|
December 11.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers. |
146. Present:—Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Clayton, Sir Wm. Yonge.
The Paymaster of the Forces' memorial of this day, enclosing Sir Joseph Eyles's proposal for remittances to the forces at Minorca and Gibraltar, read and agreed to as follows, the rates of exchange being certified to be as usual:—
14,000 dollars for Minorca, payable at sight in gold, at 55d. per dollar.
24,800 dollars for Gibraltar, payable at sight in gold, at 54½d. per dollar.
The memorial of the Charitable Corporation for directions to be given for the prosecuting Sir Archibald Grant and others, pursuant to the address of the House of Commons, and His Majesty's answer thereto, read and ordered to be transmitted to Mr. Paxton to pursue such measures as the Attorney and Solicitor General shall advise.
The petition of Sir Charles Duckenfield and others for remitting a fine of 50l. to be paid by the town of Macclesfield on renewing a lease of the bakehouse there, in regard the said bakehouse has been destroyed by fire since the application for renewal, read and agreed to.
Order for a warrant, on the Excise Commissioners' report of the 16th ultimo, for repaying to the sufferers at Tiverton the Excise duty on beer, cyder, and candles, consumed in the late dreadful fire.
The representation of the same Commissioners of the 4th instant, on the escape of five smugglers from Norwich Gaol, and against a reward for their apprehension till the writs now out against them be returned by the sheriff, read and to be reconsidered on a proper occasion.
The report of the Customs Commissioners of the 10th instant, on Samuel Davis's petition for reward for recovering 3,222l. 14s. 4¼d. for the benefit of the Crown, read and 500l. allowed, “and since the whole debt from the petitioner to the Crown has by this means been recovered, agreed that the interest due on his bonds be also remitted.”
The petition of Rice Vaughan, Sir Nicho. Williams, and others, his securities,for time to answer Vaughan's debt of 3,251l. 16s. 10½d. as collector of Excise, read and referred to the Excise Commissioners.
The Salt Commissioners and Sir Richard Lane to attend to-morrow at 12 forenoon on Sir Richard's complaint of extents taken out at said Commissioners' order against Mr. Bullock, of Worcester, with whom he is concerned, the matters in dispute depending now at law.
The petition of Thos. Lake, a prisoner in the Fleet for a debt to the Customs, read and referred to the Customs Commissioners.
John Walthoe, junr. is to be paid by Mr. Lowther, out of the King's money in his hands, 395l. 16s. 8d. for double “Courants” sent to the Post Office every post day from 1733, August 23, to October 22. [Treasury Minute Book XXVII. pp. 230–1.] |
| December 13. |
147. Treasury warrant confirming a Lord Chamberlain's warrant for the provision of furniture, detailed, for His Majesty's service at Hampton Court, Kew, Windsor, and St. James's, including, inter al. items for the Countess of Suffolk, “crimson harrateen and other materials for covering and hanging the room, gallerys, and other places made use of at the installation at Windsor … and to give orders for Arras workers to clean and mend 13 pieces of tapestry hangings at the Princess's house at Kew and to new line some of them,” all at an estimate of 2,164l. [Lord Chamberlain's Warrant Book I. pp. 445–6.] |
| December 13. |
148. Report from the Commissioners of Revenue, Ireland, to the Treasury, on the petition of Francis Alen, of St. Wolstans, Kildare, praying removal of an extent upon his estate for a debt due from him to the Crown as late collector of the revenue in the said county, and that he may be permitted to pay same by instalments of 100l. per annum. Petitioner was educated a Papist, and in 1708 abjured the errors of the Romish Church and conformed to the Church of Ireland, and has since continued a good Protestant and well affected to our present happy constitution in Church and State. Petitioner served as knight of the shire for Kildare, 1724–7, and contested it again at the accession of Geo. I. The Commissioners of Revenue, suspecting he had made use of the King's money for election expenses, suspended his receiving any more public money till his accounts were settled, on the performance whereof he was reinstated. In June 1729, he being indebted to the Crown 764l. 14s. 6d. was dismissed. Only 400l. per annum, part of his estate, was extended. Are of opinion that discharging the extent will be a prejudice to the Crown and the continuing it no great detriment to the petitioner, the debt being likely to be discharged in about a year, 3 pages.
Appending:—(a. ) Said petition. 1 page.
