in and acquainted their lordships that no person whatever had opposed the passing the said Act in New York, and that there was a heavy debt upon the estate thereby directed to be sold, for which interest was paid at 8 per cent., that since the contracting the said debt the interest of money in the province was lowered at 6 per cent., and therefore he hoped their lordships would make their report upon it as soon as possible.

Pennsylvania.

Mr. Charles at the same time moved their lordships to give leave that the records of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs from the year 1694 to 1696 (which records are lodged in this office) might be searched, and that it might be certified to him whether any directions had been given with respect to the laws of the province of Pennsylvania.

New York.

Mr. Charles being withdrawn their lordships upon consideration of his first motion respecting the New York Act did not think proper to comply therewith, as the said Act had not lain in the office the usual time prescribed for private Acts.

Pennsylvania.

Their lordships upon consideration of his second motion for leave to search the records in this office with respect to the laws of Pennsylvania agreed thereto, and gave directions accordingly.

Antigua.

Their lordships then took into consideration the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs referring a petition of the agent of the Island of Antigua concerning the augmentation of the regiment stationed there, and being informed that Colonel Duroure, Colonel of the said regiment, and Mr. Maitland, in behalf of the merchants interested in and trading to the Leeward Islands, were attending without, they were called in, and the order of reference and the petition annexed having been read, Colonel Duroure acquainted their lordships that he did think that the Island of Antigua was at present unable to give the additional allowance proposed by the Board in their former report, and that if they would give the same additional allowance to the augmentation that they now give to the regiment upon its present establishment, and also furnish fresh provisions and other necessaries to the hospital when required by the Commander in Chief upon proper certificates from the surgeons of the said hospital, it might do for the present, and untill the barracks were finished, which was a matter of the utmost consequence, and the tax laid for that service at an end, and then it was to be hoped that they would increase this allowance: Colonel Duroure further observed that the barracks in their present condition would not contain the augmentation, and therefore it would be necessary that the Island should take care to provide proper quarters for the additional men as they arrived.

Mr. Maitland being asked his opinion with respect to what had been proposed by Colonel Duroure said that he had no doubt but that the Island would readily comply therewith, and produced a resolution of a Committee of the Council and Assembly of Antigua, that in case the augmentation took place proper quarters should be provided for the men as they arrived.

The gentlemen being withdrawn, their lordships after some time spent in the consideration of this affair, ordered the draught of a report thereupon to the lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs to be prepared.

Georgia.

Read a memorial of Mr. Martyn, agent for Georgia, praying their lordships' further directions with respect to the money ordered by them in April last to be transmitted to Georgia to defray the expences attending the silk culture and for contingencies.

Their lordships upon consideration of the said memorial agreed that the said agent should pay to Mr. Ellis, the Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, out of the ballance remaining in his hands of the grants of Parliament for the service of Georgia for the years 1753 and 1754, the sum of 500 pounds to be by him carryed over to Georgia and applyed upon account to discharge the expences attending the silk culture there from the time of his arrival, and the draught of a warrant was accordingly ordered to be prepared.

North Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Clevland, Secretary to the Lords of the Admiralty, dated the 5th instant, in answer to one from Mr. Pownall inclosing extract of a letter to Lord Loudoun from Governor Dobbs at North Carolina, with a plan of the harbour at Cape Lookout and of the fort proposed by him to be built there.

Ordered, that a copy of the said letter be made to be transmitted to Mr. Dobbs, Governor of North Carolina, and that the draught of a letter to him inclosing the said copy be prepared.

Massachusets.

Read a letter from Mr. Stephens, dated Boston, the 17th of September, 1756, relating to his pot-ash works in that province, and inclosing an attestation from Governor Shirley concerning the same.

Read a letter from Mr. Pemberton, Naval officer, dated Boston, July 5th, 1756, transmitting the lists of all vessels that have entered and cleared in the province of the Massachusets Bay from the 10th of October, 1754, to the 5th of July, 1756.

New Hampshire.

Read a letter from Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, to the Board, dated September 4th, 1756, inclosing a copy of Lord Loudoun's letter to him upon the loss of Oswego, and acquainting their lordships with the resolution of the Assembly of New Hampshire thereupon.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Lawrence, Governor of Nova Scotia, to the Board, dated the 3rd of October, 1756, relating to the present state of affairs in that colony.

Friday, November 12. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton.

Pennsylvania.

