Journal, April 1727: Journal Book D.D

Journal, April 1727

April 6. Present:— Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Plantations General.

Bishop of London's jurisdiction.

Their Lordships taking again into consideration a letter from the Duke of Newcastle [fo. 73], dated the 27th of the last month, referring to the Board the copy of a commission under the Great Seal to the Bishop of London, for exercising ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the Plantations, and directing an instruction to be prepared to the Governor for supporting the same, as mentioned in the Minutes of the 28th of the same month, their Lordships gave directions for preparing the draught of an instruction accordingly.

Virginia.

General Nicholson and Mr. Leheup about the Act laying duty on Liquors.

The Secretary acquainting the Board that General Nicholson and Mr. Leheup [fos. 61, 82] desired the Board would please to appoint a day for hearing, what they had respectively to offer in relation to the Act, passed in Virginia in May, 1726, entituled, An Act for laying a duty on Liquors, mentioned in the Minutes of the 15th of the last month, their Lordships were pleased to appoint this day seven-night, and ordered that General Nicholson and Mr. Leheup have notice accordingly.

Maryland.

Mr. Carkesse.

Instructions for Trade.

Ordered that Mr. Carkesse be reminded of the Secretary's letter [fos. 68, 79] to him, of the 7th of the last month, and that he be desired to move the Honourable the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs, that the Board may have their opinion, as soon as possibly may be, upon the draught of instructions for Trade sent to him with the said letter.

April 7. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Accounts from Mr. Oxenford.

The three following accounts, received from Mr. Oxenford, were laid before the Board, and read, viz:—
An account of what woollen manufactures, with their values, have been exported to Italy for 7 years, to Christmas 1725.
An account of what woollen manufactures, with their values, have been exported to Turkey for seven years, to Christmas, 1725.
An account of woollen goods exported to the Straights in seven years, to Christmas, 1725, and their values.

April 11. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Proprieties.

Maryland.

Letter from Mr. Carkesse with instructions for Trade, and papers.

A letter from Mr. Carkesse [fos. 77, 80], inclosing some alterations, proposed by the Commissioners of the Customs to be made in the instructions for Trade, to be given to Mr. Calvert, appointed Deputy Governor of Maryland, and to the Governors of the other Proprietary Plantations, was read; as also the papers therein referred to, viz:—
An Order in Council, dated the 14th June, 1722, relating to Mediterranean Passes.
An Order in Council, dated the 2nd October, 1721, upon two petitions of the East India Company.
Observations on the draught of instructions for the Governor of Maryland, transmitted in Mr. Popple's letter of the 7th March, 1726.
Draught of some additions proposed to be made to the instructions.

Maryland.

Mr. Calvert's instructions to be prepared.

Whereupon ordered that Mr. Calvert's instructions [fos. 79, 83] be prepared accordingly, and the draught of a representation thereupon.

Jamaica.

Letter from Mr. Ayscough with papers.

A letter from Mr. Ayscough, President of the Council of Jamaica, dated the 26th January, 1726–7, was read; and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board, viz:—
Minutes of Council, from the 5th April, 1726, to the 17th January following.
Minutes of Council in Assembly, from 18th October 1726, to 17th January following.
Minutes of Assembly, from the 18th October, 1726, to the 17th January following.
An Act for raising several sums of money and applying the same to several uses, passed the 17th January, 1726– 7.

A letter to the Duke of Newcastle.

Whereupon a letter, for inclosing a copy of Mr. Ayscough's to His Grace the Duke of Newcastle [fo. 109], was agreed and signed.

Miscellanies.

Mr. Hoskins dismissed.

Ordered that Mr. Hoskins [fo. 84, Jour. Q, 343], a clerk in this office, be discharged.

April 13. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Virginia.

General Nicholson.

Liquor Act.

General Nicholson, Dr. Blair, and Mr. Leheup attending [fos. 77, 83], as they had been desired, in relation to the Virginian Act for laying a duty on Liquors; their Lordships gave directions that General Nicholson should give his objections to the Act in writing, on Saturday next, that Mr. Leheup should have a copy thereof, and that all parties should attend again on Wednesday next.

April 14. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Bladen, Sir John Hobart.

Maryland.

