Journal, October 1725

October 1. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen.

Draught of representation.

Their Lordships took into their consideration the draught of a representation upon the New England memorial, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, and made a progress therein.

October 7. Present:— Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen.

The following copies of Orders in Council were laid before the Board, and read, viz:—

Jamaica.

Order New Councillor.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 1st of June, on a representation of this Board of the 31st of May, 1725, appointing Henry Stout, Esquire, a Councillor of Jamaica [folio 162].

Order of Council.

Additional Instructions, Laws and Revenue.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 1st of June, 1725, approving the draught of an additional instruction for the Duke of Portland to continue the laws of Jamaica for one year longer, inclosed in a representation of this Board of the 27th of the last month.

Massachusets.

Order of Council on reports upon Colonel Shute's complaints against the Assemble.

Explanatory Charter.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 1st of June, 1725, upon the reports of the Lords of the Committee of Council, and of Mr. Attorney and Solicitor General, relating to the complaints of Colonel Shute, Governor of the Massachusets Bay, against the Assembly of that Province, directing the draught of an Explanatory Charter to be prepared.

Two Orders of Council and Attorney and Solicitor General's report and draught of Explanatory Charter.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 6th of July, 1725, referring the report of the Attorney and Solicitor General, and the draught of an Explanatory Charter for the Massachusets Bay to a Committee of Council.

Copy of an Order of Council of 20th July, 1725, directing an Explanatory Charter to be made for the Massachusets Bay in New England.

Trade.

East India.

Order on representation.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 20th of July, 1725 [folio 191], referring to a Committee of Council a representation of this Board of the 1st instant, relating to the state of the East India Trade, from Michaelmas, 1714, to Michaelmas, 1725.

New York.

Order on representation.

Acts about Indian Trade.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 20th of July, upon a representation of this Board of the 16th of June, 1725 [folio 179], upon some New York Acts for encouraging the Indian trade, etc., referring the said report to a Committee of Council.

Plantations General.

Order on representation.

Mr. Fitzwilliam of several Councils.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 5th of August, 1725 [folio 216], approving a representation of this Board of the 28th of July last, for appointing Richard Fitzwilliam, Esquire, Surveyor General of the Customs, to be of the Councils of Virginia, South Carolina and Jamaica.

New York.

Mr. Maxwell about petition of Presbyterians.

A copy sent to Mr. Fane for his opinion.

Mr. Maxwell, attending, desired their Lordships would please to take into their consideration the petition of the Presbyterians of New York [folios 81, 85, 237], praying to be incorporated by Letters Patents under the Board Seal of New York, whereupon ordered that a copy of the said petition, which was inclosed in Mr. Burnet's letter of the 20th of May, 1724, and mentioned in the Minutes of the 16th of April, 1725, be sent to Mr. Fane, one of His Majesty's council for the service of this Board, for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

New England.

Draught of representation about assistance in the Indian War.

Their Lordships then took into consideration the draught of a representation, mentioned in the Minutes of the last meeting, upon the New England memorial, and made a further progress. therein.

Massachusets.

Connecticut.

October 8. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen.

Rhode Island.

New York.

Representation.

Assistance to Massachusets, Indian War.

The representation upon the New England memorial [folio 232], mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, was agreed and signed.

Miscellanies.

Letter to the Treasury.

Salaries.

As also a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment of one quarter's salary due at Michaelmas last, to the secretary and other officers in the service of this Commission.

October 21. Present:—Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Antigua.

Act.

Their Lordships took into their consideration, and read an Act, passed at Antego in 1724 [folio 247], entituled, An Act for cutting off the entail of certain lands, tenements and hereditaments in Antego, belonging to John Vernon, Esquire, of the Parish of St. James's, Westminster, as also Mr. West's report upon the same, and gave directions for preparing the draught of a representation thereupon.

Trade.

Sweden.

A letter from Mr. Tomlinson and Mr. Norris [folios 228, 243], in relation to several hardships laid on the trade to Sweden by the late regulations made there, was read, whereupon ordered that they be acquainted with the Board's desire of speaking with them on Thursday morning next.

Ordered that Mr. Oxenford, assistant Inspector General, be desired to attend at the same time.

October 26. Present: — Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe.

Trade.

Sicily.

Reference from Lords Justices, Council's petition.

Court for determining.

differences.

A reference from the Lords Justices, upon a petition from Mr. Chamberlaine, Consul in Sicily, praying to be protected by the Government in the enjoyment of the power of holding a court for determining of differences between British merchants and subjects of that Island, as also upon a petition from several merchants trading to Sicily against the said court, was read; whereupon ordered that the several merchants, who signed the same, as also the person, who presented Mr. Chamberlaine's petition, be acquainted that the Board desire to speak with them to-morrow morning [folio 242].

October 27. Present:— Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Sicily.

Representation.

Several Sicilian merchants attending, as they had been desired, presented to the Board a copy of the patent granted to Mr. Chamberlaine, consul in Sicily, by the king of Sicily, which was read; their Lordships then took again into consideration the reference from the Lords Justices, upon a petition from Mr. Chamberlaine, consul in Sicily, praying to be protected by the Government in the enjoyment of the power of holding a court for determining of differences between British merchants and subjects of that Island; as also, upon a petition from several merchants trading to Sicily, against the said court, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, and after some discourse with these gentlemen, their Lordships agreed and signed a representation thereupon.

October 28. Present:— Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Nevis.

Mr. Bouryau.

Mr. Weldon.

Power of Attorney.

Debenture.

Referred to Mr. Fane.

Mr. John Bouryau, attending, acquainted their Lordships, that he had received from Mr. Weldon [folio 248], an inhabitant of Nevis, a power of attorney to receive a Debenture, No. 567 for £76 2s. 2d., which power, as also some other papers upon this affair, he laid before the Board; but their Lordships, having some doubt as to Mr. Weldon's title, gave directions for referring the same to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Trade.

Swedon.

Mr. Norris and Mr. Oxcenford, Swedish Regulations.

Trade.

Sweden.

Mr. Norris and Mr. Oxenford, attending, as they had been desired, their Lordships took again into consideration the Swedish regulations, mentioned in the Minutes of the 26th of January last, a letter from Mr. Norris and some other Swedish merchants, mentioned in the Minutes of the 3rd of June last, as also another letter from them, mentioned in the Minutes of the 21st instant; and after some discourse with the gentlemen present, their Lordships were pleased to order that a copy of the merchants' objections to the said regulations should be given to Mr. Oxenford, and that he be desired to let their Lordships have his observations thereupon.