The Secretary having acquainted the Board that Mr. Charles, stating himself to be agent for the Assembly of Pennsylvania, was attending without together with Mr. Thomas Penn, one of the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, with Mr. Paris, his agent and attorney, pursuant to the notice given to the Proprietaries by their lordships' orders, they were called in, and Mr. Charles, after having desired that several parts of the Charter granted to the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania in the year 1680, and also the Order of Council approving the Proprietaries' nomination of William Denny, Esquire, to be Deputy Governor of the said province together with the declaration made by the said Proprietaries with respect to the right which the Crown claims to the Counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, might be read, made several observations thereupon and stated to their lordships from several printed newspapers published at Philadelphia some transactions of the governments of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the three lower Counties concerning the prohibition upon the exportation of provisions, and alledged grievances to have been sustained by the province of Pennsylvania from several Acts passed in the three lower Counties for this purpose, and then Mr. Charles moved their lordships:—
That the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, whose Deputy Governor of that province approved by the Crown without limitation of time, is likewise their Deputy Governor of the Counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware with the royal approbation, during pleasure only, do with all convenient speed lay before this Board the body of laws passed, not extant, and upon record within the said three Counties, and particularly those passed during the administration of Robert Hunter Morris, Esquire, their Deputy lately superseded, which laws are supposed to be now under their power or in their possession.

Mr. Paris, agent for and attorney to the Proprietaries, demanded to know by what authority or in whose behalf Mr. Charles made this motion, insisting that Mr. Charles was not agent for Pennsylvania, nor for the Assembly of Pennsylvania, for although he was appointed joint agent with Mr. Partridge by a resolution of the Assembly in the year 1754, yet that was only for that year, and that that Assembly was not now existing; in answer to which Mr. Charles produced a resolution of the Assembly of Pennsylvania in October, 1755, made under the Seal of the province, appointing him agent for the Assembly jointly with Mr. Partridge for the ensuing year, to which Mr. Paris replyed that that Assembly was also at an end, and that he could derive no authority from that resolution, that the Proprietaries were not obliged by the Charter under which they claim the government of the three lower Counties to present their laws to the Crown, and that as Mr. Charles had not alledged any facts upon which the least reason could be grounded for the Crown's calling for their laws (which it had an undoubted right to call for whenever there should be a just occasion) he hoped so irregular a motion would not be complyed with; whereupon the parties were ordered to withdraw, and their lordships upon consideration of the motion made by Mr. Charles, were of opinion that, as the laws of the government of the three lower Counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware, are upon record, whereby there is a proper opportunity of verifying from them any complaint of injuries arising from them, if any such exist, the said motion should not be complied with, and the parties being called in were acquainted with their lordships' decision.

Mr. Charles then observed to their lordships that he had several matters respecting the affairs of the province of Pennsylvania, which he should at a proper time submit to their lordships' consideration respecting grievances sustained by the people in Pennsylvania from instructions given by the Proprietaries to the Deputy Governor, which he conceived to be inconsistent with their rights and priviledges, that he had heard upon a late hearing at this Board some doubts started by the Proprietary's agent as to the validity of the Charter of priviledges granted by their predecessor to the people of Pennsylvania in 1701, and therefore desired leave to make the following motion, viz.:—
That the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania do lay before this Board a copy, them signed, of the charter of priviledges granted by their father, the late Honourable William Penn, Esquire, Proprietary and Governor of the province of Pennsylvania and territories thereunto belonging to the inhabitants of Pennsylvania and territories aforesaid, bearing date the twenty eighth day of October, 1701; they the said Proprietaries recognizing and acknowledging the authenticity and existence of the said Charter, and that the same now remains in full force and virtue; whereof and of the said Charter an entry to be made in the records of this office.
That the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania do lay before this Board for the inspection and review of his Majesty's ministers only, all and every of the instructions given by the Proprietaries to George Thomas, Esquire, their late Deputy, to James Hamilton, Esquire, their late Deputy, to Robert Hunter Morris, Esquire, their late Deputy, and to William Denny, Esquire, their present Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, for the exercise of the powers of government within the said province and Counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, together with copies of the respective bonds entred into by the said Deputies to the said Proprietaries or either of them for the faithful observance of the said proprietary instructions.
That the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania do forthwith lay before this Board a true and exact copy, by them signed, of their Commission nominating, and appointing William Denny, Esquire, to be their Deputy Governor of the province of Pennsylvania and Counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, of which nomination and appointment his Majesty hath been graciously pleased to signify his royal approbation, and that the Proprietaries might be directed to give in their answer in writing to the foregoing motions.

