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June 11.
Kensington. |
593. Order of Queen, Guardian of the Kingdom, in Council. Confirming Act of Jamaica, to entitle John Golding senr. etc. Signed, W. Sharpe. Endorsed, Recd. 22nd Sept., Read 14th Oct., 1735. 1¼ pp. [C.O. 137, 22. ff. 6, 6v., 9v] |
June 12.
Whitehall. |
594. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Committee of Privy Council. We have considered that part of the memorial of Governor Cunningham referred to us the 10th of May etc. wherein he prays that H.M. would be graciously pleased to order a supply of ordnance stores and implements to be sent to Jamaica, as absolutely necessary for the safety and defence of that Island, agreeable to the particulars specified in the schedule annexed to his memorial, a copy of which we take leave to subjoin to this report. We have conferred upon this occasion with Mr. Cunningham; and considering the importance of this Colony to Great Britain which makes it highly proper that they should be supplyed with necessary quantities of military stores and arms, either to repel a foreign enemy or reduce their own slaves in rebellion, we are humbly of opinion that H.M. should be graciously pleased to order the cannon, arms, stores and implements particularised in the annexed schedule to be sent to Jamaica. But with respect to the small arms, we would humbly propose that they should be put into the custody of a fort major, or other proper officer, in the principal fort or magazine of the Island, to be issued by him as H.M. service may require, under this provisoe, that whenever arms shall be delivered out either to the Captains or other officers of H.M. Forces or to the inhabitants of the Island, security shall allways be taken by the said Fort Major or other proper officer, for the return of the said arms in good condition, so soon as the service for which they were deliver'd out shall be performed, or the value of them in mony, according to the rate that shall be setled by the Office of Ordnance. And whereas Mr. Cunningham hath observed in his memorial, that there are now lying at Port Royal six fine brass mortars, from thirty to twelve inches diameter, which were left there after the expedition to Guardeloupe and are of no use at Jamaica, we would therefore propose that Mr. Cunningham may have orders to return the said mortars and the shells that belong to them to the Office of Ordnance. Annexed, |
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594. i. List of ordnance stores building and implements submitted by Governor Cunningham. [C.O. 138, 18. pp. 18–23]. |
June 12.
Whitehall. |
595. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Committee of the Privy Council. We have considered the contents of a letter from Jonathan Belcher Esqr. H.M. Governor of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, dated the 9th day of January last, referr'd to us by Your Lord'ps. the first day of ye last month, wherein he takes notice of the bounties that have been setled for three years to come by the Assembly of that Province upon hemp and flax raised there; and proposes that H.M. should send a thousand bushells of the best Riga hemp seed as a present to the poor farmers in New England, there being scarce two hundred bushells of hemp seed in that Province, and the farmers being too poor to purchase it. Whereupon considering that the quantity of hemp seed desired by Mr. Belcher may be purchased at a small expence; and that it is to be hoped such a seasonable assistance will encourage the people of New England to use their best industry in raising hemp, which if successfully cultivated in that Province may in time contribute to render this Kingdom less dependent on the northern Crowns for a supply of this commodity so essential to the support of H.M. Navy and of our navigation in general, we are humbly of opinion that it may be for H.M. service to grant Mr. Belcher's request.[C.O. 5, 917. pp. 123, 124]. |
June 13.
Whitehall. |
596. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Committee of Privy Council. Report upon petition of Robert Wright, H.M. Chief Justice in S. Carolina for his salary etc. Have heard thereupon Mr. Furye, agent for the Province, Mr. Hume formerly Speaker, and Mr. Shelton Secretary to the late Lords Proprietors. Continue:—During all the time S. Carolina was in the hands of the late Lords Proprietors the then Chief Justice was constantly paid a salary of £100 sterl. out of the quitrents etc. Since S. Carolina hath been purchased by the Crown, the Assembly did give £1000 current mony to the late Chief Justice Mr. Allen, as a salary for one year; and altho' no salary was afterwards settled upon him, yet upon making up their accounts, they then allow'd and paid him his arrears for three years and upwards. Wherefore we would propose that the Governor should be directed to recommend it to the Assembly in the strongest manner, that the arrears due to Mr. Wright may be paid to him. But we are humbly of opinion that it would be more for the dignity of his station, and conducive to a more steady and equal distribution of Justice, if the Chief Justice was made independant of the Assembly, and his salary for the future paid by His Majesty out of the quit rents arising there, or in any other manner H.M. shall be pleased to direct. [C.O. 5, 401. pp. 137–139.] |
June 13.
Council Office.
Cockpit. |
597. Mr. Sharpe to Mr. Popple. I am to desire, that you will be pleased to acquaint the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, that at the Duke of Newcastle's request, a Committee of Council for Plantation affairs is summoned to meet at this office on Wednesday next at eleven o'clock, and that their Lordships are desired to attend the said Committee. Signed, W. Sharpe. Endorsed, Recd. 13th, Read 17th June, 1735. 1 p. [C.O. 323, 10. ff. 27, 30v.] |
June 17.
