Journal, May 1777: Volume 84

Journal, May 1777

Tuesday, May 6th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

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

Dominica.

fo. 107.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs upon the Act of Dominica for regulating the manumission of slaves, etc., complained of by Brouno Largarite, having been transcribed pursuant to order, was signed.

Dominica.

The Secretary moved the Board, that a copy of the above report might be given to Brouno Largarite, and also to the agent for the Island of Dominica, which was agreed to, and copies ordered to be made and delivered accordingly.

Trade.

fo. 108.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 3rd of May, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of the Carron Company, praying leave to export to Copenhagen, on board the ship Sally and Sophy, twenty two guns of the Danish calibre of eight pounds, for the use of one of the Danish East India Company's ships.

Mr. Lowes, who signed the said petition, attending, was called in, and their lordships having enquired into such particulars as they thought necessary, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed: and it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council thereupon should be prepared accordingly.

The draught of a report having been prepared, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 109.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 3rd of May, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Mure. Son and Atkinson, for leave to export twelve hundred stand of arms to the Island of Jamaica (for the use and defence of the said island), on board the ship Laing, a letter of marque, carrying sixteen guns, etc.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the above petition, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed: and it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council thereupon should be prepared accordingly.

The draught of a report having been prepared, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

fo. 110.

Plantations General.

fo. 111.

Their lordships took into further consideration the extract of a letter from Mr. Stuart, Superintendant for the Southern District of Indian Affairs, mentioned in the minutes of the last Board day, and having revised the proceedings of the Board touching the management of Indian affairs in the years 1764 and 1768, resolved, that a letter should be written to the Governor of West Florida, recommending to him to use his best and speediest endeavours for remedying the mischiefs complained of by Mr. Stuart, by passing an Act for laying certain restrictions on the Indian traders within the Colony of West Florida in the particulars required by the Superintendant, and according to certain articles contained in the plan, by which the Board proposed to regulate the Indian trade in the year 1764.

Grenada, St. Vincent's, St. Christopher's, Antigua.

The Secretary laid before the Board several Acts passed in the Islands of Grenada, St. Vincent. St. Christopher's and Antigua in May, 1772, November. 1775, and July and September. 1776, together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon, which were read and considered.

fo. 112.

Tuesday, May 13th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

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

Bermudas.

Read a letter from Governor Bruere to the Board, dated the 24th of December, 1776, notifying the death of Francis Jones, esquire, the President of the Council in the Bermuda Islands.

Trade.

fo. 113.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated the 30th of April, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of Messrs. Dunlop and Wilson, praying leave to export sundry military stores therein specified to Antigua, on board the ship Peggy, for the use of Messrs. Hay and Kingsley, merchants in that island.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the above petition, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and the draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council having been prepared accordingly, was approved, transcribed and signed.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following publick papers, vizt.,
fo. 114.
Leeward Islands, St. Christopher's.
Minutes of Council in the Island of St. Christopher from the 4th of April to the 30th of September, 1776, inclusive.
Nevis.
Minutes of his Majesty's Council of the Island of Nevis, commencing the 4th of April, and ending the 13th of August, 1776.
Montserrat.
Minutes of his Majesty's Council of the Island of Montserrat from the 20th of April to the 26th of September, 1776, inclusive.
Virgin Islands.
Six Acts passed in the Virgin Islands in October, 1776.
Minutes of Council of the Virgin Islands from the 6th of April to the 29th of August, 1776, inclusive.
St. Vincent's.
Three Acts passed in the Island of St. Vincent in October and December, 1776.
fo. 115.
Jamaica.
Thirty nine Acts passed in the Island of Jamaica in December, 1776.

Ordered, that the abovementioned Acts be sent to Mr. Jackson, for his opinion thereupon in point of law.
West Florida.
Minutes of Council for the Province of West Florida on the 5th and 6th of November, 1776, containing regulations respecting the Indian trade.
Minutes of Council for the Province of West Florida from the 8th of November to the 16th of December, 1776, inclusive.

Plantations General.

fo. 116.

fo. 117.

Their lordships having, in their minute of the last day's meeting, directed a letter to be written to the Governor of West Florida, relative to the regulations required by Mr. Stuart, Superintendant for the Southern District of Indian Affairs, the Secretary signified to them, that, by a copy of the minutes of a Council held at Pensacola on the 5th of November last (which copy had come to hand since the last meeting), it appeared, that certain regulations, to the number of twenty one, with a tariff of trade, had been established for that colony, and a proclamation issued, commanding all Indian traders thereunto belonging, to apply for licences to trade, and to enter into proper security for obeying the said regulations; whereupon so much of the said minutes of Council as related to the above proceeding having been read to the Board, their lordships were of opinion, that all the purposes of the letter proposed being fully answered by the regulations of the Governor and Council of West Florida, the same became unnecessary: in as much as it appeared, that, if the said regulations were duly executed, all the mischiefs complained of by Mr. Stuart might be remedied thereby.

Ordered, that a copy of the abovementioned regulations, extracted from the minutes of Council, be transmitted to Mr. Knox, for the information of the Secretary of State.

fo. 118.

Nova Scotia.

