Journal of the proceedings of Her Majesty's Commissioners for promoting the trade of this Kingdom, and for inspecting and improving her plantations in America and elsewhere, from the seventh of January, 1725/26, to the twenty —first of December, 1726.

C.C.

Journal, January 1726

At a meeting of His Majesty's Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

January 7. Present: — Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen.

Miscellanies.

Account of incident charges.

The Secretary laid before the Board an account of the incidental charges of this office, from Midsummer, 1725, to Christmas last, amounting in the whole to four hundred and seventy-eight pounds, seventeen shillings and seven pence three farthings, viz.:—

Letter to the Treasury thereupon and for salaries.

Whereupon a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, as likewise three months' salary due to the secretary and other officers in the service of this commission, was agreed and signed.

January 12. Present:— Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Leeward Islands.

Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor General's Report upon queries about a trial for a murder committed in the Virgin Islands.

Mr. Attorney and Solicitor General's opinion upon some questions sent to them the 8th of last month, in relation to the trial of Mr. White, who killed one Cary in Spanish town, one of the Virgin Islands, was read; whereupon ordered that a copy thereof [vide letter to Colonel Hart, dated 9th February, 1725–6] be sent to Colonel Hart, Governor of the Leeward Islands.

Order on representation new councillor for St. Christophers.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 25th upon a representation of the 11th of November, 1725, for appointing Charles Pym, Esquire, to be of the Council of St. Christopher's in the room of Major Holmes, was read.

Barbadoes.

Order on representation for a new councillor.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 25th upon a representation of the 11th of November, 1725, for appointing Mr. Bond of the Council of Barbadoes in the room of Colonel John Lucy Blackman, was read.

Antigua.

Order on representation for confirming an Act.

Copy of an Order of Council of the 25th upon a representation of the 4th of November, 1725, for confirming An Act passed at Antego in May, 1724, for cutting off the intail of certain lands etc., belonging to John Vernon, Esquire, was read.

Virginia.

Letter from Mr. Attorney General queries about grants to Colonel Spotswood.

A letter from Mr. Attorney General to the Secretary, about some queries referred to him and Mr. Solicitor the 25th of November last, relating to grants of land in Virginia, was read.

January 13. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Jamaica.

Mr. Fane, act about Pera Plantation.

Mr. Fane to report a full state of the matter.

Mr. Fane attending, their Lordships took into consideration An Act passed at Jamaica in 1722, entituled, An Act for encouraging the speedy settling of the Plantation commonly called Pero or Pera Plantation, situate at Port Morant in the Parish of St. Thomas in the East in this island, and for obliging all persons entituled to the equity of redemption thereof to redeem the same by a prefixt time, Mr. West's report thereupon, mentioned in the Minutes of the 27th November, 1723, as also Mr. Gordon's memorial against, and Mr. King's memorial for the confirmation of the said Act, both mentioned in the Minutes of the 2nd of June, 1725. Their Lordships, after some discourse with Mr. Fane on the subject of this Act, gave directions for sending copies of the several above said papers to Mr. Fane, that he may hear what each party has to offer, and report a full state of the matter to the Board.

January 14. Present:— Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Letter from Lieut. Governor.

A letter from Major Drysdale, Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia, dated the 17th of November, 1725, and

Letter from Earl of Orkney recommending Mr. Grimes to be of the Council.

Representation thereupon.

A letter from the Earl of Orkney, dated the 30th of the last month, both recommending John Grimes, Esquire, to supply a vacancy in the Council of Virginia, occasioned by the death of Colonel John Lewis, were read. Whereupon a representation was agreed and signed accordingly.

Jamaica.

Mr. Stevenson, Duke of Portland's speech.

Addresses to him.

Memorial about revenue.

Mr. Stevenson, agent for Jamaica, attending, presented to the Board the Duke of Portland's speech to the Council and Assembly of Jamaica, with their addresses to him, which were read, as also,
Memorial about revenue.
A memorial from Mr. Stevenson, in relation to the revenue of Jamaica.

January 18. Present:— Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Lord Townshend's letter about Swedish ordinances concerning the navigation of foreigners.

Merchants' memorial.

Draught of representation.

