Journal, April 1717

April 3. Present:—Sir Jacob Astley, Mr. Cokburne, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Addison.

Pennsylvania.

Mr. Gee.

Old charters.

3 lower counties.

The Secretary acquainting the Board that Mr. Joshua Gee had desired to peruse such copies or entries as are in this office, of the old charters from king Charles the Second to the duke of York, which may relate to the three lower counties adjoining to Pennsylvania; ordered that he have liberty to peruse them accordingly.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Secretary Stanhope.

Consul at Ostend.

Flanders merchants summoned.

A letter from Mr. Secretary Stanhope of the 26th of last month, for the opinion of ye Board upon a proposal from the consul at Ostend, relating to the trade carried on between Flanders and Spain under British passes, was read; whereupon ordered that Sir Thomas Scawen, Mr. Livinus Dorpere, Mr. White, Mr. Edward Atkins, and Mr. John Waller, who trade to Flanders, &c., be acquainted that their lordships desire to speak with them at ten of the clock, on Friday morning next.

Jamaica.

Letter from Colonel Heywood.

A letter from Col. Heywood, commander in chief of Jamaica, dated ye 1st December, 1716, was read, and the papers therein referred to, laid before the Board, as follows, vizt.:—
Papers referred to.
Copy of a letter from the Governor of Havana to Col. Heywood, commander in chief of Jamaica, dated the 8th of October, 1716.
Minutes of the Council of Jamaica in Assembly, from the 17th of September to the 17th of November, 1716.

Letter from Colonel Heywood.

Another letter from Col. Heywood, dated the 3rd of December, 1716, was read; and the Acts and papers therein referred to, were laid before the Board, vizt.:—
Papers referred to.
Copy of a deposition of Joseph Eels, relating to a French ship piratically taken.
Minutes of Assembly from the 17th September, 1716, to the 17th Novbr. following inclusive.
Nine Acts passed in Jamaica, the 10th of November, 1716.

Letters to Mr. Secretary Methuen.

Whereupon ordered that the draughts of two letters be prepared to Mr. Secretary Methuen, the one for inclosing to him parag. A and C. of Col. Heywood's said letter relating to pirates, and a copy of the forementioned deposition on the same subject; the other to inclose a copy of paragraph B of the same letter relating to the ill state of his Majesty's forces in Jamaica, in order to the signification of his Majesty's pleasure upon those matters.

Trade.

Mr. Inspector General.

Letter to Mr. Lowndes.

Imports, exports, Scotland.

Inspector's ledgers.

Mr. Martyn, Inspector General of the Customs, attending, their lordships had some discourse with him upon the subject of his letter, mentioned in the minutes of the 29th of the last month; after which, their lordships agreed the draught of a letter, ordered to be prepared to Mr. Lowndes the same day relating to the imports and exports to and from Scotland, and to the furnishing this office from time to time with copies of the Inspector General's ledgers.

April 4. Present:—Sir Jacob Astley, Mr. Cokburne, Sir Charles Cooke, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Addison, Mr. Molesworth.

Jamaica.

Letter to Mr. Secretary Methuen.

Pirates.

King's forces.

The draughts of letters ordered yesterday to be prepared for inclosing to Mr. Secretary Methuen, the extracts of Col. Heywood's letter of the 3rd December last, &c., relating to pirates in the West Indies, and the ill state of his Majesty's forces in Jamaica, were agreed and signed.

April 5. Present:—Mr. Cokburne, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Addison, Mr. Molesworth.

Antigua.

Messrs.

Tryon and Nevin's memorial Act.

Governor's house-rent.

Colonel Blakiston summoned.

A memorial from Mr. Tryon, and Mr. Nevin, relating to an Act passed in Antigua, the 2nd of March 1715/16, for settling 1000l. per annum on Genl. Hamilton Governor of the Leeward Islands, during the continuance of his government, was read; whereupon ordered that Col. Blakiston be acquainted with the Board's desire of speaking with him at ten o'clock on Tuesday morning next.

Jamaica.

Mr. Oldfield.

Copy of an act.

Mr. Russell, about another.

sent the Attorney General.

The Secretary acquainting the Board, that Mr. Oldfield desired their lordships would please to grant him a copy of the Act passed in Jamaica in November last entitled, an Act to oblige the several inhabitants of this island to provide themselves with a sufficient number of white people, &c., and that Mr. Russell desired their lordships would take into consideration another Act passed there at the same time, entituled, an Act to prevent negroes being evidence against Dorothy the wife, and John, Thomas, and Francis, sons of John Williams a free negro; ordered that Mr. Oldfield have a copy of the first mentioned Act as desired; and that the said Act relating to the wife and sons of John Williams, be sent to Mr. Attorney General, for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Leeward Islands.

