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 third of January, 1726–27, to the twentieth-first of December, 1727.

D.D.

Journal, January 1727

January 3. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe.

Trade.

Letter from Loubiere.

Sardinian edict.

Their Lordships took again into consideration the letter from Mr. Loubiere [Journal C.C. fo. 365], inclosing the memorial of several merchants trading to the king of Sardinia's dominions, in relation to his edict laying several duties upon our woollen manufactures imported thither, mentioned in the Minutes of the 15th of the last month, and gave directions for acquainting Mr. Jackson that the Board desire to speak with him, and any other merchants he shall think fit, thereupon, to-morrow sevenight, at 11 o'clock in the morning [fo. 7].

Trade.

Ireland.

Plantations General.

Ordered that Mr. Carkesse be reminded of the Secretary's letter [fo. 8] to him of the 16th of the last month, desiring the opinion of the Commissioners of the Customs [fo. 11] upon a memorial from some merchants in Ireland, in relation to the Plantation trade [Journal C.C. fo. 349].

Massachusets Bay.

Attorney, etc., report woods.

Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor General's report, [Journal C.C. fo. 320] in relation to the King's right to the woods in the Massachusets Bay and New Hampshire, was read; whereupon ordered that a copy thereof be sent to the Governors of each of the said Provinces.

January 10. Present:—Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

New York.

Letter from Burnet.

A letter from Mr. Burnet, Governor of New York, dated the 4th of December last, was read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board, viz:—
Papers.
Mr. Burnet's letter to the Governor of Canada, and his answer.
The Indians' deed of surrender of their lands to His Majesty.
Conference with the Five Nations of Indians, relating to the French Governor's having built a fort at Niagara.
Map of the Five Nations of Indians.

Letter to Duke of Newcastle.

Ordered that the draught of a letter [fo. 5] be prepared, for inclosing an extract of the said letter and papers to the Duke of Newcastle.

Miscellanies.

Incidents.

The Secretary then laid before the Board an account of the incidental charges of this office [fo. 269] from Midsummer, 1726, to Christmas following, amounting to four hundred and thirty three pounds, seventeen shillings and eight pence half-penny, viz:—

Signed.

Whereupon a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, as also of the salary due to the Secretary and under officers for the same time, was signed.

January 11. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

New York.

A letter to the Duke of Newcastle [fo. 4] relating to the building a fort at Niagara, directed yesterday to be prepared, was agreed and signed.

Virginia.

Act, Richard Randolph.

Lieby.

Mr. Sharpe attending, desired their Lordships would be pleased to take into consideration and report upon 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, which was read, as also Mr. Fane's report upon the said Act [Journal C.C. fo. 370]. And their Lordships resolved to let the said Act lie by probationary for two months, and that if nobody in that time should appear against it, their Lordships would then represent the same to his Majesty as proper to be confirmed [fo. 56].

New York.

Act, Thomas Hicks.

Lieby.

An Act passed at New York in 1726, entituled, An Act to vest in Thomas Hicks of Flushing in Queens County, Gentleman, in fee simple, certain lots 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, was read, as also Mr. Fane's report thereupon [Journal C.C. fo. 361], and their Lordships resolved that the same should lie by, till application [fo. 8] should be made to the Board concerning the said Act.

Trade.

Mr. Jackson.

Cannot attend.

The Secretary then acquainted the Board that Mr. Jackson, who was desired to attend this day [fos. 2, 65] (in relation to the king of Sardinia's edict laying several duties upon our woollen manufactures imported thither), was ill of a fever, but that he would attend, as soon as he could possibly get abroad.

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

New York.

Act, Thomas Hicks, lie by.

Plantations General.

Private Acts to lie by six months.

A letter from Mr. Leheup, agent for New York, dated this day, desiring the Board would consider of and report upon an Act, passed in that Province in 1726, entituled, An Act to vest in Thomas Hicks in fee simple certain lands etc. was read, as also the said Act and Mr. Fane's report [fos. 6, 173] thereupon, mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, and their Lordships resolved that the said Act should lie by for six months, and that, if during that time no objections should be made thereto, their Lordships would then represent the same to his Majesty as proper to be confirmed, and that the same method should be observed with respect to all private acts for the future.

Ireland.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Letter from Mr. Carkesse.

A letter from Mr. Carkesse [fos. 2, 11], promising an answer to the letter wrote him the 29th of November last, desiring the opinion of the Commissioners of the Customs upon a memorial from some merchants in Dublin about landing Plantation goods in that kingdom, was read.

January 13. Present:—Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Jamaica.

President's letters and speech.

A letter from Mr. Ayscough, President of the Council of Jamaica, dated the 1st of November, 1726, was read; and a printed speech of the said President to the Assembly, referred to in his letter, was laid before the Board.

Another letter from Mr. Ayscough, dated the 14th of November, 1726, was read.