Their Lordships took into consideration the letter from the Lord Townshend of the 19th of January, 1724–5, mentioned in the Minutes of the 26th of the same month, inclosing two ordinances of the king of Sweden in 1724, relating to the navigation of foreigners to Sweden and Finland, as also the merchants' memorial upon this subject mentioned in the Minutes of the 3rd of June, and 21st of October last, and gave some directions for preparing the draught of a representation thereupon.

January 19. Present:— Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Connecticut.

Rhode Island.

Order of Council and other papers about boundaries.

Representation about boundaries to be prepared.

Their Lordships took again into consideration an order of a Committee of Council of the 17th, and mentioned in the Minutes of the 31st July, 1723, referring back to the Board their representation of the 22nd March, 1722–3, in relation to the boundaries between Connecticut and Rhode Island, and directing them to enquire of the agents, whether the two colonies are willing to submit themselves to His Majesty's immediate government, and, if the Agents are not impowered to make proposals of this kind, to order them to write to their principals in order to their being authorised and instructed upon this head. Their Lordships also read again the letter from Mr. Partridge, agent for Rhode Island, inclosing one from the Government of that colony, mentioned in the Minutes of the 14th February, 1723–4, as also a letter from the Governor and Company of Connecticut, mentioned in the Minutes of the 12th of August, 1724, and a letter from the Governor and Company of Connecticut to their agent, mentioned in the Minutes of the same date. Their Lordships, upon consideration of these papers, gave some directions for preparing the draught of a representation thereupon.

January 20. Present:— Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Progress therein.

Their Lordships took into consideration the draught of a representation, relating to the boundaries between Rhode Island and Connecticut, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes and made a further progress therein.

January 21. Present:— Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Draught of representation agreed.

The draught of a representation, relating to the boundaries between Connecticut and Rhode Island, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, was agreed and ordered to be transcribed.

January 25. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Sweden.

Representation upon an ordinance and regulation.

The representation upon the Swedish ordinance and regulation, mentioned in the Minutes of the 18th instant, was signed, as also,

Connecticut.

Rhode Island.

Boundaries, Representation signed.

A representation relating to the boundaries [Jour. Dd. fol. 107] between Connecticut and Rhode Island, mentioned in the Minutes of the last meeting.

January 27. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Plantations General.

Mr. Gray, day of hearing proposals about the Indians.

Mr. Gray attending, desired their Lordships would please to appoint a day for hearing what he has to offer, in relation to his proposal for preventing the insults of the Indians in the Plantations, which was read. And their Lordships were pleased to appoint next Wednesday at 11 o'clock in the morning.

Gentlemen summoned thereupon.

Ordered that Brigadier Hunter, late Governor of New York and New Jersey, General Nicholson, Governor of Carolina, Colonel Spotswood, late Lieut.-Governor of Virginia, Colonel Shute, Governor of New England, and Colonel Philips, Governor of Nova Scotia, be acquainted that the Board desire to speak with them on Wednesday morning next at 11 o'clock.

St. Christophers.

Mr. Sharpe about petitions of Mr. Greathead and Mr. Rowland relating to lands there.

Copies to be sent to Colonel Hart.

Mr. Sharpe attending, their Lordships read [Jour. Dd. fol. 148] and considered a reference from Mr. Delafaye of the 19th of August, 1725, upon the petition of Mr. Greathead, praying for a grant of some lands, which he has purchased in St. Christophers, and also a letter from the Duke of Newcastle, of the 11th of March, 1724–5, read the 23rd of June last, inclosing a petition of Thomas Rowland, Esquire, who claims certain lands in that island. And their Lordships, after some discourse with Mr. Sharpe upon the subject of these petitions, gave directions for sending copies of the same to Colonel Hart, Governor of the Leeward Islands, with directions that he examine the same and send a state thereof to their Lordships.

Leeward Islands.

Letter from Colonel Hart, directions for an answer.

A letter from Colonel Hart, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated at St. Christophers, the 6th of August, 1725, was read, and directions were given for preparing the draught of a letter to him.

January 28. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Order of Council copies of complaints against Coloncl Hart to be sent him.

Draught of letter to Colonel Hart.

A copy of an Order in Council, of the 12th of September, 1725, directing Colonel Hart, Governor of the Leeward Islands, copies of the several complaints against him, as proposed by a representation of this Board, for his answer thereto, was read.

Draught of letter to Colonel Hart.

Their Lordships took into consideration the draught of a letter to Colonel Hart, ordered yesterday to be prepared, and agreed to reconsider the same at the next meeting.