Journal, July 1737: Volume 46

Journal, July 1737

Wednesday, July 6. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Col. Bladen.

New Hampshire.

Col. Dunbar, Lieut. Governor.

Col. Dunbar, Lieut. Governor of New Hampshire, attending, and acquainting the Board, that he had several things to offer, in relation to the Province, he was directed to put the same in writing.

Barbados.

Mr. Ashley.

A memorial from Mr. Ashley, Deputy Auditor of Barbados, inclosing the case of the sugar planters, and proposing some methods to ease them, was read; and Mr. Ashley attending, the Board appointed Wednesday the 20th inst. for taking this affair into consideration, and desired Mr. Ashley would then attend again.

Jamaica.

The Board took into consideration the draught of instructions for Mr. Trelawney, appointed Governor of Jamaica, and made a progress therein.

Thursday, July 7. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Jamaica.

Plantations General.

The Board take again into consideration the letter from Mr. Carkesse, read the 18th of May last, inclosing the observations of the Commissioners of the Customs upon the instructions relating to the Acts of trade, and gave directions that Mr. Carkesse should be desired to attend the Board on Wednesday or Thursday next, the 13th or 14th inst., upon this subject.

Bermuda.

The Board, taking into consideration the Act, passed at Bermuda, 1730, for the security of the subject, to prevent the forfeiture of life and estate upon killing a Negro or other slave, gave directions for preparing the draught of a representation, proposing the repeal thereof.

New York.

Bermuda.

The Board, taking again into consideration the New York Act, passed in 1734, mentioned in the minutes of 14th ult., for laying a duty of tonnage, etc. agreed that the same should lye by.

Friday, July 8. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Africa.

Letter from the Duke of Newcastle, inclosing a memorial from the African company, relating to a proposal for supplying the Brazils with Negroes, was read, and the Board resolved to consider further thereof at another opportunity.

New Hampshire.

Four letters from Mr. Belcher, Governor of New Hampshire, with Acts and publick papers, were read; and directions were given for sending the said Acts to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereupon, in point of law.

North Carolina.

Two copies of orders in Council, of the 19th of May last, approving the proposals made by Messrs. Crimble and Huey, for settling a tract of land in North Carolina, and ordering the said tract to be laid out and surveyed, were read.

Wednesday, July 13. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Brudenell.

Plantations General.

Jamaica.

Mr. Carkesse.

Mr. Carkesse, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, attending, as he had been desired, the Board had some conversation with him upon the draught of instructions, relating to the Acts of trade and navigation, and the same draught was agreed to.

Trade.

African.

Mr. Hayes.

Mr. Hayes, one of the African company, attending, the Board take again into consideration the letter from the Duke of Newcastle, with the African company's memorial, relating to a proposal for supplying the Brazils with Negroes, read the 8th inst., and Mr. Hayes acquainted the Board that at present the Portuguese settlements in the Brazils are supplied with Negroes by ships, who come from thence with gold dust, to purchase Negroes on the coast of Africa, from the Dutch and French, the black kings and some few from the English; but that the King of Portugal, having been ill used by the Dutch on the coast, had offered the above proposals, for being supplied entirely with Negroes from the African company at a limited price: That they would take about 10,000 Negroes a year: That they now give about £30 a head: That the Portuguese do not buy upon the coast, above one part in ten, from the English, but that they chiefly deal as above. The Board agreed to consider further of this affaire.

New England.

Col. Dunbar.

Capt. Tomlinson.

Mr. Allen.

Col. Dunbar, Lieut. Governor of New Hampshire, and Surveyor General of the woods in America, presented to the Board three memorials from himself as Surveyor of the woods, Lieut. Governor, and in behalf of the Irish, who were settled at Frederick's Fort, complaining of the destruction of the woods; of Mr. Belcher's depriving him of any power, as Lieut. Governor; and desiring some relief in behalf of the said Irish, which memorials were read, and the Board resolved to consider further thereof.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Leeward Islands.

Letter from the Duke of Newcastle, directing the Board to consider of some method to prevent contraband trade between the English and French in America, was read, and directions were given that Col. Thomas should be desired to attend the Board to-morrow morning.

Thursday, July 14. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Leeward Islands.

Col. Thomas.

