Journal, July 1750

Tuesday, July 3. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Pennsylvania.

Mr. Paris, solicitor for the Proprietors of Pennsylvania, attending, as desired, the Secretary acquainted their lordships, that Mr. Lamb, who was desired to attend at the same time, was gone into Derbyshire for the recovery of his health, whereupon his report containing some objection to an Act passed in that province for amending the laws relating to the poor having been read, their lordships heard what Mr. Paris had to offer thereupon; and he being withdrawn, the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, approving the said Acts, was ordered to be prepared.

Plantations General.

Their lordships took into consideration the state of his Majesty's title to the province of Nova Scotia and the Islands of Santa Lucia, St. Vincent's and Dominica, and after some time spent therein, ordered the draught of instructions thereupon for the commissaries to be prepared.

Wednesday, July 4. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Plantations General.

The draught of a Commission nominating and appointing William Shirley and William Mildmay, Esquires, his Majesty's commissaries for determining all matters in dispute between the Crown of Great Britain and France, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 6th of April, was laid before the Board.

Their lordships at the same time read the copy of the Commission and instructions given to Daniel Pulteney and Martin Bladen, Esquires, in 1719.

Ordered that the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford be prepared to acquaint him that the Board is uninformed of the manner in which the French now state their claims to part of Nova Scotia and to the Island of Tobago, to desire directions whether the commissaries should be instructed to assert his Majesty's title to the Islands of Cançeau and the rights of fishing upon the adjacent coasts, which appear to have been disputed points in the year 1719, and whether they should have the same powers in their commission to treat upon all points, which are referred to commissaries by the Treaty of Utrecht, as were given to Mr. Bladen and Mr. Pulteney in 1719; and the said draught having been accordingly prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Alderman Janssen, dated this day, desiring the Board's directions where to apply for the freight due to him for the Baltimore transport on a contract of Governor Cornwallis's.

Mr. Janssen attending, their lordships informed him that his demand for the freight of his ship the Baltimore must be paid by the agent for the colony of Nova Scotia, and that their lordships would give the necessary directions therein.

Thursday, July 5. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Plantations General.

Their lordships took into consideration the draught of instructions for the commissaries, ordered to be prepared by the minutes of the 3rd instant, and after some time spent therein, agreed to consider further thereof to-morrow morning.

Friday, July 6. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Plantations General.

Their lordships made a further progress in the consideration of the draught of the commissaries' instructions.

Tuesday, July 10. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Plantations General.

Mr. Shirley, Governor of his Majesty's province of the Massachusetts Bay and one of his Majesty's commissaries for settling with the commissary or commissaries of the French all points in dispute betwixt the two Crowns in America, attending, laid before the Board the following papers, relative to the territory lying round Crown Point in North America, viz.:—
Exemplification of a Deed from the praying Indians to G. Dulles for lands from the bounds of Saraghtoga to Rotsio.
Exemplification of Letters Patent from King William to G. Dellius for the lands between the northernmost bounds of Saraghtoga and the rock Rotsio.
Exemplification of a Deed from the Sinneka, Cayouga and Onondaga Indians to King George for lands called the Beaver Hunting and the lands about Oswego and Oniagara, etc., to be protected and defended by his said Majesty for their use.
Affidavits respecting the boundaries of New York province.
Affidavit of Mr. Lydius relating to Crown Point.

Trade.

Minorca.

Barbary.

Read a letter from Mr. Richard Leveson Gower, Secretary to the Lords Justices, dated the 5th instant, referring to this Board a remonstrance from several merchants and trading people of Mahon, presented to General Blakeney, Governor of Minorca, and transmitted by him to the Duke of Bedford, praying that orders might be given that no person residing there as subjects, and claiming the protection of his Majesty, should freight under a certain penalty any foreign vessel on the trade to Barbary.

Nova Scotia.

Read a letter from Mr. Kinselagh, one of the settlers on board the Alderney, dated at Plymouth, the 6th of July, 1750, acquainting the Board that they had put in there by contrary winds and that they had found it necessary to take in a further supply of provisions, for which the captain had drawn bills upon his owner endorsed by him.

