Journal, March 1723

March 5. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Miscellanies.

Letter from Mr. Ludbey.

Building of the office.

A letter from Mr. Ludbey, in relation to the foundation of this office, (which he was ordered to survey), was read.

Nova Scotia.

Petition of Colonel Vetch and others.

The Colonel and others summoned.

The petition of Colonel Vetch and others to the Board desiring to be heard in relation to their petition now before the Board, was read. Whereupon ordered that Colonel Vetch and the other petitioners be acquainted that the Board desire to speak with them thereupon on Thursday morning next.

Jamaica.

Letter from Duke of Portland.

A letter from the Duke of Portland, Governor of Jamaica, dated 26th December, 1722, in relation to his arrival and reception there, was read.

March 12. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Nova Scotia.

Wilson, Capon, etc., attend.

Petition of Colonel Vetch and others for a tract of land, persons to attend again.

Mr. Wilson, Mr. Capon, Mr. Bruce, etc., attending, as they had been desired, the Order of Council, of 21st July, 1719, upon the petition of Colonel Vetch and others, praying for a tract of land in Nova Scotia (mentioned in the Minutes of the 1st July, 1720), was again read. And their Lordships, after some discourse with these gentlemen thereupon, ordered them to attend again on Wednesday the 20th instant.

March 13. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Newfoundland.

Letter from Mr. Burchet.

Heads of enquiry and instructions for the Commodore.

To be prepared.

A letter from Mr. Burchet, of the 7th instant, signifying the Lords of the Admiralty's desire that the usual heads of enquiry and instructions may be prepared for the Commodore of the Newfoundland convoy, was read; as also the answers to those given for the year 1722. And the schemes of the fishery in the several harbours there; whereupon ordered that the said heads of enquiry and instructions be prepared accordingly.

North Carolina.

Order of Council.

George Burrington, Esquire, approved Deputy Governor.

An Order of Council of the 26th of February, 1722-3, approving George Burrington, Esquire, for Deputy Governor of North Carolina, upon the nomination of the Lords Proprietors requiring the Board of Trade to take the usual security for his observing the Acts of Trade, etc., was read, and their Lordships resolved to consider further thereof, when sureties shall be offered for the said Mr. Burrington.

Plantations General.

Order of Committee for additional instruction about private acts.

An Order of the Committee of the 1st of last month, directing the Board to consider of and prepare an additional instruction to all the governors in the plantations in relation to private Acts, was read. Whereupon ordered that the draught of such additional instruction be prepared accordingly.

March 15. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Rhode Island.

Connecticut.

Agents attending about the boundaries of those colonies.

Mr. Partridge, agent for Rhode Island, and Mr. Dummer, agent for Connecticut, attending, as they had been desired, in relation to the new line said to be run from Ashway River, in Paucatuck River, due north till it meet the south line of the Massachusets, as the boundary between Rhode Island and Connecticut, by agreement between certain commissioners, appointed by each province to settle their boundaries; Mr. Dummer acquainted their Lordships that the commissioners had indeed made some agreement, but that it had been disallowed of by the Assembly of Connecticut. Their Lordships then desired Mr. Dummer to bring the Board a copy of the said Act of Disallowance, as also of the agreement made by the said commissioners, which he promised to do accordingly.

New England.

Colonel Shute, the Governor's licence to come thence.

Ordered that Colonel Shute, Governor of New England, be desired to send a copy of his licence of leave to come over from thence.

March 19. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Newfoundland.

Letter to Mr. Burchet.

Heads of inquiry and instructions to commodore.

A letter to Mr. Burchet, inclosing the usual heads of enquiry and instructions for the Commodore of the Newfoundland convoy, as desired by Mr. Burchet's letter of the 7th instant, (mentioned in the Minutes of the 13th), was agreed and ordered to be sent.

Connecticut.

Rhode Island.

Letter from Mr. Dummer.

Act of Connecticut disallowing agreement with commissioners of Rhode Island about boundaries.

Representation on hearing about boundaries agreed.

A letter from Mr. Dummer, agent for Connecticut, in relation to the Act, which he informed their Lordships, the 15th instant, had been passed at Connecticut, to disallow the agreement made between the commissioners of Connecticut and Rhode Island, in relation to the boundaries, was read: and the draught of a representation upon an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, of the 19th January, 1721–2, referring to this Board the petition of Joseph Jenks, Esquire, and Richard Partridge, agents for Rhode Island, and the answer of Mr. Dummer, agent of Connecticut, relating to this affair, was agreed and ordered to be transcribed.

Antigua.

Act to indemnify Anthony Brown, etc.

Board ready to hear the parties.

Ordered that Mr. Nivine and Mr. Marsh be acquainted that the Board is ready to hear what they may have to offer in relation to the Antegoa Act, to indemnify Anthony Brown, etc., on Tuesday morning next.