Representation.

Mr. Calvert's instructions.

A representation [fos. 80, 109], with the draught of the instructions for Trade for Mr. Calvert, lately appointed Deputy Governor of Maryland, ordered to be prepared the 11th inst., was agreed and signed.

April 18. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Petition of General Nicholson, Liquor Act.

A petition from General Nicholson [fos. 82, 86], Governor of South Carolina, praying to be heard, in relation to an Act, passed at Virginia in 1726, entituled, An Act for laying a duty on Liquors; was read; and their Lordships ordered a copy thereof to be given Mr. Leheup, agent for that Province.

Trade.

Letter from Sir Nathaniel Gould.

Light-house, Pater Noster.

A letter from Sir Nathaniel Gould [fos. 71, 94], in answer to one writ him the 24th of the last month, in relation to the lights, proposed to be set up on the Pater Noster and the Isle of Oland, mentioned in my Lord Townsend's letter of the 21st of last month, was read; and their Lordships resolved to reconsider that affair, when they shall have received the Swedish merchants' answer upon the same subject.

Miscellanies.

Mr. Henry Peopple appointed a clerk.

Their Lordships, taking into consideration their Minutes of the 7th November, 1721 [Jour. X.fo. 336, 1721], when the Board resolved that Mr. Henry Popple should supply the first vacancy of a clerk's place that should happen in this office, their Lordships then appointed him to supply the vacancy occasioned by Mr. Hoskins having been dismissed the 11th inst. [fos. 81, 184].

Mr. Lanham appointed a clerk.

The Secretary acquainting the Board that Mr. William Gray, late a clerk in this office, is dead [fo. 115], Mr. Ashe recommended Mr. Lanham to supply the vacancy occasioned thereby, and he was appointed accordingly; whereupon ordered that the other clerks should be advanced, according to their seniority in the office, whereby the said clerks will have the following allowances, viz:—

April 19. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Colonel Spotswood's petition.

Representation ordered.

Their Lordships, taking again into consideration Colonel Spotswood's petition [fos. 46, 94], mentioned in the Minutes of the 30th of August last [Jour. C.C. fo. 305], gave directions for preparing the draught of a representation thereupon.

General Nicholson, with counsel, against the Liquor Act.

Mr. Leheup, with counsel, for it.

General Nicholson, Governor of South Carolina, attending, as he had been desired [fo. 83, 91], with Mr. Wills and Dr. Sayer, his counsel, and Mr. Sharpe, his solicitor, against an Act, passed in Virginia in 1726, entituled, An Act for laying a duty on Liquors, as also Mr. Leheup, agent for Virginia, with Dr. Strahan and Mr. Strange, his counsel, and Mr. Blair, commissary of Virginia, in behalf of the said Act; the counsel against the Bill, amongst other things, acquainted their Lordships, that they had no objection to that part of the Act, which lays a duty on liquors for the service of the Colony, but only to the latter part thereof, for giving £200 a year to the Colledge of Virginia for 21 years.

Hearing upon Liquor Act.

That General Nicholson, while he was Governor of Virginia, communicated to the Assembly certain proposals for erecting the said Colledge, and that Mr. Blair was employed to lay the said proposals before King William and Queen Mary, and that accordingly in February, 1691–2, a charter was obtained for the founding William and Mary Colledge in Virginia: that this College was to consist of one President, six masters or professors, and 100 scholars, more or less, according to the ability of the said College, and that the statutes of the same to be made, increased, diminished or changed upon the peace by certain trustees, nominated and elected by the General Assembly of that Province, who were impowered by the said charter to hold and enjoy lands, tenements, etc., to the value of £200 per annum, or any other gift grant, etc., in trust, for defraying the charges of erecting the edifices of the College, for books and other charges: and that when the Colledge shall be so founded, the trustees shall make over to Mr. Blair, appointed President for life, to the masters or professors or their successors, the said lands, tenements, gifts or grants, etc., or so much thereof as has not been laid out upon building the said Colledge; but that till the Colledge is founded, according to the charter, they did not conceive that either the president or masters could have any pretence to salaries; and that therefore, as the £200 per annum given by this Act is to maintain the full number of masters or professors required by the charter, they apprehended it was contrary to the intention of the founders thereof, the Colledge not being yet compleated according to the charter: that if this money had been given in general terms for the benefit of the Colledge, without being particularly appropriated for the salaries of the masters, there could have been no objection thereto, but that at present it was to be feared the Colledge would never be finished, if the revenues thereof were to be paid to the President and masters, instead of being applied towards the compleating thereof: that the reason for giving the £200 per annum, recited in the preamble of the clause that gives this money, being to maintain the full number of masters and professors, the Colledge not being compleated, they submitted it to the Board what occasion there could be for the same.

