|
Nov. 11. Whitehall. |
190. Mr. Popple to Richard Savage. Encloses extract from
Governor Seymour's letter [June 23], proposing a method for
preventing illegal trade in Maryland, to be laid before H.M.
Commissioners of Customs. [C.O. 5, 727. pp. 95, 96.] |
Nov. 12. Whitehall. |
191. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Earl of Sunderland. Communicate Governor Parke's complaints as to the
absenteeism of officers, the difficulty of quartering soldiers, and
their pay. Having discoursed with Mr. Logan, a person who is
appointed to pay the subsistance money to such officers only
as are imployed in raising recruits here for that Regiment,
we do find that several of the said officers have continued here,
that Major Aldy has stayed under a pretence of having the
officers of the Regiment's accompts to adjust; that two others
are but lately gone from hence with twelve recruits to Bristoll,
in order to their embarkation for the Leeward Islands; that one
Holland, another officer has likewise got twelve recruits, which
with those aforementioned are to be made up 30, the number
wanting to compleat the regiment, and that so soon as they
shall be raised, they will also be sent to the said Islands; that
Lieut Akins cannot go over being ill of a hurt received from
a fall: and that there are also here Mr. Mackenzy and Mr. Jones,
who are under age. We have also discoursed with Mr. Thurston,
formerly Agent to the said Regiment, touching the pay of the
officers and soldiers thereof, and are informed by him they were
paid their full subsistence to Michaelmas, 1707, and no further,
as he knows of; that one reason of their not being more regularly paid, does proceed from some misunderstandings among the
officers, who neglect to send home muster-rolls, and that when
they do send any, they are so imperfect that the Paymaster
of the forces here does not think proper to pass the same.
Upon the whole matter, we are of opinion that the defence and
security of H.M. said Islands in this time of war depending
in a great measure upon the forces there, it is absolutely
requisite for H.M. service that the Officers belonging to the
said Regiment, who are absent from it, be directed forthwith
to repair to their respective post in the said Islands, and further,
that the said Regiment be well armed and duly paid their
subsistance from time to time for their encouragement and
better support. [C.O. 153, 10. pp. 212–216.] |
Nov. 13. St. Christophers. |
192. Governor Parke to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I have at last got from the Depty. Navall Officer
of Nevis the imports and exports from my arrivall to my
Governmt. to Oct. 25, 1708. I shall take what care possible
that hereafter they may be regularly sent; tho during the warr
'tis allmost impossible, for sometimes I am without any man
of warr on this station, at other times the man of warr is
three months careening, all that time I am a prisoner at
some one Island. I have sent your Ldpps. the best acctt. I
could procure, and duplicates of what negroes have been imported
by the Company and private traders; if they are not exactly
as yr. Ldpps. would have them, 'tis not my fault. I have
sent them as I could gett them. I beg yr. Ldpps. to consider
'tis not so easy for me to comply wth. my orders as the other
Governrs. that have but one Island and all the Officers about
them; the Islands of my Govermt. are dispersed; 'tis 20 leagues
from Antigua to St. Christophers and some times for 3 or 4
months I can nither send or hear from Nevis or St. Kitts;
if I happen to be at St. Kitts when a packet arrives and
I receive any orders from yr. Ldpps. yt. relates to Antigua,
I must return there before I can answer it; I have sent the
Comissarys of each Island's acctt. of all stores, but will order
others from the time of my arrivall, and will send them as
soon as they can be got ready; there were few or no armes
in the publick stores yt. were serviceable when I came, the
armes I recd. from England I order'd to be distributed where
I thought most wanted, part to Antigua part to Nevis, and
part St. Kitts, I designed part for Montserratt; but uppon the
arrivall of the Regiment on a muster, I found they wanted
above 100 armes, therefore what I had order'd for Montserratt I
order'd to be delivered to Coll. Jones for the Regiment, who
has given his receipt for them. Some has been lent to privateers on condetion to restore them in good order or new ones
in their room, wch. they at all times have done. I have allso
order'd to lend the men of warr powder, and sometimes to ye
privateers, to restore new in the place, wch. I take to be
a service, for powder and armes will decay, and to lend old
when it can be spared, to have new restored I think a service.