January 17. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Spotswood's petition.

Grant of land.

Their Lordships, taking into consideration Colonel Spotswood's petition, in relation to his land in Virginia, mentioned in the Minutes of the 30th of August last [Journal C.C. fo. 305], resolved to consider further thereof on Friday fortnight [fo. 23], and in the meantime gave directions for looking out all the papers relating thereto.

January 18. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

Plantations General.

Ireland.

Mr. Carkesse's letter.

Irish memorial.

A letter from Mr. Carkesse, dated the 12th inst. [fos. 8, 192], in answer to the letters writ him for the opinion of the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, upon a memorial from some merchants of Dublin, complaining of the injury to trade by the prohibition of importing into Ireland any goods of the Plantations, not first landed in Great Britain, was read.

Bahamas

Letter from Captain Phenney, etc.

A letter from Captain Phenney, Governor of the Bahamas, dated the 10th of November, 1726, was read, and a list of ships entered and cleared there, from the 25th March, 1726, to the 29th September following, referred to in the said letter, was laid before the Board.

A copy ordered to the Duke of Newcastle.

Whereupon ordered that a letter [fo. 13] be prepared for enclosing a copy of Capt. Phenney's said letter to the Duke of Newcastle.

January 19. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Mr. Elkin.

Herring trade to Bremen.

Their Lordships taking again into consideration Mr. Elkin's account of the herring trade, carried on at Bremen, mentioned in the Minutes of the 13th December last [Jour. C.C. fo. 360], gave directions [fo. 20] that Mr. Elkin should be desired to let their Lordships know, whether he had anything further to offer upon that subject.

Bahamas.

Letter to the Duke of Newcastle agreed.

The draught of a letter, ordered yesterday to be prepared, for inclosing a copy of Capt. Phenney's letter [fos. 12, 14] to the Duke of Newcastle, was agreed and ordered to be transcribed.

January 20. Present:—Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Merchants' memorial against Nichols' scheme.

Mr. Carey, Mr. Perry, and several other Virginia merchants attending [Jour. C.C. fo. 364], presented to the Board their memorial containing reasons against putting Mr. Nichols' scheme in relation to the tobacco trade in execution [fo. 48], which memorial was read; and their Lordships resolved to consider further thereof at another opportunity.

Bahamas.

Letter to the Duke of Newcastle signed.

The letter for enclosing an extract of one from Capt. Phenney [fo. 13] to the Duke of Newcastle, agreed yesterday, was signed.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Lynn.

Count de Broglio's memorial.

A letter from Mr. Lynn [fo. 15 Jour. C.C. fo. 362], Secretary to the Royal African Company, inclosing an answer from the said Company to the Count de Broglio's memorial [Jour. C.C. fo. 239] complaining of the French Company's having been molested in their trade by the English in the North part of Africa, was read.

January 24. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Trade.

African Company's answer to Count de Broglio's memorial.

Their Lordships took again into consideration the African Company's answer to the Count de Broglio's memorial [fos. 14, 17], mentioned in yesterday's Minutes, and made a progress therein.

January 25. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Lieutenant Governor's commission.

The Secretary laid before the Board a commission [fo. 16], dated the 23rd day of January, 1726–7, appointing Major Gooch to be Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, which was read, and ordered to be entered.

January 26. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Docminique, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

African Company's papers.

Their Lordships, taking again into consideration the papers from the African Company, mentioned in the Minutes of the 24
inst. [fos. 15, 20], gave directions to acquaint Mr. Lynn, Secretary to the said Company, that the Board desire to speak with him on Wednesday morning next.

January 27. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Bahamas.

Letter from Captain Phenney and Papers.

A letter from Captain Phenney, Governor of the Bahamas, dated the 20th of June, 1726, was read; and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board, viz:—
Minutes of Council, from the 20th of August, 1723, to the 16th of May, 1726.
List of ships and vessels cleared outwards and inwards, from the 26th December to the 25th March, 1726.

Letter from Captain Phenney.

A letter from Captain Phenney, of 20th September, 1726, was read, and the papers, therein referred to, were laid before the Board, viz:—
Petition of the Governor, Council and officers to His Majesty against Lieutenant Ferrall.
Copies of several proceedings relating to ill behaviour.

January 31. Present:—Earl of Westmoreland, Mr. Chetwynd, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir John Hobart.

Virginia.

Major Gooch with copies of Lord Orkney's commission, etc.

Major Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia [fos. 16, 32], attending, presented to the Board the copies of the Lord Orkney's Commission and Instructions for the Government of Virginia, and desired that their Lordships would please to inform him, whether the said copies were sufficient authority for him to act as Lieutenant Governor there; their Lordships then directed Major Gooch to attend at another opportunity, and acquainted him that they would, in the meantime, consider thereof.