Col. Thomas, one of the Council of Antigua, attending, as he had been desired, the Board take again into consideration the letter from the Duke of Newcastle, read yesterday, relating to contraband trade; and after some discourse with Col. Thomas thereupon, he was desired to put his sentiments upon this subject in writing, which he did accordingly, and presented the same to the Board. And the Board, taking the whole into consideration, gave directions for preparing the draught of a letter to the Duke of Newcastle thereupon.

New England.

The Board, taking again into consideration the memorial from Col. Dunbar, Lieut. Governor of New Hampshire, read yesterday, gave directions for preparing a letter to remind the Duke of Newcastle of one wrote to him the 24th day of September, 1736, and of the representation of the 4th of November, 1731, relating to the powers of Government claimed by the Lieut. Governor.

Trade.

Sweden, Turkey.

A letter to Lord Harrington, ordered to be prepared the 30th ult., in answer to one from his Lordship, relating to the treaty between Sweden and the Ottoman Porte, was agreed to, and signed.

Wednesday, July 20. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Africa.

The Board, taking again into consideration the letter from the Duke of Newcastle, mentioned in the minutes of 13th inst., relating to a proposal for supplying the Brazils with Negroes etc., gave directions, that some of the separate traders to the coast of Africa, be desired to attend the Board, on this subject, on this day sennight.

Barbados.

Mr. Ashley.

Mr. Ashley, late one of the Council in Barbados, attending, as he had been desired, the Board took again into consideration his memorial, read the 6th inst., relating to the decay of the sugar colonies, and he presented to the Board some heads of what is desired in behalf of Barbados, and a printed paper of observations on a direct exportation of sugar, etc.; and the Board agreed to consider further of this affaire.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Leeward Islands.

The letter to the Duke of Newcastle, ordered to be prepared the 14th inst., relating to contraband trade carried on in the West Indies, was agreed to, and signed.

New Hampshire.

Capt. Tomlinson.

Capt. Tomlinson, Agent for New Hampshire, attending, presented to the Board a memorial, desiring a separate Governor for that Province, which was read, and the Board agreed to consider further thereof.

New Hampshire.

Massachusetts.

The letter to the Duke of Newcastle, ordered to be prepared the 14th inst., upon Col. Dunbar's memorial, complaining of Mr. Belcher, was agreed to, and signed.

New York.

The Secretary acquainting the Board, that Mr. Leheup desired their Lordships would please to consider of, and report in favour of an Act, passed at New York in 1734, for the partition and division of a certain tract in Duchess County etc., the Board took the said Act into consideration, and gave directions for preparing the draught of a representation, proposing the confirmation thereof.

Wednesday, July 27. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Africa.

Mr. Gerrish.

Mr. Wragg.

Mr. Gerrish, and Mr. Wragg, merchants trading to Africa, attending, as they had been desired, the Board take again into consideration the letter from the Duke of Newcastle, read the 8th inst., with the memorial from the African Company, relating to the supplying the Brazils with Negroes, and asking these gentlemen, how the Brazils are supplied with Negroes; they said the Portuguese purchase Negroes, on the coast, from the Dutch and English: that they buy a great many Negroes annually: that upon the coast of Angola, where they have a factory, they buy some of the black Princes.

These gentlemen being withdrawn, the Board agreed that the following queries should be sent to them, viz.:—

How are the Portuguese now supplied with Negroes for the Brazils ?

How many do they annually buy, at what prices, and how are they paid for?

What effect would the Portuguese being wholly supplied with Negroes by any particular set of men, either foreign or English, have upon the trade of this Kingdom ?

Trade.

Africa.

A letter from Mr. Travers, relating to the Royal George, a ship taken by the French on the Gum Coast of Africa, was read, and directions were given that Mr. Travers should attend the Board on Wednesday next.

Trade.

Hamburgh.

A letter from Mr. Watkinson, Secretary to the Hamburgh Company, desiring some day may be appointed, for the said Company may lay before the Board an estimate of the yearly value of British manufactures carried from Hamburgh to Denmark, was read, and the Board appointed this day sennight.

New York.

A representation proposing the confirmation of an Act, passed at New York in 1734, for the Partition and Division of a certain Tract in Duchess County etc., ordered to be prepared the 20th inst., was agreed to, and signed.