Volume 127: December 8-30, 1710 | British History Online

Pages 229-234

Calendar of Treasury Papers, Volume 4, 1708-1714. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1974.

Citation:

December 8–30, 1710



1710. Dec. 8.	1. M^r Fauquier to William Lowndes, Esq. Since he saw M^r Lowndes at Brown's coffee house, he found by account rendered by Sir John Johnson and others that there was a sign manual of 31 March 1697, empowering them (Johnson and others) to receive at the Duchy Court, in or near the receipt of the Exchequer, all wrought plate which should be brought in to be coined, pursuant to the Act. By contract with the Lords of the Treasury, they (Johnson and others) were allowed 6d. per oz. for receiving and taking in the same, and paying 5s. 6d. per oz. as the Act directed, and 1½d. per oz. for melting, coining, and carrying to and from the Mint. By the declared account there was 1,127,857 oz. 3 dwts. of wrought plate brought in and received by the contractors; this at 7½d. per oz. amounted to 35,245l. 10s. 7d., which was all the charge the Government was at. Dated Mint Office, 8 X^br 1710. 1 page.
Dec. 8.	2. Copy of letter of Com^rs of Customs of Scotland to M^r Lowndes. Had discharged the riding officers, and were filling up the new establishment. The Customs' revenue would increase if they had a foreign trade, and if it failed, their expenses would be lessened, and the fraud in running goods and fraudulent drawbacks would be better prevented. The coast trade from London daily increased. An Act of Parliament seemed to be required against private grants of exemption from customs and excise. The Acts of last sessions had fenced against several frauds, such as drawbacks on tobacco for Ireland, but the Isle of Man was left free to carry on fraudulent trade. From the Union to 25 March 1710, the export of tobacco to the latter place had been 25,000l., but from 25 March to Michaelmas 1710 there had been 76,531l. exported. Suggested improved measures. There were very great difficulties in preventing the importation of victual from foreign parts. Small boats frequently imported oatmeal to the western parts of Scotland, which was encouraged by the inhabitants, and the officers were not willing to seize and destroy it. Juries were very unwilling to find offenders guilty of fraud and violence. They proposed to bring English bills in the Exchequer against persons who had run goods Dated Edinburgh, 8 Dec. 1710. 3 pages.
Dec. 8.	3. Lord Dartmouth to the Lords of the Treasury. Respecting stores sent by Col. Vetch and Col. Nicholson to New England. Also encloses three papers relating to the pretended escape of a Dutch slave when Admiral Whittaker lay off Algiers with a squadron of her Majesty's ships of war, for which slave the Consul of Algiers had been obliged to pay. Dated 8 Dec. 1710. The enclosures. Minuted:—“A L~re to Ld. D. that my Lords have no objection to the all^ce the 152 d^rs in M^r Coles bill of extra^rys.” 4 pages and 2 halves.
Dec. 9.	4. “List of the officers of the late Count Nassau's reg^t of foot [who were made prisoners]: certifyd by M^r Crauford 9 Dec. 1710.” Minuted:—“15 June 1711. To be read again when Sec^ry-at-War is here.” 1 page.
[After Dec. 9.]	5. A list of the English prisoners in Spain. “Taken at Brihuega the 9th of December 1710. Taken at the battle of Villa Viciosa. Taken at Denia. Taken at the battle in Portugal.” 6½ pages.
Dec. 13.	6. Order in Council for the petition of the officers and mariners of the ship “Worcester,” condemned in Scotland; to be referred to the Lords of the Treasury to dispose of. Dated 13 Dec. 1710. 1 page.
Dec. 13.	7. Representation of the Controllers of the army accounts to the Lords of the Treasury complaining that the Agents had taken no notice of repeated applications from them (the Controllers) to send in their regimental accounts, and asking for further directions. Dated 13 Dec. 1710. 2 pages.
