Journal, February 1744: Volume 52

Journal, February 1744

Wednesday, February 1. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary presented to the Board a new commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date December 31st, 1743, continuing John Lord Monson, Martin Bladen, Edward Ashe, James Brudenell, Richard Plumer, Robert Herbert and Benjamin Keene, Esquires, Commissioners for promoting the Trade of this Kingdom, and appointing Sir Charles Gilmour, baronet, in the room of Thomas Pelham, junior, Esquire, deceased, and the said commission having been read, Sir Charles Gilmour took his place at the Board accordingly.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

Mr. Alderman Baker again attending, the Board had some further discourse with him on the subject of trade, and then resuming the consideration of the Vienna plan of commerce, made a further progress therein.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Oxenford, Assistant Inspector General of the Imports and Exports, to desire his attendance at this Board to-morrow morning.

Thursday, February 2. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

Mr. Oxenford attending, as desired by yesterday's minutes, the Board had some discourse with him, after which they resumed the consideration of the Vienna plan, and made a further progress therein.

Friday, February 3. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Connecticut.

Read a letter from Dr. Cadwallader Colden (one of the Council in New York), one of the Commissioners appointed by his Majesty for determining the controversy between the Governor and Company of Connecticut and the Mohegan Indians, dated at Coldengham in New York, the 22nd November, 1743, giving the Board his reasons why he did not certify the copies of their proceedings in the execution of that commission.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Adams, one of the Council of Nova Scotia, dated at Annapolis Royal, April the 16th, 1743, praying the Board's intercession with his Majesty to grant him a pension for his support, being very old, and the only person within the province that has no pay from his Majesty.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

The Board made a further progress in the consideration of the Vienna Plan of Commerce, and ordered the Secretary to write a letter to Mr. Richard Burton, merchant, desiring his attendance to-morrow morning, between the hours of twelve and one.

Saturday, February 4. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

Mr. Richard Burton attending, as desired by the minutes of yesterday, the Board had some discourse with him, and then resumed the consideration of the Vienna Plan, and made a further progress therein.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Bowles, that the Board desire to have his opinion relating to taking off part of the present duties upon glass, imported by the way of Trieste, from the queen of Hungary's dominions, as proposed in a project for opening a trade between Great Britain and Hungary.

Ordered likewise, that the Secretary write to Mr. John Porter, merchant, for his opinion upon an extract from the tariff of Hungary, in relation to the duty on hats.

Monday, February 6. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

Mr. Alderman Baker and Mr. Newnham attending, the Board had some discourse with them on the subject of trade, after which they made a further progress in the consideration of the Vienna Plan of Commerce.

Tuesday, February 7. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

Read a letter from Mr. John Porter, dated this day, in answer to one sent him by order of the Board the 4th inst., relating to the duty on hats, not so clearly explained in the tariff of Hungary.

Read also a letter from Mr. Bowles, in answer to one sent him the same day, relating to duties upon the glass manufactures, with his opinion thereon.

The Board made a further progress in the consideration of the Vienna Plan of Commerce.

Wednesday, February 8. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

Mr. Richard Burton, again attending, read at the Board a paper containing his observations upon several of the articles in the Vienna Plan of Commerce, and the Board, after some discourse had with him, proceeded in the consideration of the said plan, and made a further progress therein.

Thursday, February 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

The Board having gone through the consideration of the Vienna Plan of Commerce, agreed to the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon, and ordered the same to be transcribed.

Massachusetts Bay.

Read Mr. Fane's report upon eleven acts, passed in the Massachusets Bay in 1742 and 1743, referred to him by the Secretary's letters of the 26th of October, the 29th of November, and two of them the 27th of last month; and has no objection to any of them.

Friday, February 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Trade.

Hungary.

Bohemia.

Austria.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty on the subject of the Vienna Plan of Commerce having been transcribed, as ordered by yesterday's minutes, was signed, as was also a letter to the Lord Carteret, for enclosing the same, together with the Board's observations on some articles of the sketch of the Treaty.

Tuesday, February 14. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Barbadoes.

Read two letters from Sir Thomas Robinson, Governor of Barbados, to the Board, one dated October 23rd, 1743, transmitting:—
Proceedings against the Honourable Thomas Harrison, Esquire, Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer in Barbados.

The other, dated December 3rd, 1743, transmitting the following public papers, viz:—
Minutes of Council, from the 7th of June, to the 22nd November, 1743.
Minutes of Assembly, from the 25th of August, to the 15th November, 1743.

Ordered that an extract of so much of this last letter, as relates to his application for cannon, be made and transmitted to the Duke of Newcastle, and that the draught of a letter to his Grace, for enclosing the same, be prepared.

Wednesday, February 15. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Barbadoes.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for enclosing an extract of Sir Thomas Robinson's letter, having been prepared, as ordered by the minutes of yesterday, was laid before the Board, agreed to and signed.

Thursday, February 16. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Keene.

Plantations General.

Jamaica.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated February 6th, 1743–4, referring to this Board a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Duke of Newcastle, dated the 20th of July last, proposing that an Independent Company should be always kept on the Moskito Shore, and setting forth the several advantages that will accrue to his Majesty's service, from settling some form of government there.

Lieutenant Hodgson, mentioned in the Governor's letter, attending, the Board, after some discourse had with him on the subject of the said letter, appointed him to attend again on Tuesday next.

