Journal, December 1726

December 1. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

East India.

Mr. Hort, observations on the Company's accounts.

Answer and explanation desired of the Company.

Mr. Hort attending, acquainted their Lordships that Mr. Woolley, Secretary to the East India Company, being indisposed, could not possibly attend, as he had been directed, their Lordships then acquainted him, that upon comparing an account of the East India Company's exports of manufactures, products and stores for ten years past, ending at Michaelmas 1724, amounting to £994, 106 8s. 9d., with the like account for twelve years preceding, amounting to £1,126,774 17s. 3d., they observed that the article of iron, stores and charges upon the whole, in the ten years' account, exceeded the same article in the twelve years account, £76,845 16s. 5d. although the total sum of the exports for the twelve years, exceeded the like account for the ten years £132,668 8s. 6d. Their Lordships then desired Mr. Hort would acquaint the East India Company therewith, and let the Board have their answer thereto, as also an account of the particulars of that article of charges upon the whole.

Causes assigned for the diminution of the exports of woollen manufactures not satisfactory.

Their Lordships also acquainted him, that having writ to Mr. Woolley to know the reason of the diminution in the exportation of woollen manufactures for ten years ending at Michaelmas, 1724, Mr. Woolley had informed them that the said diminution was caused by the wars in Persia and the Mogul's country, by the Ostend Company, and by the prohibition of calicoes in England; whereupon their Lordships desired Mr. Hort would acquaint the directors of the East India Company, that the Board could not conceive the causes assigned for the said diminution to be the real ones, because they are subsequent to the beginning of the said diminution.

December 6. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Sardinia.

Piedmont.

Mr. Loubière, King of Sardinia's edict.

Mr. Loubière attending, as he had been directed, their Lordships took again into consideration the letter from the Duke of Newcastle, inclosing the king of Sardinia's edict for laying new duties upon several species of woollen manufactures made in Great Britain, mentioned in the Minutes of the 11th of August last, and desired Mr. Loubiere would consider of the said edict, and let them have his opinion how far the same affected the trade of this kingdom.

Trade.

Bremen.

Mr. Elkin's state of the trade thither, herrings.

Mr. Elkin attending, presented to their Lordships a state of the trade carried on to Bremen, and an account of the goods used therein, which was read, as also a map of the county thereabouts; and their Lordships desired he would inform the Board, whether an herring trade might not be carried on to that town, if due encouragement was given; he promised to consider thereof, and wait upon their Lordships at another opportunity.

December 7. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Virginia.

Plantations General.

Trade.

Mr. Nichols' memorial. Tobacco.

A memorial from Mr. Nichols, containing several cautions in relation to his scheme for preventing frauds in the tobacco trade, was read.

Mr. Nichols to attend.

Whereupon ordered that Mr. Nichols be acquainted that the Board desire to speak with him thereupon to-morrow sev'night at 11 o'clock in the morning.

Tobacco merchants summoned.

Further ordered that the following tobacco merchants be desired to attend the Board at the same time, viz: Alderman Levett, Alderman Brocas, Mr. Lock, Mr. James Sandwell, Mr. William Frank, Mr. Perry, Mr. Carey, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Mainard, Mr. Bell, Mr. Willis, Mr. Randall, Mr. Brookes and Captain Hyde.

Maryland.

Order in Council, Lord Baltimore's nomination of a new deputy governor.

An Order in Council of the 29th of November last, referring to the Board a representation from the Lord Baltimore, Proprietary of Maryland, nominating his brother, Benedict Leonard Calvert, Lieut. Governor of that Province, in the room of Charles Calvert, Esquire, was read, and their Lordships resolved to consider thereof, when Mr. Calvert should offer security for his observing the Acts of Trade.

Trade.

Bremen.

Mr. Drummond to attend.

Ordered that Mr. John Drummond be acquainted that the Board desire to speak with him on Tuesday morning next at 11 o'clock in relation to the trade to Bremen.

December 8. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

New York.

Letters and papers from the Governor.

A letter from Mr. Burnet, Governor of New York, etc., to the Board, dated the 14th October, 1726, containing his remarks on Acts, and reasons for dissolving the old and calling a new Assembly, was read.

New York.

New Jersey.

Letters and papers from the Governor.

A letter from Mr. Burnet to the Secretary, dated the 14th of October, 1726, was read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board, viz:
Minutes of Council of New York, from the 16th of December, 1725, to the 29th of September, 1726.
Minutes of Assembly, from the 5th of April, 1726, to the 17th of June following.
The Governor's speech to the Assembly, and their answer, in September, 1726.
List of ships entered and cleared at Perth-Amboy, from the 24th June, 1725, to the 24th of June, 1726.
List of sixteen public and four private Acts, passed at New York, the 17th of June, 1726.

Acts sent to Mr. Fanc.