[? About Dec. 13.]	8. Petition of Josias Mackis and other sailors of the ship “Orange Tree.” They dared not go to Guernsey to obtain their wages according to the royal order, unless they had her Majesty's protection, seeing that one of them had been most inhumanly assaulted and another threatened with death. M^r Mauger had hitherto most “sinistrously posponded” the petitioners of their wages; praying protection, and an order for immediate payment. Referred to the L^ds of the Treasury 13 Dec. 1710. Minuted:—“Read 13 Decemb. 1710. Josias Macky and John Cassills 10l. each out of sec: ser. P^d 9 Feb. 1710/1711.” 2 pages.
Dec. 13.	9. Secretary-at-War (G. Granville) to M^r Lowndes. “About 256^li desired to be paid out of the savings of y^e off reckonings of Marq^s Montandres reg^t to the agent of y^e reg^t late of Lord Mohun's.” Dated 13 Dec. 1710. 1 page.
Dec. 13.	10. Report of the Attorney General (Sir Edw. Northey) to the Lords of the Treasury. Had re-considered the matter relating to the breakers of quarantine. No provisions by Act of Parliament would be sufficient, if the offenders were not punished in a summary way. It might be proper to enact that if the master of a ship doing quarantine allowed any one to come on shore during the time of quarantine, the ship and goods should be forfeited, &c. Dated 13 Dec. 1710. Copy of the same, and an extract of a proposal made by the Com^rs of Customs to prohibit linen, &c. from the Baltic during the contagion. Also report of the Com^rs of Customs on the subject of quarantine and an abstract of the same. Dated 13 Dec. 1710. 3 pages, 2 halves. The above report was made in pursuance of the following minute entered in the Minute Book, Vol. XVI., p. 99:—“M^r Attorney Gen^ll'^s report relating to the Quarantain having been laid before the Lords of the Councill, their Lo^ps thinke if it be made capitall to break quarantain, it may be thought so severe, that none will be prosecuted. And therefore my Lords desire he will reconsid^r that matter & propose such corporall punishm^t as he may thinke proper for those who are not able to pay a fine, and mulcts for such as are, and send my Lords his report herein as soon as conveniently he can.”
Dec. 14.	11. Officers of Ordnance to the Lords of the Treasury. Had endeavoured to procure 12,000l. in Exchequer bills, for the payment of 4,000 barrels of powder due to the King of Portugal, by depositing subsidy tallies and orders, to be repaid with interest in three months, but no one would lend the same. The Bank would lend them 12,000l. in Exchequer bills payable in two months, and assign them 14,000l. of subsidy tallies. Dated 14 Dec. 1710. 1 page.
[? About Dec. 16.]	12. Petition of Anthony Marquis de Guiscard to the Queen, praying payment of a pension of 500l., and that it might be confirmed by a warrant with an addition of 100l. a year more. Minuted:—“16 Dec. The L^ds of the Treasury to consider out of what fund his pension may be pd.” 1 page. [The year is inferred by comparison with the letter of 18 Dec. following, and Annals of the reign of Q. Anne, the ninth year, p. 337, where there is an account of his arrest for high treason, &c.]
Dec. 16.	13. Report of the Deputy Muster-master General of Ireland to —, relating to the pay of the regiment of Major General Gorges. Dated 16 Dec. 1710. 1¼ pages.
Dec. 16.	14. Presentment of the Com^rs of Salt to the Lords of the Treasury as to allowance for waste on shipments, drawbacks on exportation of fish, as to brine used for pickling, &c., “proposing amendments to be made by Parliam^t.” Dated Salt Office, 16 Dec. 1710. 10 pages.
[? About Dec. 18.]	15. Petition of Robert Clarke, gent., to the Lords of the Treasury, to be allowed to clear of brambles, briars, thorns, &c. his farm and lands called Cox Leasows, in the parish of Lindhurst, in the county of Southampton, the underwood being excepted in his lease. Minuted:—“18 Dec. 1710. Rejected.” 1 page.
Dec. 18.	16. M^r G. Granville to W^m Lowndes, Esq. Communicates her Majesty's wish to grant the Marquis of Guiscard a pension not exceeding 500l., that the same may be laid before the Lords of the Treasury. Dated Whitehall, 18 Dec. 1710. 1 page, quarto.
