Journal, April 1771

fo. 78.

Wednesday, April 10th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Whately.

The Earl of Hillsborough, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

New York.

West Florida.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, recommending a grant to Major Markham of five thousand acres of land in New York, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed; as was also a representation to his Majesty, proposing that James Jones, Esquire, may be appointed of the Council of West Florida.

fo. 79.

Quebec.

Read a memorial and petition of Frederick Dutens of London, merchant, to the Board, dated March 27th, 1771, praying, for the reasons therein mentioned, he may have a grant of fifty thousand acres of land in the Bay of Chaleur.

Ordered, that the said memorial do lye by for further consideration, when Mr. Dutens shall attend thereupon.

New York.

Read a memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Howard, praying for a grant of ten thousand acres of land in the province of New York.

fo. 80.

Colonel Howard attending, and having been asked several questions touching his views and intentions in respect to the settlement he proposes to make, it was thereupon ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, recommending that his request may be complied with.

Newfoundland.

Read a memorial and petition of Nicholas Darby of London, merchant, to the Board, stating his expences and sufferings in prosecuting a fishery on the coast of Labrador, and praying relief.

The petitioner attending, was called in, and informed, that the case to which his petition refers, as stated by him, was not properly cognizable by this Board, nor had their lordships had any means of granting the relief he prays.

fo. 81.

St. John's.

A memorial of Samuel Smith of London, merchant, in which he styles himself agent for the Island of St. John, having been offered to the Board, their lordships did not think fit to admit of the said memorial being read, as it did not appear to them that Mr. Smith had any proper authority to appear in that character.

Thursday, April 11. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Whately.

The Earl of Hillsborough, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Jamaica.

fo. 82.

The Secretary acquainted the Board, that he was desired by Mr. Elletson, late Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica, to move their lordships, that he may have copies of such parts of the minutes of Council of that Island in the years 1766 and 1768, as relate to the case of the proceedings against Charles Sholto Douglas, Collector of His Majesty's Customs in that Island, to be used in the defence of the said Lieutenant Governor Elletson in an action brought against him in the King's Bench by said Douglas.

Ordered, that copies be made of such parts of the Journals of the Council of Jamaica as relate to the case of Mr. Douglas, and that said copies be delivered to Mr. Elletson on his attending.

North Carolina, South Carolina.

fo. 83.

Their lordships took into consideration an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, mentioned in the minutes of the 3rd of January, 1770, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, copies and extracts of several letters and papers transmitted to the Earl of Hillsborough by the Governors of North Carolina and South Carolina, touching the continuation of the boundary line between the said colonies; and their lordships also at the same time read and considered a memorial of Mr. Garth, agent for the province of South Carolina, on that subject, and agreed to take the said papers into further consideration tomorrow morning.

Ordered, that the Secretary do give notice thereof to the agents for both provinces, and acquaint them that the Board desire their attendance thereupon.

fo. 84.

South Carolina.

Ordered, that the Secretary do write to Lord Charles Greville Montagu, desiring his attendance on the Board tomorrow morning, on the subject of the said boundary line; as also on the subject of the state of the Council of South Carolina.

Quebec.

Mr. Dutens attends on the subject of his petition for a grant in seigneurie of fifty thousand acres of land at Baye Chaleurs in Quebec and is heard thereupon.

Ordered, that the said petition be taken into consideration tomorrow morning, and that Governor Carleton be desired to attend.

fo. 85.

Friday, April 12th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Lord Greville, Mr. Whately.

South Carolina.

Their lordships took into consideration the state of the Council of South Carolina, and Lord Charles Greville Montagu attending, their lordships, after some discourse with him thereupon, ordered the draught of a representation to his Majesty to be prepared, recommending Barnard Elliot and David Deas to be appointed of the said Council.

South Carolina, North Carolina.

fo. 86.

Their lordships then took into consideration the papers relative to the boundary line between South and North Carolina, and the agents for both provinces attending, were called in, and both of them having acquainted the Board, that they had nothing further to offer than what is contained in papers already before the Board, they withdrew, and it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council should be prepared.

Quebec.

fo. 87.

