Journal, December 1770: Volume 77

Journal, December 1770

Wednesday, December 5. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Greville, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Northey.

Virginia.

fo. 218.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation affairs, dated December 4th, 1770, that this Board do prepare and lay before them a draught of an additional instruction to the Governor of Virginia, forbidding him for the future to give his assent, without the King's permission first obtained, to any Law, by which the duties of 10 per cent. upon slaves imported into that Colony, imposed by Laws made before the 21st of December, 1769, shall be increased.

The draught of an additional instruction conformable to the said Order, having been prepared, was approved, and a report thereupon to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation affairs was signed.

East Florida.

fo. 219.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation affairs upon the memorial of the Earl of Dartmouth and others, praying for a grant of lands in East Florida, having been prepared, was agreed to and signed.

Bermuda.

The draught of a representation to His Majesty on the petition of the whale fishers in the Island of Bermuda, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved and signed, and Lord Hillsborough was desired to lay it before His Majesty.

Grenada, Dominica.

The draught of a representation to His Majesty, proposing that Commissions for trial of pirates may be issued for the Governors of Grenada and Dominica, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved and ordered to be transcribed.

fo. 220.

North Carolina.

Their Lordships took into further consideration the Laws of North Carolina passed in the years 1768 and 1769, mentioned in the minutes of the 21st ultimo, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and Mr. Jackson attending, as also Mr. Bridgen, a merchant of London, trading to North Carolina, and Mr. Strudwick, one of the Council of the said Province, their Lordships had some discourse with them on that part of the Law "for establishing superior Courts of Judicature," which directs the mode of proceeding in Civil suits by attachment.

fo. 221.

Thursday, December 6. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Greville, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Northey.

North Carolina.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, their Lordships made a further progress in the consideration of the Laws of North Carolina, mentioned in the preceding minutes, and Mr. Jackson attending, the Board had further discourse with him on the subject of two of the said Laws, "by which Inspectors' Notes and Receipts are made a legal tender in payments of debts and taxes."

Grenada, Dominica.

fo. 222.

The draught of a representation to His Majesty, proposing that Commissions should issue for trial of pirates in the Governments of Grenada and Dominica, having been transcribed pursuant to order, was signed.

Dominica.

The Board was moved in behalf of persons holding lands in the Islands of Dominica under leases from the Crown, for their Lordships' approbation of the assignment of such leases to British subjects, the Governor of the Ceded Islands having given his assent, and the Secretary was ordered to signify their Lordships' approbation accordingly, vizt.:
Petition of Nicholas de Casse, executor of the last Will and Testament of Peter Rigal, to assign a lease of forty four acres of land in the Island of Dominica, to John Lewthwaite and William Cooper.
fo. 223.
Petition of Jean Jacques Lion, administrator of Jean Baptist Lasserre, deceased, to assign a lease of ten acres of land in the Island of Dominica to John Lewthwaite and William Cooper.

Friday, December 7. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Greville, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Northey.

North Carolina.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, their Lordships took into further consideration the Laws of North Carolina, mentioned in the preceding minutes, and Mr. Jackson attending, as also the agent, and Mr.Strudwick, one of the Council of the said Province, their Lordships had further discourse with them on the subject of several of the said Laws.

fo 224.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to His Majesty be prepared, proposing that the two following Acts, passed in the Province of North Carolina in December, 1768, should be disallowed, vizt.:
An Act to encourage the importation of British copper halfpence and for making them a tender for the payment of small debts.
An Act for declaring certain lots in the Town of New Bern taken up by the Trustees for promoting the publick school in the said Town, saved and improved according to law, and to impower the said Trustees to collect the subscriptions due to the said school.

fo. 225.

Ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor of North Carolina, containing the Board's observations upon several of the Laws passed in that Province in the years 1768 and 1769, be prepared.

Leeward Islands, St. Christopher's.

Their Lordships took into consideration the state of His Majesty's Council for the Island of St. Christopher, and it appearing, that there were only nine persons appointed by His Majesty to be of the said Council, the draught of a representation to His Majesty, recommending John Stanley and Archibald Esdaile, Esquires, to be appointed of the said Council, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

fo. 226.

Wednesday, December 12. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Greville, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Northey.

Virginia, New York, North Carolina.

The Earl of Hillsborough being present, his Lordship acquainted the Board with the death of Lord Botetourt, Governor of Virginia, that the King had been pleased, in consequence thereof, to appoint the Earl of Dunmore to be Governor of Virginia, William Tryon, Esquire, to be Governor of New York, and Josiah Martin, Esquire, to be Governor of North Carolina, and that it was His Majesty's pleasure, that this Board should prepare draughts of Commissions and instructions for the said Governors.

Ordered, that draughts of Commissions and instructions be accordingly prepared.

North Carolina.

fo. 227.

The draught of a letter to the Governor of North Carolina on the subject of several Laws passed there in 1768 and 1769, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Africa.