[Treasury Board Papers CCLXXXIV. No. 37.] |
December 13.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers. |
149. Present:—Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Clayton, Sir Wm. Yonge.
The Salt Commissioners and Sir Richard Lane attend. After discoursing the matters in variance between them, it was proposed by their Lordships that the present Attorney and Solicitor General should hear the merits of the cause and thereupon propose methods for bringing all matters in controversy between them to a speedy conclusion, and that the methods so proposed should be binding on both parties. To this Lane declared he would submit. All proceedings on the extents now issued to be stayed meanwhile.
Order for the issue to the Treasurer of the Ordnance of 14,980l. 17s. 4d. out of supplies, 1733, “which completes their quota, except 30,000l. deducted on account of the deficiency of the grants of this year.”
Order for Mr. Lowther, out of the King's money in his hands, to pay to Richard Score 75l. being the deduction at the Custom House of 6d. per £ on his reward of 3,000l. in case it appears that the same is to be deducted.
Order for a warrant for 250l. to Thos. Brian for his service, expense and attendance on the committee for inquiring into Custom House frauds.
Thos. Walker to succeed Christopher Canny as waiter and searcher, Lancaster port.
The case of the estate of Robert Fennick, late of Northumberland, deceased, and now vested in the Crown by the attainder of the Earl of Derwentwater, to be sent to Mr. Paxton, who is to attend the Attorney and Solicitor General for their directions thereupon.
Order for a sign manual for one quarter only to Christmas, 1733, on the annual allowance to the three eldest Princesses, their officers, and servants.
Order for Mr. Lowther to pay, out of the King's money in his hands, 360l. 16s. 8d. for “London Journals” delivered at the Post Office, 1733, June 2, to December 8, and for writing, &c.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVII. p. 232.] |
| December 14. |
150. J. Scrope to John Hill, Esq. [a Commissioner of Customs], desiring his good offices on behalf of Mrs. Coleman, widow of His Majesty's late Resident at Florence, who finds some difficulty at the Customs House in obtaining the delivery of 12 cases of books, three cases of pictures, one case with 12 Cæsar's heads in marble, and one with two small bustos. “For though perhaps several of the books may be in languages in which women are not very conversant yet as well they as the other things having been part of her late husband's family furniture, she is surely entitled to any favour which would have been shown him had he lived to have returned.” [Letter Book XIX. pp. 197–8.] |
| December 15. |
151. Wm. Cosby, Governor of New York, to the Lords of Trade and Plantations. Transmits accounts as in (a) below. On the application of Mr. Clarke, the deputy auditor, is using all authority to oblige the sheriffs to collect the quit rents in their respective counties, and to give security to pay what they should collect to the receiver. But there are several long arrears standing out with suits depending in Chancery, “which by reason of the Governor's residence in Jersey for some part of the year, and his being at other times obliged to meet the six nations of Indians at Albany, have proceeded very slowly, and judging that the Court of Exchequer would be more effectual for the purpose, I recommended it to the Judges of the Supreme Court, who have all along had a power by their commission to hold a Court of Exchequer, to open it; and by the advice of the Council I passed an ordinance for sittings in the vacations for the greater despatch of business, wherein the Attorney General will for the future commence his suits for quit rents.” This has created enemies; the late Chief Justice Morris, though formerly advocating such a method, having now changed his opinion, “and proceeded with that heat and bitterness as showed him rather an advocate for sedition than a Chief Justice of a province.” 1½ pages.
Appending:—(a.) The general account of His Majesty's quit rents for the province of New York, 1730, September 29, to 1732, September 29, stated by Archibald Kennedy, Collector and Receiver General thereof. 4 pages.
(b.) Same of same, 1732, September 29, to 1733, September 29. 4 pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCLXXXIV. No. 40.] |
| December 16. |
152. Warrant under the royal sign manual to Wm. Gooch, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Virginia, establishing a salary of 150l. per annum to Abraham Nicholas, appointed as adjutant to go into the several counties and attend the private musters of troops and companies, and to instruct the officers as well as exercise the men, and a yearly allowance of 250l. to the members of the Council in Virginia, all to date from 1733, October 25; further establishing an allowance of 55/8 per cent. to the Receiver General of royal revenues there to defray the loss by exchange on all moneys directed to be remitted thence, the said allowance to be reduced from time to time as the exchange may happen to fall; all on a report, entered in full, from Horace Walpole, dated 1733, November 8, on the letter from Gooch to the Treasury, of date 1733, July 13.
[King's Warrant Book XXXI. pp. 205–10.] |
[Before
December 17.] |
153. Petition to the Treasury from Mary, wife of David Dunbar, Lieutenant Governor of New Hampshire, and Surveyor General of His Majesty's Woods in America, for her husband's travelling charges as in the narrative annexed. Together with report to the Treasury from the Commissioners of the Navy thereupon, dated Navy Office, 1733, December 17, and minuted with minute as under date 173¾, January 2, infra. 3 pages.