Mr. Paris, agent for and attorney to the Proprietaries, still insisting that Mr. Charles was not agent for the Assembly of Pennsylvania, urged the irregularity of these motions, that no reasons whatever were assigned or facts stated whereon to ground extraordinary motions and hoped they would not be complyed with.

That as to what Mr. Charles had said as to a doubt suggested upon a former hearing at this Board with respect to the validity of the Charter of 1701, he had certainly mistaken the fact, which was that upon the counsel for the petitioners attempting to read a Charter of privileges, he, as agent for the Proprietaries, desired to know which of them was intended to be read, as there were two which had been granted at different times, and one of them was expired.

Whereupon the parties were ordered to withdraw, and their lordships after some time spent in the consideration of Mr. Charles's motions ordered them to be called in, and Mr. Charles was acquainted that their lordships were of opinion, that the whole of his motions which are grounded on general and vague allegations without any facts produced to support them were irregular and unprecedented; that with respect to his request that the Proprietary's instructions might be laid before the Board, whenever any regular complaint should be made by the people of Pennsylvania and properly supported by evidence of any grievance sustained by them either from improper instructions given by the Proprietaries to their Deputy Governor, or any other improper exercise by the Proprietaries of the powers given them by Charter, it would then be in the judgment of his Majesty and his ministers to call for such instructions, if it appeared to be necessary and proper or for any other papers; that with respect to the first and last motions, the papers, of which he desired copies might be laid before the Board, were extant upon record in the proper offices to which access might at all times be had, and as to his desire that the Proprietaries might make a recognition of the authenticity and existence of the charter of 1701, it was altogether improper, as the validity or invalidity of that charter was entirely a point of law, which must depend upon a legal construction of the Charter itself and is not proper for their lordships' cognizance; that as to his request that the Proprietaries might give in an answer to these motions in writing, that too was wholly unprecedented and improper, as one of them was in consequence of his motion, and at his particular request now present in person to answer thereto.

Mr. Charles then desired he might have a copy of the minutes of their lordships' proceedings upon these motions which their lordships acquainted him they did not see any reason to comply with; and then the parties withdrew.

The Secretary acquainted their lordships that he had pursuant to their lordships' directions searched the records in this office for proceedings with respect to the laws of Pennsylvania, and had certified to Mr. Charles what appeared thereupon, and that Mr. Charles desired copies of such proceedings, copies of which were ordered to be made and delivered to him.

North Carolina.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Dobbs, Governor of North Carolina, inclosing a copy of Mr. Clevland's letter containing the opinion of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty upon the proposal for erecting a fort at Cape Lookout, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 11th instant, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Tuesday, November 16. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton.

South Carolina.

Read the following letters and papers received from Mr. Lyttelton, Governor of South Carolina, viz.:—
Letter from Mr. Lyttelton to the Board, dated the 19th of June, 1756, giving an account of the state of the province at the time of his arrival and of the measures he has since taken.
Letter from Mr. Lyttelton to the Board, dated July 19th, 1756, giving an account of the bills passed by the Assembly for the public service.
Letter from Mr. Lyttelton to the Board, dated the 11th of August, 1756, giving an account of the measures that have been taken for the building a fort in the Cherokee country and towards the dispersion of the Acadians in that province.
Letter from Mr. Lyttelton to the Board, dated the 14th of August, 1756, and inclosing:—
Journal of the Assembly from November, 1755, to May, 1756, and from the 17th of June, 1756, to the 6th of July following.

Ordered, that the draught of a letter to Mr. Lyttelton in answer to his be prepared.

Antigua.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, upon the petition of the agent for the Island of Antigua, respecting the conditions whereon his Majesty consents to an augmentation of the regiment stationed there, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 11th instant, was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

Georgia.

The draught of a warrant authorizing and directing the agent for Georgia to pay the sum of £100 out of the surplus of the grants of Parliament for Georgia for the years 1753 and 1754 to Mr. Joseph Ottolangi, having been transcribed pursuant to the minutes of the 3rd instant, was signed, as was also a warrant directing him to pay the sum of five hundred pounds out of the said surplus to Mr. Ellis, the Lieutenant Governor, for defraying the expences of the silk culture ordered to be prepared by the minutes of the 11th instant.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clevland, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated the 9th of November, 1756, to Mr. Pownall, inclosing a letter from Captain Kennedy, dated New York, the 24th of September, 1756, giving an account of the loss of Oswego, and a state of our affairs in North America, for the information of this Board.

