Journal, January 1774: Volume 81

Journal, January 1774

fo. 1.

At a meeting of his Majesty's Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

Thursday, January 13. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne.

The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Africa.

The Secretary laid before the Board several papers received from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, since their lordships' last meeting, the titles of which papers are as follows, vizt.
Letter from Mr. Camplin to Mr. Pownall, requesting he would return the thanks of the Committee to the Board for the communication to them of the papers relative to the negotiation with the Commissaries of the West India Company of the United Provinces.
Letter from the chairman of the said Committee addressed jointly to Lord Dartmouth and to the Board, expressing their acknowledgment for the great care taken of the interests of the British merchants in the negotiation above mentioned.
fo. 2.
Copy of a letter from the Committee to the Governor and Council of Cape Coast Castle, dated 10th December, 1773.

Lord Dartmouth having acquainted the Board, that the Commissaries of the West India Company had taken their leave of his Majesty and were returned to Holland, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty of their lordships' proceedings with the said Commissaries should be prepared.

New York.

fo. 3.

The Secretary acquainted the Board, that he was desired by the parties interested in the Act of New York for dividing the lands contained in the Wawayanda patent, mentioned in the minutes of the 26th of October last, to move their lordships for their report upon the said Act; whereupon the same was reconsidered, together with Dr. Smith's memorial, and a memorial of the proprietors of the said lands in reply thereto, and Dr. Smith having signified, that he declined being heard by his counsel in support of his memorial, a representation to his Majesty, recommending the confirmation of the Act, was agreed to and signed.

Their lordships then read and considered another Act passed in the province of New York in March, 1772, intituled an Act for defraying a moiety of the expences accrued on settling the contested boundaries between the patented lands commonly called Cheescocks and Kakiate; together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon; and upon consideration of the objections stated by Mr. Jackson, it was agreed, that it should be laid aside for the present, and that Mr. Jackson and Mr. Burke should be desired to attend the Board on this day se'nnight.

New Jersey.

Their lordships read and considered an Act passed in the province of New Jersey in September, 1772, to enable certain persons to erect and draw a lottery for raising the sum of one thousand and fifty pounds to be applied for the purposes therein mentioned, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, recommending the confirmation of the said Act.

fo. 4.

Proprieties, Pennsylvania.

Read an order of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated August 26th, 1773, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of Thomas Penn and John Penn, Esquires, Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, to the King, praying that his Majesty would appoint Commissioners for settling, marking and ascertaining the northern, southern and western boundaries of the said province.

Ordered, that the Secretary do give notice to the agent for the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania to attend the Board on the subject of the said reference on this day se'nnight.

St. John's.

Their lordships took into consideration the state of the island of St. John; and Mr. Samuel Smith, agent for the affairs of the said island, attending, stated to their lordships the distressed situation of the affairs of government there from the failure of the fund appointed for their support.

fo. 5.

Mr. Smith was desired to prepare a state of the quitrents, specifying what sums have been paid and what remains due, and to attend the Board therewith on this day se'nnight.

Thursday, January 20. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Lord Robert Spencer.

The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Massachusetts.

Read a letter to Mr. Pownall from the Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, desiring he would be pleased to move the Board, that the said Commissioners may have a copy of a paper in this office relative to the case of the Receiver General of New England in 1686.

The paper, of which a copy is desired, having been laid before the Board, the Secretary was directed to send a copy of it to the Commissioners of the Customs pursuant to their request.

fo. 6.

New York.

Mr. Jackson, and Mr. Burke, agent for New York, attending as desired, their lordships resumed the consideration of the Act of Assembly of New York, mentioned in the preceding minute, and the said Act appearing upon discussion to be, and being admitted by Mr. Burke to be liable to many material objections, their lordships did not think fit to lay it before his Majesty for his royal confirmation; but ordered a letter to the Governor to be prepared, stating the objections, to the end that, if it should not have been carried into compleat execution, another Act for amending and explaining it may be passed.

New Jersey.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, recommending the confirmation of the Lottery Act of New Jersey, having been prepared pursuant to order, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Proprieties, Pennsylvania.

fo. 7.

Mr. Wilmot, agent for the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, attended, and after some consultation with him on the impropriety of recommending to the King to appoint Commissioners to settle the limits of the province, unless the other colonies interested should join in the request and make provision for defraying the expence, it was agreed, that the order of reference of the petition of the Proprietaries upon this subject should lye by for further consideration at another opportunity.

St. John's.

Mr. Smith, agent for the affairs of the island of St. John, attended and laid before the Board an account of the quit rents of that island, specifying what part thereof has been paid and how much remains due.

fo. 8.

Monday, January 31. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Keene.

The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Miscellanies.

A new Commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the 26th instant, constituting the Great Officers of State, together with Soame Jenyns, Edward Eliot, Bamber Gascoyne, Esquires, Robert Spencer, commonly called Lord Robert Spencer, William Jolliffe, Esquire, together with Whitshed Keene and the Honorable Charles Greville, Esquires, in the room of the Earls of Warwick and Galloway, to be his Majesty's Commissioners for promoting the trade of this kingdom and for inspecting and improving his Majesty's plantations in America and elsewhere, was read, and Mr. Keene took his seat at the Board.

fo. 9.

Africa.

The draught of a representation to the King, humbly to lay before his Majesty the Board's proceedings with the Commissaries of the West India Company of the United Provinces, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed; as was also a letter to the Earl of Suffolk, inclosing the said representation, and desiring him to lay it before his Majesty.

New York.

The draught of a letter to the Governor of New York containing the Board's observations upon the Act passed in the province of New York "for defraying a moiety of the expences accrued on settling the contested boundaries between the patented lands commonly called Cheescocks and Kakiate," having been prepared pursuant to order, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Nova Scotia.

fo. 10.

Read a letter to Mr. Pownall from Messieurs Watson and Rashleigh, merchants of London trading to Nova Scotia, inclosing letters from their correspondents there complaining of the conduct of Mr. Tong, Naval officer of that province, in the exaction of fees for himself and his deputies in the several ports.

Their lordships took the said letter into consideration, together with a memorial of Mr. Tong's to the Governor, communicated to the Board by the Earl of Dartmouth, and their lordships were of opinion, that Mr. Tong had a right by his Commission to appoint deputies in the several ports, and also that he was intitled to fees under the authority of an Act of Parliament, in like manner as naval officers in other colonies; but, as the Board apprehended, that the allowance of ten shillings per day upon the estimate for the naval officer of Nova Scotia was intended as an allowance in lieu of fees, which, in the infancy of that colony might be burthensome to the trade, the Earl of Dartmouth was requested to acquaint Governor Legge with their lordships' sentiments upon this subject; and to direct him to inform Mr. Tong, that if he persists in demanding fees, the allowance upon the estimate will be discontinued.

fo. 11.

Newfoundland.

The Earl of Dartmouth communicated to the Board a memorial presented to the Governor of Newfoundland by the traders there, complaining of the establishment of a Custom House, and of the burthen brought upon the trade by the payment of fees to the collector and other officers; and his Lordship signified the King's commands, that the Board should take the said memorial into their consideration, and represent to his Majesty their opinion thereupon.

The said memorial was accordingly read and considered, and Captain Shuldham, Governor of Newfoundland, attending, their lordships had some conversation with him upon the subject matter thereof, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon should be prepared.