Mr. Heyliger, owner of the Alderney, attending, acquainted their lordships that he should pay the abovementioned bills drawn by the captain and endorsed by Mr. Kinselagh.

Mr. Kilby attending, acquainted the Board that he had received information from Lieutenant Young, a passenger on board the Nancy, that the ship had sprung a leak in the Downs and was put into Dover to refit; whereupon their lordships directed Mr. Heyliger to write to some person of credit at Dover to see that she was refitted with all possible expedition.

Friday, July 13. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin.

Plantations General.

Read a letter from the Duke of Bedford, dated the 10th of July, 1750, in answer to the Board's letter to him, dated the 4th instant, acquainting them that it was not necessary that any instructions should be given to the commissaries respecting the Islands of Cançeau.

Their lordships then took into consideration the draught of instructions for the commissaries, mentioned in the minutes of the 6th instant, and after some time spent therein, the said draught was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed, and the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, for accompanying the same, was ordered to be prepared.

Trade.

Minorca.

Algiers.

Read a letter from Mr. Richard Leveson Gower, Secretary to the Lords Justices, dated the 10th instant, referring to the consideration of this Board a report of several merchants of Port Mahon to Lieutenant-General Blakeney, Lieutenant-Governor of Minorca, and transmitted by him to the Duke of Bedford, containing the sentiments of those merchants with regard to the trade between the kingdom of Algiers and that Island.

Tuesday, July 17. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Townshend.

Plantations General.

The Secretary acquainted the Board that one of the clerks of the Duke of Bedford's office had acquainted him, that he was directed by his Grace to signify to him, for the information of the Board, that since his Grace's letter of the 31st of October last, directing the Board to prepare a Commission and instructions for the commissaries, his Grace had, by his Majesty's commands, prepared a Commission for that purpose, which had passed under the Great Seal, and that therefore the Board might not proceed any further in preparing a commission.

Their lordships thereupon ordered the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford to be prepared, desiring a copy of the said Commission in order for their better guidance in preparing the instructions, and the said draught having been accordingly prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Minorca.

Algiers.

Their lordships took into consideration the letter from Mr. Richard Leveson Gower, Secretary to the Lords Justices, referring a report of the merchants of Minorca concerning the trade to Algiers, mentioned in the minutes of the 13th instant, and ordered the Secretary to transmit a copy thereof to his Majesty's Advocate General, and desire his opinion how far the regulations therein proposed are consistent with the Maritime laws.

Nova Scotia.

Mr. Dick, contractor with the Board for transporting foreign protestants from Holland to Nova Scotia, attending, laid before the Board the following papers, viz.:—
Return of foreign protestants shipped by John Dick of Rotterdam, on board the Anne, John Spurrier, master, for Halifax in Nova Scotia, amounting to three hundred and twenty two.
Particulars of moneys due from the passengers on board the Anne, John Spurrier, master, bound from Rotterdam to the port of Halifax in Nova Scotia.
Extracts from the several letters received by Mr. Dick from his agents and correspondents in different parts of Europe, touching persons desirous of going to Nova Scotia.
Memorial of John Dick of Rotterdam, merchant, to the Board, setting forth the difficulties and obstructions he met with in the performance of his contract for transporting protestants to Nova Scotia and praying to be appointed agent for that purpose for the future.

Wednesday, July 18. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Townshend.

Plantations General.

The Secretary laid before the Board a copy of his Majesty's Commission appointing William Shirley and William Mildmay, Esquires, his commissaries for settling and concluding with the commissary or commissaries, named on the part of France, several matters therein referred to their cognizance and discussion, which he received from Mr. Aldworth, in consequence of the Board's letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, mentioned in yesterday's minutes.

The said copy having been read, their lordships resumed the consideration of the draught of instructions for the said commissaries, and agreed thereto, and also to the states of his Majesty's right to the province of Nova Scotia in Acadia, and the Islands of Santa Lucia, St. Vincent's, Dominica and Tobago, and ordered them to be annexed to the said instructions, and the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, transmitting the same, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 13th instant, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Ordered that the draught of a circular letter be prepared to the several Governors upon the continent of America, for a map or chart of their respective provinces, and the best information they can get of the exact boundaries and the settlements or encroachments of any foreign powers.

