|
| July 2. |
627. Mr. Solicitor General to Mr. Popple. I have perused
the Act to enable Giles and Samuel Watkins to alien certain plantations in Antigua (v. 20th June). I find that they are tenants in
taile and might by a common recovery in England if the land
were here doe what this Act enables them to doe. Therefore
since there are no common recoveries there and since the inducements to pass this Act there was a very reasonable foundation
for it I am humbly of opinion that this Act is proper for approbation. Signed, Wm. Thomson. Endorsed, Recd. 5th, Read 8th
July, 1717. ½ p. [C.O. 152, 12. No. 3; and 153, 13. p. 50.] |
July 3.
Whitehall. |
628. Council of Trade and Plantations to the King. We
find no objection against the confirmation of the Act of St.
Christophers to enable William Mathew, etc., if your Majesty shall
be graciously pleas'd to consent to the appropriation of Brimstone Hill etc. as 27th June. [C.O. 153, 13. pp. 41, 42.] |
July 3.
Jamaica. |
629. Peter Heywood, C. in C. of Jamaica, to the Council of
Trade and Plantations. Since my letter of 6th June, which went
by a small sloop bound for Bristol, etc. nothing of moment hath
happend noe account of pyrates from any part only the agreable
news wee have had from New England of Bellamy with his ship
and Company's perishing on ye shoals off of Cape Codd. This
goes by the Winchelsea, Capt. Candler, with a fleet of about 20
sail wch. he promises his endeavour to see safe thro' the Windward passage (at least so many of them as are able to beat up to
Windward) etc. Signed, Peter Heywood. Endorsed, Recd. 14th
Sept., Read 19th Nov., 1717. 1 p. Subscribed, |
|
629. i. Same to Same. Jamaica, June 6, 1717. Refers to
letter etc. of 10th of May etc. sent by H.M.S. Solebay
and Adventure who sayled 13th with a very rich fleet,
etc. Copy. ½ p. [C.O. 137, 12. Nos. 97, 97 i.; and
138, 16. pp. 7, 8.] |
July 3.
Whitehall. |
630. Mr. Popple to Mr. Carkesse. Encloses draught of
Instructions relating to the Acts of the Trade and Navigation, the
same as those given for several years past to the Governors of
Jamaica, etc. Col. Laws intending to depart for his Government
with all speed, the Council of Trade and Plantations will be glad
to know the sentiments of the Custom House Board hereupon as
soon as may be. [C.O. 138, 15. pp. 231, 232.] |
July 3.
Whitehall. |
631. Council of Trade and Plantations to Mr. Secretary
Addison. Enclose following. We are preparing the necessary
Instructions with all possible dispatch. Annexed, |
|
631. i. Draught of H.M. Commission for Sir Nicholas Lawes
Kt. to be Governor of Jamaica. Westminster, 23rd
Aug., 1717. In the usual form. [C.O. 138, 15. pp.
233–256; and 5, 189. pp. 318–333.] |
July 3.
Whitehall. |
632. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Lords Commissioners of H.M. Treasury. The Earl of Carbery having signed
a letter of attorney in 1709 for surrendering certain lands in
Jamaica to the Crown, containing about 1000 acres, which were
intended for some of the poor Palatines then in this Kingdom;
But those people were otherwise dispos'd of, and the said lre. of
attorney never sent to Jamaica to be put in execution; and
before we comply with the Lord Marquiss of Winchester's request,
who has desired a copy; we thought it proper to know whether
the arrear of quit rents due from the said Earl were remitted
him which we are inform'd was taken to be in consideration of
this letter of attorney, and whether your Lordships have any
objection to our giving such a copy, the said Marquiss having
married the daughter and heiress of the said Earl. [C.O. 138, 15.
pp. 257, 258.] |
July 3.
Whitehall. |
633. Same to Mr. Secretary Addison. Enclose extract of
Governor Hunter's letter of May 13, relating to some ill practices
made use of to keep up divisions and foment disorders in Jersey,
to the great disturbance of the Province which must necessarily
put those people in the utmost confusion, etc. Autograph signatures. Endorsed with Mem. of reply Aug 22. q.v. 1 p. Enclosed, |
|
633. i. Extract of Governor Hunter's letter of May 13th.