This is all I know of the stores, but yr. Ldpps. shall have
a perticuler acctt. signed by each Comissary. According to
your Ldpps.' orders, whatever laws are made for the future,
tho' temporary, shall be sent home. I will take care to observe
the Instructions recd. by this packett abt. Acts of Parliament
relating to rice, molassus, the regulating the coin, and for
that for incourageing Trade and Navigation, tho' the Act for
ascertaining the vallue of the coin will with a great deal of
difficulty be put in execution, but as there is an Act of Parliament
for it, and I have yr. Ldpps.' orders to take care it be observed, I will see it done, wch. they will call ruining the Islands.
Just now is arrived a briganteen from Montserrat, the Master
informes me he found and left a Danish sloop there. I haveing
sold off all my privateers, they are now in no danger; there
is no help for it, except there was a new Governor and a
new Collector, and a sloop to cruise constantly to look after
them. Signed, Daniel Parke. Endorsed, Recd. 18th, Read
24th Jan., 1708/9. Holograph. 4 pp. |
Enclosed, |
192. i. Account of negroes imported to Mountseratt, June
24, 1698—Dec. 25, 1707. (1) By the Royal African
Company:—599. (2) By private adventurers:—1604.
Same endorsement. 1 p. [C.O. 152, 8. Nos. 6, 6.i.;
and (without enclosure) 153, 10. pp. 274–277.] |
Nov. 14. St. Christophers. |
193. Governor Parke to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I give your Lordshipps ten thousand thanks for sending
me those complaints to answer that came from Antigua; As to
what relates to the Regiment, I call'd all the Officers that were
here (wch. are the better halfe, and who were all at Antigua)
before the Councill and read your Lordshipps' letter to them;
and here is their answer upon oath. Lt. Col. Floyer is just
gone for England, your Lordshipps may take his oath there
and Lt. Sherrard's, which I take will be very well worth your
Lordshipps' examineation, for Lt. Sherrard was the Officer that
commanded the soldiers that were put on board the tradeing
sloop. As they insinuate, the sloop was mine. I bought her
when there was no man of warr on the station, not for trade,
for she never did anything but saile from Island to Island
to bring me intelligence and carry orders, and for this service
I kept her and for saylors at my owne charge for 10 months,
and to my'knowledge never carryed any sort of goods for trade;
there never was any soldiers in her but once, and that was
to prevent an Irish Papist from carrying in a Danes' sloop
about 40 negroes to the French, bought of Mr. Chester, the
Company's Agent. Yett notwithstanding all my care, they were
landed at Montserrat and afterward carryed to Guardaloupe,
for my privateer took some of those very negroes from the
French off Guardaloupa some time after; this trade it seems
for negroes and beef has been all along carryed on. I found
it out by accident; I hapened to see a sloop in a by place,
I sent to know what she was, they brought me word she was
a Dane, I went to towne and sent for the Collector, and bid
him send on board, wch. he did and found severall chests and
hhds., but all empty; she came next day into St. Johns Harbour,
and one Mr. Blake, and one French, both Irish Catholicks, in
her; the Company had a sloop just arrived wth. negroes;
I presently imagined they designed to carry them to the French,
whereupon I order'd Lt. Sherrard to put 20 soldiers on board
my little sloop, and attend the Daneish sloop, and as she
went out to search her; this was not done so privately but
Blake came to know it, and came to me and offered me a
bribe to lett the Daneish sloop carry off the negroes. I used
him as he deserved, and away he went and hired a sloop to
carry them to Montserratt, and from thence the Daneish sloop
carryed them to Guardaloupe. Lt. Sherrard went after them,
but they gott away; this is my sending the soldiers in tradeing
sloops. If the Queen would keep a sloop on purpose, 'twould
be of greater consequence to prevent that trade, then the man
of warr. Lt. Sherrard can also informe your Lordshipps what
large offers Blake desired him to make me, if I would suffer
the Daneish sloops to come and go quietly. I did prevent
them whilst I had privateers, but since I sold them, I hear
they are as frequently at Montserrat as before. |
As to the other part of the Antigua complaint that I dissolv'd
the Assembly after sitting 3 dayes because they addressed me
about takeing possession with soldiers of a poor woman's house,
is every part of it false. Refers to Minutes of Council. I never
took possession of any house or land, nor did I ever pretend
to any house or foot of land (but what I hyre) in my whole
Government; Your Lordshipps order[s] me to suffer everybody
to come and make out their complaints before the Councill.
