Journal, March 1735: Volume 44

Journal, March 1735

Tuesday, March 4th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft.

South Carolina.

State of the province.

The Board taking into consideration an order of the Committee of Council of 23rd July, 1734, referring to the Board a representation of the Governor, Council and Assembly of South Carolina, relating to the state of that province, read the 30th of July last, gave directions that Mr. Oglethorpe, one of the trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia and Mr. Fury, agent for South Carolina, should be desired to attend the Board on Thursday morning next upon this subject [fo. 36].

Trade.

Running of wool.

The secretary then acquainted the Board that he had yesterday presented to the Committee of the House of Commons a copy of their lordships' last report, relating to the running of wool [fo. 33].

Wednesday, March 5th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft.

Plantations General.

New settlement.

The Board taking again into consideration Sir William Chapman's petition, relating to the new settlement proposed to be made on a certain tract of land in America, 400 miles distant from any European settlement, mentioned in the minutes of the 25th of the last month, gave directions for preparing a draught of a report thereupon [fo. 30, 36].

Thursday, March 6th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Report about a new settlement signed.

The report, ordered yesterday to be prepared, upon Sir William Chapman's petition for a grant of land for a new settlement in America, was agreed and signed, as also a letter for inclosing of it to the Lord President.

South Carolina.

Mr. Oglethorpe attending, as he had been desired, as also Mr. Fury, Mr. Yonge and Captain Simond, their lordships took again into consideration the order of the Committee of Council, referring the representation of the Governor, Council and Assembly of South Carolina, relating to the state of that province; and after some discourse with these gentlemen upon the subject of the said presentation, they were desired to let the Board have in writing their opinion in what manner the security of the province may best be effected, which they promised to do accordingly [fo. 34, 38].

State of the province.

Ordered that a letter to the same effect be wrote to the trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia.

Wednesday, March 12th. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Sir A. Croft.

Nova Scotia.

Fishery at Canço.

Captain Cotterel. commander of his Majesty's ship, the ........, sent to protect the last year's fishery at Canço, attending, he acquainted the Board that there had been no fishery there, while he was upon that station; and therefore had little to say upon that subject, unless their lordships would please to receive for his answers to the heads of inquiry sent to him the last year, such as he had received from the parson at Canço; and the Board desiring to receive from him in writing any observations he may have collected, relating to the said fishery, he promised in a few days to lay the same before the Board.

South Carolina.

State of that province sent to the House of Commons.

A resolution of the House of Commons, dated March the 11th, 1734–5, for an address to his Majesty for a copy of the representation of the Governor, Council and Assembly of South Carolina, dated April 9th, 1734, setting forth the state of that province, was read; and the secretary, laying before the Board a copy of the said representation, Colonel Bladen was desired to present the same to the House [fo. 36].

Friday, March 14. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Virginia.

German Protestants exempt from taxes.

An order of the Lords of the Committee of Council of March 7th, 1734–5, directing the Governor of Virginia to get a law passed to exempt some German Protestants settled there from the payment of parish taxes, etc., for a longer time than limited by a former law of that government, and that this Board prepare the draught of an instruction to the Governor for that purpose, was read; and the secretary laying before the Board the draught of an additional instruction, as likewise a representation, for inclosing the same to the Lords of the Committee, the same was agreed and signed [fo. 28, 88].

St. Christophers.

Powder duty on shipping not to be continued.

A letter from Mr. Coope, agent for St. Christophers, being read, giving his reasons for the continuation of the Act passed at St. Christophers for laying a duty of gunpowder upon the tonnage of vessels trading to that island; the secretary acquainting the Board that Mr. Sharpe, agent for the petitioners against the said law, was directed to attend on this day, had been here, but not being able to wait, had desired him to inform the Board, that as the said Act was not consistent with the title thereof, which implies only a duty of gunpowder upon the tonnage of vessels, whereas half the duty imposed is by the Act to be paid in money, computing gunpowder at two shillings per pound, he conceived the Act to be directly contrary to the 17th article of the Governor's instructions, and to the 23rd article of the same instructions, it imposing a duty on British ships; their lordships taking the same into consideration, gave directions for preparing the draught of a representation for repealing the same [fo. 32, 41].

Wednesday, March 19th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Sir A. Croft.

Powder Act to be repealed.

The draught of a representation, ordered yesterday to be prepared, for repealing the Act of St. Christophers laying a duty of gunpowder on the tonnage of vessels trading to that island, was agreed.

Thursday, March 20th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Brudenell, Sir A. Croft.

Jamaica.

Golding's Act to be confirmed.

