Journal, December 1721: Journal Book X

Journal, December 1721

December 1. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Barbadoes.

Commission.

Mr. Worsley.

Letter to Lord Carteret.

The draught of a commission for Henry Worsley, Esqr., to be Governor of Barbadoes, being prepared, as directed on Wednesday last, and laid before the Board, a letter, for inclosing the same to the Right Honourable the Lord Carteret, was signed.

December 5. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Letter from H. Walpole, hat-maker's case, beaver skins.

A letter from Mr. Horatio Walpole, one of the secretaries of the Lords of the Treasury, to the Secretary of this Board, dated yesterday, inclosing a printed case of the hat-makers, relating to the duties on beaver skins, with an account of beaver skins imported and exported for the last five years, for the opinion of this Board thereupon, was read, together with the said case and account, and their Lordships agreed to reconsider thereof at the next meeting.

Jamaica.

Colonel Dubourgay.

Commission.

Lieutenant Governor.

Colonel Du Bourgay attending, His Majesty's commission, dated the 2nd of the last month, appointing him Lieutenant Governor of the island of Jamaica, was read, and a copy ordered to be taken thereof.

December 6. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Sir Fisher French, beaver skins, hat-makers.

Sir Fisher French attending, with several of the principal traders in beaver skins, and hat-makers, their Lordships had some discourse with them on the subject of Mr. Horatio Walpole's letter, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, and the case of the hat-makers, thereby referred to this Board, and upon further consideration thereof, directions were given for preparing an answer to the said letter.

Trade.

Secretary, Navy Board.

Prices, quantities, naval stores.

The secretary acquainting their Lordships with several difficulties which, he was informed by the Secretary to the Navy Board, occurred to them, in complying with what their Lordships had desired by their letter of the 28th of the last month, in relation to the prices and quantities of stores bought for the use of the Royal Navy; ordered that the Secretary acquaint the Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy, that at present this Board only desire a continuance of the former account of the prices of naval stores from 1716, as far as they are able to give the same, with an account of the quantities of each species bought for the use of the navy, for the same time, and from whence they come.

December 7. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Letter to Mr. H. Walpole, beaver skins.

hat-maker's case.

The draught of an answer, directed yesterday to be prepared, to the letter from Mr. Horatio Walpole, one of the Secretaries to the Lords of the Treasury, which was read the 5th inst., (fol. 356), relating to the importation of beaver skins, and the case of the hatmakers, was agreed and ordered to be sent.

Messrs. Gee, Hyde and Harris summoned.

Ordered that Mr. Joshua Gee, Capt. John Hyde, and Mr. Richard Harris, (vide fol. 360), be acquainted that the Board desire to speak with them at eleven of the clock on Tuesday morning next.

December 12. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Messrs. Harris, Gee and Hyde, beaver skins.

Duty.

Drawback.

Mr. Richard Harris, Mr. Joshua Gee and Capt. John Hyde attending, as desired, their Lordships had some discourse with them, relating to the importation of beaver skins from the plantations, and to the restraining of that and other products of the plantations, to be imported directly from the said plantations to this Kingdom, before they be permitted to be carried to other parts of Europe, as other goods enumerated in several Acts of Parliament; and those gentlemen agreed that it would be of advantage to this Kingdom if the duty on beaver skins from the plantations were lessened, the drawback upon re-export taken off, and the said skins made an enumerated commodity, and that no goods whatsoever from the plantations should be allowed to be carried to any part of Europe northward of the Kingdom of Spain, without being first landed in Great Britain.

Timber, building ships.

Their Lordships further discoursing with these gentlemen in relation to timber from the plantations, they agreed that it would be to the interest of this kingdom to have that commodity cheap, to preserve the building of ships here, which Mr. Gee observed, was grown almost as dear again by the scarcity of timber; and Mr. Harris thereupon alleged that if our building of ships in England be dearer than in other parts, we shall soon lose our navigation; Mr. Gee likewise took notice that the hogshead, pipe and barrel staves, now used in most of the port towns of England, are brought from Hamburg, which might be supplied from our plantations, if proper encouragement were given.

December 13. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe.

Jamaica.

Letter from Mr. Cockburne.

Vacancy.

William Cockburne.