1½ pp. [C.O. 5, 980. Nos. 40, 40 i.; and (without
extract) 5, 995. pp. 335, 336.] |
| July 4. |
634. Ambrose Philips to Wm. Popple. Encloses following
to be added to those "I gave you before in vindication of Govr.
Hunter," etc. Signed, A. Philips. Endorsed, Recd. 5th July,
Read 27th Nov., 1717. Addressed. 1 p. Enclosed, |
|
634. i. Samuel Bustall to?—. London Nov. 1, 1716. Dear
dear Gracey, etc. On 20th Oct. we arrived safe att
Bristoll, etc. Describes voyage. Continues: "As to
our busness we are assured of success my Lord High
Chanceler is intierly on our side and so is my Lord
Townsend Secretary att State. Col. Coxe's father has
a vast intrust with Lord Chancellor, etc. My Lord
Summers is dead and the Duke of Argile is out of everything and by the King was banished ye Cort so that
Coll. Hunter has not one friend att Cort and 'tis thought
he will be ruined about the pollentines (= Palatines Ed.)
bills as soon as he is out of his Goverment thare two
Gentlemen laying in for the Goverment viz our Genll.
Waid and one Bowls it is not known who will have it but
our busness is to get a seperate Goverment so that we
shall not trouble ourselves about New York, etc. We
have a fair prospect of accomplishing our busness to be
back by June next but we have to doe wth. grate men
and all grat bodys moufes slow But good friends and
intrust and money will surmount grat difficalltye.
In relation to Mr. Sandmon he has secured his lands but
he has unhapely fell in wth. the wrong intrust to be of
service to us he depends much upon my Lord Clarendine
who is nobody at Cort nor he neaver will be capable of
doing our busness etc. You may communicate som
part of this letter to whome you please of our friends.
Signed, Saml. Bustall. Subscribed, June 16, 1717. My
Ld. Chancellour says that all that relates to him is
pure fiction, etc. Signed, A. Philips. 3 pp. [C.O. 5,
971. Nos. 32, 32 i.] |
July 5.
London. |
635. Capt. Mathew Musson to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. On March last he was cast away on the Bahamas.
At Harbour Island he found about 30 families, with severall
pirates, which frequently are comeing and goeing to purchase
provissons for the piratts vessells at Providence. There were
there two ships of 90 tons which sold provissons to the said pirates,
the sailors of which said they belong'd to Boston. At Habakoe
one of the Bahamas he found Capt. Thomas Walker and others
who had left Providence by reason of the rudeness of the pirates
and settled there. They advis'd him that five pirates made ye
harbour of Providence their place of rendevous vizt. Horngold,
a sloop with 10 guns and about 80 men; Jennings, a sloop with
10 guns and 100 men; Burgiss, a sloop with 8 guns and about 80
men; White, in a small vessell with 30 men and small armes;
Thatch, a sloop 6 gunns and about 70 men. All took and destroyd ships of all nations except Jennings who took no English;
they had taken a Spanish ship of 32 gunns, which they kept in
the harbour for a guardship. Ye greatest part of the inhabitants
of Providence are. already gone into other adjacent islands to
secure themselves from ye pirates, who frequently plunder them.
Most of the ships and vessells taken by them they burn and
destroy when brought into the harbour and oblidge the menn to
take on with them. The inhabitants of those Isles are in a miserable condition at present, but were in great hopes that H.M.
would be graciously pleas'd to take such measures, which would
speedily enable them to return to Providence their former settlement, there are severall more pirates than he can now give an
accot. of that are both to windward and to leward of Providence
that may ere this be expected to rendevous there he being apprehensive that unless the Governmt. fortify this place the pirates
will to protect themselves. Signed, Mathew Musson. Endorsed,
Read 5th July, 1717. 1½ pp. [C.O. 5, 1265. No. 73.] |
July 8.