The Board taking into consideration an Act, passed at Jamaica in 1733, to entitle John Golding, senior, of the parish of Vere, planter, and his family, to the rights and privileges of Englishmen born of white ancestors, as also Mr. Fane's report thereupon, read the 10th of July last, a representation for confirming the same was agreed and signed [fo. 229, Jamaica Bundle T. 30].

Friday, March 21st. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman, Sir A. Croft.

St. Christophers.

Powder Act to be repealed.

The representation, for repealing the Act passed at St. Christophers in 1732, for continuing the duties of gunpowder and small arms upon the tonnage of vessels, etc., agreed the 19th instant, was signed [fo. 41, 94].

Tuesday, March 25th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

Massachusets and Rhode Island.

Boundaries.

A reference from the Lords of the Committee of Council of January the 13th, 1734–5, to this Board of the petition of the Governor and Company of Rhode Island, relating to the bounds between that colony and the Province of the Massachusets Bay, was read, as also

Massachusets and New Hampshire.

Boundaries.

A report from Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor General, relating to the bounds between the Massachusets Bay and New Hampshire; and Mr. Paris attending in behalf of the agents for Rhode Island and New Hampshire, he desired their lordships would please to appoint a day for considering the aforesaid papers; the Board desired he would attend again to-morrow, and gave directions for the agent for the Massachusets Bay to attend at the same time.

Sugar Islands.

Copy of the report sent to the House of Commons.

An order from the House of Commons. (fn. 1)

Wednesday, March 26th. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.

New England.

Boundaries of Massachusets Bay, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Boundaries.

Mr. Paris attending, as he had been desired, in behalf of the agents for New Hampshire and Rhode Island, as also Mr. Wilks, agent for the Massachusets Bay with Mr. Sharpe, his solicitor, Mr. Paris presented to the Board a draught of the controverted bounds between Rhode Island and the Massachusets Bay; and the Board taking again into consideration the order of the Lords of the Committee of the Council, upon the petition of the Governor and Company of Rhode Island, read yesterday, Mr. Wilks desired to have a copy thereof, as also of the said draught, that he might get from the Massachusets Bay an answer thereto, to be laid before the Board; and the Board agreeing thereto, ordered that copies be accordingly given to Mr. Wilks, and he was acquainted that the Board expect an answer thereto in six months' time [fo. 43, 66].

The Board then acquainting Mr. Wilks, that they had received the Attorney and Solicitor General's opinion upon the query, sent them the 15th of January last, relating to the point of Merrimack River where the three miles from whence the boundary line between the Massachusets Bay and New Hampshire ought to commence, and that as the agents for the Massachusets Bay had declined being heard before the Attorney and Solicitor General upon that point, the Board was now ready to make their report thereupon; Mr. Sharpe, in behalf of Mr. Wilks, desired the Board would please to appoint some day for hearing the said agents by their counsel upon the subject of the said bounds; but Mr. Paris in behalf of Captain Tomlinson, agent for New Hampshire, insisting upon a former proposal signed by Mr. Wilks, and read at the Board the 15th of February, 1733–4, whereby he offered to submit the whole affair to commissioners to be appointed by his Majesty or this Board, out of the neighbouring provinces; their lordships heard what Mr. Paris and Mr. Sharpe had to offer, for and against any other hearing upon this subject, and at last agreed to appoint Tuesday the 20th of May next for this purpose, of which the parties were desired to take notice [last Journal, fo. 25].

Thursday, March 27th. Present:—Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe.

Miscellanies.

Incidents signed and sent to the Treasury.

The secretary laid before the Board the account of the incidental charges of this office from Christmas, 1734, to Lady Day, 1735, and a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, as also of the salaries due to the secretary and the other officers in the service of this Commission, was signed.

Leeward Islands.

Santa Crux.

Sold by the French to the Danes.

An order from the Lords of the Committee of Council of the 6th of March, 1734–5, referring to this Board the copy of a letter from the Lord Harrington, relating to the Island of Santa Crux, one of the Virgin Islands, sold by the French to the Danes, and requiring this Board's report thereon, was read, as also

A letter from the Lord Harrington, dated November 20th, 1734, referring to the Board
Extract of Mr. Titley's letter to the Lord Harrington, dated November 6th, 1734 N.S., inclosing
A copy of the contract for the sale of the Island of Santa Crux from the French to the Danes [fo. 53], and a
Specification des Acts et des Titres remis a la Compagnie Danoise concernant la proprietié de l'Isle de Sainte Croix.

A letter from General Mathews, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated November 6th, 1734, with an Act for raising a poll tax on negroes in Nevis; about the Danes settling the Island of Santa Crux, and the state of the islands under his government, was also read; and directions were given for preparing the draught of a report upon the sale of and title to the Island of Santa Crux.