Journal, June 1744: Volume 52

Journal, June 1744

Thursday, June 7. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

New Hampshire.

Mr. Tomlinson attending, as desired by the minutes of the 31st May, Mr. Wentworth's letter, mentioned in the same minutes, was again read; and the Board, after some discourse had with him on the subject thereof, postponed the further consideration to another opportunity.

Trade.

Africa.

The Board took into consideration, as was resolved by the minutes of the 30th of last month, the Duke of Newcastle's letter, enclosing the copy of an address from the House of Commons to his Majesty, relating to the African trade; and after some time spent therein, ordered the Secretary to write a letter, to signify to the Secretary of the Royal African Company, that their lordships desire to have some discourse with the Deputy Governor and any gentlemen of the Court of Assistants of that Company, upon the subject of the said address, on Wednesday morning next [Wednesday, 13th inst.].

Friday, June 8. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Antigua.

Mr. Paris, yesterday, moved the Board to appoint a day for hearing counsel on the petition against the (fn. 1)Acts, passed in the Island of (fn. 1) Antigua, for double taxing absentees, according to their resolution of the 19th of April last, and they were pleased to appoint Thursday, the 21st inst., and to order the Secretary to acquaint Mr. Sharpe therewith.

Wednesday, June 13. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Trade.

Africa.

Read a letter from Mr. Spence, Secretary to the Royal African Company, dated June 11th, signifying that the Deputy Governor and some of the gentlemen of the Court of Assistants of that Company, will wait on the Board at the time appointed.

Accordingly Charles Hayes, Esquire, Deputy Governor, Benjamin Periam and Francis Boteler, Esquires, attending, the letter from the Duke of Newcastle and address enclosed (mentioned in the minutes of the 7th inst.), were read; and then the gentlemen, after some discourse had with them, desired the Board would communicate a copy of the said papers to them, that they might lay the same before the Court of Assistants. To which the Board agreed, and the Secretary was directed to send a copy of the said papers to them.

New Hampshire.

The Board took again into consideration the letter from Governor Wentworth, mentioned in the minutes of the 7th inst. Ordered that Mr. Tomlinson, agent for the province of New Hampshire, be desired to attend to-morrow on that subject.

New England.

Massachusetts.

Read two letters from Mr. Shirley, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, dated the 12th and 19th of March last, relating to the tract of land lying between the River Sagadehoc and Nova Scotia, and some thoughts concerning paper money and a new species of coin in lieu thereof, to be used hereafter in that province.

Thursday, June 14. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Trade.

Africa.

The Board took again into consideration the state of the trade to Africa, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, and ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Wood, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, for an "Account of the tonnage of the several ships cleared from Great Britain for Africa from the year 1730, inclusive, to the present time, distinguishing, if possible, the Company's ships from those of the private traders, together with the value of the goods exported to Africa for the same time." And also letters to the Mayors of the city of Bristol and town of Liverpool, desiring such information from them, and the principal traders to Africa, in the said city and town, as they may think necessary upon the subject of this trade.

Wednesday, June 20. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary laid before the Board a copy of the Warrant of Privy Seal, dated February 29th, 1743–4, directing payment of salaries to the Commissioners and under officers in the Commission for Trade and Plantations, as also the incidental charges of this office.

Mr. Lediard, Surveyor to the Commissioners for building the bridge at Westminster, attending, presented to the Board an order from the Commissioners to him, for a demand of rent from this Board.

Ordered that a letter be writ by the Secretary to Mr. Scrope, Secretary to the Treasury, signifying the said demand, enclosing a copy of the said order, and desiring him to lay it before the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury. [Vide former letter to Mr. Scrope, dated the 28th July, 1742.]

Antigua.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated November 12th, 1743, transmitting (besides duplicates) the following original papers, viz.:—
A state of his Majesty's Councils in the Leeward Islands, the 8th November, 1743.
Montserrat.
Minutes of Council, from the 25th of March, to the 29th September, 1743.
Minutes of Assembly for the same time.
St. Christophers.
Minutes of Council, from the 10th of February, 1742–3, to the 15th of August, 1743.

Thursday, June 21. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Antigua.