Letters from General Hamilton.

A letter from General Hamilton, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated 25th May, 1716, was read.

2nd.

Another letter from him, dated ye 28th June, 1716, was read, and the list of six Acts passed at Antigua, in 1715/16, and 1716, referred to in the said letter, was laid before the Board, together with the said Acts, as likewise an Act passed at St. Christophers in 1716, entituled, an Act to repeal a clause in the late Common Law Act.

3rd.

A third letter from General Hamilton, Govr. of the Leeward Islands, dated the 12th of July, 1716, was read; and the act therein referred to, passed at Antigua the 19th of June, 1716, entituled, an Act to prohibit the importation of French and other foreign sugars, rum, cotton or melosses into this island, was laid before the Board.

4th.

A fourth letter from him, dated ye 22nd of August, 1716, was read, and the Acts therein referred to, passed at Antigua in July and August, 1716, for encouraging the importation of white servants and for appointing an agent, were laid before the Board.

5th.

A fifth letter from General Hamilton, dated the 3rd of October, 1716, was read, and the papers and Act therein referred to, were laid before the Board, vizt.:—
Papers referred to.
Lists of persons recommended to be of the respective Councils in the Leeward Islands.
List of the inhabitants of Anguilla.
An Act to explain part of an Act entituled, an Act for the settlement of the militia of this island.

Letter to General Hamilton.

Whereupon their lordships gave directions for preparing the draught of a letter to General Hamilton in answer to those abovementioned, and others received from him.

April 9. Present:—Sir Jacob Astley, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Addison, Mr. Molesworth.

Newfoundland.

Valier's memorial.

Tulon.

Lewen's memorial fish, St. Peters.

Mr. Alexander Valier attending, presented to the Board a memorial, praying their lordships would please to make their report upon the petition and other papers before them, relating to the case of Olivier Tulon, which memorial was read; as likewise another from Mr. George Lewen against the said Tulon or any foreigners being permitted to fish, &c., at St. Peter's or other parts adjacent to Newfoundland; whereupon their lordships agreed to take that matter into consideration on Friday morning next.

Trade.

Inspector General account.

Linen exported &c.

Mr. Martyn, Inspector General of ye Customs attending, presented to their lordships the copy of an account, prepared by him for the House of Commons, shewing the produce of the 6d. per piece upon all British linnen exported from England between Christmas, 1715 and Christmas, 1716, as also what the duties ad valorem of Irish linn ens exported, have produced, and what Hamburgh linnens have been re-exported for the same time which copy was read.

Barbadoes.

Plantations General.

Letter from Mr. Secretary Methuen.

Trade with French Plantations, treaty of neutrality 1686.

Circular letter to Governors.

A letter from Mr. Secretary Methuen, dated yesterday, signifying his Majesty's pleasure upon one from this Board, of the 6th February last, relating to the carrying on a trade between his Majesty's and the French Plantations, and concerning the treaty of neutrality in America, concluded between Great Britain and France in 1686, was read; whereupon directions were given for preparing the draught of a circular letter to the Governors of his Majesty's Plantations, pursuant to his Majesty's commands therein.

April 10. Present:—Mr. Cokburne, Sir Charles Cooke, Mr. Docminique.

Antigua.

Colonel Blakiston.

Act.

House-rent for General Hamilton.

Leeward Islands.

Instructions.

Tryon and Ncvin.

Col. Blakiston, attending, their lordships had some discourse with him relating to the Act passed at Antigua the 2nd of March, 1715–16, (mentioned in the minutes of the 21st February last) for settling 1000l. per annum current money of that island, upon General Hamilton, Governor of the Leeward Islands, during the continuance of his government; and that part of General Hamilton's instructions relating to his acceptance of house rent from the Assemblies there, was read; whereupon Col. Blakiston said, he was of opinion, that 1000l. current money of those islands, to be remitted hither in sugars, would not one year with another much exceed the sum of 400l. sterl. allowed him by the said instructions. And Mr. Rowland Tryon attending, on the same occasion, with Mr. Nevin, agent for Antigua, they represented to their lordships the substance of their memorial, read the 5th instant, relating to this Act, and further said they believed there had been no Act passed in any of the other Leeward Islands, for the like purpose, since Genl. Hamilton's arrival there, as Governor in chief, tho' they presumed, Assemblies have been held, in which case he is by his instructions, prohibited the passing any such Acts at all in the other islands. Their lordships then resolved to take the said Act into further consideration at another opportunity.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Letter from Commissioners of the navy.

