Journal, February 1749: Volume 57

Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 8, January 1742 - December 1749. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1931.

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'Journal, February 1749: Volume 57', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 8, January 1742 - December 1749, (London, 1931) pp. 377-387. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol8/pp377-387 [accessed 24 March 2024]

Journal, February 1749

Wednesday, February 1. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Fane.

New Hampshire.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, upon the subject of the several Acts passed in that province since the year 1741, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 23rd of December last, was laid before the Board, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Sir William Gooch, Baronet, Governor of Virginia, to the Board, dated at Williamsburg, the 5th of December, 1748, mentioning a former letter from him to the Board, acquainting them with the death of Mr. Grymes, one of the Council, and recommending Philip Grymes, his son, to succeed him, and transmitting:—
Account of his Majesty's revenue of quit rents etc. arising within the colony of Virginia, from the 25th of April, 1747, to the 25th of April, 1748.

Ordered that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, proposing that Philip Grymes, Esquire, may be appointed of the Council in Virginia, in the room of his father, John Grymes, deceased, and that a letter to Sir William Gooch, in answer to the above from him, be prepared, acquainting him therewith.

Nevis.

Application having been made to the Board that John Richardson, Esquire, appointed of the Council of the Island of Nevis by General Mathew, to fill up the number of the said Council to seven, pursuant to his instructions, might be recommended by their lordships to his Majesty for confirmation, their lordships ordered the draught of a representation to his Majesty to be prepared, proposing his appointment.

New York.

Read the following letters and papers from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, viz.:—
Letter from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, to the Board, dated at Fort George, the 20th of October, 1748, containing an account of the Assembly's encroachments upon the prerogative of the Crown.
Letter from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, to the Board, dated at Fort George, the 30th of October, 1748, relating to the opposition he meets with in the administration of the government.
Letter from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, to the Board, dated at Fort George, the 15th of November, 1748, containing an account of some Acts passed there, with his reasons for assenting thereto, and of others, to which he has refused his assent.
State of the province of New York, December 12th, 1746.
Votes and proceedings of the Assembly of New York, from the 2nd of May, 1748, to the 12th November, 1748.
New York.
Extracts of the minutes of Council of New York, on the 13th and 21st of October, and on the 8th of November, 1748.

Thursday, February 2nd. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Horatio Walpole, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Plantations General.

Mr. Alderman Baker and Mr. Tomlinson attending, their lordships proceeded to take into consideration a Bill to prevent the issuing of paper money in the plantations. [To attend Thursday next.]

Friday, February 3. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane.

Nevis.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing that John Richardson, Esquire, may be appointed of his Majesty's Council in the Island of Nevis, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 1st instant, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

New Hampshire.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, having been transcribed, pursuant to the minutes of the 1st instant, was laid before the Board and signed.

Virginia.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing that Philip Grymes, Esquire, may be appointed to his Majesty's Council in the colony of Virginia, in the room of his father, John Grymes, Esquire, deceased, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 1st instant, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

The draught of a letter to Sir William Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, ordered to be prepared by the said minutes, was likewise agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Tuesday, February 7. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Miscellanies.

Sir Thomas Robinson, Knight of the Bath, appointed one of his Majesty's Commissioners for Trade and Plantations by a commission bearing date the 30th of December last, mentioned in the minutes of the 10th of the last month, attended and took his seat at the Board.

North Carolina.

Their lordships took into consideration the complaints of Mr. Corbyn Morris and others against Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, and ordered the draught of a letter thereupon to his Grace the Duke of Bedford to be prepared, in answer to his Grace's letter to them, referring the said complaints, mentioned in the minutes of the 24th of the last month.

New York.

Ordered that a state of the affairs of the province of New York during the administration of Mr. Clinton, Governor of that province, be collected and prepared from the several letters and other papers received from him since his arrival there, and laid before the Board, as soon as possible.

Wednesday, February 8. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Massachusets.

Read a letter from Mr. Willard, Secretary of the Massachusets Bay, to the Secretary of this Board, dated at Boston, the 1st of November, 1748, transmitting the following publick papers, viz.:—
Minutes of Council, from the 10th of December, 1747, to the 31st of August, 1748.
Minutes of the General Assembly, from the 5th of March, 1746–7, to the 24th of June, 1748.
Twenty-eight Acts, passed at Boston, between the 8th of April, 1747, and the 24th of June, 1748.

Ordered that the said Acts be sent to Mr. Lamb, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

Ordered that extracts be made from the above journals, of all orders and resolutions made by the general court of the province of the Massachusets Bay, relative to the Bills of Credit, and for the ascertaining the value thereof.