Ordered that the said public Acts be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon in point of law.

December 13. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Bremen.

Mr. Drummond about trade there; herrings.

Mr. John Drummond attending, as he had been [Journal D.D. fo. 22] desired, their Lordships took again into consideration the Lord Townshend's letter of the 8th of November last, relating to the herring trade to Bremen, mentioned in the Minutes of the 9th of the same month; and had some discourse with him thereupon, but particularly in relation to any privileges that might be obtained in favour of the British merchants, importers of herrings to that city; upon which Mr. Drummond said, that the only privilege to be desired, was, to be upon the same foot with the Dutch there, but that he would inform himself more particularly, and wait upon their Lordships at another opportunity.

Mr. Elkin's list of goods, tolls, etc.

Herring trade at Bremen.

Mr. Elkin attending, presented to their Lordships a list of several sorts of goods with the several rates [Journal D.D. fo. 12] paid thereon at the toll of Elsfleth in the county of Oldenburgh on the River Weser; as also an account of the herring trade carried on in the city of Bremen, with some proposals for carrying on the said trade from Great Britain thither, which were read; and their Lordships asking him, when the said toll was first established, he said, he could not positively tell, but that it was not collected during the Count of Oldenburgh's time, who died about the year 1650: that all the Electors of Germany and the king of Sweden are free of the said toll: that while the Dukedom of Bremen was under the king of Sweden, it was likewise exempted from paying that toll. Mr. Elkin then acquainted their Lordships, that he would consider further of this affair, and wait upon them again at another opportunity.

Virginia.

Act for a duty on liquors.

Mr. Leheup and Mr. Blair summoned.

The Secretary acquainting the Board that Mr. Leheup, agent for Virginia, had desired their Lordships would please to report upon the following Act, passed in Virginia in 1726, entituled An Act for laying a duty upon liquors; whereupon ordered that Mr. Leheup and Mr. Blair, Commissary of Virginia, be acquainted that the Board desire to speak with them thereupon on Tuesday, the 20th inst.

Mr. Fane's report on the said Act.

Mr. Fane's report upon the said Act, and upon several others passed in 1726, was read.

New York.

Mr. Hicks' Act referred to Mr. Fane.

Ordered that an Act, passed in New York in 1726, entituled, An Act to vest in Thomas Hicks of Flushing in Queen's County, Gentleman, in fee simple, certain lotts of land, whereof he now stands seized in the Township of Flushing in the same county in fee tail, and to enable him, the said Thomas, to sell and dispose of the same, be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Trade.

Africa.

Letter to Mr. Lynn, complaint of the French.

Ordered that Mr. Lynn, Secretary to the Royal African Company, be reminded of the Secretary's letter of the 9th of June last, inclosing to him a copy of a complaint made by the French, of their African Company's being molested in their trade by some of our settlements in the River Gambia [Journal D.D. fol. 14].

December 14. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Maryland.

Mr. Calvert nominated Deputy Governor, draught of representation ordered.

Mr. Calvert attending, desired their Lordships would please to consider and report upon the Order in Council of the 29th of the last month, referring to the Board the Lord Baltimore's recommendation of him to be Lieut. Governor of Maryland; and their Lordships gave directions for preparing the draught of a representation accordingly.

Virginia.

Plantations General.

Trade.

Mr. Nichols' papers, tobacco trade.

Their Lordships then took into consideration the several papers from Mr. Nichols, in relation to the manufacture of tobacco, mentioned in the Minutes of the 31st of August last, and of the 7th inst., and made a progress therein.

December 15. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Virginia.

Plantations General.

Trade.

Tobacco merchants and Mr. Nichols.

The said merchants to give their opinion on Mr. Nichols' papers about the tobacco trade.

Mr. Perry, Mr. Carey, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Willis and several other tobacco merchants attending, as they had been desired, as also Mr. Nichols, their Lordships took again into consideration the several papers received from him, in relation to the tobacco trade, mentioned in the Minutes of the 31st of August last, and of the 7th inst., which were again severally read; and their Lordships desiring these gentlemen would let the Board have their opinion upon this subject, they desired to have a copy of the said papers, which was ordered accordingly, and they promised to lay before the Board their thoughts upon this matter, as soon as possibly they could.

Maryland.

Representation new Deputy Governor.

The representation signifying the Board's having no objection to Mr. Calvert's being appointed Deputy Governor of Maryland, ordered yesterday to be prepared, was agreed and signed.

Trade.

Sardinia.

Piedmont.

Letter from Mr. Loubiere, memorial about King of Sardinia's edict, Mr. Jackson again writ to.