Appending:—(a.) An account of the several services and proceedings of David Dunbar since his arrival in America as Surveyor General of His Majesty's Woods, and Surveyor General of the lands of Nova Scotia. Landed at Boston, 1729, September 22; marked off a large tract of land in Nova Scotia for the use of the Royal Navy, and in a progress of about 36 days viewed Casco and Piscataway. Then visited the woods in New Hampshire and Maine, seizing several parcels of masts and logs, returning in six weeks to Boston to prosecute offenders, but met with much discouragement therein from Mr. Byfield, lately deceased, then. Judge of Vice-Admiralty. In August or September 1730, proposed to Governor Belcher to have an Act in the Massachusetts Province to remedy the defects in the Act of Parliament for the preservation of woods, viz. by a registration of sawmills. It would have passed the House of Representatives, “but that Dr. Cook, a leading man in the House, with passion and resentment, objected to it, saying, I would afterwards ask them to register their wives and children, and so it was thrown out.” Some short time after had a difference with Governor Belcher about the King's right to lands to the eastward of Kennebec river, and thereupon despatched his brother to London and obtained thereon an order from His Majesty in Council, which Governor Belcher refused to receive or publish. In June 1731, embarked for New Hampshire on receiving His Majesty's commission to be Lieutenant Governor there, but was recalled to Frederick Fort, the people there being afraid of the Indians, who complained of his absence, and were discouraged and running into confusion for want of one to regulate and direct them. From September 1731 to June 1733, continued at Frederick Fort, and there received an order from His Majesty in Council, dated August 1732, to quit possession of the above said lands to the Massachusetts Government. Expresses doubts as to how far private property previously laid out was to be held not to come within the Act for the preservation of the woods. Prays allowance for all his above said services.
Together with the attestation of two justices of the peace, dated Portsmouth. New Hampshire, 1733, July 12, of Dunbar's affidavit as to the above narrative of his travelling, &c. 4 pages.
[Trasury Board Papers CCLXXXIV. No. 41.] |
December 18.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers. |
154. Present:—Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Clayton.Order for a warrant for discharging Arthur Onslow, Esq. of the plate delivered to him from the Jewel Office as Speaker of the House of Commons.
Same for a sign manual for 384l. 3s. 6d. to Mr. Joshua Sharpe for expenses in executing the commission and sub-commissions which have been issued for the survey of the offices of the Courts of Justice in England and Wales and inquiry into their fees, and for a further 300l. together with fees on both sums, for his attendance as secretary to the said several commissions, as by the letter from the Lord President of the Council of the 17th instant.
Order for the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy of 109,547l. 13s. 3¼d. out of funds, 1733, for the several services as in his memorial of the 14th instant. A report from the late Commissioners for sale of lands in St. Christopher read, on the petition of Hubert Guichard of 1732, August 16. Their Lordships agree with said report and confirm the contract with Wm. Pim Burt.
The “Liverpool” sloop to be placed on the establishment of the Customs at 323l. 13s. 4¼d. per annum, according to the memorial of the Customs Commissioners of the 14th instant.
Order for Mr. Lowther to pay, out of the King's money in his hands, 10l. to Mr. Sorrel, late Secretary to the Commissioners for Taxes.
On reading a memorial from the Customs Commissioners of the 6th instant, enclosing two accounts (a) of money deposited for duties on goods run, the time of prosecuting for the penalties being expired, amounting to 200l. and (b) of same deposited for compositions for penalties of goods run, the time of prosecution being also expired, amounting to 959l. 18s. 8d. their Lordships agree to the terms of composition made by the said Commissioners with the respective persons named in the said account; with directions for the application of the two said sums.
Order for a sign manual for 100l. to Josiah Diston as royal bounty.
Edward Swaine to succeed Henry Orton, deceased, as riding officer at Rye, at the recommendation of Henry Pelham.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVII. p. 233.] |
| December 18. |
155. Statement of account “of what has already been paid into the Exchequer, and what may be further paid thereon” of malt duty, 1732. n duplicate; second form, presenting variations. 2½pages.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVII. p. 233.] |
156.The Commissioners for Trade and Plantation to the Treasury,WhiteHall, December 18. “Mr. Henry Popple having with great care and diligence drawn a map of the British Empire in America, which from the assistance he has had from the best charts and actual surveys is rendered infinitely more compleat than any other now extant, we are of opinion it might be for His Majesty's service that one of the said maps should be sent to each of the governments in America; and therefore we beg leave to propose to your Lordships, that we maybe empowered to make so necessary an expense.”
