Journal, January 1741: Volume 49

Journal, January 1741

Wednesday, January 7. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Read two letters from Colonel Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, each dated August 29th, 1740, one containing his observations upon two Acts, passed in that colony, the 17th of June, 1740, and the substance of 13 more, passed at the same time, transmitting at the same time those Acts and other papers viz.:
Copies of proclamations. Published at Virginia in 1739 and 1740.
Journal of the Council and Assembly, and journal of the Assembly, from the 22nd of May to the 17th of June, 1740.
Journal of the Council in Assembly, and Journal of the Assembly, from the 21st to the 28th August, 1740.
Fifteen Acts, passed the 17th of June, 1740.
An Act, passed the 28th August, 1740.

The other letter transmitting an Act, passed there the 28th of the same month, for giving to His Majesty the sum of 5000 pounds towards defraying the expence of victualling and transporting the soldiers raised in that colony to serve His Majesty on an intended expedition against the Spaniards in the West Indies, with his observations thereupon.

Read likewise a letter from Mr. Blair, dated at Williamsburgh, October 15th, 1740, acquainting the Board that, in the absence of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, the administration of that government was devolved upon him as President of the Council, and hoping for the honour of their lordships' commands.

Thursday, January 8. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated December 5th, 1740, referring back the draught of an additional instruction, lately prepared by this Board for the Governor of the Leeward Islands, requiring that all stores, sent to any of the said islands, be carefully preserved, for the safety and service of the publick only; and directing this Board to reconsider the said draught of an additional instruction, and to adapt the same to an Order made by his Majesty in Council, the 8th of March, 1737/8 (hereunto annexed), upon sending a supply of stores to Jamaica.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated December 5th, 1740, referring back the draught of an additional instruction, lately prepared by this Board for the Governor of the Leeward Islands, relating to the due collection of the powder duty in those islands; and directing this Board to examine and report, if any laws have been passed in consequence of the instructions transmitted to the said Governor in the year 1735, and what laws are now subsisting in all the Leeward Islands for collecting the said duty, and whether the same are perpetual or temporary.

Friday, January 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary laid before the Board an account of the incident charges of this office, from Lady Day to Midsummer, 1740, amounting to the sum of £282 5s. 3d., and a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, and of the salaries due to the Secretary and under-officers for the same time, was agreed to, and signed.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor of New York, dated November 10th, 1740, inclosing the journal of an interview with the Six Nations of the Indians at Albany, and the agreement made with them in August, 1740.

Tuesday, January 13. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated October 22nd, 1740, giving account of a vacancy in the Council of St. Christophers by the death of Charles Pym, Esq., and transmitting:

Minutes of Council of St. Christopher's, from the 28th of February, 1739/40, to the 30th September, 1740.

St. Christophers.

Mr. Brudenell having laid before the Board a letter from Mr. Fleming, Lieutenant Governor of St. Christophers, recommending Mr. Daniel Cunningham to supply the vacancy in the Council in that island by the death of Mr. Pym, their lordships were pleased to agree to the recommendation, and accordingly ordered the draught of a representation on that subject to be prepared.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter from Captain Medley, Governor of Newfoundland, dated on board the Romney at Spithead, December 24th, 1740, with the returns of the stores at Placentia, together with the scheme of the fishery at Newfoundland for the year 1740.

Wednesday, January 14. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Pennsylvania.

Read a letter from Colonel Thomas, Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, dated at Philadelphia, October 20th, 1740, concerning disputes between him and the Assembly of that province, relating to raising money for the intended expedition against the Spaniards in the West Indies; and setting forth the defenceless state of the province; transmitting likewise:
A paper printed in High Dutch in Pennsylvania, and distributed amongst all the German inhabitants of the said province, immediately before the election of representatives in Assembly Anno 1740; with a translation of it.
An estimate of the publick money of Pennsylvania, now lying at the disposal of the Assembly of that province, October, 1740.
Printed votes and proceedings of the House of Representatives of the province of Pennsylvania, met at Philadelphia the fifteenth of October, to the 3rd September, 1740.