Whitehall. |
598. Circular letter from the Council of Trade and Plantations to Governors of Plantations in America and West Indies, (including Governors and Companies of Rhode I. and Connecticut). Desire a list to be prepared and transmitted to them as soon as possible of the laws and accounts required upon the Address of the House of Commons, 12th May. [C.O. 324, 12. pp. 121, 122]. |
| June 17. |
599. Postscript in above circular letter, addressed to Mr. Dottin, President of the Council of Barbados:—We take this opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 16th of April 1735. We are very sorry for the death of Lord Howe, and we hope you will take all possible care in the administration of publick affairs, until H.M. shall think proper to appoint another Governor. [C.O. 29, 16. p. 37.] |
June 17.
Whitehall. |
600. Council of Trade and Plantations to Governor Cunningham. H.M. having been pleased, upon the Address of the House of Commons, dated the 9th of the last month to direct us to prepare, in order to be lay'd before that House the next session of Parliam't an account of the amount of the mony which has been raised in the Island of Jamaica under your government by any duties or impositions on the importation or exportation of negroes, wines, or any other foods or merchandizes, or by any other taxes payable by or collected upon the inhabitants of the said Island for ten years last past, distinguishing each year; we desire you will forthwith upon receipt hereof, cause to be prepared and transmit to us as soon as possible the accounts above mentioned, so we bid you heartily farewell etc. [C.O. 138,18. p. 24.] |
June 18.
Whitehall. |
601. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council. In reply to May 24, enclose following. Annexed, |
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601. i. Draft of H.M. Additional Instruction to Governor Mathew. An Act of St. Xtophers for continuing the duties of gunpowder etc., has been repealed etc., But it having been represented that in the present case it may be necessary to continue the duty of gunpowder and small arms (in the same manner as it stood before the making of this act) upon the tonnage of all vessels loading to and with that island, It is therefore our will and pleasure that you do give your assent to an act for that purpose to continue in force for three years, provided care be taken to oblige the proper offices for collecting this duty to receive it in kind only if gunpowder may possibly be procured; and likewise that he be in that case restrained from commuting gunpowder for mony; but so far as the quantity of gunpowder shall fall short, the duty to be made up in mony. [C.O. 153, 16. pp. 1–3.] |
June 18.
St. Christophers. |
602. Governor Mathew to Mr. Popple. Begins with duplicate of 5th May. Continues:—To these I now add in another packett that comes by this ship the following publick papers to be laid before their Lordships, vizt., The Minutes you wrote for of the Council of Montserat from 2nd June 1730 to 5 Febry. 1731. The Registers for four parishes in Nevis of births and burials for one year ending with 31 Oct. 1734. There is a 5th parish in that Island, but no regular register kept by the last incumbent. The Treaser. of Montserat's accompt provd upon oath from 8 Oct.1733 to the 1st Feb. 1734/5. Six acts of the Island of St. Christophers you mention not to have been transmitted, and wch. I have attested upon the Deputy Secretary's oath, to be true copys, and he assures me these compleat are the St. Christophers laws with those already transmitted. These were pass'd out of my time and I am therefore to say nothing of them. I pray you will return my thanks to their Lordships for the book of Antigua Acts. I have no more to add but a transcript of the Minutes of Council of St. Christophers of 18 Septr. and 24 Septr. 1733, relating to the Clerk of the Assembly of this Island that I removd, wch. I think proper to send, lest his brother in law Mr. Spooner should suggest any particular want of patience in me, and to prove I only remov'd an incorrigible old offender. The Legislature of Nevis have pass'd an Act to continue the duty on liquors imported and revenue that Island has had before my memory, but as I am restraind from passing laws that affect the trade of Great Britain, I send it you as pass'd by both Houses, without my passing it, and desire you will lay it before their Lordships, either for to [be] remitted back to me to pass it, or to be rejected. These are the benefits we owe to the sollicitations of our enemys at home, that owe their all to us. I speak as a planter. I have at last, after a very long sett of disapointed projects, got a list of the men able to bear arms in all the Carribee Islands belonging to the French, which I desire you will inform their Lordships of. It is enclosd. I can (I think) vouch it to be a true one; the person that got it for me is ready to affirm upon his oath that he himself made the copy of it, out of the office books at Martenica, and he is a man of noted fair caracter. It cost a little money. Pray observe on it to their Lordships, that tho' St. Vincent, Sta. Lucia, and Domenica are part of the Government of Barbados, I hope they will not be displeasd that I go out of my own to remark, that the French keep still the six familys as a possession on Sta. Lucia, St. Vincent I can say no more to, but as to Domenica I have intercepted a letter from Quebec with the following direction, A Monsieur Le Grand Commandant des François de La Dominique a I' Isle de La Dominique. So that their denying their having any pretence to any sort of Government on those Islands (on this especially) is all false, and they are dayly spreading over these three Islands to make French Governments of you, so to increase their power, as to make our destruction, but a plaything to you. And I know that notwithstanding the positive orders for evacuating Sta. Lucia, Lord Howe and Capt. Reddish were prevailed upon by soft words and entreatys to let these six poor familys remain out of meer charity. I have all the details of the subtile pageantry on that occasion. Signed, William Mathew. Endorsed, Recd. 21st Aug., Read 10th Sept. 1735. Holograph. 2 pp. Enclosed, |