Governor Carleton attending on the subject of Mr. Dutens' petition, their lordships had some discourse with him thereupon, and he having stated his opinion, that the granting lands in general in Quebec in seigneurie, upon the same conditions and in the same form in which they were granted under the French Government, would be far more advantageous than in the manner prescribed by his Majesty's instruction, it was ordered, that, previous to any step to be taken on Mr. Dutens' petition, the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, recommending that the said mode of granting lands in seigneurie in Quebec should be adopted, and the present instruction to the Governor, in respect to the granting of lands, should be revoked.

New York.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, recommending that a grant may be made to Lieutenant Colonel Howard of ten thousand acres of land in New York, was signed.

fo. 88.

Friday, April 19th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Lord Greville, Mr. Whately.

Quebec.

North Carolina, South Carolina.

Their lordships read and considered the draught of a representation to his Majesty in respect to the mode of granting lands in the province of Quebec, ordered to be prepared on the 12th instant; also the draught of a report upon the papers relative to the boundary line between the provinces of North and South Carolina.

Newfoundland.

fo. 89.

Read a petition of John Noble of the city of Bristol, and Andrew Pinson of Dartmouth, merchants, setting forth that they are jointly concerned in carrying on a considerable trade and fishery on the Labrador coast in North America, and praying, for the reasons therein contained, that they may have a grant of exclusive possession of Temple Bay and Whale Island for the purpose of carrying on the cod fishery.

Mr. Noble, one of the petitioners, attending, was called in and acquainted, that the proposition contained in the petition appeared to deserve consideration, but that the present state of that coast, and the difficulties arising from the claims of the Canadian subjects to possessions there, made it impossible for their lordships to form for the present any decisive opinion upon it.

fo. 90.

South Carolina.

Read a letter from William Bull, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, to the Board, dated March 4th, 1771, transmitting,
List of grants of land from July 5th, 1770, to October 12th following.
An Ordnance for appointing Henry Peronneau and Benjamin Dart, Esquires, joint public Treasurers of this province.

Wednesday, April 24th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Greville, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert.

The Earl of Hillsborough, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

fo. 91.

North Carolina, South Carolina, Quebec.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on the subject of the boundary line, between the provinces of North Carolina and South Carolina was further considered, approved and signed; as was also a representation to his Majesty, proposing an alteration in the mode of granting lands in the colony of Quebec.

New York.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, recommending William Axtell, Esquire, to be of the Council of New York, in the room of Joseph Reade, Esquire, deceased.

New Jersey.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, recommending Daniel Coxe, Esquire, to be of the Council of New Jersey, in the room of John Ladd, Esquire, deceased.

fo. 92.

Pennsylvania.

Their lordships took into consideration twenty Acts passed in the province of Pennsylvania in 1769 and 1770, together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon, and made some progress therein.

Ordered, that the said laws and reports be taken into further consideration on Wednesday, the first of May, and that Mr. Jackson be desired to attend, as also the agent or attorney for the Proprietaries.

Grenada.

fo. 93.

Read a petition of John and Lewis Desbat of the Island of Cariacou, and Rowland Ash of the Island of St. Vincent, praying that a lease of some lands in the Island of St. Vincent, granted to the said John and Lewis Desbat, may be assigned to said Rowland Ash; their lordships, upon consideration of the circumstances of the case, and it appearing also, that such assignment had been consented to by Governor Melvill, ordered that the Secretary do certify their approbation thereof.

Friday, April 26th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Eliot, Lord Greville, Mr. Whately.

The Earl of Hillsborough, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Quebec.

fo. 94.

Their lordships read and considered an Ordinance published by the Governor and Council of Quebec, on the 1st of February, 1770, intituled,
An Ordinance for the more effectual administration of justice, and for regulating the courts of law in this province.

Their lordships also read and considered Mr. Jackson's report on the said ordinance, together with memorials of several merchants residing at Quebec and of the merchants of London trading thereto, containing objections to the said ordinance.

Ordered, that the said ordinance do lye by for further consideration at another opportunity.

North Carolina.

fo. 95.

Jamaica.

New Jersey.

New York.

South Carolina.

Their lordships agreed to and signed representations to his Majesty recommending Sir Nathaniel Duckenfield, Bart., and Marmaduke Jones, Esquire, to be of the Council of North Carolina; John Ellis, Esquire, to be of the Council of Jamaica; Daniel Coxe, Esquire, to be of the Council of New Jersey; William Axtell, Esquire, to be of the Council of New York; and Barnard Elliott and David Deas, Esquires, to be of the Council of South Carolina.