Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 13, January 1768 - December 1775. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1937.
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'Journal, March 1774: Volume 81', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 13, January 1768 - December 1775, ed. K H Ledward( London, 1937), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol13/pp387-392 [accessed 13 January 2025].
'Journal, March 1774: Volume 81', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 13, January 1768 - December 1775. Edited by K H Ledward( London, 1937), British History Online, accessed January 13, 2025, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol13/pp387-392.
"Journal, March 1774: Volume 81". Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 13, January 1768 - December 1775. Ed. K H Ledward(London, 1937), , British History Online. Web. 13 January 2025. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol13/pp387-392.
Journal, March 1774
fo. 23.
Thursday, March 3. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene.
Africa.
The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends, and signifies to the Board his Majesty's commands, that they do lay before the House of Commons copies of such papers in their office respecting complaints made against the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa and their officers on the coast, as are mentioned in an address to his Majesty of that House on the 16th of last month.
The Secretary laid before the Board copies of such papers as fall within the description in the said address.
Mr. Gascoyne was desired to present them to the House pursuant to his Majesty's command.
Massachusetts.
fo. 24.
Their lordships took into further consideration the petition of James Duncan and others, mentioned in the minutes of the 21st instant, and Mr. Jackson attending, their lordships had some conversation with him thereupon; and it was ordered, that a state of the case, respecting a doubt that has occurred as to the right of the province of Massachusets Bay to that part of the district of Sagadehock which lyes to the eastward of Penobscot, be made out for the information of the Board.
The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon an Act of the province of Massachusets Bay to regulate the sale of goods by publick vendue, having been transcribed pursuant to order, was signed.
fo. 25.
Monday, March 7. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene.
The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.
Tobago.
Their lordships read and considered three Acts passed in the Island of Tobago in March and September, 1772, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon.
Virginia.
The Board was moved in behalf of the parties interested in an Act passed in Virginia in March, 1773, for the sale of the estate of Bowles Armstead, gentleman, for the payment of debts, that their lordships would be pleased to lay the said Act before his Majesty for his Majesty's confirmation; whereupon the said Act was read and considered, together with Mr. Jackson's report upon it, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation thereof, should be prepared.
fo. 26.
Plantations General.
Their lordships took into further consideration Mr. de Brahm's memorial, praying that a vessel may be allowed to attend him upon his general survey of the Southern district; and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, humbly to recommend to his Majesty, that the Surveyor General of the Southern district may have a small vessel to attend him upon his surveys, in like manner as is directed with regard to the survey of the Northern district.
Nova Scotia.
Read a memorial of Robert Grant, contractor for the supply of his Majesty's ships and vessels at Halifax in Nova Scotia, praying that the Governor of that province may be instructed not to assent to any Revenue Act, by which rum, supplied to his Majesty's ships, shall be subjected to any duty of excise.
fo. 27.
Ordered, that this memorial do lye by for consideration when the Revenue Laws for Nova Scotia shall come before the Board.
Barbados.
Read a letter from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Pownall, dated the 3rd instant, inclosing, for the information of this Board, a memorial of the agent for the island of Barbados, relative to an application now before Parliament for making the said island a free port.
Thursday, March 10. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene.
The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.
Trade.
fo. 28.
Read a memorial of the merchants and manufacturers of the town of Manchester on the subject of the consideration now before Parliament relative to the linen and woollen manufactures of this kingdom, and representing the prejudice it might be of to the manufactures of that town, if any further duties should be laid upon the importation of foreign linens.
The Board was of opinion, that, as the matter to which the said memorial refers is now before the House of Commons, it is not necessary for their lordships to take any step thereupon, but that it may be advisable for any of their lordships, being a member of the House of Commons, to move the House for an address to his Majesty, that a copy of the said memorial may be laid before that House.
Virginia.
fo. 29.
The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the private Act of Virginia relative to the estate of Bowles Armstead, having been prepared pursuant to order, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.
New York.
Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated the 21st ultimo, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, a petition of the Secretary of the province of New York, complaining that the Governor of the said province had, in violation of his rights, divested him of the office of Register of the Court of Ordinary; also referring several letters and papers from the said Governor in support of his claim to appoint such officers.
fo. 30.
Their lordships took the said order of reference into consideration, and being of opinion, that the said office of Register of the Court of Ordinary was clearly vested in the Secretary by his Patent, and therefore that the Governor was not warranted in appointing any other person to execute the same, it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, conformable to that opinion, should be prepared.
Plantations General.
The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the memorial of Mr. de Brahm, praying that a vessel may be allowed to attend him upon his general survey of the Southern district of North America, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.
Thursday, March 17. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene.
The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.
Massachusetts.
fo. 31.
New York.
The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon twenty six Acts passed in the province of Massachusets Bay in February and March, 1773, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved and ordered to be transcribed; as was also a draught of a report to their Lordships upon the petition of George Clarke, Esquire, Secretary of the province of New York.
Africa.
Read Mr. Jackson's report upon the petition of George Vaughan Heydon, complaining of ill treatment received from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, and from their servants on the coast of Africa.
Their lordships, upon consideration of the said petition and report, were of opinion, that the matter of complaint therein stated was not properly cognizable by this Board.