March 20. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Nova Scotia.

Colonel Vetch, Mr. Wilson, etc., about their petition for a tract of land.

Colonel Philips to be spoken with on that subject.

Colonel Vetch, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Capon, Mr. Bruce, etc., attending, as they had been desired, in relation to their petition praying for a tract of land in Nova Scotia, referred to this Board by an Order of Council of the 21st July, 1719, and mentioned in the Minutes of the 12th instant; their Lordships asked them several questions thereupon, particularly, how far the land petitioned for lies from Minas and Annapolis Royal, which Colonel Vetch said could not be ascertained, because the land had never been surveyed, but that La Have River (in the tract petitioned for) was commonly computed to be 35 or 40 leagues distant from Port Royal and about 30 from Minas. After some further discourse with these gentlemen, their Lordships agreed to talk with Colonel Philips, Governor of Nova Scotia, upon this subject on Friday morning next, and ordered that he should be acquainted therewith.

March 21. Present:— Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique.

New Jersey.

Memorial from Mr. John Burnet about an Act relating to Robert Burnet's estate.

Act sent to Mr. West.

A memorial of John Burnett desiring the confirmation of an Act, passed in New Jersey in 1719, entituled, An Act for vesting the lands late the estate and inheritance of Robert Burnet, Esquire, late of the county of Monmouth in the Province of New Jersey, in trustees to be sold and disposed of for the payment of debts, was read; whereupon ordered that the said Act be sent to Mr. West for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Newfoundland.

Mr. Ridge and Mr. Baker, petitions of merchants against Colonel Gledhill.

Gentlemen to put into writing what they have further to offer.

Mr. Ridge, member of Parliament for Poole, attending with Mr. Baker, etc., presented to the Board two petitions, one in behalf of the merchants of London, the other in behalf of the merchants of Poole, traders to Newfoundland, in relation to the impositions Colonel Gledhill, Lieutenant Governor of Placentia, has laid on their trade, which were read. And their Lordships, after some discourse with these gentlemen thereupon, desired they would put into writing and lay before the Board, what they had further to offer upon this subject, which they promised to do accordingly.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Carkesse.

Rice imported and exported.

A letter from Mr. Carkesse of 11th December, 1722, enclosing an account of rice imported and exported for four years, from Christmas, 1717, to Christmas, 1721, was read.

North Carolina.

Letter from Mr. Burrington, appointed Governor.

Securites for observing Acts of Trade.

Draught of bond and letter to Mr. Lowndes.

A letter from Mr. Burrington (appointed Governor of North Carolina) offering Nicholas Vincent and Dennis Bond, Esquires, to be his security for the observance of the Acts of Trade and Navigation of 19th March, 1722–3, was read; whereupon ordered that the draught of a bond to be entered into by his securities be prepared, as also a letter enclosing the same to Mr. Lowndes, one of the secretaries of His Majesty's Treasury.

New England.

Colonel Shute's Licence for absence.

Licence of absence for Colonel Shute, Governor of the Massachusets Bay and New Hampshire, dated at Pyrmont the 4th of July, 1720, was read.

Trade.

Letter to Mr. Balam.

Inspector General, about account formerly desired and East Indiaaccounts.

Ordered that Mr. Balam, Inspector General of the imports and exports, be reminded of the Secretary's letters of the 18th of July and 2nd of November last, and that he be desired to let their Lordships have an accompt of the quantities and value of all goods imported by the East India Company, from Christmas, 1718, to Michaelmas, 1722, and likewise an accompt of the quantities and value of East India goods re-exported since the year 1702, to the same time, under the following heads, viz:—pepper, indigo, calicoes, wrought silk, and in one other article, the value only of all other goods.

New Jersey.

Letter to Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor General.

Gold and silver mines.

Ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Attorney and Solicitor General, to remind them of the Secretary's letter of the 14th of the last month, enclosing an extract of a letter from Mr. Burnet, Governor of New Jersey, to the Lord Carteret of the 12th December, 1722, relating to gold and silver mines in New Jersey, and to desire their opinion in point of law in whose right the said mines are.

March 22. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Rhode Island.

Connecticut.

Representation about boundaries signed.

The draught of a representation upon the order of the Committee of Council, of the 19th of January last, referring to this Board the petition of Joseph Jenks and Richard Partridge, agents for Rhode Island, and the answer of Mr. Dummer, agent for Connecticut, relating to the boundaries between the two said colonies, ordered to be transcribed the 19th instant, was signed.

Newfoundland.

Colonel Philips.

Two petitions against

Colonel Gledhill, Lieutenant Governor.

Complaints against Colonel Gledhill.