Friday, February 17. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Plantations General.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated February 6th, 1743–4, referring to this Board a report made to the late Lords Justices, the 8th of September last, by the Master General of the Ordnance, the first Commissioners of the Admiralty and Marshal Wade, upon the memorial of Mr. John Gerald, relating to the advantages to the commerce of his Majesty's subjects in the West Indies by making a settlement at Bellese. (fn. 1)

Read an Order of Council, dated February 2nd, 1743–4, referring to this Board a copy of the report made to the late Lords Justices by the Duke of Montagu, Earl of Winchelsea and Marshal Wade, hereunto annexed, dated the 20th of July last, upon several letters, representations and papers, relating to the settlement of the Island of Rattan, and to the establishing a civil government there.

Tuesday, February 21. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Plantations General.

Jamaica.

Lieutenant Hodgson attending, as he had been appointed by the minutes of the 16th inst., the Board had some discourse with him on the subject of Mr. Trelawney's letter and agreed to take the said letter and the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council into consideration the first opportunity.

Wednesday, February 22. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Colonel Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, dated the 15th of December, 1743, enclosing:—
An account of his Majesty's Revenue of 2/- per hogshead arising in that Colony, from the 25th of April, to the 25th of October, 1743.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Major Mascarene, President of the Council and Commander in Chief of Nova Scotia, dated at Annapolis Royal, December 1st, 1743, giving an account of the state of the province of Nova Scotia and enclosing:—
Copy of an Order of Council, dated the 10th October, 1743, and of a letter accompanying it, on account of designs the Indians had, upon hearing of the battle in Germany; together with copy of a proclamation, relating thereunto.

Ordered that a copy of the said letter be prepared, and likewise the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for enclosing the same.

Nevis.

St. Christophers.

Three Debentures to Mr. Truman.

Mr. Thomas Truman attending, his powers of attorney from Jacob Pinheiro, administrator of all the goods and chattels of Leonard Woodward, late of St. Christophers and Nevis, planter, deceased, and also from John Burk, administrator of all the goods and chattels of John Merrill, late of the Island of Nevis, deceased, two of the sufferers by the French invasion at Nevis and St. Christophers, being examined at the Board, the debentures undermentioned were delivered to him, viz.:—

Thursday, February 23. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

Massachusetts Bay.

Read a letter from Mr. Shirley, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, to the Board, dated at Boston, the 23rd of December, 1743, containing a particular account of the state of the paper currency of New England, from the year 1702, to the year 1743, and transmitting:—

Nova Scotia.

A state of the outstanding bills of credit for the same time. The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for enclosing copy of Major Mascarene's letter to the Board, and of the several papers therewith transmitted, having been prepared, as ordered by the minutes of yesterday, was laid before the Board, agreed to and signed.

Friday, February 24. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor and late Commander in Chief of New York, dated December 12th, 1743, acquainting the Board with his having delivered over the government to Governor Clinton, and his intention of coming over to England upon his private affairs, transmitting likewise the following public papers, viz.:—
List of the names of persons, who have been naturalized in the province of New York, since the 25th of October, 1742, pursuant to the directions of an Act of Parliament, 13 George II.
Minutes of Council, from the 27th of April, to the 21st of June, 1743.
Minutes of Council and Assembly, from the 19th of April, to the 6th of September, 1743.
Eight Naval Office Lists of ships, entered and cleared at the port of New York, from Lady day, 1739, to Lady day, 1740.

Massachusetts Bay.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, recommending to his Royal approbation two acts, passed in the Massachusetts Bay in 1743, entitled, An Act for the more speedy finishing of the Land Bank or Manufactory Scheme, and An Act for preventing the destruction of White Pine Trees within this Province, and for encouraging the Preservation of them for the use of the Royal Navy, having been prepared and laid before the Board, was agreed to, and signed.

Tuesday, February 28. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Sir Charles Gilmour.

South Carolina.

Read a letter from Colonel Bull, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, to the Board, dated Charles Town, November 22nd, 1743, complaining of an illegal trade carried on with the Spaniards, and of the want of a proper authority there to punish such crimes; transmitting likewise the following public papers, viz.:—
Extract from the minutes of Council, with regard to the exchange of prisoners, as also what regards the commanders of his Majesty's ships of war, on this station, from the 25th day of January, 1742, to the 17th day of August, 1743, and also relating to a treasonable correspondence with his Majesty's enemies at St. Augustine.
An account of the duties on goods and merchandises imported, from the 29th September, 1741, to the 25th March, 1743.

Ordered that an extract be made of so much of the said letter, as relates to the illegal trade, and the draught of a letter prepared, for transmitting the same to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

Wednesday, February 29. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene, Sir Charles Gilmour.

South Carolina.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for transmitting an extract of Colonel Bull's letter, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, was laid before the Board, and being agreed to, was transcribed and signed.

Massachusetts Bay.

Read a letter to the Secretary from Mr. Willard, Secretary to the Massachusetts Bay, dated Boston, December 30th, 1743, transmitting the several public papers of that province, following, viz.:—
Minutes of Council, from the 9th of March, 1742–3, to the 15th of August, 1743.
Minutes of General Assembly, from the 31st of March to the 25th of June, 1743.
Twelve Acts, passed at Boston, in April and June, 1743.