Whitehall. |
636 Council of Trade and Plantations to the King. Recommend for H.M. approbation Act of Antigua to enable Giles
and Samuel Walkins etc. (v. 2nd July). [C.O. 153, 13. p. 51.] |
July 8.
Whitehall. |
637. Same to Mr. Secretary Addison. We enclose for your
information an extract of Governor Hamilton's letter, 15th May,
relating to a new settlement intended by the French upon St.
Alusia (which we take to mean St. Lucia, one of the Islands belonging to H.M. Government of Barbadoes) and concerning the
seizure and confiscation of a ship belonging to H.M. subjects
at Martinico etc. [C.O. 153, 13. pp. 56, 57.] |
July 8.
Whitehall. |
638. Mr. Popple to Mr. Burchett. Encloses extract of
Governor Hamilton's letter, 15th May, to be laid before the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty. [C.O. 153, 13. pp. 57, 58.] |
July 8.
Admiralty Office. |
639. Mr. Burchett to Mr. Popple. Encloses following from
Capt. Candler, now employed in surveying the sea coasts of
several places in the West Indies etc. Signed, J. Burchett. Endorsed, Recd. 8th July, Read 16th Aug., 1717. Addressed. 1 p.
Enclosed, |
|
639. i. Capt. Candler, H.M.S. Winchelsea, to Mr. Secretary
Burchett. 12th May, 1717. Report on the Virgin
Islands. Virgin Gorda is for the most part a barren
mountain; an open bay to anchor, but a good road; a
rocky dry and barren soil produces only Indian corn,
yams and potatoes, they have some sugar canes, but
very short, never grow to that perfection fit to make
sugar, they make only a litle rum of them, which they
drink themselves, they have a few catle, but most goates,
here are 54 families, and but 53 men fit to bear arms,
being about 400 men, women and children and 210
blacks, they make a litle cotton, and indigo and carry
it to St. Christophers to sell, and some lignum vitæ and
that's all their trade. Beef Island. 4 families live on it.
They have nothing but Indian corn, yams and potatoes,
and a little cotton there is good anchoring. Tortola
is a mountainous Island etc. They have but 38 families,
containing 320 men, women and children, 44 men to
bear arms, and 203 blacks, tho this is a better Island
than Virgin Gorda, yet they have nothing but Indian
corn, potatoes and yams and a little cotton, and some
sugar canes to make rum, lignum vitæ they have in all
those Islands, there are several bays for anchoring, and
hurricane harbours for sloops and smal vessels, as there
are at Peters Island and St. Johns for ships, there was a
settlement formerly at a good Bay called the Old Road,
and a smal Fort, but it's all gone to ruin, they have but
one gun at Virgin Gorda, but no carriage, nor Fort.
One Capt. Hall who was a privatier in the war time is
Govr. of this Island appointed by the Genl. of the Leeward Islands, the Govr. is lately dead of Virgin Gorda,
they have only a poor ignorant man they made choice
of themselves. This being the present condition of
those Islands, my humble opinion is, that they are not
worth while to the Government, either to setle them,
or be at any expence at all about them, for such smal
Islands can never maintain a sufficient number of people,
to defend them, from the least insult, for they can never
be otherwise than a nest for pirates as they are now, for
they caresst them, and gave them money, so that several
of them serv'd with the pirates, while they were thereabouts. When we came they hid themselves in the
Rocks, one Ham a notorious villain living on Beef Island
was on board of Bellame the Pirate when he was here,
and as soon as they fired a gun at Virgin Gorda, he betook himself to a Bermuda boat he has and his negroes,
and lurkt about the creeks and islands, until we were
gone, there are no other Islands here inhabited by H.M.
subjects, but those three, nor by any other people except
St. Thomas, which is pretty well improved, they have
a good harbour, and a fort of about 40 guns, belonging
to the King of Denmark, but all rogues and pirates and
are compounded of all nations, and yet poor they make
some sugar but not good. Copy. 2½ pp. [C.O. 152,
12. Nos. 10, 10 i.; and 153, 13. pp. 79–83.] |
July 8.