A letter from Mr. Loubiere, inclosing a memorial from several merchants in relation to the hardships they lye under, by reason of the new duties imposed by the King of Sardinia upon our woollen manufactures imported into that kingdom, was read; and their Lordships gave directions, to remind Mr. Jackson of the letter writ him the 11th of August last, desiring his opinion upon the said edict. [Journal D.D. fo. 1.]

Virginia.

Colonel Spotswood's grants of land.

Colonel Spotswood to answer queries thereupon.

Their Lordships took into consideration the reference from the Duke of Newcastle, dated the 27th of July, and mentioned in the Minutes of the 30th of August last, upon Colonel Spotswood's petition relating to his lands in Virginia, and gave directions that the Colonel be desired to send to the Board, on Tuesday next, his answers to the queries sent him the 8th of September last.

Ireland.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Letter to Mr. Carkesse, memorial from Ireland about Plantation trade.

Ordered that Mr. Carkesse be reminded of the letter writ him the 29th of the last month, desiring the opinion of the Commissioners of the Customs upon a memorial from some merchants in Ireland in relation to the Plantation trade.

December 20. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Virginia.

Mr. Blair and Mr. Leheup about Act for duty on liquors.

College in Virginia and its revenues.

College there and its revenues.

Mr. Blair, commissary of Virginia, and Mr. Leheup, agent for the same Province, attending, as they had been desired, their Lordships took into consideration and read the Act, passed in Virginia in 1726, intituled, An Act for laying a duty on liquors, and their Lordships observing that £200 per annum is appropriated out of the revenue arising by the said Act to the use of the colledge in Virginia, desired Mr. Blair would give the Board some account of the establishment of the said colledge and its present revenues; who said, that the colledge was established in 1693 by King William and Queen Mary: that one branch of their revenue was a penny per pound upon all tobacco exported from Virginia and Maryland to the other Plantations, which formerly used to produce about £400 a year, but tobacco being planted in Carolina and the three lower counties adjoining to Pennyslvania, had now reduced it to £300: that another branch of their revenue is the Surveyor General's place, that they appoint the surveyors of all the counties, and that they pay to the colledge one sixth part of their profit, which formerly amounted to £100 a year, but that now most of the land being taken up, this revenue was very much decreased. Another branch of their revenue was the rents arising from 20,000 acres of land granted by King William, 10,000 whereof they let at 15 shillings a 1000 acres, and the other 10,000 at 10 shillings, and that they paid no quit rent for this land excepting two copies of Latin verses annually to the Governor: that another branch of their revenue was the income of an estate left them by Mr. Boyle, called Brotherton, in Yorkshire, amounting to £190 a year, £90 whereof they were obliged to pay annually to the Colledge of New England: that he, the said Mr. Blair, was president of the colledge at Virginia and had a salary of £150 a year: that there was a grammar master of £80 a year and an usher at £50 a year, a mathematical master at £80 a year, a philosophy master at £80 a year and a professor of divinity at £150 a year.

Draught of representation on the Act.

Their Lordships, after some further discourse with him and Mr. Leheup upon this subject, gave directions for preparing the draught of a representation for confirming the said Acts, but resolved that the same should lye by for some time before they signed it.

Colonel Spotswood's answer to queries about his grants of land.

Copies of papers on that subject, to be interchanged, for what they may have further to offer.

Colonel Spotswood's answer to some queries sent him the 8th of September last, in relation to his lands in Virginia, was read; and their Lordships gave directions for sending a copy thereof to Mr. Leheup, and a copy of Mr. Leheup's answer to the said queries, mentioned in the Minutes of the 14th of September, to Colonel Spotswood, and that these gentlemen be desired to lay before the Board what they may have further to offer upon this subject.

Barbadoes.

Miscellanies.

Letter from Duke of Newcastle, new councillor to be recommended.

Draught of an answer.

A letter from the Duke of Newcastle, dated the 15th inst., desiring to know whether the Board has any objection to Mr. George Lillington's being appointed of the Council of Barbadoes, was read; whereupon directions were given for preparing the draught of an answer thereto.

Virginia.

Act about Mr. Randolph's estate, sent to Mr. Fane.

Ordered that an Act, passed in Virginia in 1726, entituled, An Act to confirm the title of Richard Randolph to certain entailed lands, and to settle other lands of greater value and two negro slaves to the same uses, be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

December 21. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Africa.

Letter from Mr. Lynn, about complaint of the French.

A letter from Mr. Lynn, Secretary to the Royal African Company, dated yesterday, promising an answer to the French Ambassador's memorial complaining of the French Company's having been molested by the English on the River Gambia on the coast of Africa, mentioned in the Secretary's letter to him of the 14th inst., was read.

Barbadoes.

Miscellanies.

Letter to Duke of Newcastle, appointment of a councillor.

A letter to the Duke of Newcastle, in answer to one from his Grace, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, relating to the appointment of Mr. Lillington to be of the Council of Barbadoes, was agreed and signed.