Read a petition of Jonathan Binney, esquire, one of his Majesty's Council of the Province of Nova Scotia, and one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the said province, praying, that he may be allowed his salary of £75 per annum for his services at Canso from the year 1764, and that he may have such other relief, on account of the hardships he states to have suffered, as to their lordships shall seem meet.

Their lordships were of opinion, that the prayer of the foregoing petition did not properly come within the cognizance of this Board, and the Secretary was directed to acquaint the petitioner therewith.

fo. 119.

West Florida.

Read a memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Douglas to the Board, setting forth that he petitioned some years ago for a grant of ten thousand acres of land in the Province of West Florida, but that by some mistake the mandamus was made out for lands in East Florida; that the mandamus was sent to East Florida, and a charter returned, but had been unfortunately lost, and therefore praying that another mandamus may be made out for ten thousand acres of land in West Florida.

fo. 120.

Friday, May 23rd. Present:—Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville.

Africa.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attended and acquainted the Board, that his Majesty, in pursuance of an humble address from the House of Commons of the 24th instant, had been pleased to signify to him his commands, that this Board should prepare, in order to be laid before that House, copies of all letters, memorials or representations presented to the Board, complaining of the conduct of the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, or their servants; with the proceedings thereupon, if any such have been made, since the year 1753.

fo. 121.

The Secretary having laid before the Board all such papers in the Office, as come within the description of those mentioned in the address, it was ordered, that the said papers should be copied with all possible dispatch, excepting those which were laid before the House of Commons, pursuant to their several addresses of the 26th of April, 1773, and the 16th of February, 1774.

Tuesday, May 27th. Present:—Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

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

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated May the 17th, 1777, referring to this Board the petition of the Carron Company, for leave to export from their works in Scotland to Ferrol in Spain, for the use of his Catholic Majesty, sundry iron guns therein mentioned, on board the ship Earl of Denbigh, John Brown, master, carrying ten four pounders, and to sail under convoy of the ship King of Spain, letter of marque, belonging to the petitioners.

fo. 122.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the foregoing petition, were of opinion, that notwithstanding the intention of the petitioners to send the ship Earl of Denbigh under convoy of their ship King of Spain, the risk is too great to recommend the exportation of one hundred and seventy pieces of iron ordnance, in a vessel so slightly armed; that therefore the exportation prayed for must be deferred, until the petitioners do arm their vessel in a manner more adequate to the importance of such a cargo.

fo. 123.

Read a petition of Thomas Clark of Leeds, dyer, and James Berkenhout of St. Pancras, gentleman, setting forth, that the petitioners have after vast labor, study and very considerable expence, discovered a method of dyeing scarlet on cotton, and also a crimson equal to that color on silk, together with a superior method of dying cotton in general; that they have procured a certificate from the Committee of Trade and Manufactures at Manchester, of the originality and superiority of the scarlet and crimson produced by them, and of the utility this discovery will be to the manufacturers of this kingdom, which certificate they have annexed to their petition; that they are ready to submit the proof of these colors being in grain, to such persons of chemical knowledge as their lordships shall direct; which when done, they shall consider themselves entitled to the premium offered by Government, for dyeing scarlet on cotton, if such there be; or if not, they humbly pray for such reward as the importance of the discovery seems to merit, and on the same being granted, will be ready to publish their discovery, in any manner that shall be thought convenient.

fo. 124.

Trade.

Mr. Berkenhout, one of the petitioners, attending, was called in, and acquainted that the Board would take the foregoing petition into consideration on Tuesday next, and Mr. Berkenhout was desired to attend on that day, with samples of the several dyes.

Africa.

Mr. Camplin, Secretary to the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, attending, was called in, and questioned as to sundry parts of the evidence delivered into Parliament in support of the Board's return, particularly respecting the matters therein alledged against Messrs. Shoolbred, Ross and Mills.

Mr. Caruthers, with sundry other gentlemen, deputed by the merchants of Liverpool to wait upon the Board for the purpose of proving the allegations contained in the report sent from thence, and of declaring the sentiments of the merchants in general upon that subject, attending, were called in, and being questioned to several points relating to the present state of the trade to Africa, it appeared from their evidence:

fo. 125.

That about 8000 slaves a year are exported from the Gold Coast, some of which are made up of Lagos, Benin, and slaves from other places imposed on inexperienced traders, as true Gold Coast slaves:

That such slaves are a great loss to those on whom they are imposed, as Gold Coast slaves:

Mr. Norris said, that the Governor of Tantumquerry was purchasing vast numbers of slaves, at the same time, that the traders, who were there, had it in their power to purchase very few:

That the Governors kept shops to retail spirits:

That some slaves which were left by one master of a vessel, to pay off another, he saw working on the fortifications:

That the tobacco which the Governors charge to the Company, as paid to the servants for wages, is damaged tobacco.

fo. 126.

Mr. Caruthers said, that in time past, he exported more real Gold Coast slaves in one ship than he can now get in the whole; and as for gold it was not to be had; he sends to Holland to buy gold; British manufactures are lowered on the Coast one half; no Manchester goods now employed in the trade; the last ship he sent to the Coast his bill for piece goods amounted to £5000, and about £3800 in all English commodities, of which £800 only were woollens; that if a slave now sells for £35 in the West Indies, it is but a bare saving voyage: and that as things now are, they cannot prosecute the trade to any advantage.