I should take it well of them if they would do so, for then
I could send my answers with the complaint; this I offer'd
the malecontents and Nevin, but they knew that would not
answer their end, for I am very sure they can have no complaint
that will bear an examineation; they onely designe by them
to make a clamour, and by that means give some great person
a pretence to get me removed, and they have raised £5000
to engage some one or more to do it; Lillingstone expected the
same; he expected so many villanous things laid to my charge
would have turn'd me out presently, and truely had any one
part of Bowdon's petition been true, I had deserved not onely
to be turn'd out but hanged. Whilst the Lords Committee
for Trade are such men as your Lordshipps, I shall not doubt
of having justice done me, and I have a better opinion of
all concern'd in the Ministry to beleive any of them capable
of doeing me an injustice for any summ of mony whatsoever,
tho' they give it out if the £5000 they have raised will not
be enough, they will raise £10,000 more; and 'twould be worth
their while, if they could be sure the next that comes in my
post would wink at their clandestine trade; for except Mr.
Norwood and Mr. Helden, that I put in, all the other Custome
house officers are inhabitants; should they do their duty as
they ought, the 4½ p.c. would raise the Queen £1000 per annum
more than it does, and to convince you what I say is true, I
will farme that Revenue and give £1000 per annum more than
it has made for this 3 yeare past, wch. is very considerable
in so small a revenue, let me have the putting in all the
officers. There is but one man does his duty, that is Mr.
Buckeridge, and him they mortally hate for no other reason, the
Commissr. of the Customes here, one Edward Perrie, suspended
him twice on very frevilous pretences; and in all cases relateing to the Queen's Revenue he appears for the unfair merchant
rather than for the Queen; the officers for the Revenue of
4½ p.c. should be all strangers and removed every three or
four yeares, for when they come to be inhabitants, they durst
not do their duty; The same packet that brings my letters and
orders, brings the same to some of the inhabitants; how they
come by their intelligence I know not; there may be occasion
to send me such Instructions as ought not to be knowne, at
least untill they are to be put into execution; my order about
my house rent and other Instructions since were told me by
the People before I had it from your Lordshipps. I dare say
your Lordshipps designed that I should receive what was then
due to me when that order came; I wish the Queen would add
the £400 sterl. to my sallary and not suffer me to take anything
here; whoever comes, they may pay him the first yeare as they
did me (tho' so as it did me little good), but if they pay it
him the next yeare, he must be both perjured and betray his
trust; if 'tis my fortune to stay here seven yeares, I expect
not one farthing allowed me for house rent; this is worth your
Lordshipps' consideration. Signed, Daniel Parke. Endorsed,
Recd 18th, Read 21st Jan., 1708/9. 4 pp. Enclosed, |
193. i. Testimonial of the Officers of the Regiment in the
Leeward Islands in favour of Governor Parke. St.