Mr. Paris, solicitor for the petitioners against the Acts, passed in the Islands of Antigua, for double taxing absentees, attending, according to appointment the 8th inst., with Mr. Hume Campbell, his counsel; as also Mr. John Sharpe, in behalf of the said Acts, with Mr. Samuel Martin, his counsel; an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 24th of November, 1742 (read the 26th of that month), referring to this Board the petition of the planters interested in the Island of Antigua, now residing in Great Britain, setting forth that the legislation of that Island had, for three years together, passed Acts laying double taxes on the estates there of such persons, as did not, within six months from the dates of such Acts, go and personally reside in that Island; the petition and reference were again read; and then the Board heard what Mr. Hume Campbell had to offer in behalf of the said petitioners, and likewise Mr. Martin in favour of the said Acts; then the counsel, etc., being withdrawn, their lordships gave some directions for preparing the draught of a report thereupon to the Lords of the Committee of Council.

Jamaica.

Then Mr. Sharpe moved the Board to take into consideration the petition of Messrs. Philp and Perrin to the late Lords Justices, for a grant of all mines of gold and silver in the parish of St. Andrew's Liquania, and St. George's in the Island of Jamaica, referred to this Board by the Lords of the Committee of Council, the 24th of November, 1743, mentioned in the minutes of the 7th December last; and they were pleased to appoint Thursday morning next [June the 28th], to take the said petition into consideration.

Wednesday, June 27. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Keene.

Antigua.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on the subject of the Act, of Antigua, for double taxing absentees, ordered by the last minutes, having been prepared and laid before the Board, the same was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

South Carolina.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 24th April, 1744, referring to this Board the address and petition of the Assembly of South Carolina to his Majesty, in relation to a mine lately discovered in one of the Indian Nations in the said province; and setting forth that a few private persons, for the sake of gain, have possessed themselves thereof, and have begun and continue to work in the same, contrary to the laws of Great Britain and that province; and praying his Majesty to take the same into consideration, and order and determine therein as to his Majesty shall seem proper.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 19th June, 1744, referring to this Board the petition of James Maxwell and Cornelius Doharty, of South Carolina, Indian traders, in behalf of themselves and others, inhabitants of the said province, praying his Majesty's confirmation of a grant of about 30,000 acres of land, bought by the petitioners of the Cherokee Indians.

South Carolina.

Georgia.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, of the 19th inst., referring to this Board the petition of the Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America to his Majesty, praying that they may be heard, before any grant be made to James Maxwell and Cornelius Doharty, Carolina Indian traders, of a tract of land purchased by them of the Cherokee Indians, wherein they have lately discovered some appearances of a mine.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Fury, agent of the province of South Carolina, as likewise to Mr. Morley, agent for the petitioners, Messrs. James Maxwell and Cornelius Doharty, and to Benjamin Martyn, Esquire, Secretary to the Trustees for Georgia, to acquaint them that the Board desire their attendance here this day sennight [Wednesday, July 4th], in order to have some discourse with them on the subject of the above-mentioned references.

Trade.

Minorca.

The Board took into consideration the Lord Carteret's letter, mentioned in the minutes of the 30th of May last, referring to this Board Prince Scherbatow's letter to him on the subject of certain Greek merchants, who desire to reside in Minorca, and become subjects of his Britannick Majesty.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Colonel Pinfold and Captain Dunbar, and to Father Gregory Kassava, to desire their attendance at this Board this day sennight [Wednesday, July 4th].

South Carolina.

Mr. Fury, agent to South Carolina, attending, moved the Board to report to his Majesty for confirmation of an Act, passed in South Carolina, May 7th, 1743, entituled, An Act to ascertain and regulate Public Officer's Fees, and to repeal an Act of the General Assembly of the province, entituled, An Act for Public Officer's Fees.

Ordered that the said Act, with others transmitted at the same time from South Carolina, be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon, in point of law, and that he be desired to give them all convenient dispatch, and particularly the above-mentioned Act.

Thursday, June 28. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Jamaica.

Mr. Perrin, one of the petitioners for a grant of all mines of gold and silver in the parish of St. Andrew's Liquania, and St. George's in the Island of Jamaica, attending, together with Mr. John Sharpe, his solicitor, as ordered by the minutes of the 21st inst., the Board, after hearing what Mr. Sharpe had to offer in behalf of the petitioners, resolved to write to Mr. Trelawney upon the subject, and to postpone their report till they have his answer.

Ordered that the draught of a letter to Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, be prepared accordingly.