Duke of Portland's instructions,

A letter from Mr. Cockburne, one of the Lords of the Admiralty, to the Earl of Westmorland, dated on Saturday last, relating to the death of Colonel Archbould, late one of His Majesty's Council in Jamaica, and recommending Wm. Cockburne, Esq., his brother, to supply that vacancy, was read; whereupon their Lordships agreed to insert the said Mr. Cockburne's name in the draught of the Duke of Portland's instructions, to be a member of the said Council, as desired.

and furtrade.

Representation.

Letter to Lord Carteret.

The draught of general instructions, and of those which particularly relate to the Acts of Trade and Navigation for the Duke of Portland, appointed Governor of Jamaica, being agreed, a representation wherewith to lay the same before His Majesty, was signed, as likewise a letter for inclosing the said draughts and representation to the Lord Carteret.

December 14. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Letter from Monsieur L'anhuel Furie.

Vessels shipwrecked, goods saved.

Advertisement, Daily Courant.

A letter from Monsieur L'anhuel Furie, dated at Pont L'Abbe in Brittany, the 12th inst., N.S., relating to some vessels lately shipwrecked on that part of the coast of France, and to some goods saved from the said wreck, was read, whereupon ordered that an advertisement be published in the Daily Courant. that the persons, concerned in the said vessels, may, upon application to the Secretary of this Board, have the information contained in the said letter.

Jamaica.

Letters to Messrs. Moore, absent Councillors.

Ordered that the secretary write to Mr. John and Mr. Samuel Moore, two of the members of His Majesty's Council in Jamaica, to know whether they intend to return again to that island, and how soon, as also how long they have been absent.

December 15. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe.

Jamaica.

Order of Council.

Jews' case.

An Order of Council, of the 18th of last month, referring to this Board the case of the Jews at Jamaica, was read, and their Lordships agreed to reconsider the same, when those who solicit in behalf of the persons concerned shall attend.

Plantations General.

Letter to Mr. H. Walpole, for Acts of Parliament.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Horatio Walpole, one of the Secretaries to the Lords of the Treasury, to desire this Board may have forty printed copies of each of the following Acts of Parliament, to be distributed to the several governors of His Majesty's plantations in America, viz.
An Act for raising a sum not exceeding two millions, upon a fund for payment of annuities, after the rate of eight per cent. per annum, and for settling the trade to the East Indies.
Passed 9th and 10th of King William.
An Act for the more effectual suppression of piracy.
Passed 11th and 12th of King William.
An Act, for the further preventing robbery, burglary and other felonies, and for the more effectual transportation of felons and exporters of wool, and for declaring the law upon some points relating to pirates.
Passed 4th of King George.
An Act for the better securing the lawful trade of His Majesty's subjects to and from the East Indies, and for the more effectual preventing all His Majesty's subjects trading thither under foreign commissions.
Passed 5th of King George.

December 19. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Oxenford.

Timber imported.

Duties.

Wood.

A letter from Mr. Oxenford, of the Inspector General's Office at the Custom House, dated the 14th inst., inclosing an account of the quantity of timber imported in three years, from Christmas, 1717, to Christmas, 1720, with the amount of the duties thereon, as also an abstract of the duties on wood imported from Christmas, 1712, to Christmas, 1720, was read, and the said account and abstract laid before the Board.

December 20. Present:—Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir John Hobart.

New York.

Letter from Mr. Burnet.

A letter from Mr. Burnet, Governor of New York, dated the 16th of October last, was read, and the Acts and papers, therewith received, were laid before the Board, viz.
Papers.
Fourteen public, and six private Acts.
Passed 27th July, 1721.
Minutes of Council, from the 21st December, 1720, to the 19th of September, 1721.
Votes of Assembly, from the 16th of May to 27th of July, 1721.
The Governor of New York's speech to the five Nations of Indians at Albany, the 7th of September, 1721.
The Indians answer to the Governor's speech, the 9th of September, 1721.
Letter to Lord Carteret to Mr. H. Walpole.
And their Lordships particularly considering what Mr. Burnet writes in his said letter concerning stores of war for the garrisons at New York, and presents for the five Nations of Indians; directions were given for preparing the draughts of letters to the Right Honourable the Lord Carteret in relation to the said stores of war, and to Mr. Horatio Walpole, one of the Secretaries to the Lords of the Treasury, in relation to the said presents.