Minuted:—Received 7 January 1733–4, ordered 25 September 1734 1 page. [Ibid, No. 43.] |
[After
December 24.] |
157. Abbreviat of accounts by Allan Whitefoord, Receiver General of Crown Rents, &c. Scotland, of the moneys by him received and issued, 1732, December 25, to 1733, December 24. 11 sheets (1 sheet covering 1732–3, January 27 to March 3, wanting.) [Ibid, No. 45.] |
| December 25. |
158. Royal sign manual to the Clerk of the Signet attending for preparation of a bill to pass the Privy Seal to exonerate, acquit and discharge Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the House of Commons, of 4,005 oz. 5 dwt. of white plate, valued at 1,335l. 8s. 8d. delivered to him out of the Jewel Office, by an indenture dated 1728, December 9, as being the free gift of His Majesty.
[King's Warrant Book XXXI. pp. 215–6.] |
| December 28. |
159. Treasury warrant to the Auditor of the Receipt for the issue of 159l. to John Lawton for 1733, Christmas quarter's salaries to himself and three clerks for methodising, &c. records and writings in the Court of the Receipt of the Exchequer.
Appending:—Lawton's certificate. “Since Michaelmas last, Mr. Stewart has been endorsing and putting labels to the placita coronae, &c. of the reign of King Edward I. Mr. Farley has been upon the like business with rolls of Henry IV.'s time. Mr. Smart goes on in sorting the Star Chamber records into reigns, as Mr. Nichols did till the 27th of last month, since which time Mr. Strachey has been employed in his place, and Mr. Whiston has finished sorting fines and miscellaneous records of several reigns in their distinct counties in England.”
[Money Book XXXVII. p. 199.] |
| [1733 ?] |
160. Petition to the Treasury from the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the.Company of Silk Throwers, on behalf of themselves and the commonalty of the said company. Of late years several persons have and daily do import very great quantities of foreign thrown silks and trams coarser than third Bolognia and second Orsoy, and said imports are made use of instead of trams made in Legee and other raw silk. This has led to a sensible diminution of petitioners' trade. Pray that an Act of Parliament may be obtained to prevent the importation of the abovementioned sorts of foreign thrown silks, as by the Acts of 2 Wm. and Mary 1, cap. 9, and 1 Anne 1, cap. 27, from Italy, Milan, Naples and Sicily. 2 pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCLXXXIV. No. 48.] |
| [1733 ?] |
161. Memorial to same from Sir George Cooke and five others, Commissioners for putting in execution the land tax for offices executed in Westminster Hall, concerning an arrear of 44l. 11s. 6d. on said land tax arising from the vacancy of the office of Chief Justice of the King's Bench, Attorney General and Chief Justice of Chester.
Endorsed:—“In the like case from the Commissioners of Land Tax for the Palaces of Whitehall and St. James's, my Lords say the tax must be raised, the Commissioners have the sole power and my Lords can do nothing therein.” In duplicate. 2 pages.
[Ibid, No. 49.] |
| [1733 ?] |
162. Petition to same from Wm. Latton, who is going as Consul General to the Emperor of Morocco. Prays 500l. for the expense of articles, detailed at length, to be taken as a present to said Emperor.
Together with:—Particulars of the present sent by Consul Russell in February 1732–3. 3 pages. [Ibid, No. 50.] |
| [1733 ?] |
163. Statement of the deficiencies on the General Fund made good and applied to the uses to which the Sinking Fund was made applicable by Acts of Parliament, for the year 1718–30, together with same of deficiencies for 1731–2. 1 page. [Ibid, No. 51.] |
| [1733 ?] |
164. (a.) A state of the debt of the Navy arisen from the 31st December 1716 to 1733, December 31 (total, 3716, Christmas, 1,043,336l. 19s. 9¾d.; 1733, December 31, 1,873,951l. 5s. 5d.). 1 page.