Dec. 19.	17. L. Maidwell to the R^t Hon. Robert Harley, Esq., one of the Lords of the Treasury. Had submitted a method of making paper to be stamped with a convexity on both sides, to prevent it being counterfeited. Now proposes to make it the means of a perpetual revenue, beyond the temporary profits of the Stamp Office. Com^r Tollet, skilled in mathematics, declared himself highly satisfied with it; asks to be made a commissioner of stamps. Dated 10^ber 19^th, 1710. 2 pages.
Dec. 19.	18. Memorial of James Brydges, Esq., “for taking up of the Bank y^e 25,333^li for the Savoy subsidye upon the same deposit that was made for the gold from Lisbon.” Dated Whitehall, 19 Dec. 1710. 1 page.
Dec. 19.	19. Lord Dartmouth to the Lords of the Treasury. Encloses by her Majesty's command an extract from a representation of the Council of Trade respecting the state of Newfoundland and the fishery there. Dated 10 Dec. 1710. The extract referred to, which relates to illegal trade there. 2 pages.
Dec. 19.	20. Charles Carkesse to M^r Lowndes. As to the stoppage of a great number of passengers at Parkgates, Chester, going to Ireland without passes. Dated 19 Dec. 1710. Copy of letter of Com^rs of Customs on the same subject. 2 pages.
Dec. 19.	21. Report of M^r Baron Scrope to the Lords of the Treasury. Had no objection to the distribution of a reward as proposed in an annexed report to M^r Strode and other officers for seizing several cargoes of wines imported into Scotland, &c. Dated 19 Dec. 1710. Minuted:—“Read 14^th Feb. 1710–1. My Lords agree to the distribuc[i]on according to M^r Baron Scrope's report.” The report named, and five certificates. 8½ pages.
Dec. 20.	22. Presentment of the Com^rs of Customs to the Lords of the Treasury recommending to their Lordships the annexed very important printed case, settled by the late Attorney and Solicitor General, touching the second subsidy on prizage wines. The matter was brought before the House of Lords the last sessions upon a writ of error, obtained by the patentees of the prizage, to reverse a judgment in the Exchequer Chamber, and put off to the present sessions. Dated 20 Dec. 1710. The printed case and the petition of Sir John Shaw. 3 pages.
Dec. 21.	23. Memorials, &c. of the Com^rs for Sick and Wounded Seamen to the Lords of the Treasury for money to be issued for the affairs of that office. The last is 21 Dec. 1710. 8½ pages.
Dec. 22.	24. Report of the Postmasters General [to the Lords of the Treasury] on the petition of M^r Francis Jones, formerly agent to the packet boats at Falmouth, as to various claims made by him. They saw no reason why he should not clear his balance unless their L^ps saw fit to make him any allowance. Dated General Post Office, 22 Dec. 1710. The petition and 11 other papers. Minuted:—“12 7br. 1711. My Lord approves the report, seeing no reason to make any further allowances.” 17 pages.
Dec. 22.	25. Report of J. [Howe] to the Lords of the Treasury on the petition of the four companies at New York, as to deductions from their pay. Dated 22 Dec. 1710. Minuted:—“12^th Feb. 1710. To be considered when any arrears come in, of funds applicable thereunto.” The petition and a warrant. 3 pages.
Dec. 22.	26. Memorial of Charlotte Lady Lovelace to the Lords of the Treasury. When her husband was Governor of New York he expended 308l. 7s. 10d. for defraying the necessary charges in an annexed certificate, and 172l. 17s. 8d. for the Palatines sent over with him; prays payment. Dated 22 Dec. 1710. The certificate referred to, and the account of sums expended for the German Protestants. 4 pages.
[About Dec. 22.]	27. Petition of Josiah Kay, locksmith to her Majesty, to the Lords of the Treasury, praying payment of 653l. 7s. 10d., to which his bill had been abated. Referred to “William Vanbrugh, Esq., Controller of the Treasurer of the Chambers Office,” to report thereon. 22 Dec. 1710. 1¼ pages.
Dec. 23.	28. Memorial of Charles Boitt, gent., her Majesty's painter in enamel, to the Lords of the Treasury. Prince George of Denmark agreed to give the petitioner 2,000l. for painting a large piece on enamel, of which he had already received by her Majesty's order 1,000l.; prays payment of 400l. more instead of 300l., which he was to have received at Christmas. Dated 23 Dec. 1710. 1 page.
