Journal, July 1746: Volume 54

Journal, July 1746

Tuesday, July 1. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Bermuda.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated June 16th, 1746, referring to this Board the petition of Alexander Smith, of London, wine-merchant, and of William Selby and Vincent Mathias, of London, gentlemen, for a grant of lands in Bermuda for the cultivation of vines.

Ordered that the petitioners be desired to attend the Board on Friday next [Friday, July 4th].

New Hampshire.

Read a letter from Mr. Tomlinson, agent for the province of New Hampshire, to the Secretary of this Board, dated June 30th, 1746, inclosing an extract from the report of Mr. Bastide, engineer, entituled, Nature and Number of the Guns prepared for the Fort, the Batteries and Redouts in New Hampshire.

Wednesday, July 2. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

New Hampshire.

Read Mr. Fane's report upon the matters contained in the extract of a letter to the Board from Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, dated at Portsmouth, March 26th, 1745, and in several other papers, relative to the proceedings of the Assembly of that province. And then the Board took the said report into consideration, and after sometime spent therein, postponed the further consideration thereof to another opportunity.

Thursday, July 3. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Virginia.

The Secretary laid before the Board four certificates of foreigners naturalized in the Colony of Virginia, the 15th, 19th, 23rd and 28th days of October, 1745, transmitted to him in a letter from Mr. Nelson, Deputy Secretary of that Colony, without any date.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty for confirming An Act, passed in Virginia, in October, 1744, entituled, An Act for Vesting Three hundred ninety four Acres of Land with their Appurtenances in the County of King William, whereof William Banks is seized in Fee Tail, in John Norton, Gentleman, in Fee Simple, and for settling several Slaves, therein mentioned, to the same Uses, having been prepared, as ordered by the minutes of Friday last, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

New Hampshire.

The Board took again into consideration Mr. Fane's report upon the extract of a letter from Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, and made some progress therein, and adjourned the further consideration thereof to another opportunity.

Friday, July 4. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Bermuda.

Alexander Smith, wine-merchant, and William Selby, of London, gentleman, attending, as appointed by the minutes of the 1st instant, the Board had some discourse with them upon the subject of their petition for a grant of lands in Bermuda for the cultivation of vines; and their answers to several objections made by the Board, not being satisfactory, they were desired to attend again, and bring with them such persons as should be able to give the Board more certain information, particularly with regard to the situation of those lands, which they mention to be hitherto ungranted.

Tuesday, July 8. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from William Popple, Esquire, Governor of Bermuda, to the Secretary of this Board, dated July 6th, acquainting him that in a fortnight's time, at his return from Yorkshire, he will attend the Board, and give them such information, relative to the ungranted lands in Bermuda, as he shall be able to procure. He likewise transmits for their lordships' inspection, and to be copied, if they shall think it may be of any use, a book that belonged to his brother, the late Governor, entitled, "A Survey of Summer Islands, sometime called Bermudas, etc., taken there, according to the order and appointment of the Right Honourable the Governor and Company of Adventurers of these Islands, anno 1662 and 1663, etc."

Wednesday, July 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

New Hampshire.

The Board reconsidered Mr. Fane's report on Governor Wentworth's letter, and other papers therewith transmitted, concerning some late proceedings of the Assembly of New Hampshire, mentioned in the minutes of Thursday last, and made further progress therein.

Thursday, July 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

New Hampshire.

The Board took again into consideration the several papers mentioned in the preceding minute, and made some further progress therein.

Friday, July 11. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated Antigua, April 15th, 1746, transmitting the following publick papers, viz.:—
General Mathew's answers to the Board's general queries, relating to the present state of the Leeward Caribbee Islands in America.
Minutes of the Council of Antigua, from the 12th November, 1744, to 22nd January, 1745–6.
Minutes of the Assembly of Antigua, from the 28th February, 1744–5, to the 22nd January, 1745–6.
An Act of Nevis, for naturalizing Jacob Alvarez. Passed April 7th, 1746.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, dated May 15th, 1746, inclosing an extract of a minute of Council of the 14th of May, 1746, in which are contained his reasons for removing Mr. Gay from his office of Chief Justice of Jamaica, and giving an account of his having removed Mr. Fuller and Mr. Sadler from their seats as Assistant Judges, and placed others in their room.

Tuesday, July 22. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from the Duke of Newcastle, dated the 18th July, 1746, signifying his Majesty's pleasure that this Board prepare draughts of a commission and instructions for Jonathan Belcher, Esquire, appointed Governor of New Jersey, in the room of Lewis Morris, Esquire, deceased. Ordered that the said draught be prepared, and laid before the Board.

Antigua.

Read a letter from Daniel Mathew, Esquire, to the Board, dated the 20th instant, signifying his desire to resign his seat in the Council of Antigua.

Wednesday, July 23. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Antigua.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, recommending Mr. John Thomlinson to be of the Council of Antigua, ordered by the preceding minute, having been prepared, and laid before the Board, was agreed to and signed.

Thursday, July 24. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

New Jersey.

Jonathan Belcher, Esquire, appointed Governor of New Jersey, attending, desired the Board would favour him with a copy of the instructions given to the late governor, to which the Board having no objection, the Secretary was directed to deliver him a copy of the same, whenever he should call for it.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, accompanying Mr. Belcher's commission, as also of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, transmitting the same, having been prepared and laid before the Board, were agreed to, transcribed and signed.

New Hampshire.

The Board had again under consideration Mr. Fane's report on a letter from Governor Wentworth, and other papers concerning some late proceedings of the Assembly of New Hampshire, mentioned in the minutes of the 9th and 10th instant, and made a further progress therein.

Friday, July 25. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

New Hampshire.

The Board having again taken into consideration the several papers, mentioned in the preceding minute, ordered the draught of a letter to the Duke of Newcastle to be prepared, for inclosing an extract of so much of Mr. Wentworth's letter, as relates to the proceedings of the Assembly, as also copies of several papers, therewith transmitted, relating to the same subject, and to desire he will please to lay the same before his Majesty, for his Majesty's directions thereupon.

North Carolina.

It appearing to the Board that no letters or other publick papers had been received from Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, since the year 1742, their lordships ordered the draught of a letter to the Duke of Newcastle to be prepared, acquainting him therewith.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary having acquainted the Board, that the charge of a box of papers, lately received by the Swallow pacquet, from Antigua, amounted to upwards of £32, their lordships ordered a letter to be wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury, desiring him to move that Board to give directions how such postage is to be satisfied.