Species &c.

Naval stores.

A letter from the Commissioners of the Navy, to the Secretary, of the 8th instant, in answer to that writ them the 7th of February last, for an account of the species, quantities and prices, &c., of naval stores bought for the use of the Royal Navy, from 1696 to 1716, was read, and the account referred to, in the said letter from the Navy Board, was laid before their lordships.

April 12. Present:—Sir Jacob Astley, Mr. Cokburne, Sir Charles Cooke, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Addison, Mr. Molesworth.

Antigua.

Act.

Governor's house-rent.

Letter to Secretary of State.

Their lordships took again into consideration the Act of Antigua, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, for settling 1000l. current money of that island, on General Hamilton, during his government, in licu of house-rent; whereupon directions were given for preparing the draught of a letter to one of his Majesty's Principal Secretary's of State, in order to the laying before his Majesty the opinion of this Board, relating to the said Act.

Newfoundland.

Valier, Lewen.

Tulon.

Fishing, St. Peters.

Representation.

The memorials from Mr. Valier and Mr. Lewen, mentioned in the minutes of the 9th instant, were again read; and the several papers relating to the petitions of Olivier Tulon and of Ambrose Weston and William Cleeves, relating to the said Tulon's fishing at St. Peter's, and irregularities committed at Newfoundland, which were formerly read, were now taken into further consideration. An attested copy of Col. Moody's declaration to the French inhabitants at St. Peter's near Newfoundland in July, 1714, with a list of French inhabitants at St. Peters, near Newfoundland, certified by Capt. Taverner, to have taken the oaths in 1714, and ever since enjoyed the liberty of fishing there, &c. received from Mr. Valier, were also laid before the Board; and an extract of a letter from Mr. Bubb to the right honble. Mr. Secry. Methuen, dated at Madrid 1st February, N.S., 1717, relating to some fish taken at St. Peters near Newfoundland by Olivier Tulon, and stopped at Bilboa; upon all which, directions were given for preparing the draught of a representation to his Majesty.

April 15. Present:—Sir Jacob Astley, Mr. Cokburne, Mr. Chetwynd, Sir Charles Cooke, Mr. Molesworth.

Antigua.

Letter to Secretary of State.

Act.

Governor's house-rent.

The draught of a letter, ordered to be prepared the 12th instant, to one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, relating to an Act passed at Antigua, for settling 1000l. per annum current money of that island, on Genl. Hamilton, during his government, in lieu of house-rent, was agreed and ordered to be transcribed.

April 16. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Sir Charles Cooke, Mr. Docminique.

Jamaica.

Letter from Mr. Secretary Stanhope.

Disputes, Council and Assembly.

Instructions.

A letter from Mr. Secretary Stanhope of the 12th instant, signifying his Majesty's pleasure upon the letter writ to Mr. Secretary Methuen the 19th of December last, relating to the disputes between the late Governors, Councils and Assemblies of Jamaica, and several points upon which Mr. Pitt, appointed Governor of that island, desires to be instructed, was read; whereupon directions were given for preparing draughts of instructions accordingly.

Antigua.

Letter to Mr. Secretary Addison.

Act.

Governor's house-rent.

The draught of a letter to Mr. Secry. Addison, ordered the 12th instant, to be prepared relating to the Act of Antigua, for settling 1000l. per annum current money of that island on Genl. Hamilton, during his government in lieu of house-rent, was agreed and signed.

Newfoundland.

Representation.

Weston and Cleeves.

Tulon, St. Peters.

The draught of a representation, ordered likewise the 12th instant, to be prepared, upon the complaint of Ambrose Weston and William Cleeves, relating to Oliyier Tulon, a Frenchman's fishing at St. Peters near Newfoundland, as also upon the petition of the said Tulon, relating to his case, was read; and a progress made in the consideration thereof.

April 30. Present:—Sir Jacob Astley, Mr. Chetwynd, Sir Charles Cooke, Mr. Molesworth.

Leeward Islands.

Letter from General Hamilton.

A letter from Genl. Hamilton, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated the 1st of March, 1716/17, was read, and the papers therein referred to as undermentioned, were laid before the Board, vizt.:
Papers referred to.
Copy of Abijah Savage's deposition relating to pirates.
Copy of papers relating to the ships taken at Campechy.
Copy of a letter from the Masters taken at Triste, to Mr. John Campbell.

Letter to Mr. Secretary Addison.

Whereupon the draught of a letter for inclosing to Mr. Secretary Addison copies of that from Genl. Hamilton and of the said papers to be laid before his Majesty, was prepared and signed.