Whitehall. |
640. Mr. Secretary Addison to the Governor of the Leeward
Islands. The King having received advice from the Court of
France, that the Island of Martinica has lately revolted from the
French Government, and sent away the Governor and Intendant
thereof and the Regent of France having desired of H.M. that
none of the neighbouring Islands, or other Dominions belonging
to the Crown of Great Britain, may countenance or encourage
that Rebellion, I am commanded to signify H.M. directions to you
upon this occasion, that in regard to the friendship and amity
subsisting between us and France, and to the good correspondence,
which H.M. is always desirous to maintain with the Regent, you
should not only prevent and hinder, as much as in you lyes, the
giving any manner of protection or assistance to any of the persons
concerned in the said Rebellion, but that you should likewise
pursue such further methods for discountenancing and discouraging the revolt, as may be consistent with your authority, and
without prejudice to H.M. service in those parts. As it is H.M.
intention, that you should pay a very particular regard to what
has been represented on this head from France you will take the
first occasion of giving your orders thereupon, not only to the
Island whereon you reside at present but likewise to all the other
Charibee Islands under your direction, to the end that nothing
may happen in those H.M. Dominions, whereby the Regent may
loose any proper opportunity of reducing the rebells to obedience.
Signed, J. Addison. |
|
A like letter was written, mutatis mutandis, to the other
Governors of Plantations, and duplicates sent to my Lord Stairs
with flying seals, etc. [C.O. 324, 33. pp. 88–90.] |
July 10.
Admty. Office. |
641. Mr. Burchett to Mr. Popple. I am commanded by my
Lords Commissrs. of the Admiralty to acquaint you that H.M.
ships in the Plantations are ordered to clean twice a year, and that
one of the King's sloopes is ordered to joyn the Seaford from
Jamaica, but that as to the Governers wearing the Flagg when on
board the King's ships, their Lordps. cannot in any wise admit
thereof. Signed, J. Burchett. Endorsed, Recd. 10th, Read 11th
July, 1717. Addressed. 1 p. [C.O. 152, 12. No. 5; and 153,
13. p. 58.] |
July 10.
N. York. |
642. John and Frances Riggs to Charles Delafaye. Private
affairs. Cf. 11th May. Signed, John and Fr. Riggs. Addressed.
1 p. [C.O. 5, 1092. No. 4,] |
| July 10. |
643. Traders to Virginia to the [? Council of Trade and
Plantations]. Contrary to the regulations forbidding officers
of the Customs to trade, frieght or own ships, Daniel McCartey,
Collector of South Potomack, is a very great trader for his own
accot. and factor for others etc. Pray for his dismissal. Signed,
James Anderson and 10 others. Endorsed, Recd. Read 10th July,
1717. Copy. 2 pp. [C.O. 5, 1318. No. 11.] |
July 10.
Treary Chambers. |
644. Mr. Lowndes to Mr. Popple. The Lords of the Treasury
refer enclosed to the Council of Trade and Plantations for their
report. Signed, W. Lowndes. Endorsed, Recd. 10th, Read 11th
July, 1717. Addressed. 1 p. Enclosed, |
|
644. i. Petition of Francis Kennedy to the Lords Commissrs.
of the Treasury. Duplicate of June 21st. [C.O. 5, 1318.
Nos. 12, 12 i.; and 5, 1364. pp. 478–480.] |
| July 11. |
645. Mr. Popple to Mr. Carkesse. Encloses petition against
Mr. McCartey, (July 10), to be laid before the Commissioners of
Customs etc. [C.O. 5, 1318. p. 477.] |
July 12.
Whitehall. |
646. Mr. Secretary Addison to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. It being for H.M. service that the accounts of the
Revenue in the Plantations be constantly transmitted hither in
order to H.M. being informed from time to time of the true state
thereof as occasion may require: I am commanded to desire your
Lops. will remind the respective Governors of their Instructions
in that behalfe. And as your Lops. may have some of the said
accounts by you, I am for the present to desire you would let me
know how the Revenue of the quit-rents in Virginia stands: that
is to say, whether that Revenue be appropriated to any particular
use, and whether it be absolutely in the disposal of the Crown.
