Journal, November 1739: Volume 47

Journal, November 1739

Tuesday, November 6. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Bahamas.

A letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, transmitting an extract of Mr. Howell's letter, mentioned in the preceding minute, was agreed to, and signed; at the same time another letter, with a copy of the same extract, was sent by the Secretary to Sir William Yonge, Secretary at War.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor of New York, dated August 30th, 1739, giving an account of their ill posture of defence in case of a war, and praying for a supply of stores, as also for presents to the Indians.

Ordered that the Secretary write a letter to Mr. Clarke, son of the Lieutenant Governor, desiring his attendance at the Board to-morrow. [Wednesday November 6th.]

Antigua.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated August 24th, 1739, transmitting:

Minutes of the Assembly of Antigua, commencing June 1st, 1738, ending November 29th, 1738.

Minutes of the Assembly of Antigua, commencing March 1st, 1738–9, ending May 31st, 1739.

Connecticut.

Mr. Mason, attending on the subject of the Commission of Review in the controversy depending between the Colony of Connecticut and the Mohican Indians, mentioned in the minutes of August 15th last, the Board, after some discourse had with him, directed the Secretary to write to Mr. Wilks, agent for the Colony, to attend this day sennight. [Tuesday, 13th.]

Wednesday, November 7. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

New York.

The Secretary acquainted the Board that he had writ, as directed by the minutes of yesterday, to Mr. Clarke, and that the messenger had brought back word that he was gone to Chester.

Jamaica.

Read the draught of a letter to Edward Trelawney, Esqr., Governor of Jamaica, upon the subject of the present state of that Island; desiring at the same time a particular return to several questions transmitted therewith, as also an answer to the general queries, therein likewise enclosed, and the same being agreed to by the Board, was ordered to be transmitted.

Thursday, November 8. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Bermuda.

The Board being informed that Mr. Dinwiddie attended without, and that he had brought a letter to them from Alured Popple, Esqr., Governor of Bermudas, he was called in; and the Board, after having had the letter read, had some discourse with him upon the subject of it, relating to an article in the Governor's instructions; which he said, has ever given some uneasiness in the Island, as it obliges all vessels to load and unload in St. George's or the Castle Harbour, as appears more at large from his letter of the 25th of November, 1738. After some time spent therein, the Board appointed him to attend again on Wednesday next, in order for a further consideration of that, and other matters, relating to the said Islands. [Wednesday, November 14th.]

Read at the same time a letter from Mr. Noden, agent for Bermuda, setting forth the necessity of providing the Island with stores, from the inability the inhabitants are under of doing it themselves, and the importance of it, in regard to the trade and navigation of Great Britain.

Pennsylvania.

Ordered that the Secretary write a letter to Mr. Fane, his Majesty's Council at Law, to desire his opinion upon sixty-seven Acts, passed in the province of Pennsylvania, and transmitted therewith.

Jamaica.

The letter to Edward Trelawney, Esqr., Governor of Jamaica, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, was transcribed and signed.

New York.

Ordered that a copy of the letter from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor of New York, (mentioned in the minutes of the 6th instant), and also of the account of stores in his Majesty's garrison at Fort George, in New York, transmitted therewith, be prepared, together with the draught of a letter, for enclosing the same to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

Tuesday, November 13. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Connecticut.

Mr. Mason attending, with Mr. Paris, his Solicitor, in behalf of the Mohican Indians, and Mr. Sharpe, in the room of Mr. Wilks, agent for Connecticut, who could not come, as appointed to do by the minutes of the 6th instant, on account of his indisposition; the Board after some discourse had with them, deferred that affair till Wednesday the 21st instant, and at the same time ordered the Secretary to write a letter to Mr. Partridge, to attend the same day, and bring with him the return from the Commissioners of Connecticut, which they are informed he has received.

New York.

Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 9th instant, referring to this Board a list of such goods as the Lieutenant Governor of New York, in his letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, apprehends to be necessary as presents to the Six Nations, to engage their friendship in case of a rupture with France, in order to examine the same, and to make their report to the Committee, what they think proper to be done therein. On account of the said order, the letter to the Duke of Newcastle, ordered by the minutes of the 8th instant, and which was laid before the Board, was judged not necessary to be signed.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary laid before the Board an account of the incident charges of this Office, from Lady Day, to Midsummer, 1739, amounting to £265 7s. 5½d., and a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, and of the salary due to the Secretary and under Officers for the same time, was agreed to, and signed.

Wednesday, November 14. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Bermudas.

Mr. Dinwiddie attending, as appointed by the minutes of the 8th instant, the Board had some discourse with him, when upon his acquainting them, that he had not yet got all his papers necessary for their lordships' information, they were pleased to postpone the further consideration of a part of the Governor's letter, mentioned in the said minutes, and of other matters relating to the Bermuda Islands, to another opportunity.

Thursday, November 15. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated November 2nd, 1739, requiring this Board to lay before their lordships all such maps as have been taken of the Colony of Virginia, or of any of the neighbouring Colonies, about the year 1686, or at any time before that year, in case any such are in their Office.

Nevis.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated November 2nd, 1739, upon the subject of the petition of Colonel Thomas Pym, laid before the Committee, setting forth that in 1738, General Mathew removed him from his seat in the Council of Nevis; requiring this Board to lay before their lordships a copy of the reasons transmitted to them by Governor Mathew, for having removed the petitioner from his seat in the said Council.

Leeward Islands.

Antigua.

Nevis.

St. Christophers.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated November 9th, 1739, referring the petition of the agents of Antigua, Nevis and St. Christophers, praying his Majesty to give the necessary orders for providing the said three Islands with the stores of war, contained in the Schedule annexed to the said petition. Ordered that letters be sent to the said agents, desiring their attendance at this Board on Tuesday next.. [Tuesday, 20th.]

Bermuda.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated November 9th, 1739, on the subject of the memorial of William Popple, agent for the Governor of the Bermuda Islands, praying that the Independent Company, now there, may be augmented to a hundred private men; requiring this Board to lay before their lordships an account of what forces were sent to the Bermuda Islands during the war, in the reigns of the late King William and Queen Anne, if any such accounts are in the Office.

Friday, November 16. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Nevis.

The report, in pursuance of the order of the Committee of Council, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, upon the subject of the petition of Colonel Thomas Pym, was agreed to, and signed.

Tuesday, November 20. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

Leeward Islands.

Antigua.

Nevis.

St. Christophers.

Mr. Yeamans, agent for Antigua, Mr. Butler, agent for Nevis, and Mr. Coope, agent for St. Christophers, attending, as desired by the minutes of the 15th instant, as also General Dalzeel, Colonel of the Regiment in the Leeward Islands, and Mr. Morris his Lieutenant Colonel, having desired leave to be admitted, the Board had some discourse with them on the subject of the petition of the said agents, referred to this Board, as mentioned in the same minutes; when after some time spent therein, and Mr. Yeamans having read to the Board a letter lately received from General Mathew, setting forth the defenceless state of the said Islands in case of a war, from the want of all manner of warlike stores, the Board was pleased to give directions for preparing the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, upon the subject of the above mentioned petition.

Wednesday, November 21. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Georgia.

Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated November 2nd, 1739, referring back an Act, passed by the Trustees, for establishing the Colony of Georgia, for appointing and regulating of Pilots etc., as mentioned in the minutes of August 30th; and directing that the said Act be communicated to the agents of the neighbouring Colonies, that they may consider thereof, and offer such objections as they have thereto. The Board thereupon ordered the Secretary to write to the several agents of the two Carolinas, New England, Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania, to desire their attendance here on Friday next. [Friday, November 23rd.]

Connecticut.