The Secretary laid before the Board two papers received from the Committee of the Company of merchants trading to Africa, intitled as follows, vizt.:
Copy of a letter from the African Committee to the Governor and Council of Cape Coast Castle, dated October 31st, 1770.
Copy of a letter from the African Committee to the Governor and Council at Cape Coast Castle, dated November 28th, 1770.

Ordered, that the said papers do lye upon the table.

fo. 228.

Newfoundland.

Read a petition of James Reed, of the City of Bristol, merchant, praying a grant of the Madelaine Islands in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, in order to carry on a sea cow fishery.

Mr. Read attending, with his solicitor, Mr. Joshua Sharpe, he was heard in what he had to offer in support thereof, and being withdrawn, it was ordered, that the said petition should be further considered on Friday next, and that the Governor of Newfoundland should be requested to attend.

North Carolina.

The draught of a representation to His Majesty, proposing the disallowance of two Laws passed in North Carolina in the year 1769, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 229.

Virginia.

Read an explanatory memorial of Richard Bell on the subject of his application for a grant of lands in Virginia.

Ordered, that the said memorial do lye by for further consideration at another opportunity.

New Jersey.

Their Lordships read and considered several Laws passed in New Jersey in the years 1768 and 1769, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to His Majesty upon the Act passed in 1769 to erect Courts in the several Counties in this Colony for the trial of causes of ten pounds and under, be prepared.

Ordered, that the said Laws and Mr. Jackson's report thereupon be taken into further consideration on Friday next, and that Mr. Jackson be desired to attend.

fo. 230.

Friday, December 14. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Lord Greville.

Newfoundland.

fo. 231.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, their Lordships took into further consideration the memorial of Mr. Reed of Bristol, praying for a Grant of the Magdalane Islands, and Commodore Byron attending as desired, their Lordships had some discourse with him on the subject matter of the said memorial, and he having informed the Board, that Captain Gower, whom he had sent the last season to visit those Islands, was soon expected home, when he should be able to make a full report of the state of them, it was agreed, that the memorial of Mr. Reed should lye by for further consideration, when that report is received.

Virginia, New York, North Carolina,

The draughts of representations to His Majesty with draughts of Commissions for the Governors of Virginia, New York and North Carolina, were approved, transcribed and signed.

New Jersey.

Mr. Jackson attends on the subject of the Laws of New Jersey, mentioned in the preceding minutes, and their Lordships had some discourse with him thereupon.

Barbados.

fo. 232.

Their Lordships at the same time took into consideration six Laws passed in the Island of Barbados in 1768 and 1769, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon; and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to His Majesty should be prepared, proposing the disallowance of one of the said Acts, intituled "an Act for vesting the lands and tenements late of Samuel Massett, coppersmith, deceased, situate in the Parish of St. Michael in the Island of Barbados, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, in Trustees to be sold for the applying one sixth part of the monies arising by such sale to the use of Elizabeth Massett, the widow and relict of the said Samuel Massett in lieu of dower out of the said premises, and for applying the residue of the monies arising from such sale to the payment of the Testator's debts and the uses expressed in his Will."

fo. 233.

Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, West Florida, Plantations General.

The Earl of Hillsborough signified to the Board His Majesty's commands, that they should prepare and lay before the House of Commons, estimates of what sums will be necessary for supporting the Civil Establishments of Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida and West Florida, and also for general Surveys of His Majesty's Dominions in America for the year 1771.

Ordered, that the King's agents for the Colonies of Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, and West Florida, be desired to deliver in accounts of the ballances remaining in their hands of former grants of Parliament for the service of those Colonies.

fo. 234.

Wednesday, December 19. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr.Fitzherbert, Lord Greville.

New Jersey, Barbados.

The Earl of Hillsborough present, their Lordships approved and signed two representations to His Majesty upon the Laws of New Jersey and Barbados, mentioned in the minutes of the 12th and 14th instant.

Jamaica.

fo. 235.

Read an Order of His Majesty in Council, dated December 9th, 1770, directing this Board to prepare and lay before His Majesty a draught of an additional instruction to the Governor of Jamaica to withhold his assent in future from any Bill or Bills sent up from the Assembly with tacks or clauses for applying the surplus arising from the operation of the Revenue Law.

The draught of an additional instruction conformable to the said Order having been prepared, was approved, and a representation to His Majesty thereupon was signed.

Grenada, Dominica.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation affairs, dated December 15th, 1770, directing this Board forthwith to lay before them the names of persons proper to be appointed to carry into execution separate Commissions proposed to be issued and transmitted to the two Governments of Grenada and Dominica for the trial of pirates under the Act of the 11th and 12th of King William the third.

fo. 236.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council with the names of persons proposed to be Commissioners for the trial of pirates in the Governments of Grenada and Dominica, having been prepared, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade, East Indies.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated December 4th, 1770, referring to this Board, for their examination and report, an account of the East India Company's Exports from the 29th of September, 1769, to the 29th of September, 1770.