Journal, August 1777: Volume 84

Journal, August 1777

Thursday, August 7th. Present:—Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Eden, Mr. de Grey.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Trade.

fo. 169.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated July 31st, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of George Jefferies, praying leave to export to Smyrna and Constantinople, certain military stores therein mentioned, on board the ship Tygris, for trade in Turkey.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated July 31st, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of John Ingram, praying leave to export to Pensacola in West Florida, on board the ship Marian, five hundred trading guns, for trade with the natives and Indians.

Their lordships, on consideration of the two foregoing petitions, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and the draughts of two reports thereupon, to the Lords of the Privy Council having been prepared accordingly, were approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 170.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated July 31st, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Messieurs Eade, Wilton and Allen, praying leave to export to Halifax in Nova Scotia, on board the brigantine Lusanna, sundry military stores therein specified, for trade in that province.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated July 31st, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Liotard, Aubertin and Company, praying leave to export to Dunkirk, on board the ship Mary, two hundred trading muskets, to be reshipped from thence in any ship or ships to Bourdeaux, and the coast of Angola.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the two last mentioned petitions, were of opinion, that it would not be adviseable to recommend the exportation prayed for.

fo. 171.

Read a petition of Henry Phillips of Knightsbridge, in the county of Middlesex, chymist, stating, that after much time and labour, he hath discovered a composition or powder for destroying the cane ant, so destructive to the sugar colonies in the West Indies, and praying support and assistance for extending and improving the same.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Mr. Robinson, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, upon the subject of the above petition.

Nova Scotia.

fo. 172.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, to Mr. Cumberland, dated July 30th, 1777, transmitting a petition and memorial of James Burrow, esquire, one of his Majesty's Council of the Province of Nova Scotia, praying that directions may be given to the agent for that colony, to pay a bill drawn by Francis Legge, esquire, Governor of Nova Scotia, for the sum of one hundred and five pounds, in consequence of a commission he has been entrusted with by the said Governor, upon which petition and memorial, the Lords of the Treasury desire the opinion of this Board.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Mr. Robinson, to acquaint him, for the information of the Lords of the Treasury, with the opinion of this Board upon the said petition and memorial.

Leeward Islands.

fo. 173.

Read a letter from William Mathew Burt, esquire, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated St. Christopher's, June 14th, 1777, transmitting publick papers; and acquainting their lordships, amongst other matters, that much confusion has been occasioned in the Virgin Islands by the expectations of Tortola being soon to be made an independent government, and a free port; and desiring, that if any application should be made to this Board upon these heads, that their lordships will be pleased to acquaint him therewith.
Antigua.
Minutes of Council from the 3rd of October, 1776, to the 27th of March, 1777, inclusive.
One Act passed in May, 1777.
Montserrat.
Minutes of Council from the 12th of October, 1776, to the 29th of March, 1777, inclusive.
Two Acts passed in March and May, 1777.

The draught of a letter to Governor Burt, in answer to the foregoing, having been prepared. was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 174.

Ordered. that the Acts before mentioned be referred to Mr. Jackson. for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Tobago.

Grenada.

Read a letter from Lord Macartney. Governor of Grenada, to the Board, dated May 21st, 1777. acknowledging the receipt of their lordships letter of the 18th of February last. relative to the Act of Tobago, for rendering a certain tract of mountainous land proper for attracting rains, unalienable; also a letter from Lord Macartney to Lord George Germain, dated May 25th. 1777, laid before the Board by his Lordship, respecting the members of the Council of Grenada. who were suspended by the late Lieutenant Governor Young: and recommending John Black. esquire, as a person properly qualified to be of the Council for that island.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, recommending John Black, esquire, to be of the Council for the Island of Grenada.

fo. 175.

Quebec.

Read a letter from Sir Guy Carleton. Governor of the Province of Quebec, to the Board, dated July 4th. 1777, acknowledging, amongst other matters, the receipt of their lordships letter of the 8th of April last relative to Lieutenant Colonel Caldwell's petition.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, proposing that Francis Baby and — de Longueuil. esquires, may be appointed of the Council for the Province of Quebec, agreable to the recommendation of Sir Guy Carleton; which draught having been prepared accordingly, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Their lordships read and considered sixteen printed Ordinances passed in the Province of Quebec in February, March and April, 1777, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon.

fo. 176.

Resolved, that this Board will, at their next meeting, resume the consideration of the Ordinances before mentioned.

Their lordships also read and considered the following Acts, together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon, vizt..
Jamaica.
Thirty Acts passed in the Island of Jamaica in December. 1776.
Grenada.
Three Acts passed in the Island of Grenada in October. 1776. and February. 1777.
Tobago.
Three Acts passed in the Island of Tobago in April. 1776.
Dominica.
Three Acts passed in the Island of Dominica in October and November. 1776.
Bahama.
Five Acts passed in the Bahama Islands in October and November. 1776.
St. John's.
Six Acts passed in the Island of St. John's in July. 1776.

fo. 177.

Wednesday. August 20th. Present:—Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Eden.