(b.) A second form of a similar account in greater detail showing the items of the debt of the Navy annually at Michaelmas for the years 1721–33. 4 pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCLXXXIV. No. 52.] |
| [1733 ?] |
165. Memorial to the Treasury from the Commissioners of the Land Tax acting in the Duchy Liberty in the Strand, and the rest of the freeholders and inhabitants of the said liberty. Said small liberty lying in parts of the parishes of St. Clement Danes and St. Mary le Strand, was charged by 4 Wm. and Mary 6,476l. 10s. 6½d towards the land tax, and so in proportion for every aid since granted by Parliament, and not only have the lands and tenements been assessed at the rack rents, but the inhabitants of the said liberty rated from time to time for their personal estates and stock in trade. A great part of the Savoy has for several years been turned into barracks, and other houses in the Savoy ward which have fallen into the Crown are in possession of poor persons by virtue of Treasury warrants. By the death of Catherine, Queen Dowager, Somerset House is now in possession of the Crown, and the liberty has been deprived of taxes for same. By reason of these losses the liberty has been unable to pay its quota of land taxes without very heavy and numerous reassessments, which from 1708 to 1732, both inclusive, amount to 10,649l. 2s. 1d. Pray that the Treasury may contribute annually for Somerset House and the Savoy to prevent these reassessments and make good deficiences. Together with schedule of such reassessments. 3 pages. [Ibid, No. 53.] |
| [1733 ?] |
166. “Copies of such articles in the Governor's instructions for the Leeward Islands as relate to the raising or disposing of the revenue there, 1733.” 6 pages.
Appending:mdash;(a) Copy of the 39th Article of His Majesty's instructions to William Matthew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, in 1733. 1 page.
(b.) Draft of two additional instructions to same. 3 pages.
[Ibid, No. 54.] |
| [1733 ?] |
167. Memorial to the Treasury on behalf of certain persons detailed, Peers of Parliament, aides-de-camp to His Majesty, Members of Parliament, and officers, all having military posts in Ireland, praying exemption from the tax of 4d. per £ imposed for two years from 1733, December 25, by an Act of Parliament lately passed in Ireland. 1 page. [Ibid, No. 55.] |
| [1733 ?] |
168. Memoir or general list of the demands for indemnity made by the Commissaries of Great Britain upon the Commissaries of Spain for loss arising by seizures of English vessels by Spaniards, as in accordance with the Treaty of Seville said list comprising the vessels, &c. with their cargoes, &c. seized, (a) contrary to the peace of 1667, (b) in various port, (c) seized and forced to enter the Spanish service, (d) seized on the open seas. 5 sheets. French. [Treasury Board Papers CCLXXXIV. No. 56.] |
| [1733 ?] |
169. Abstract of the report of the Commissioners and Trustees for Fisheries and Manufactures in Scotland for the year ended Christmas, 1733. Have expended 2,010l. part of the surplus of the malt duty in establishing a warehouse for the sale of cambrics, encouraging bleaching fields and whitening low priced cloth with kelp, &c. Detail the issue of a part of a further sum of 532l. 16s. 10d. for the further encouragement of the cambric manufacture. The success of the herring fishery has been as last year, four busses have been employed, whereof three from England; the coast fishing has produced nothing on the East coast, on the West 18,329 barrels were caught and cured. Propose to increase the bounty on the busses from 40s. to 60s. per last, and to offer further 150l. to four small fishing vessels from 12 to 20 tons to cruise in the chops of the Firths of Forth and Moray for discovering the herring shoals when they first enter. The linen manufacture continues to improve, 4,720,1051/8 yards having been stamped for sale, an excess over last year of 335,2727/8 yards. The quantity of linen made would be much greater were it not for the export of linen yarn, “which may in time merit restraint by Act of Parliament, though at present it may be tolerated because the great demand for yarn encourages spinning,” The foreign cambric workers are much relieved by the warehouse established for the sale of their cloth; 20 Scotch apprentices are settled with them at the expense of 10l. each, and more are to be settled at the first convenience. As the general plan of improvements expires at Christmas, propose a new plan, detailed, for three years more, together with a proposition as to the application of the surplus on the malt duly. 3 pages. [Ibid, No. 57.] |
| [1733 ?] |
170. Copy in blacklead of a draft royal warrant to authorise the auditor of the accounts of Richard Ross, deceased, Receiver General of Crown rents in Lincoln and Nottingham, to allow in his accounts the sum of 1,723l. 18s. 9d. owing from Her late Majesty Queen Anne to Wm. Weeks and four other persons in the offices of the Great Wardrobe, Works, and Master of the Horse, on the said creditors executing surrenders in due form of their respective debts. 2 pages. [Ibid, No. 58.] |
| [1733 ?] |
171. Statement of the net income of the fund for the 1710 lottery, for the seven years 1727, Michaelmas, to 1733, Michaelmas. 1 page. [Ibid, No. 59.] |