Kitts, Nov. 13, 1708. He has used them civilly, established an hospital in Antigua for sick soldiers, wch.
never was done before, etc.; he has offered to be
security for the subsistence of the soldiers, and offered
the officers money since Antigua hath taken away the
quarters. No soldiers have been employed by him except as stated in preceding. Signed, B. Jorrens, John
Kent, Peter Buor. Endorsed as preceding. 1 p. |
193. ii. Minutes of Council of St. Kitts, Nov. 12, 1708. The
above statements were sworn to by the Officers, etc.
Same endorsement. 2 pp. [C.O. 152, 8. Nos. 7,
7. i.,ii.; and (without enclosures) 153, 10. pp. 278–284.] |
Nov. 14. St. Christophers. |
194. Governor Parke to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Refers to enclosure. Mrs. Bowdon seemed a stranger
to her owne petition, which makes me beleive it was fraimed by
others, not herselfe. I can't but think I have ill fortune to
meet with such useage. I beg that justice from your Lordshipps
that it may be laid before the Queen and Councill, that I may
be justified where I was so basely scandilized. Your Lordshipps will find Mr. Nevin's complaint the same when it comes
to be examined into. I understand they designe to bestow
the £5000 they have raised, to gett into my post (in case they
find it hard to gett Col. Codrington restored) one Lt. Col.
Jones, an Irish Gentleman, he was here in Col. Whetham's
regiment. I don't doubt your Lordshipps justice, and then I
need not fear being removed whilst I do my duty. Signed,
Daniel Parke. Endorsed, Recd. 18th Jan., Read 9th Feb.,
1708/9. 2 pp. Enclosed, |
194. i. Petition of Mary Bowden to the Queen. Duplicate.
Same endorsement. 2½ pp. |
194. ii. Answer of the Lt. Governor and Council of St. Kitts
to the complaints of Mrs. Bowden. Oct. 31, 1708.
Mrs. Bowden and her witnesses—Mrs. Margaret Tyson,
Daniel Burton, Daniel Stoner and Christopher Dean—were examined after due notice given. Evidence quoted
on both sides. The Council were of opinion that the
General had been rather her friend than her oppressor,
and that the whole of her petition was false and
scandalous. Signed, Mich. Lambert, Hen. Burrell, John
Garnett, Steph. Payne, J. Panton. Same endorsement.
2 large pp. |
194. iii. List of Mary Bowden's negroes, with her receipt
for the same. Affidavits by Mich. Lambert, Steph.
Payne, and Hen. Burrell. Same endorsement. 3 pp. |
194. iv.–viii. Affidavits of Stephen Payne, Rachel Symonds,
John Helden, Jedidiah Hutchinson, and Thomas Young,
relating to above case. Same endorsement. 5 pp. [C.O.
152, 8. Nos. 10, 10.i.–viii.; and (without enclosures)
153, 10. pp. 301, 302.] |
Nov. 15. St. John's |
195. Major Lloyd to the Council of Trade and Plantations.
In my last by ye Warwick and Valleur men of warr, I forgott
to inform yr. Lordshipps of ye death of Mr. Tho. Adams,
surgeon to this Independent Company. I have commissionate
Mr. Wm. Chalmers, a surgeon, till H.M. pleasure be further
known, etc. Upon examination since ye departure of ye ffleet,
I find about 700 men to inhabit here under ye covert of ye
fforts in St. Johns, and all things in so good posture yt. I
doe not apprehend any danger for this winter. The French has
returned us 26 prisoners being ye crews of two English merchts. shipps taken by a French man of warr belonging to Port
Royall; off wch. ye enclosed acct. from Capt. Jno. Woodward,
one of ye sd. prisoners, will better informe yr. Ldpps., as
alsoe of ye condition of ye enemy att Placentia, etc. This comes
by a vessell bound for Oporto; butt another being to sayle
hence in 8 days dyrect for England, I shall enlarge more on all
matters by that, etc. |
P.S. I humbly crave yr. Ldpps.' excuse for ye enclosed,
wch. I have presumed to send under ye protection of ye covert.