Mr. Partridge attending, as desired by the minutes of the 13th instant, together with Mr. Sharpe, his Solicitor, in the absence of Mr. Wilks, agent for the Colony of Connecticut, and Mr. Mason, together with Mr. Paris, his Solicitor, on the part of the Mohican Indians, Mr. Sharpe laid before the Board the return of the Commissioners of Review in the dispute between the said Colony and the said Mohican Indians; and their lordships, after some discourse had with them, deferred the further consideration of this affair to another opportunity; in the mean time, ordered that Mr. Paris and Mr. Sharpe have copies of such papers as they shall judge necessary to each of them for the support of his client's pretensions.

Thursday, November 22. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Captain Temple West of the Deal Castle, at Portsmouth, (without date), inclosing his answer to the heads of enquiry (sent him in April last), concerning the Fishery at Canco for this year, 1739.

Friday, November 23. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

Georgia.

Mr. Fury.

Mr. McCulloch.

Peter Leheup, Esqr.

Mr. Paris.

The several agents of the neighbouring provinces to Georgia attending, as desired by the minutes of the 21st instant, were called in, and after some discourse had with them, the Board ordered them a copy of the Georgia Act, mentioned in the same minutes, in order for them to examine the same, and see whether they have any objections to it.

Virginia.

The report, in answer to the order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, relative to the maps therein required, as mentioned in the minutes of the 15th instant, was agreed to, and signed.

Tuesday, November 27. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

Bermudas.

Mr. Dinwiddie, a member of his Majesty's Council of Bermuda, attending, was called in, and the Board had some discourse with him on the subject of the warlike stores necessary for the defence of that Island, (as mentioned in the minutes of October 16th), as also of the augmentation of the Independent Company now there, (as mentioned in the minutes of the 15th instant); and after hearing his opinion thereon, their lordships ordered the draught of a report upon the two Orders of Council, one dated August 29th last, the other the 9th instant, referring to this Board Mr. Popple's letter and memorial on those subjects, to be prepared.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Carkesse, to desire he would inform their lordships what directions have been given, in consequence of the Secretary's former letter to him (the 24th of January last) by order of this Board, in relation to the extract of a letter from Mr. Popple, Governor of the Bermudas, which he was desired to lay before the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs.

Leeward Islands.

Antigua.

Nevis.

St. Christophers.

The report, in answer to the order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, on the subject of the petition of the agents of the Leeward Islands, which was ordered to be prepared, as mentioned in the minutes of the 20th instant, was agreed to, and signed.

Wednesday, November 28. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Herbert.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from Mr. Morris, Governor of New Jersey, dated at New York, October 4th, 1739, relative to the state of the difference between the Council and Assembly of that province, as to the application of money already raised and paid into the Treasury, for the support of the Government; and transmitting Journals of the Council and Assembly during the last Sessions.

Ordered that the draught of an answer to the said letter be prepared by the Secretary.

Thursday, November 29. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated October 15th, 1739, transmitting the minutes of the Council of Montserrat for the quarter ending the 29th September last, and an Act of the Island of Antigua, entituled, An Act for laying a duty of powder and fire arms on all vessels trading to and from that Island (neither of them yet arrived); mentioning also his having formerly acquainted their lordships with his suspending Thomas Pym, Esqr., from his seat in the Council of Nevis.

Connecticut.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated November 23rd, 1739, referring to this Board the return made by the Governor and assistants of Rhode Island to the Commission of Enquiry, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, June 3rd, 1737, relating to the controversy subsisting between the Governor and Company of Connecticut, and the Chief Sachem of the Mohican Tribe in that Colony.

Friday, November 30. Present:—Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated the 23rd instant, referring to this Board an account of the East India Company's exports from the Port of London, from Michaelmas, 1738, to Michaelmas, 1739.

Bermudas.

The draught of a report, in pursuance of an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, of the 29th of August last, mentioned in the minutes of October 16th, having been prepared, was read, and after some amendments made therein, ordered to be transcribed.