Journal, December 1774: Volume 81

Journal, December 1774

fo. 76.

Monday, December 5. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Keene, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Greville.

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

Africa.

Jamaica.

His Lordship laid before the Board a memorial addressed to him from the merchants of Liverpool trading to Africa, containing a complaint (to the same effect as the complaint made by the merchants of London and Bristol) against the Act passed in Jamaica laying an additional [duty] of 40s. per head on negroes imported.

The Secretary acquainted the Board that, since the last meeting, the Act had been received from Mr. Jackson, together with his report upon it, and the said Act and report having been read, it was agreed to take the same into consideration on this day se'nnight; as also the merchants' memorials; and the Secretary was directed to give notice thereof to the several parties concerned.

fo. 77.

New York.

Read a memorial of Dr. Flower to the Board, praying their lordships' report on an order in Council respecting the claims of the heirs and representatives of Blandina Bayard to a tract of land in New York.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the order of reference mentioned in Mr. Flower's memorial, and of former proceedings of the Board upon it, ordered, that the draught of a report thereupon to the Lords of the Committee of Council should be prepared.

Quebec.

The Secretary laid before the Board the draught of a Commission appointing Guy Carleton, Esquire, to be Governor of Quebec, prepared pursuant to their lordships' order, and the said draught having been read and approved, a representation to his Majesty in Council thereupon was signed.

fo. 78.

Nova Scotia.

Read a memorial of Joseph Gorham, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of Placentia, praying, for reasons therein contained, that he may be allowed a further term of ten years for performing the conditions annexed to the grants of certain lands possessed by him within the province of Nova Scotia.

Their lordships, upon consideration of what is alleged by the memorialist, and of his merit and service, were of opinion that his request was reasonable; and it was submitted to Lord Dartmouth, if his Lordship thought fit, to take the King's pleasure for the necessary directions to the Governor of Nova Scotia thereupon.

fo. 79.

Thursday, December 8. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Keene, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Greville.

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

New Jersey.

Their lordships read and considered thirty three Laws passed in the colony of New Jersey in March, 1774, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon.

Ordered, that the said Laws be taken into further consideration on this day se'nnight, and that the agent have notice to attend.

Jamaica.

Read and considered an Act passed in the island of Jamaica in February, 1774, for vesting several tracts of land in the parishes of St. Elizabeth and Westmorland in Barnard Andreas Woodstock, &c., together with Mr. Jackson's report upon it.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, proposing that the said Act may be confirmed.

fo. 80.

Pennsylvania.

The Secretary laid before the Board a list of papers in this office, of which the agent for the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania desired to have copies; the said papers having a reference to a matter in dispute between them and the colony of Connecticut, respecting the extent of the limits of the said colony.

Ordered, that copies be made and delivered to the said agent.

Monday, December 12. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville.

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

Dominica.

fo. 81.

Their lordships approved of a lease of lands in the island of Dominica being assigned by Bondy des Casseaux to Anthony Richardson and Thomas Court, Esquires, and it was ordered, that the Secretary should certify the same.

Jamaica, Africa.

This day being appointed to take into consideration the memorials of the merchants of London, Bristol and Liverpool, complaining of an Act passed in Jamaica for laying an additional duty of 40s. per head on negroes imported into that Island, several of the merchants attended, and were heard in what they had to offer in support of the memorials.

Mr. Fuller, agent for the Island, who also attended, was heard in support of the Act, after which, the parties being withdrawn, their lordships, upon consideration, ordered the draught of a representation to his Majesty on this subject to be prepared.

New York.

fo. 82.

Jamaica.

Their lordships approved and signed a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the petition of Henry Flower and others, praying the confirmation of an Indian grant of lands to Blandina Bayard in 1700; also a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of an Act of Jamaica for adding trustees to those already named by a Law for vesting several tracts of land in the parishes of St. Elizabeth and Westmorland in the trustees therein mentioned.

Thursday, December 15. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville.

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

New Jersey.

fo. 83.

Their lordships, pursuant to their minutes of the 8th instant, took into consideration the New Jersey Laws therein mentioned, and Dr. Franklin, agent for the colony, attending, the Board had some discourse with him upon the subject of three of the said Laws, vizt.
An Act for the relief of Abner Hetfield, an insolvent debtor.
An Act for lowering the interest of money to six per cent within this colony.
An Act for striking one hundred thousand pounds in bills of credit, and directing the mode for sinking the same.

Dr. Franklin being withdrawn, their lordships, upon consideration, ordered the draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the said Laws to be prepared.

Jamaica.

Their lordships then read and considered the draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the Act of Jamaica laying an additional duty of 40s. per head on negroes imported.

fo. 84.

New Hampshire.

Jamaica.

Their lordships approved and signed a representation to his Majesty, recommending that John Sherburne, Esquire, may be appointed of the Council of New Hampshire; also a representation to his Majesty, recommending that Thomas Hersey Barrett, Esquire, may be appointed of the Council of Jamaica.

Monday, December 19. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Keene, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Greville.

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

Jamaica.

fo. 85.

New Jersey.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the memorials of the merchants of London, Bristol and Liverpool, complaining of an Act of Jamaica imposing an additional duty on negroes imported, was again read, approved and signed; as was also the draught of a representation to his Majesty upon three Laws passed in New Jersey in March last.

Trade

Read a letter from Mr. Stanley, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, to the Secretary to this Board, dated December 14th, 1774, transmitting,
An account of the number of ships which have cleared from England from Christmas, 1753, to Christmas, 1772, specifying from what ports they have cleared, and to what ports they were bound; as also an account of the tonnage of the said ships, distinguishing what ships were British, and what were foreign.

Africa.

The Secretary laid before the Board two papers received from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, which were read and are entitled as follows, vizt.
Copy of a letter from David Mill, Esquire, dated Cape Coast Castle, 29th July, 1773.
fo. 86.
Copy of a letter from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa to the Governor and Council at Cape Coast Castle, dated December 5th, 1774.

West Florida.

Read a letter from Grey Cooper, Esquire, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, to the Secretary to this Board, dated December 12th, 1774, desiring him to move their lordships to insert in the estimate of the civil establishment of West Florida for the ensuing year a salary for the Receiver General of the quit rents there, in like manner as the salaries for the Receivers General of the quit rents for the provinces of Georgia and East Florida are inserted.

Quebec.

fo. 87.

Ordered, that the Secretary do prepare and lay before the Board at their next meeting, draughts of general instructions and of those relating to the observance of the Laws of trade for Guy Carleton, Esquire, whom his Majesty has been pleased to appoint to be Governor of the province of Quebec.

Thursday, December 22. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Keene, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Greville.

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

Quebec.

Their lordships read and approved draughts of general instructions and of those relating to the observance of the Laws for regulating the plantation trade, prepared pursuant to order for Guy Carleton, Esquire, Governor of Quebec, and a representation to his Majesty upon the said draughts was agreed to and signed.