The counsel then in behalf of the Bill acquainted the Board, that there being a deficiency in the Colledge funds, the General Assembly of Virginia had passed the Act in question to give them a further encouragement; that they conceived this Act to be perfectly agreeable to the charter, as it would enable them to maintain the full number of masters directed thereby: that, as the trustees could not transfer over to the President and masters the revenues of the Colledge, till the full number was appointed, they submitted to the Board whether this Act was not a furtherance to the design of the founders, especially as the Act expressly provides, that, till such transfer shall be made, the money to be raised thereby for the use of the Colledge, shall be paid to the surviving trustees. The counsel for the Bill therefore desired their Lordships would please to represent this Act to His Majesty as proper to be confirmed, considering that nothing therein contained, relating to the Colledge, had been proved to be disagreeable to the Charter or contrary to the intention of the founders.

The counsel then against the Act acquainted the Board by way of reply, that the income of the Colledge was not computed to be equal to the expence of the full number of masters, and therefore submitted to their Lordships whether it was not more proper that the additional £200 per year should be applied towards compleating the Colledge, than to maintaining the full number of masters; but that as they were of opinion that His Majesty could not confirm this Act upon any other foot, than that of providing the full number of masters, they hoped their Lordships would lay this Act before His Majesty as proper to be repealed.

Representation ordered.

These gentlemen being withdrawn, ordered that the draught of a representation [fo. 98] be prepared for confirming the said Act.

April 20. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Letter to Mr. Fane.

Liquor Act.

Their Lordships taking into consideration the draught of a representation, ordered yesterday to be prepared [fos. 86, 95], for confirming the Act, passed in Virginia in 1726, entituled, An Act for laying a duty on liquors, gave directions for writing a letter to Mr. Fane thereupon [fo. 95].

Trade.

Letter to Mr. Woolley.

East India exports.

Ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Woolley [fo. 136], Secretary to the East India Company, for their answer to some observations made by the Board in the Minutes of the 1st December last [Jour. C.C. fo. 351], upon the account of the Company's exportations.

April 21. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Colonel Spotswood's petition.

Their Lordships took again into consideration the draught of a representation [fos. 84, 97], mentioned in the Minutes of the 19th inst., upon Colonel Spotswood's petition, and made a progress therein.

Trade.

Letter from several merchants.

Light-house, Pater Noster.

Representation ordered.

A letter from several merchants trading to Sweden, in relation to a light-house, proposed to be built on the Pater Nosters near Marstrand [fos. 84, 97] and one already erected on the southern point of the Isle of Oland, was read; whereupon ordered that the draught of a representation be prepared, in answer to the letter from the Lord Townsend upon this subject, read the 21st of the last month [fo. 66].

April 25. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr.Plummer.

Virginia.

Mr. Fane's report, Liquor Act.

Mr. Fane's report upon a query sent him the 20th inst. [fos. 92, 98], in relation to the Act, passed at Virginia in 1726, entituled, An Act for laying a duty on Liquors, was read, and their Lordships made a progress in considering the representation upon the said Act.

Pennsylvania.

Representation from the Assembly.

Act.

Bills of Credit.

A representation from the Assembly of Pennsylvania, praying the confirmation of an Act, passed there in 1725–6, entituled, An Act for the remitting and continuing the currency of such Bills of Credit of this province, as by former acts are directed to be sunk and destroyed, and for the striking and making current £10,000 in New Bills to supply those that are torn and defaced, was read; and

Sent to Mr. Fane.

Ordered that the said Act be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion in point of law upon the same.

Trade.

Mr. Nichols' memorials for improving the Tobacco trade.