Ordered that the Secretary do write a letter to the Governor and Company of the Hudson's Bay to the same effect as the aforementioned circular letter.

Pennsylvania.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, upon two Acts passed in the province of Pennsylvania in August, 1749, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 4th instant, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Barbados.

Read a letter from Mr. Grenville, Governor of Barbados, to the Board, dated May 25th, 1750, acquainting them with the death of Monsieur de Caylus, Governor of Martinique, and the delay thereby likely to arise to the evacuation of the four disputed Islands, inclosing:—
Copy of Monsieur Lonvilliers de Poincy's letter to his Excellency, Mr. Grenville, in relation to Monsieur de Caylus's death.

Ordered that the said letter and paper be copied, and the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, for inclosing the same, having been prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Minorca.

Algiers.

Read a letter from Dr. Paul, his Majesty's Advocate General, to Mr. Hill, dated this day, inclosing his report to the Board, as desired by Mr. Hill's letter, upon the report of the merchants of Minorca, concerning the trade to Algier.

Their lordships took this affair into consideration, and the draught of a representation to their Excellencies, the Lords Justices, having been prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Thursday, July 19. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Townshend.

Plantations General.

The draught of a circular letter to the several Governors on the continent of America, having been prepared, pursuant to the preceding day's minutes, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Jamaica.

Read Mr. Lamb's report upon a private Act of Jamaica, passed there the 4th of June, 1742, relating to the estate of John Moore, late of the said Island, Esquire, deceased, dated 25th January, 1749–50.

Their lordships took the said Act into consideration, and the draught of a representation to the Lords Justices proposing the confirmation thereof, having been prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Barbary.

Their lordships then took into consideration the remonstrance of the merchants of Minorca relating to foreign ships being freighted on the trade to the coast of Barbary, referred by order of the Lords Justices, mentioned in the minutes of the 10th instant, and the draught of a representation thereupon to their Excellencies having been prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

New York.

Read the memorial of John Catherwood, Secretary to George Clinton, Esquire, Governor of New York, praying that James Alexander, Esquire, may be restored to his seat in the Council of that province.

Wednesday, July 25. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Grenville.

New York.

Their lordships took into consideration the memorial of Mr. Catherwood, Secretary to Governor Clinton, mentioned in the preceding minute, and the draught of a representation to the Lords Justices, proposing that James Alexander, Esquire, should be restored to his seat and rank in the Council of New York, having been prepared, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

Barbary.

The Secretary having acquainted their lordships that his Majesty's consul at Tripoli, who was reported to have a general knowledge in the nature of the trade to the coast of Barbary, was now in England, their lordships directed the representation to the Lords Justices upon the remonstrance of the merchants of Minorca relative to that trade, signed the 19th instant, to be suspended; and the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, desiring that the said consul might be directed to attend the Board thereupon, having been prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

New York.

Read the following letter and papers received from the Honourable George Clinton, Esquire, his Majesty's Governor of the province of New York, viz.:—
Letter from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, to the Board, dated at Fort George, the 7th of June, 1750, transmitting:—
Copy of Captain Stoddard's letter to Governor Clinton, dated at Quebec, the 24th of February, 1749–50, on his demanding the liberty of the English and Indian prisoners.
Copy of a letter from Colonel Phips, Lieutenant-Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, to Governor Clinton, dated at Boston, the 19th May, 1750.
Copy of the Governor of Canada's letter to the Governor of Boston, dated at Quebec, 7th March, 1750.
Copy of a letter from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, to the Governor of Canada, dated the 7th June, 1750.
Extract of minutes of Council of New York, dated 22nd May, 1750.
Copy of a letter from Governor Hamilton, dated Philadelphia, 31st May, 1750, to Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York.
Copy of Lieutenant Pavey's affidavit, sworn before the Governor in Council at New York, the 5th June, 1750.

New York.

Ordered that the said letter and papers be copied, to be transmitted to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, and the draught of a letter to his Grace having been accordingly prepared, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.