Ordered, that copies of Mr. Heydon's petition, of Mr. Pownall's letter thereupon to Mr. Jackson, and of Mr. Jackson's report, be communicated to the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa.
fo. 32.
Barbados.
Their lordships read and considered several Laws passed in the island of Barbados in the years 1772 and 1773, together with two reports of Mr. Jackson thereupon; and it was agreed to take the said Laws and reports into consideration on Monday next, and that the agent for Barbados should be desired to attend.
Grenada.
Their lordships read and considered an Act passed in the island of Grenada in August, 1773, for vesting in trustees the estate of the late Elias John Palairet, Esquire, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation thereof, should be prepared.
Dominica.
fo. 33.
Their lordships read and considered an application of Toussain LeSueur, interested in a lease of six acres and two roods of cleared land, and three acres and two roods of woodland, in the island of Dominica, praying their lordships' approbation and allowance of an assignment of the said lease to James Neave and Henry Dyer, Esquires, and it was ordered, that the Secretary should certify their lordships' approbation of the said assignment.
Africa.
Read a memorial of Richard Ball, soliciting the assistance of their lordships in the publication of a perspective view of Algiers, with soundings near the fortifications.
Ordered, that the Secretary do acquaint Mr. Ball, that it is not within their lordships' power or department to give the assistance he requests.
North Carolina.
fo. 34.
Their lordships read and considered thirty four Acts passed in the province of North Carolina in January, 1773, 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 several of the said Laws.
Monday, March 21. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene.
The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.
Massachusetts.
New York.
Grenada.
(fn. 1) The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs upon several Laws passed in the province of Massachusets Bay in March, 1773, having been transcribed pursuant to order, was signed; as was also a report to their lordships upon the petition of George Clarke, Esquire, Secretary of the province of New York; and a representation to his Majesty, recommending the confirmation of an Act passed in the island of Grenada, relative to the estate of Elias John Palairet, which had been prepared pursuant to order.
fo. 35.
Nova Scotia.
Their lordships read and considered five Acts passed in the province of Nova Scotia in 1773, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon; and one of the said Laws appearing to be the Law complained of in Mr. Grant's memorial, mentioned in the minutes of the 7th instant, it was agreed to take the same into further consideration on Monday next, and that Lord William Campbell and Mr. Grant should be desired to attend.
Africa.
George Vaughan Heydon, whose petition is mentioned in the minutes of the 14th of last month, attending without, was called in and acquainted that, upon full examination of his case, it appeared to be a matter of civil suit, and of a nature not cognizable before this Board.
New Hampshire.
fo. 36.
Their lordships read and considered eighteen Laws passed in
the province of New Hampshire in 1773, together with Mr.
Jackson's report thereupon; and it was ordered, that the draught
of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing
that one of the said Laws may be disallowed, vizt.
An Act to dissolve the marriage of Eliphalet Pattee of Chester
with Abigail his wife, formerly Abigali Elliot.
Barbados.
The agent of Barbados attends on the subject of the Laws of that island, mentioned in the minutes of the 17th instant, and their lordships had some discourse with him on the subject of one of the said Laws for improving the Mole-head, which appeared, upon examination, not to be intirely freed from the objections that had occurred to the former Law passed for that purpose.
fo. 37.
The agent not being able to remove to their lordships' satisfaction the objections that had been taken to parts of the said Law, he was desired to consider further of these objections, and to attend the Board again on this day se'nnight.
Monday, March 28. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene.
Barbados.
The agent for Barbados attends again on the subject of the objections to the Act for improving &c. the Mole-head, and their lordships had some discourse with him thereupon.
Ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor of Barbados on the subject of the said Laws be prepared.
Nova Scotia.
fo. 38.
Their lordships then took into consideration the Act of Nova Scotia, to which Mr. Grant's memorial refers, and Lord William Campbell and Mr. Grant attending, their lordships had some discourse with them thereupon.
Ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor of Nova Scotia on the subject of the said Law be prepared.
North Carolina.
New Hampshire.
The draughts of two representations to his Majesty on several Laws passed in the province of North Carolina, and upon one Law passed in the province of New Hampshire, having been prepared pursuant to order, were read and approved.
fo. 39.
Thursday, March 31. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene.
Massachusetts.
North Carolina.
New Hampshire.
Massachusetts.
The Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends, and his Lordship having acquainted the Board, that his Majesty had appointed Lieutenant General Gage to be Governor of the province of Massachusets Bay, in the room of Mr. Hutchinson, and having signified his Majesty's commands, that their lordships should forthwith prepare the draught of a Commission and also draughts of instructions for the said Governor, the Board was adjourned till the afternoon, when the said draughts having been prepared, were approved, and a representation to his Majesty thereupon was signed; as were also representations to his Majesty for the disallowance of five Acts of North Carolina, and one Act of New Hampshire; and a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon twenty six Acts passed in the province of Massachusets Bay.
fo. 40.
Nova Scotia, Barbados.
The draughts of letters to the Governors of Nova Scotia and Barbados on the subject of several Laws passed by them, having been prepared pursuant to order, were approved and signed.
St. John's.
Their lordships read and considered thirteen Laws passed by the Legislature of the island of St. John, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and several observations having occurred upon the said Laws in respect to some errors and inaccuracies in the framing thereof, it was ordered, that the Secretary should state these observations in a letter to the Governor, to be dispatched by the New York mail that will be made up on Wednesday next.