Dec. 24.	29. Account of arrears due to clear the subalterns and staff officers of the marine regiments from 25 Dec. 1708 to [24 Dec. 1710 or] to the several days of their disbandment. 1 page.
Dec. 25.	30. Certificate of Benjamin Randall as to prizage money to the 25^th of December 1710. 1 page.
March 25 to Dec. 25.	31. Accounts of interest on Exchequer bills received by Thomas Micklethwaite, treasurer for transport service, between 25 March and 25 Dec. 1710. Also accounts of moneys and tallies received and paid by him. 16 pages or parts of pages.
Dec. 26.	32. Memorial of James Heymans, one of the wine tasters, for despatch of his warrant as surveyor of wine tasters. Dated 26 Dec. 1710. 5 lines.
Dec. 26.	33. Memorial of E. Gibbon and others to the Lord High Treasurer. Had supplied bills for Holland and Flanders for 350,000l., and 4,045l. 15s. 9d., at 6 per cent. Pray for payment. Dated 26 Dec. 1710. In the Minute Book, Vol. XVI., p. 109 (apparently connected with this) is:—“Remitters called in. They are to have 100,000li. out of ye tallys in M^r Bridge's hand on ye land tax for 1711 in p[er]t of ye monys due to them incł Sir Theo. Janssen.” 1 page.
Dec. 26.	34. John Chappel, town clerk of Norwich, to Robert Harley, Esq., one of the Lords of the Treasury, respecting the recruiting of the land forces. 5s. a man had been allowed in 1708 to the Commissioners' clerks. There was also an order about the same in the last year, but on the change of the ministry it was not put in execution. Dated Norwich, 26 Dec. 1710. A postscript refers to the tax upon windows. 1 page.
Dec. 26.	35. Lord Dartmouth to Major-General Elliot. Upon the news of the loss of a battle in Spain measures were taken to prevent ill consequences, and since Gibraltar is one of the places the enemy may attempt, it is hoped that the General will be found in a good posture of defence and that succours will be sent. Dated Whitehall, 26 Dec. 1710. (Copy.) 1 page.
Dec. 26.	36. Accounts of receipts and expenditure by M^r Benjamin Sweet in connection with the army, ending 26 Dec. 1710. Dated Hague, 26 Dec. 1710 [O.S.]. 15 pages or parts of pages.
Dec. 26.	37. Com^rs of Customs (Scotland) to William Lowndes, Esq., respecting the establishment there. They thought it desirable to make alterations, but should proceed by degrees. Could not defer appointing a collector for Dundee. M^r Bruce, whom they removed from Kirkcaldy to that port, never went thither, nor had he cleared his accounts. The new establishment would be 144l. 10s. 1d. more for the quarter, but there would be upwards of 800l. saved by the non-employment of sloops. Dated Edinburgh, 26 Dec. 1710. Also copy of a previous letter. 3 pages.
Dec. 27.	38. An account of all pensions payable out of her Majesty's revenue of the Post Office, and to whom and when granted. The last entry was on 27 Dec. 1710. 6 pages.
Dec. 27.	39. Propositions for her Ma^t'^s supply for the year 1711, drawn up by M^r Lowndes, and signed by him. Dated 27 Xbr. 1710. 13 pages.
Dec. 29.	40. Representation of the Agents for Taxes to the Lords of the Treasurer. As to the reasons why their Lordships should not give directions to the receivers of the land taxes to pay off or clear one land tax (where two are running in the same year) before any money be paid by them upon the tax last granted. Dated 29 Dec. 1710. Minuted:—“19 Xb[er] 1710. Read.” Also two extracts from an Act of Parliament. 3 pages.
Dec. 2–30.	41. Three letters, three weekly certificates, and an abstract of receipts, payments, and remains of land tax, Crown rents, revenues, &c. due before the Union, returned by Archibald Douglas, of Cavers, Esq., General Receiver thereof in Scotland, and Paymaster of fees and salaries, between 2 and 30 Dec. 1710. 9 pages or parts of pages.