Jamaica.

Read the following letters and papers from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, viz.:—
Letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 16th of November, 1748, acknowledging the receipt of the Board's letter, inclosing a copy of the Act for encouraging the growth of indigo, and of that for extending the provisions relating to the naturalization of foreign protestants.
Letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 17th of November, 1748, transmitting:—
Minutes of the Council, between the 20th of July, 1747, and the 13th of August, 1748.
Journal of the Council in Assembly, between the 11th of August, 1747, and the 12th September, 1748.
Ten Acts, passed at Jamaica, between the 2nd of July, 1747, and the 13th of August, 1748.

Ordered that the said Acts be sent to Mr. Lamb, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.
Letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 18th of November, 1748, relating to Mr. Knowles' plan for fortifying Port Royal, and to his former proposal for the appointment of a Chief Justice for that Island.

Bermuda.

Read the following letters and papers from Mr. Popple, Governor of Bermuda, viz.:—
Letter from Mr. Popple, Governor of Bermuda, to the Board, dated the 23rd October, 1748, relating to the suspension of his 74th instruction.
Letter from Mr. Popple, Governor of Bermuda, to the Board, dated the 23rd of October, 1748, relating to the Council's disputing his right to appoint judges, justices, etc., without their advice and consent.
Letter from Governor Popple to Nathaniel Bascome, Esquire, upon resigning his commission as Chief Justice, dated the 8th of September, 1748.
Bermuda.
A paper containing the special powers vested in Mr. Popple, by his commission and instructions for the government of Bermuda.

Thursday, February 9. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Horace Walpole, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Plantations General.

Mr. Alderman Baker and Mr. Tomlinson attending, their lordships went through the consideration of the Bill, intended to be brought into Parliament, for restraining Paper Bills of Credit in the plantations, and preventing the same being a legal tender.

Friday, February 10. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Massachusets.

Read a letter from Mr. Shirley, Governor of the Massachusets Bay, to the Board, dated at Boston, the 30th of November, 1748, containing an account of Fort Dummer, and of the provision made by that province for the support of it, transmitting:—
An account of the charge of that part of the land forces which have been posted or employed as scouts beyond the line determined by his Majesty to be the Northern boundary of the province of the Massachusets Bay.

Their lordships having taken the said letter into consideration, as also one from Mr. Wentworth, dated the 28th of October, 1748, mentioned in the minutes of the 18th of January last, upon the same subject, together with an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 16th of June, 1746, referring a petition of the province of the Massachusets Bay, praying to be reimbursed the expence they have been at in garrisoning the said fort, and providing for the defence of the frontiers, the Secretary was directed to write to Messrs. Tomlinson and Bollan, agents for the respective provinces of New Hampshire and the Massachusets Bay, to desire their attendance thereupon on Tuesday next.

Tuesday, February 14. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Virginia.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 9th instant, referring back a report of this Board, dated the 13th of December last, as also the draught of an additional instruction prepared by the Board for Sir William Gooch, Baronet, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, impowering him to make grants to persons in partnership beyond the Great Mountains, who had applied for the same, and directing them to reconsider the same, together with a petition of John Hanbury, of London, merchant, and others, his associates, inhabitants of the colony of Virginia, praying for a grant of 500,000 acres of land on the Ohio River in the said colony, to which proposals, the former application appears to have a relation.

Ordered that the Secretary do write to Mr. Hanbury, to desire his attendance thereupon at the Board on Thursday morning next, at eleven o' clock.

North Carolina.

Read a memorial from Mr. James Abercromby, agent for the province of North Carolina, dated the 13th instant, setting forth the irregularity of the complaints lately made against the Governor of that province, and his not being at liberty to object thereto, desiring he may be heard in defence of his constituents, before the Board shall make any report thereupon, and that he may for that purpose have copies of such articles of complaint, as have been admitted by the Board, in order to transmit the same to the parties concerned for their answers thereto.

Ordered that the Secretary do write to Mr. Abercromby, to desire his attendance at the Board to-morrow morning, at eleven o'clock.

Massachusets.

New Hampshire.

Mr. Tomlinson, agent for the province of New Hampshire, not attending, as had been desired, their lordships postponed the consideration of the Order of Council and other papers, relating to Fort Dummer, mentioned in the minutes of the 10th instant, untill Friday next, and the Secretary was directed to desire Mr. Tomlinson's attendance on that day, and to acquaint Mr. Bollan, agent for the province of the Massachusets Bay, therewith.

Wednesday, February 15. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

North Carolina.