Thursday, November 18. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton.

Antigua.

The draught of a report to the Lords of Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, upon the petition of the agent for the Island of Antigua, respecting the augmentation of the regiment stationed there, having been transcribed pursuant to the preceding minutes, was signed.

South Carolina.

The draught of a letter to the Governor of South Carolina in answer to several received from him, having been prepared pursuant to the preceding minutes, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from Mr. Belcher, Governor of New Jersey, to the Board, dated the 1st of September, 1756, relating to the disputed line between New Jersey and the province of New York, and inclosing:—
Copy of a petition to his Majesty from the Proprietors of East New Jersey respecting the boundary line between that province and New York.

Massachusets.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following papers received from Mr. Willard, Secretary to the province of the Massachusets Bay, viz.:—
Minutes of Council from the 26th of June, 1754, to the 28th of June, 1756.
Minutes of the General Assembly from the 29th of May, 1754, to the 1st of July, 1756.

Friday, November 19. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton.

North Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Rutherford, one of the Council and Receiver General for the province of North Carolina, dated the 19th of June, 1756, relating to the state of the revenue of quit rents in that colony, and desiring leave to come to England on account of his private affairs.

Ordered, that the Secretary do transmit a copy of the said letter to Mr. Harding, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, desiring him to move their Lordships that Mr. Rutherford may have leave to come home.

Trade.

Africa.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following papers received from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa:—
Copies of two letters from the Governor and Council at James Fort, Gambia, dated 10th June, 1756, and without date; also of a letter from the Committee to Tobias Lisle and Council, James Fort, Gambia, dated 15th October, 1756; and of one from the Committee to C. Bell, Esquire, and Council at Cape Coast Castle, 4th November, 1756.

New York.

Read the following reports of Sir Mathew Lamb upon several laws passed in the province of New York, viz.:—
Sir Mathew Lamb's report upon six Acts passed at New York in July, 1753.
Sir Mathew Lamb's report upon fourteen Acts passed at New York in December, 1753.
Sir Mathew Lamb's report upon five Acts passed at New York in May, 1754.
Sir Mathew Lamb's report upon nine Acts passed at New York in December, 1754, and February, 1755.
Sir Mathew Lamb's report upon three Acts passed at New York in February, 1755.

Tuesday, November 23. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Hamilton.

New York.

Read the following letters and papers received from Sir Charles Hardy, Governor of New York, viz.:—
Letter from Sir Charles Hardy to the Board, dated the 5th of September, 1756, giving a circumstantial account of the attack and surrender of Oswego, of the intelligence he has received, and the measures he has since taken, and inclosing:—
Copy of the declaration of a soldier of Major General Shirley's regiment, concerning the attack and surrender of Oswego, dated at Albany, 21st of August, 1756.
Letter from Sir Charles Hardy to the Board, dated October 13th, 1756, inclosing:—
Copy of his speech to the Council and Assembly of New York, September 24th, 1756.
Copy of the address of the Assembly to Sir Charles Hardy, September 27th, 1756.
Copy of the address of the Assembly to Sir Charles Hardy, September 30th, 1756.

Read a letter from Sir William Johnson, Baronet, to the Board, dated September 10th, 1756, giving an account of his proceedings with the Indians since the loss of Oswego, and inclosing:—
Copy of the conferences held by Sir William Johnson with the Six Nations of Indians at Onondaga, in June, and at Fort Johnson in July, 1756.

Thursday, November 25. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton.

Nova Scotia.

The Secretary laid before the Board a memorial prepared by Mr. Parker, in behalf of Mr. Kilby, agent for the settlement of Nova Scotia, to be presented to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury praying that £2079 16s.6d. may be issued to him upon further account of the grant of Parliament for the service of that colony, and the said memorial being approved, Mr. Parker was ordered to present it to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury for their Lordships' directions thereupon.

Tuesday, November 30. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Hamilton.

Pennsylvania.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 24th November, 1756, referring to this Board for their consideration and report, an Act passed in Pennsylvania in May last entituled:—
An Act for the more effectual obstructing the exportation of provisions and warlike stores from the province of Pennsylvania.

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

Their lordships took into consideration that part of Sir William Johnson's last letter (mentioned in the minutes of the 23rd instant) which relates to the jealousies of the Indians concerning their lands, and the disgust and uneasiness which Sir William represents to have arisen amongst them on account of the large purchase made by the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania in the year 1754.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Mr. Penn to desire his attendance at the Board to-morrow morning.