Your Lops. answer is desired as soon as conveniently may be.
Signed, J. Addison. Endorsed, Recd. 15th, Read 19th July, 1717.
1 p. [C.O. 323, 7. No. 101; and 324, 10. pp. 122, 123.] |
| July 13. |
647. Memorandum of new Commission appointing Tho.
Pelham, Danl. Pulteney and Martin Bladen Commissioners for
promoting trade etc. in the room of Sr. Jacob Astley, Jno. Cokburne and Jos. Addison. Endorsed, Recd. 18th, Read 19th
July, 1717. ½ p. [C.O. 388, 77. No. 29.] |
July 15.
St. James's. |
648. Order of King in Council. Referring following to the
Council of Trade and Plantations for their report. Signed,
Edward Southwell. Endorsed, Recd. Read 19th July, 1717.
¾ p. Enclosed, |
|
648. i. Petition of Charles Long to the King. No steps having
been taken by the Assembly of Jamaica in pursuance of
the Order in Council, Nov. 22, 1714 (q.v.), prays that
the Act for the relief of the inhabitants of Kingston may
be rejected. (v. A.P.C. II. No. 1211.) Copy. 2¼ pp.
[C.O. 137, 12. Nos. 48, 48 i.; and 138, 15. pp. 263–267.] |
July 15.
Whitehall. |
649. Mr. Secretary Addison to the Council of Trade and Plantations. H.M. having directed His Attorney General to prepare the
draught of a Proclamation, promising a pardon to the pyrates in
the West Indies upon certain conditions therein to be mentioned;
and H.M. having at the same time referred his said Attorney
General to your Lops. for his particular directions in that matter;
I am hereby to signify to your Lops. H.M. pleasure for that
purpose, that you should furnish him with the proper lights for
the said Proclamation, that it may most effectually answer the
end of reducing the said pyrates to obedience. Signed, J. Addison.
Endorsed, Recd. 15th, Read 23rd July, 1717. 1 p. [C.O. 323,
7. No. 103; and 324, 10. pp. 125, 126.] |
| July 15. |
650. Mr. Kennedy's account of his expences (v. 21st June),
sworn before R. Holford, Master in Chancery. Signed, Francis
Kennedy. Endorsed, Recd. 16th, Read 23rd July, 1717. 2 pp.
[C.O. 5, 1318. No. 15.] |
July 15.
Antigua. |
651. Governor Hamilton to the Council of Trade and Plantations. On the 11th June last I received duplicate of a letter
from your Lordship's bearing date the 4th Aug., 1715, requiring
an acct. of the publick revenue etc., all which I observe, but as
the originall never came to my hands, so it is impossible for me
at this juncture to give your Lordships a distinct and satisfactory
answer thereto. However I must confess, that the information
which your Lordships had of the country's debts being unpay'd,
and the Island's in a bad state of defence was but to just, and I
could wish I had it in my power to tell your Lordship's that they
were now in a better condition in either respects, but to the great
concerne of the inhabitants, as well as my selfe, many of the
publick debts are still unpaied, and the Island still in a verry
bad condition of defence. The severe taxes which the inhabitant[s] of this Island in particular have laboured under during the
course of the last warr's, with the extravagant rates which they
were obliged to give for all necessary's of life, reduced them to
verry great hardships' as well as run them greatly in debt, boath
in theire publick and private capacity's, but I must do them the
justice to acquaint your Lordship's, that they have not only
chearfully boare the same, but have really annually raised considerable sum's to discharge theire publick debts, and had it not
been for the misfortune of a verry severe spell of drey weather,
which the Islands have been afflicted with for these eight or nine
month past, I verrily beleve this Island would have been near
clear of debt by the latter end of this crop, the Assembly in the
beginning of the yeare having raised a tax of £13,000 for paying
theire publick debts, and defraying the contingent charges of the
ensuing year, But the circumstances of the people I believe will
not admitt of it's being collected this yeare, however I dare
affirme they will do all they can to answer theire taxes, and I am
in hopes, that the inhabitants of the other Islands won't be
wanting on theire part's. And as soone as they have discharged
theire incumbrances, I beleve they will not faile of entring on
such worcks as maybe for theire publick defence, but till then it
will be almost impossible for them, however I shall take occasion
from your Lordship's letter to recommend the same to them
againe, and withall your Lordship's may depend, that nothing on