Mr. Abercromby attending, as had been desired, their lordships acquainted him, that having received a memorial from him, relative to a late hearing at the Board upon complaints against Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, setting forth, that he has not been at liberty to object to the irregularity and informality of the accusers, and as their lordships apprehended that he was at liberty, when he attended upon this affair, to have made what objection he had thought proper, they desired to know what he meant by saying he had not such liberty; whereupon he acquainted their lordships that as the persons, who were the accusers, were particularly mentioned in the Duke of Bedford's letter to this Board, which was thereby required to call the said persons before them, to examine into the complaints, he did not think himself in that case at liberty to object to them. Their lordships then acquainted him, that with respect to what he desires in the said memorial, of having copies of such articles of the said complaint, as have been admitted by the Board, and that he may be heard in defence of his constituents, before any report was made thereupon, no such articles of complaint had been laid before the Board in writing, and no report was as yet made upon this affair, nor had their lordships determined in what manner they should lay the same before the Duke of Bedford.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, relating to the complaints of Mr. Corbyn Morris and others against the Governor of North Carolina, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 7th instant, was laid before the Board, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Bermuda.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Popple, Governor of Bermuda, in answer to two received from him, mentioned in the minutes of the 8th instant, having been prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Thursday, February 16. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Virginia.

Mr. Hanbury attending, as had been desired, upon the subject of his petition for a grant of 500,000 acres of land in the colony of Virginia, and the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, referring the said petition, mentioned in the minutes of the 14th instant, having been read, he acquainted their lordships that he had no other proposals to make, than were contained in the said petition, and being withdrawn, their lordships ordered the draught of a report thereupon to the Lords of the Committee of Council to be prepared.

Friday, February 17. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane.

Massachusets.

New Hampshire.

Mr. Bollan, agent for the province of the Massachusets Bay, and Mr. Tomlinson, agent for the province of New Hampshire, attending, as had been desired, the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council of the 16th of June, 1746, referring the petition of the province of the Massachusets Bay for a reimbursement of their expences in providing for Fort Dummer, and also a letter from Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, relating to the said fort, was read; and Mr. Bollan acquainted their lordships that the province of the Massachusets Bay, being at war with the Indians in 1723, it was found necessary to build the said fort for the security and protection of these frontiers, and the lands, which they then thought they had a claim to, by a determination in Council in 1675; that accordingly the said Fort was built some time in 1724, and as a proof thereof, he laid before the Board the following vote of the General Court, certified by Mr. Shirley under the Seal of the said province, viz.:—

At a Great and General Court or Assembly for his Majesty's province of the Massachusets Bay in New England begun and held at Boston upon Wednesday, the twenty ninth of May, 1723, and continued by several prorogations to Wednesday, the twenty third day of October following, and then met, being their third session.
December 27th, 1723.
In the House of Representatives. Voted that it will be of great service to all the Western Frontiers, both in this and the neighbouring government of Connecticut, to build a blockhouse above Northfield in the most convenient place on the land called the equivalent land, and to post in it forty able men, English and Western Indians, to be employed in scouting at a good distance up Connecticut River, West River, Otto Creek, and sometimes eastwardly above great Manadnuck, for the discovery of the enemy coming towards any of the frontier towns, and that so much of the said equivalent land, as shall be necessary for a blockhouse, be taken up, with the consent of the owners of the said land, together with five or six acres of their interval land to be broken up or plowed for the present use of the Western Indians (in case any of them shall think fit to bring their families thither), and that his Honour the Lieutenant Governor be desired to give his orders accordingly.

In Council read and concurred, consented to, Wm. Dummer. Copy as of record attested. J. Willard, Secretary.
Province of the Massachusets Bay.
These are to certify that a fort or blockhouse was forthwith built at the place above-mentioned, and a garrison placed there at the charge of the province of the Massachusets Bay, and the said fort has been held and maintained at the charge of the said province till this present time, and that the time of building of the said fort was within one year after the breaking out of the war with the Indians, and two years before the end of the said war, which was in the latter end of the year one thousand seven hundred and twenty five, and that the said fort, after it was built, was usually called Fort Dummer, and is the same which is now so called.
J. Willard, Secretary.