Signed, Tho. Lloyd. Endorsed, Recd. Read 19th Jan. 1708/9. 1½
pp. Enclosed, |
195. i. M. de Costebelle to Commodore Mitchell. Acknowledges
receipt of French prisoners and returns some English.
I am sure you have no share in what your corsairs do
contrary to the laws of humanity, when their brutality
falls upon women and children, etc. Plaisance. Oct.
18, 1708. Signed, De Costebelle. Endorsed as preceding. French. 2 pp. |
195. ii. An Account of the state of the French at Placentia.
29 guns and 2 mortars in the Fort. At present fortified
with pallasadoes and wet moat, but [they] have advanced a new wall of stone from the foot of the Castle
Hill to about 30 yards in length, etc., which if perfected will render the place very strong. At present
it seems weak. About 150 soldiers and 200 inhabitants,
etc. Signed, John Woodwad. Same endorsement. 2 pp.
[C.O. 194, 4. Nos. 82, 82.i.,ii.; and (without enclosures) 195, 5. pp. 76, 77.] |
[Nov. 17.] |
196. An explanatory supplement to Capt. Vetch's proposal
for an attack upon Quebec and Montreal, (See July 27, 1708),
together with a scheme for raising the two new battalions
required, etc. Proposals for their equipment. A packet-boat
to be despatched with orders to New England, New Hampshire
and Rhode Island to have 1000 of their best disciplined men and
officers, with 3 months' provision, transports and pilots, with
10 flat-bottomed boats that will carry 60 men each to go along
with the transports, those all to be ready about the end of
April to embark, upon two days advertisement; and when the
expedition from hence is just ready to sail, let one of the
frigats be dispatched to make the best of her way to Boston,
with orders for the said troops to embark with all possible
expedition, and go under convoy of the said frigat, and those
that attend that Government, directly to Piscataqua, there to
meet the fleet from England, whose orders must be to go
directly thither. Whereas the New England men's arms are
generaly of different bore and sise, so that it will be impossible
they can safely be ventured with upon service, it will be absolutely necessary the Crown send them 1200 good uniform arms
from the Tower, with flints and ammunition conforme. The
Governments of New York, Connecticut, Jerseys and Pensilvania must be ordred att the same time to have their severall
proportions of men ready by the end of Aprill, to be att Albany,
ready to march from thence, upon two days warning. The
proportions of these Governments to make up 1200 men, besides
the regular troops (of which 2 and 300 may be spared from
New York) will be New York, 550; Connecticut, 350; the Jerseys,
200; and Pensilvania, 100, each Government furnishing their
men with 6 weeks' provisions att first, which they can doe
easily from Albany, where it is cheapest to be had in all the
Continent, while the Governor of New York shall be ordred
to give directions to the Commissioners for the Indian Affairs
att Albany to contract with our Five Nations, to make as many
canoes as will be requisite, and to engage them heartily to
join in the sd. undertaking, which lys much in Col. Schyler's
power to doe; and because the foresayd number of country
troops will labour under the same difficulty as to arms, it will
be necessary that the Governor of New York be directed to
lend them out of the magazine as many as can be spared
to such as have not arms of the same calibre with the regular
troops. The person fittest to command thiss land expedition
is Mr. Ingoldsby, and next to him, Col. Schyler, upon whom the
Country and Five Nations have a great dependance. The above
expedition, being ordred to sett out from Albany att the same
time the fleet does from Piscataqua, will be able to be full
as soon att Montreal, as they can be att Quibeck, and as
they cannott be reduced to any straits having one of the most
plentifull countrys in the world behind them, from whence they
can almost weekly be supplyed with provisions and other necessarys by water, excepting a carying place of 10 miles from
Suratoga, to the wood creek, where they can rise houses; as
they can hardly fail of taking Montreal (which hath nothing
to defend it but palisadoes, which can easily he burnt by pitched
faggots, which that country will afford in plenty) or att least
makeing such a diversion as the sea expedition cannott fail
of carying Quibeck, which being done they will soon by sending
up the river 6 or 700 men and some small guns, to attacque
Montreal in concert with the land forces cary the same. But
that there may be no misunderstanding about command, it will