my part shall be wanting to gett the Islands put into a good posture of defence. The annuall expences of these Islands are verry
uncertaine, so that I cannot give your Lordships an exact amount
thereof, But the acts which are made for the raising our publick
taxes, will from time to time inform your Lordship's of the sums
that are raised in each Island, with the manner thereof, as well
as the uses to which it is apropriated. The publick accounts of
each Island are examined and inspected by a Committee of
Councill and Assembly in the manner your Lordship's proposed,
But I do not find that any Chiefe Governour has hitherto ever
troubled your Lordships with copy's thereof, However seeing it is
your Lordship's directions, I shall take care that copy's are made
and transmitted to your Lordships. At present our stores of
warr are but inconsiderable in any of the Island's, but I shall
order an acct. to be taken and transmitted to your Lordship's, in
the meane time, I must observe to your Lordships, that our
stores are chiefly provided at the expence of the respective
Island's, and are expended, and made use of for the service of
the severall Island to which they belong, by which means it often
happens that in time of warr, the Island's are destitute of small
armes, as well as of severall other particulars that are absolutely
necessary for the defence thereof, so that if your Lordship's will
be pleased to use your endeavours to procure a good magazine
of small armes etc. to be sent to these parts, it will be of great service
to these Collony's. The hardship's the inhabitants underwent
during the course of the last warr, in paying of taxes, and performance of personall duty, with the devastations committed of
Nevis, St. Christophers and Mountseratt, by the invasion of the
French has obliged many of them to quit these Island's, so that
the number of white men able to bear armes is but small, which
has been taken into consideration by my selfe and Councill with
the Assembly of this Island, and thereupon wee past a law for
encouraging the importation of white servants, as conceiving it
the best and only expedient that could be taken for peopling
and setling the Islands which Act has been transmitted to your
Lordship's in order to be layed before H.M. for his approbation,
but wee have no acct. as yett whether it will or not obtaine the
Royall Assent, being informed it has met with some obstruction
at home from particular persons, who I am afraid in so doing,
have more theire owne interest, than the publick welfare at heart.
However if your Lordships shall not think the saied Law fitt
to be passed by H.M., I shall submitt, but I can assure your
Lordsps. that without some Act of that kind, our number of
white men will not soone be much augmented. The poor inhabitant[s]
of Anguilla whom I gave your Lordship's formerly
an acct. of theire desiring to remove to Saint a Cruis, or some
other of the virgine Islands, have almost been famish'd by reason
of the long spell of drey weather, and the barrenness of that
Island, have now againe been wth. me to renew theire former
request, I therefore beg your Lordship's direction in this particular,
for I fear wee shall otherwaise loose a great many of them,
who if not soone provided for will I am informd setle upon the
Island Saint Martin's belonging to the States of Holland, and
of consequence so many good men lost, whereas if they were
provided for as I formerly advised your Lordship's, with small
plantations, or tracts of land out of the former French ground of
Saint Christophers, it would prove of advantage to H.M. revenue,
and the strenghning of all the other Island's, but I shall likewise refer this to your Lordship's better judgment. The assurance your Lordships are pleased to give of your attention and best
endeavours to assist me in promoting the good and advantage of
H.M. subjects in my Government, and of supporting me in the
due execution of my office, lays the inhabitants, as well as myselfe,
under a verry singular obligation to your Lordships, and therefore,
I shall not faile, as occasions serve, to represent to your Lordship's
wtever I conceive may tend thereto, and withall, I hope
in all other respects to discharge my duty, so as to answer the
trust reposed in me by my Royall Master etc. Signed, W.
Hamilton. Endorsed, Recd. 30th Sept., Read 16th Oct., 1717.
Holograph. 5 pp. [C.O. 152, 12. No. 47; and 153, 13.pp.
114–120.] |