Colonel Philips. Governor of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, attending, as he had been desired, their Lordships shewed him two petitions, one in behalf of the merchants of London, and the other of the merchants of Poole, in relation to the impositions Colonel Gledhill, Lieutenant Governor of Fort Frederick at Placentia, has laid on their trade there, not only by ingrossing the whole fishing trade, but by seizing and fixing his own price on their goods; their Lordships then in discourse with Colonel Philips asked him how far he had complied with his 35th instruction, whereby he is strictly to enjoin all the officers and soldiers belonging to the garrison of Placentia not to concern themselves in the fishery there, to which he said; that before he went over Governor, having heard of the bad character of Colonel Gledhill, he had acquainted the Lord Cadogan and Mr. Treby that he would not be answerable for his character; that as soon as he arrived there he sent a copy of the said instruction with orders for that purpose to the said Colonel Gledhill, which he acknowledged to have received; that he never had any complaints made directly to him to this purpose, but last summer, having heard of them, he sent his major to enquire into this matter, who assembled all the inhabitants and enquired of them the truth of the said complaints, but none of them would speak.

Nova Scotia.

Colonel Philips about petition of Colonel Vetch and others for a tract of land.

Their Lordships then acquainted him, that Colonel Vetch and others had petitioned for a tract of land eight leagues to the north east of La Have River and eight leagues to the south west of the said river and ten leagues up into the country, whereupon their Lordships desired to know whether the said tract of land included any of the settlements at Minas or at Annapolis Royal, to which he said, that it did not, the mouth of the river La Have being 30 leagues from Annapolis Royal and 20 from Minas, but he desired their Lordships, before they made their report upon this petition, to consider whether, as some of the petitioners were concerned in another grant of land at Chibucto, it might be reasonable to grant such vast tracts of land to the same people, which he said would be a great hinderance to the settling the place.

Nova Scotia.

Newfoundland.

A cruiser necessary between Canso and Cape Sables.

Colonel Philips then acquainted their Lordships that as there are three ships appointed for the Newfoundland convoy this year, that it would be greatly to the advantage of the Nova Scotia fishery, if one of them were ordered to cruise between Canco and Cape Sables, during the fishing season; the fishery there having been last year interrupted and in danger of being broke up by the rumour of the pirates being on the coast.

Letter to the Lords of the Admiralty.

Colonel Philips being withdrawn, their Lordships ordered a letter to be prepared to the Lords of the Admiralty which was immediately agreed and signed.

March 26. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen.

Nova Scotia.

Letter from Lords of Admiralty.

Man of War to cruise twixt Canso and Cape Sables.

A letter from the Lords of the Admiralty, dated 23rd instant, acquainting the Board that they have appointed a man of war to cruise between Canco and Cape Sables to protect the fishery there, was read.

March 27. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Plantations General.

Draught of additional instruction about private Acts.

Their Lordships taking again into consideration the Order of the Committee of the 1st of last month, directing the Board to consider of and prepare an additional instruction to all the Governors of the Plantations in relation to private Acts, (mentioned in the Minutes of the 13th instant), as also the draught of an instruction, ordered then to be prepared, made a progress in the consideration thereof.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Delafaye.

Mr. Bobin.

Silk manufactures.

Two letters from Mr. Delafaye of the 6th and 27th of October, 1720, referring to the Board by order of the Lords Justices several papers from Mr. Bobin, relating to the manufacture of silks flowered with gold and silver, were read, and their Lordships resolved to consider further thereof, when Mr. Bobin or any other person for him should apply in this affair.

New England.

Letter from Colonel Shute.

A letter from Colonel Shute, Governor of New England, to the Board, dated 29th of October, 1722, was read.

March 29. Present:—Earl of Westmorland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Plantations General.

Draughts of instructions about private Acts, representation signed.

Their Lordships taking again into consideration the draughts of instructions in relation to private Acts, (mentioned in the Minutes of the 27th instant), the draught of a representation, ordered then to be prepared, for transmitting the said draughts to the Right Honorable the Lords of the Committee of His Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council, was agreed and signed.

Barbados.

Letter from Mr. Tryon.

Difference between Sir Charles Cox and Mrs. Frere, about President's salary.

A letter from Mr. Tryon, of the 12th November, 1722, in behalf of Sir Charles Cox, relating to a difference between him and the widow of Colonel Frere, President of the Council of Barbados, as to salary due to Mr. Cox, President there after him, was read.

Jamaica.

Letter from Sir Nicholas Lawes.

A letter from Sir Nicholas Lawes, Governor of Jamaica, dated the 10th of December, 1722, was read, and their Lordships resolved to consider further thereof, when they should take the Acts of that island into their consideration.

Answer to Duke of Portland's letter.

Ordered that an answer be prepared to the Duke of Portland's letter, of the 26th December, 1722, mentioned in the Minutes of the 5th instant.