Ordered that a copy of the Governor's letter be made, in order to be transmitted to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

Leeward Islands.

St. Christophers.

A representation to his Majesty, recommending Daniel Cunningham, Esq., to be of the Council of St. Christopher's (ordered yesterday to be prepared), was agreed to, and signed.

Thursday, January 15. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Denmark.

Read a letter from Lord Harrington, dated January 14th, 1740, inclosing (for the consideration of this Board), a memorial from Mr. Sohlenthal, the Danish Minister, relating to an alteration the Court of Denmark desires may be made in the cockets now given to British ships bound to the Baltick; ordered that letters be writ to the chief merchants trading to the Baltick, desiring their attendance on Wednesday next, in order to hear their sentiments on the subject of the said memorial. [Wednesday, 21st.]

Connecticut.

Read a letter from Mr. Talcot, Governor of Connecticut, dated at Hartford, November 12th, 1740, in answer to the Board's circular letter of the 20th and 21st of May last, in relation to Bills of Credit and the rates of foreign coins, and to the transmitting a complete collection of the laws of that colony.

Plantations General.

Proprieties.

Read a letter from Mr. Thomas Lowndes to the Secretary, dated January 14th, 1740/1, relating to a remedy for the many inconveniencies occasioned by the great number of outstanding Bills of Credit, emitted by Rhode Island, which occasions an insuperable difficulty in regulating the paper currency in the province of New England.

Ordered that the Secretary acquaint him, the Board will be always ready to receive any proposals he shall lay before them, which tend to the good of commerce and the interest of the nation.

Friday, January 16. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Pennsylvania.

A copy of the Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania's letter, having been transcribed, as ordered by the minutes of the 14th instant, a letter, transmitting the same to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, was agreed to, and signed.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, dated October 10th, 1740, inclosing a copy of Mr. Blumfield's reply to Mr. Whitehorne's answer, and also another of the supplement to Mr. Blumfield's petition.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Mr. Blair, President of the Council and Commander in Chief of Virginia, dated November 6th, 1740, inclosing an account of the revenue; and taking notice of a Peace concluded between the Southern and Northern Indians, as likewise of the sailing of the transports and soldiers intended to join Admiral Vernon.

Tuesday, January 20. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Denmark.

Sir John Thompson, Mr. Nettleton, and others, attending, desired a copy of the Danish Minister's memorial (mentioned in the minutes of the 15th instant), in order to lay it before a General Court, which the Board was pleased to order the Secretary to send them one; and upon that account their attendance, which stands appointed for to-morrow, is put off to a further time.

Bahamas.

Mr. Wimble attending, the Board, after some discourse with him on the subject of his petition (mentioned in the minutes of December 16th, 1740), finding he had nothing material to offer, more than he had already laid before them, agreed to take the draught of the letter, already prepared to the Duke of Newcastle on the subject of the said petition, into consideration the first opportunity.

Wednesday, January 21. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

New Hampshire.

Read the memorial of Colonel Dunbar, informing the Board of the death of Mr. John Rindge, one of his Majesty's Council in New Hampshire, and a person every way qualified for that post, and succeed him, as a person every way qualified for that post, and their lordships were pleased to defer the consideration of the said memorial to another opportunity.

Plantations General.

Authentick copies of the respective charters granted to Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and the province of the Massachusetts Bay, having (by order of the Board) been procured at the Rolls Office, the Secretary laid before their Lordships fair transcripts thereof, as also of the Georgia Charter (from an authentick copy in the Patent Book of this office, that has been collated with the original charter, communicated by Mr. Oglethorp), together with a list of them, in order to be presented to the House of Commons, in pursuance of their Address to his Majesty, the 25th of April, 1740.

The draught of a report to the House of Commons, relating to Paper Bills of Credit in his Majesty's plantations in America, having been prepared and agreed to by the Board, the same was transcribed, and signed.

List of papers transmitted to this Board, relating to paper currency etc. in America, and received since the last session of Parliament (mentioned in the said report), was laid before the Board, together with the said papers, in order to be presented to the House of Commons.