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602. i. Numbers of men able to bear arms from the age of fourteen to the age of sixty in the French Caribee Islands taken for the year 1735. But compleated not till the 20th Feby. of that year. N.S. |
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Men |
Soldiers
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Familys
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Martenica .. |
8973 |
1312 |
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Guadeloup .. |
1821 |
40 |
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Grandeterre .. |
2211 |
25 |
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Marigalante .. |
270 |
12 |
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Les Saintes .. |
79 |
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La Grande Grenade .. |
381 |
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Les Grenadines |
65 |
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St. Vincent .. .. |
117 |
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Domenica .. .. |
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about |
100 |
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Sta. Lucia .. .. |
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|
6 |
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Total .. |
13,917 |
1389 |
106 |
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N.B.—Pere Labat tho' a French man makes the whole Militia of Guadeloup and Grandeterre and of the Saints too, if I mistake not (for I have mislaid his sixth volume), not quite fifteen hundred and now they are 4111 by an old [blank]. 1 p. |
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602. ii. Minutes of Council of St. Christopher, 18th and 24th Sept., 1733, relating to the suspension of John Griffis, Clerk of the Assembly, for neglecting to transmit minutes of Assembly to the Governor. He was allowed a month for drawing out all the minutes he had not yet transcribed, on pain of being suspended etc. Endorsed as covering letter. Copy. 2½ pp. |
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602. iii. Account of revenue of Montserrat, Oct. 8, 1733.Total, receipts £2585 19s., leaving balance of £146 10s. 6½d. current money in the Treasurer's hands. Audited in Council, sworn to by, John Roynon, Treasurer. 2 pp. |
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602. iv. List of Christenings (12) and burials (32) in the parsh. of St. Paul, Nevis, 1st Nov. 1733–31st Oct., 1734.With note by Minister:—It dos not lie in the Minister's way to take an acct. of the births; but as the children born here (except those of the Jews, which are but few now) are all baptized, an acct. of the christenings wou'd be much the same as the births, were it not for a late irregular practice of christening and marrying in the parishes of others, whenever opportunities can be got, which (among other inconveniences) renders it impracticable for the Keeper of this register to be exact in the number of christenings etc., none of such names being brought him to be registred or registred anywhere etc. Signed Robert Provertson, minr. of St. Paul's and Keeper of the Parish Register. 1 long p. |
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602. v. List of christenings (8) and Burials (6) in the parish of St. John's, of St. Thomas etc. christenings (7), burials(9); Nevis, 1st Nov., 1733—31st Oct., 1734. Signed, W. Wharton. 1½ pp. |
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602. vi. List of Christenings (10) and Burials (13) in the parish of St. George, Nevis, 1st Nov. 1733—31st Oct.1734. Signed, John Newbery, Register. 1 p. Nos. iii–vi. endorsed as covering letter
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602. vii. Rev. Robert Davidson to Governor Mathew. 26th June, 1735. Returns thanks for his having secured him a comfortable settlement etc. Cannot send list of burials and baptisms, as his predecessor kept no register etc. Signed Robert Davidson. Same endorsement.1 p. [C.O. 152, 21. ff. 156–161, 162–164, 165v., 166,169v.] |
June 19.
New York. |
603. Governor Cosby to the Council of Trade and Plantations. In my letter to yr. Lordships of the 10th inst., I lay'd before you the beheavour of some of H.M. Council of this Province and the difficultys I shall lye under in the discharge of my duty to H.M. in the trust repos'd in me if these men be not remov'd from their seats at this board. I had not then fully resolv'd whome to recommend to yr. Lordships to succeed, but now, my Lords, I have thought of those whose fortunes and caracters are amongst the foremost in this Province for reputation and estate and as such I recommend them to yr Lordships, and they are these Thos. Freeman Esqr. who maryed one of my daughters, and Mr. John Moore a considerable merchant in this town. Signed, W. Cosby. Endorsed., Recd. 2nd, Read 14th Aug., 1735. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 1057. ff. 175, 178v.] |
June 19.
New York. |
604. Same to Same. Transmits five acts of New York, (i) for raising £50 in Schenectady; (ii) for building a wharf in Albany etc.; (iii) for repairing a road in Albany County; (iv) to ascertain the heights of fences in King's County; (v) for discharging two bonds, a private act etc. Signed and endorsed as preceding. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 1057. ff. 176, 177v.] |