Jamaica.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attended, and his Lordship acquainted the Board, that the King had been pleased to appoint John Dalling, esquire, to be Governor of the Island of Jamaica, and the territories depending thereon in America; and that it was his Majesty's pleasure, that this Board should prepare and lay before his Majesty in Council draughts of a Commission and instructions for the said Governor.

The draught of a Commission appointing John Dalling, esquire, to be Governor of the Island of Jamaica, having been prepared accordingly, was approved, and a representation to his Majesty thereupon was signed.

fo. 178.

Ordered, that draughts of general instructions and of those which relate to the observance of the Acts of Parliament for the regulation and encouragement of trade and navigation, for John Dalling, esquire, appointed Governor of Jamaica, be prepared with all convenient dispatch.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated August 8th, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Sir Robert Herries and Company, praying leave to export to Halifax in Nova Scotia, sundry ordinance and ammunition, on board the ship Catherine, for arming several ships at that place.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated August 13th, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of James Baril, praying leave to export to Havre de Grace, sundry military stores therein mentioned, on board the ship Benjamin, for the African trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated August 13th, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Messrs. Davis, Strachan and Company, praying leave to export to St. Augustine in East Florida, sundry military stores therein specified, for trade, on board the ship Bob.

fo. 179.

Their lordships, on consideration of the three foregoing petitions, were of opinion, the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and draughts of three reports thereupon to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared, were approved, transcribed and signed.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated August 15th, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Messrs. Rawlinson and Chorley of Liverpool, praying leave to export to St. Vincent's and Tortola, on board the ships Sally and Richard, sundry ordnance and ammunition, for arming vessels at those islands.

Their lordships, on consideration of the above petition, were of opinion, that it would not be adviseable to recommend the exportation prayed for.

Read a letter from Edward Stanley, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, to Mr. Cumberland, dated August 8th, 1777, transmitting,
Copy of the Custom House ledger for the year 1770.

Trade.

fo. 180.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following papers relating to trade, vizt.,
An account of all goods imported into and exported from Scotland in the year ended the 5th of January, 1777.
State of the British imports at Hamburgh in 1776, together with the valuation of them.
State of the French imports at Hamburgh in 1776, together with the valuation of them.
State of the British imports at Bremen in 1776, together with the valuation of them.
State of the French imports at Bremen in 1776, together with the valuation of them.
Navigation of Great Britain to Hamburgh, and of all the Maritime states in 1776.

fo. 181.

St. John's.

Read a letter from Mr. Knox to Mr. Cumberland, dated August 16th, 1777, transmitting, by direction of Lord George Germain.
Duplicate of a letter from Philip Callbeck, esquire, to Lord George Germain, dated Island of St. John, July 12th, 1776, containing observations on the six Acts passed in that island in July, 1776.
Extract of a letter from Mr. President Callbeck to Lord George Germain, dated St. John's, July 15th, 1776, acquainting his Lordship, that he has declared two seats in the Council vacant, agreable to the 4th Section of the 3rd Article of his Majesty's Instructions.

Resolved, that this Board will take into consideration the foregoing letter from Mr. Callbeck of the 12th of July, 1776, on the Acts of St. John's.

fo. 182.

Grenada.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, recommending Samuel Williams, esquire, to be of the Council for the Island of Grenada, having been prepared, was approved, transcribed and signed; as was also the draught of a representation, recommending John Black, esquire, to be of the Council for the said island, mentioned in the minute of the 7th instant.

Africa.

The Secretary laid before the Board a paper received from the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, containing extracts of three letters from Richard Miles, esquire, Governor of Cape Coast Castle, dated January 26th, March 5th and March 25th, 1777.

fo. 183.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Cumberland, dated August 7th, 1777, desiring that he will move the Board to take into their consideration, the grant of Parliament for Africa, and that he will acquaint the Lords of the Treasury under what restrictions it is, in the opinion of this Board, adviseable the money should be issued to the African Committee, in order more effectually to carry the directions of Parliament into execution.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following papers, vizt.,
Copy of a letter from the Committee of the Company's creditors to the Royal African Company, dated London, October 11th, 1749; and from Henry Lascelles, esquire, to the Court of Assistants of the said Company, dated October 12th, 1749.
Copy of instructions to John Roberts from the Court of Assistants of the Royal African Company of England, dated London, October 26th, 1749.
fo. 184.
Copy of instructions from Henry Lascelles, esquire, to Mr. John Roberts, appointed by the Royal African Company of England, President of the Council, one of the chief agents, and treasurer at Cape Coast Castle; and to William Husbands, also one of the chief agents and warehouse keeper, dated London, December 2nd, 1749.
Copy of a letter from the Court of Assistants of the Royal African Company to the Council of Cape Coast Castle, dated November 30th, 1749.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Mr. Robinson, in answer to his letter of the 7th instant, relative to the grant of Parliament for Africa, and acquaint him, for the information of the Lords of the Treasury, with the opinion of this Board thereupon; and also to transmit to Mr. Robinson copies of the four foregoing papers relative to African affairs in the year 1749.