Thursday, January 22. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

The Board had under consideration the Order of the Committee of Council (mentioned in the minutes of the 8th inst), relating to the powder duty, and made some progress therein.

Ordered that the Secretary write to the several agents of the Leeward Islands, to desire their attendance on this Board Tuesday next, the 25th instant, on the subject of the said Order.

Plantations General.

The report of this Board to the House of Commons, with the papers therein mentioned, and the respective lists, having been prepared, as mentioned in yesterday's minutes, Colonel Bladen was desired to lay the same before the House.

Friday, January 23. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

East India.

Friday, January 23. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated December 5th, 1740, referring to this Board an account of the East India Company's exports from London, between the 29th of September, 1739 and the 29th of September, 1740.

Trade.

Leidger Imports and Exports, 1740.

Read likewise a letter to the Secretary of this Board from Mr. Carkesse, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, dated January 13th, 1740/1, with a copy of the Inspector General's Leidger of Imports and Exports for the year 1740.

Bahamas.

Wimble.

The letter to the Duke of Newcastle upon the subject of Mr. Wimble's petition, which had been deferred at his desire, till further application (as mentioned in the minutes of the 17th of December last) was again, at his request, taken into consideration, and the same having been agreed to, was ordered to be transcribed.

Tuesday, January 27. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Bahamas.

Wimble.

The letter to the Duke of Newcastle, mentioned in the preceding minute, having been transcribed, was agreed to, and signed.

Rhode Island.

Read a letter to the Secretary from Mr. Richard Partridge, agent for Rhode Island, dated January 24th, 1740, signifying that the Governor of that colony is preparing a representation of their several emissions of paper currency, and also a draught of their laws now in force, pursuant to his Majesty's order, which will be completed in a few month's time.

Leeward Islands.

Agents.

Mr. Yeamans, agent for Antigua and Montserrat, Mr. Butler, agent for Nevis, and Mr. Douglas, agent for St. Christophers, attending, as desired by the minutes of Thursday the 22nd instant, the Board, after some discourse had with them on the state of the laws, relating to the powder duty in the Leeward Islands, took into consideration the Order of the Lords of the Committee (mentioned in the minutes of the 8th inst.) relating to an additional instruction, lately prepared by this Board for the Governor of the Leeward Islands, in respect to the due collection of the powder duty in those islands etc.; and after some time spent therein, ordered the draught of a report to be prepared thereupon.

The Board at the same time took into consideration another Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, mentioned in the same minutes, relating to the additional instruction lately prepared by this Board for the Governor of the Leeward Islands, with respect to the preservation of stores etc.; and after some time spent therein, ordered the draught of a report thereupon, also to be prepared.

Wednesday, January 28.Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Barbados.

Read two letters from Mr. Dottin, President of the Council and Commander in Chief of Barbados, one dated October the 10th, 1740, giving an account of the death of Mr. Byng, late Governor, and of his having taken upon him the administration of the Government of that island, giving likewise some account of the present state thereof. The other, dated the 22nd of the same month, inclosing a copy of the minutes of Council, in which are several examinations taken before him in Council, concerning a large French armament, and great preparations making at Martinique for some secret expedition. Ordered that a copy of the said letter and minutes of Council be made, and the draught of a letter, for transmitting the same to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, be prepared.

Thursday, January 29. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr.Plummer.

Jamaica.

Read two letters from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, one dated December 13th, 1740, relating to some members of the Council there, and inclosing his speech to the Council and Assembly, with their addresses, and his reply. The other, dated the day after, in answer to the Board's letter of the 21st of May last, by which he was desired to prepare a complete collection of the laws of that island to the present time.

Barbados.

A copy of Mr. Dottin's letter, and of the minutes of Council of Barbados, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, having been prepared, the letter to his Grace, the Duke of Newcastle, transmitting the same, was agreed to, and signed.

Plantations General.

Papers transmitted to this Board, since the last session of Parliament, relating to paper currency etc. in America, together with a list of the said papers, having been prepared and laid before the Board, the Lord Monson was desired to present the same to the House of Lords.