That by the determination of the boundary line in 1741, this fort and the said lands being set off to the province of New Hampshire, the province of the Massachusets Bay expected that they should provide for it; but they not taking it, and the probability of the breaking out of the war making it necessary that it should be supported, Mr. Shirley, who could not, consistent with his duty, deliver it up without his Majesty's order, represented the matter at home, and in consequence thereof his Majesty did, in September, 1744, direct that this fort should be maintained, and that the Governor of New Hampshire should move the Assembly to make proper provision for that service; and in case they refused that, his Majesty would restore that fort, with a proper district, to the Massachusets Bay, who could not be required to maintain a fort no longer within their boundary; but in consideration of the importance of the said fort, the province of the Massachusets Bay was required to provide for it, until a final answer could be had from New Hampshire; and his Majesty's Order of Council of the 6th of September, 1744, having been read, Mr. Bollan observed that there were two points determined thereby; first, that Fort Dummer should be supported, and secondly, that it was not just that the province of the Massachusets Bay should be obliged to provide for such fort; notwithstanding which, the Assembly of New Hampshire did, after the receipt of said Order, refuse to make provision for the same, as Mr. Wentworth acquainted Mr. Shirley; but Mr. Wentworth having called a new Assembly, they made the allowance set forth in Mr. Wentworth's letter, which, he apprehended, was not a proper provision, pursuant to his Majesty's order, either as to the number of men voted on the 15th of June for the garrison, or the allowance for their subsistence, being but twenty men at two shillings per week, whereas the number employed in the same service by the province of the Massachusets Bay was forty before the war, and eighty since, with a double, if not a larger, allowance for their pay and subsistence, and that for this reason Mr. Shirley had refused to deliver the fort to New Hampshire.

Massachusets.

New Hampshire.

Mr. Tomlinson represented that this fort was of no utility or security to the province of New Hampshire, and that in the aforementioned vote of the General Court of the Massachusets Bay of the 27th of December, 1723, it is not mentioned to be any ways for the defence of New Hampshire, but only the frontiers of their own province and those of Connecticut; that New Hampshire could only be in danger from the attacks of the Indians, who live to the eastward, against which Fort Dummer could be of no service. To this it was answered by Mr. Bollan, that as those lands, for the security of which this fort was first built, were now fallen within the province of New Hampshire, they ought to provide for its support: That New Hampshire could be in no danger from the Eastern Indians, who never made their ravages that way; but that the danger was from Crown Point, which lyes north of this fort, and from whence the French and Indians during the war made their excursions by Wood Creek towards these parts, and had greatly annoyed the inhabitants settled there.

The agents were then ordered to withdraw, and their lordships agreed to proceed further in the consideration of this affair on Thursday next.

Bermuda.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Popple, Governor of Bermuda, having been transcribed, pursuant to the preceding minutes, was laid before the Board and signed.

Monday, February 20. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Wastel Briscoe, Deputy Secretary of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 14th of November, 1748, transmitting a list of persons naturalized in that Island, between the 1st of January and the 1st of September, 1748.

Newfoundland.

Read a letter from Admiral Watson, Governor of Newfoundland, to the Board, dated Fougeux, in Portsmouth Harbour, the 9th of February, 1748–9, transmitting the following papers, viz.:—
Account of Ordnance stores issued and expended at Placentia, between the 1st of August, 1747, and the 31st of July, 1748.
A remain of Ordnance stores under the care and charge of Captain Lieutenant (sic) William Sanderson, Ordnance Storekeeper at Placentia in Newfoundland.
Plan of Fort Frederick at Placentia, on the south side of the harbour.
Plan of the new fort erecting at Placentia, on the north side of the harbour.

Ordered that the Secretary do write to Mr. Watson to acquaint him that the Board has not received from him a general scheme of the fishery for the last year, and to desire that if the captain of his Majesty's ship, whom he intrusted to collect the account, is arrived, he will forthwith transmit the same.

North Carolina.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford upon the complaints against Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, having been transcribed, pursuant to the minutes of the 15th instant, was laid before the Board and signed.

Leeward Islands.

Read the following letters and papers from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, viz.:—
Letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated at Antigua, the 30th of September, 1748, mentioning a box of publick papers, containing:
A state of his Majesty's Councils in the four Leeward Islands on the 30th of September, 1748.
Information exhibited by the Attorney General of Antigua against Benjamin King, Esquire, for extortion in his office of Commissionary and Judge of the Court of Vice-Admiralty in that Island.
Nevis.
Minutes of Assembly, from the 29th of April to the 15th of July, 1748.
Montserrat.
Minutes of Council, from the 25th of December, 1747, to the 24th of June, 1748.
An Act passed at Montserrat, the 5th of August, 1748.
Antigua.
Four Acts passed at Antigua, the 19th of September, 1748.

Leeward Islands.

Letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated at Antigua, the 15th of October, 1748, transmitting:
Copies of five papers of the Island of St. Christopher by General Mathew, marked A. B. C. D. E.
Account of indigo imported into and exported from Nevis, in 1748.
The Collector of Montserrat's account of indigo, the growth of that island, exported from March, 1745–6, to September, 1748.
Minutes of Council of Antigua, from the 14th of August, 1747, to the 17th of June, 1748.
Letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, to the Board, dated at Antigua, the 17th of November, 1748, containing an answer to the Board's enquiries relative to the Act for encouragement [of] the making of indigo.

Ordered that the said Acts be sent to Mr. Lamb, for his opinion thereon in point of law, as soon as conveniently may be.

New Jersey.

Read Mr. Lamb's report upon nineteen Acts, passed in the province of New Jersey, in January and February, 1747–8. Dated the 23rd of January, 1748–9.

Read a letter from Mr. Partridge, agent for the colony of New Jersey, to the Secretary, dated the 17th of February, 1748–9, desiring that he would move their lordships to report upon two Acts, passed in that colony, the one for emitting £40,000 in Bills of credit, the other for ascertaining the Fees of the several Offices, or that the Board would appoint a day to hear him thereupon.

Ordered that the Secretary do acquaint Mr. Partridge that their lordships do intend to take the said Acts into consideration, as soon as other affairs will admit, and that he shall have notice thereof.

New York.

The following papers, received from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, referred to in his letter, mentioned in the minutes of the 1st instant, were laid before the Board, viz.:—
List of persons naturalized in the Supreme Court of New York, from the 13th of July, 1747, to the 25th October, 1748.
Minutes of Council, from the 4th of September, to the 8th of October, 1748.
Votes of the General Assembly, from the 12th February, 1747–8, to 12th November, 1748.
Twenty printed Acts, passed in New York, between September 1747, and July, 1748.

Ordered that the said Acts be sent to Mr. Lamb, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

Tuesday, February 21. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Massachusets.

New Hampshire.

Ordered that the consideration of the affair of Fort Dummer, appointed for Thursday morning, be deferred until Friday, and that the Secretary do acquaint Messrs. Tomlinson and Bollan therewith, and desire their attendance on that day.

Wednesday, February 22. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, upon the petition of Mr. John Hanbury, in behalf of himself and others, for a grant of 500,000 acres of land beyond the Great Mountains in the colony of Virginia, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 16th instant, was laid before the Board, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed; and the draught of an additional instruction to Sir William Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of the said colony, empowering him to make the said grant, was ordered to be prepared, to be annexed to the said report.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Read a letter from Mr. West, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, dated the 16th of February, 1748–9, referring to the Board a petition of several merchants trading to the Northern Colonies possessed of Bills drawn on account of the intended expedition to Canada, and desiring that they would, with the assistance of the Paymaster General of the Forces and his Majesty's Secretary at War, adjust their demands, and report a state thereof to that Board, in order to be laid before Parliament.

Ordered that the Right Honourable William Pitt, Paymaster General of the Forces, and the Right Honourable Henry Fox, his Majesty's Secretary at War, be acquainted therewith, and desired to appoint any day that will be convenient to them, to meet and consider of the said reference.

Thursday, February 23. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Antigua.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, upon the petition of Mr. John Hanbury and others, for a grant of 200,000 acres of land beyond the Great Mountains in the colony of Virginia, having been transcribed, pursuant to the preceding minutes, was laid before the Board and signed; and the draught of an additional instruction to the Lieutenant Governor of the said colony, impowering him to make the said grant, ordered to be prepared by the said minutes, was likewise laid before the Board, agreed to and ordered to be transcribed, to be annexed to the said report.

Jamaica.

Read Mr. Lamb's report upon an Act, passed at Jamaica in May, 1747, for vesting the Moiety of two Parcels of Land at Mantionel, in the Parish of St. Thomas in the East, late the Estate of John Barton, Esquire, deceased, in Trustees for the sale thereof, for payment of the Debts and Legacies of the said John Barton, and several Annuities chargeable on his Estate etc. Dated the 23rd of January, 1748–9.

Ordered that the said Act do lye by until application shall be made to the Board thereupon by the parties concerned.

Friday, February 24. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Sir Thomas Robinson.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Read a letter from Mr. West, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, dated the 22nd instant, transmitting some further papers, which had been sent to that office by his Grace the Duke of Bedford, relative to the demands of the Northern Colonies for the intended expedition to Canada.

Massachusets.

New Hampshire.

Ordered that the consideration of the affair of Fort Dummer be further postponed until Thursday next, and that Messrs. Tomlinson and Bollan be acquainted therewith.