Mr. Nichols attending [fo. 48], their Lordships took into consideration and read the two following papers, viz:—
Memorial from Mr. Nichols, in answer to the merchants' objections against his scheme for improving the Tobacco trade.
Memorial from Mr. Nichols, praying for an encouragement for his scheme for improving the Tobacco trade and advancing the Revenue.

And their Lordships acquainted him, that as nothing could be done upon this matter during the present sessions of parliament, it would be proper for him, against the next, to bring sufficient vouchers for all he has advanced.

April 26. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Representation

Light-house, agreed.

The draught of a representation [fos. 94, 99], directed to be prepared the 21st inst., in answer to a letter from the Lord Townsend, mentioned in the Minutes of the 21st of the last month [fo. 66], referring to the Board a memorial from Monsr. Skutenhelm, Secy. from the king of Sweden, in relation to a light-house, proposed to be erected on a place called Pater Noster, was agreed and ordered to be transcribed.

Nova Scotia.

Order in Council.

Scheme for civil government, etc.

An Order of the Lords of the Committee in Council, dated the 15th of February, 1726–27 [fo. 116], requiring the Board to consider of and prepare a scheme for establishing a form of civil government in Nova Scotia, and for better peopling that province and preserving the woods, etc., was read; and their Lordships resolved to consider further thereof at another opportunity.

Virginia.

Representation, Liquor Act, Signed.

A representation [fos. 95, 202] for confirming the Act, passed in Virginia in May, 1726, entituled, An Act for laying a duty on Liquors, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, was signed.

April 27. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Representation, Light-house, and letter to Lord Townsend, signed.

The draught of a representation [fo. 97] relating to the building a light-house at Pater Noster, agreed yesterday, was signed; as also a letter for inclosing the same to the Right Honourable the Lord Townsend.

April 28. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Letter from Colonel Hart, with papers.

A letter from Colonel Hart, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated at St. Christophers, the 30th of November, 1726, was read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board, viz:—
Antigua.
Minutes of the Assembly at Antego, from the 27th April, 1724, to the 4th October following.
An Act for laying a duty of powder and money on all vessels trading to or from this Island, for the defence of the Island, and the protection of the trade to and from the same, to commence on the expiration of the present Act, which lays a duty of one pound of pistol powder or two shillings in money on such vessels.

Act sent to Mr. Fane.

Ordered that the Act be sent to Mr. Fane [fo. 136], for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

St. Christophers.

Letter from Colonel Hart.

A letter from Colonel Hart to the Secretary, dated at St. Christophers, the 30th of November, 1726, was read.

Answer.

Ordered that an answer be prepared [fo. 136] to Colonel Hart's said letters.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Tigh.

A letter from Mr. Tigh, Consul at Elsinore, dated the 31st of December, 1726, enclosing
List of Ships.
A list of ships of all nations passing the Sound for sundry ports in the Baltick, for the year 1726, was read.

Answer to Mr. Tigh.

Ordered that an answer [fo. 104] be prepared to Mr. Tigh's said letter.

Jamaica.

Letter from Mr. Ayscough.

A letter from Mr. Ayscough, President of the Council of Jamaica, dated the 2nd of October, 1726, was read, and

His answer to queries.

His answer to several queries, therewith transmitted, was laid before the Board.

An answer ordered to his letter.

Ordered that an answer [fo. 104] be prepared to the said letter.

Virginia.

Letter from Mr. Carter.

A letter from Mr. Carter, President of the Council of Virginia, dated the 14th of January, 1726–7, was read; and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board, viz:—
Papers.
Minutes of Council, from the 1st of August, 1726, to the 2nd of November following.
Account of the Revenue of 2s. per hogshead on tobacco, to the 25th of October, 1726.
Naval officer's lists of ships and vessels entering inwards and clearing outwards for the Upper District of James River, from the 25th October, 1725, to the 25th October, 1726.
Naval officer's lists for Accomack District, from the 10th of June, 1726, to the 29th September following.
Naval officer's lists of exports and imports in Rappahanock, South Potomack, York River and the lower district of James River, between Lady Day and Michaelmas, 1726.

An answer ordered.

Ordered that an answer [fo. 104] be prepared to the said letter.