be requisite that he who commands the troops from hence,
shall have the cheif command of all; and nixt to him every
officer conform to the Commission he bears; and the date of
the same; thiss is to be understood of the regular troops; the
other to be so intermixt upon command with them, that there
shall be always one officer of the same quality of the regular
troops with those of the Country; by whom they will never
grudge to be commanded. The fleet att Piscataqua with the first
fair wind must make the best of their way to Quibeck; but
there being two different commands, of the sea and land, the
want of adjusting which hath often occasioned the miscariage
of the undertaking; therefore, it will be requisite to have the
matter so clearly setled before their going from hence. The
Generall of this expedition should have the sole power, as soon
as they come into the River of Canada, to detach or send
before such sloops or vessels as he shall see fitt, to cutt of the
communication of the Isle of Orleans, to send ashoar partys
where and when he shall judge it convenient, and as soon
as they come to ane anchor, to command ashoar such men and
stores as he shall find necisary, etc. Which things being well
concerted, there is no doubt of good success, for the town
lying upon a point, by landing some forces above it, and some
below it, who can easily make a communication togither, quite
across the Isthmus, so as to cutt of all their correspondence by
land, while the ships can easily doe the same by sea, it will
not be verry difficult, by attacqueing it att three different places
att the same time to carry it without much loss. The which,
when it pleases god they shall be masters of, it will be necisary
to send all or att least by much the greatest number of the
inhabitants in their own small barks to Martinico, which will
mightily incomode that place, where provisions are so verry
scarse: the souldiers may be sent home to England, but theirs
and the greatest part of the inhabitants being removed from
thence is absolutely necisary, as well for the security of our
own people, in case of ane attempt from France to recover
it, as to make the natives come over intirely to the intrest and
obedience of the Crown. And as it is not to be doubted but
the French King will make strong efforts to recover his footing
upon the Continent of America again, so it will be absolutely
necisary that there be a sufficient force left to garison those
places, who ly att so great a distance from receiving any
reinforcement from hence or elsewhere, so that it will be requisite
there be 700 regular troops left to garison Quibeck, 200 at
Trois Rivier, who upon any emergency can in two or three
days time joyn them of Quibeck; 300 att Montreal, to keep the
natives thereabouts in obedience to the Crown, having no other
enimy to fear, having Albany to behind them; 200 at Placentia,
when reduced, 200 att Port Royal, which being contiguous to
New England, can be assisted from thence upon occasion either
by sea or land. And to make it clearly appear that the men
proposed to be furnished by the several Governments there,
will not only be soon gott in a readiness, but is farr from
being a hardship upon them, it being what they have pressed
and wished for these many years, besides that most of them,
excepting Jerseys and Pensylvania, (who may the better furnish
now, that they have so long bein exempted) keep as many
troops in pay at thiss present time; for New York sends up
generaly evry fall near 300 men to reinforce the garison att
Albany, who continue there untill the latter end of March,
besides a company of bushlopers, who are about 40, with a
Capt., two Lieuts., evry sentinel of which hath 3s. per diem,
because of the severity of their duty, they being oblidged to ly
all winter as scouts upon the Lake side to observe the motions
of the enimy; so that these two are yearly more then thiss will
be, which if successfull, will ease them for ever; nixt Conecticout have constantly 300 men upon their frontiers att least, and
New England above the number they are to furnish in constant
pay, and are now without doubt double what they use to be,
for by our last advices from Boston, Aug. 25, they had accounts
from Albany that the French and Indians from Montreal to
the number of 800, were preparing to cross the Lake, in order
to attacque some of their frontier towns, so that all their frontiers
were in arms, and must continue so all winter, so that if
the Governmt. sends them orders as proposed, they will find
them with the most part, if not all the troops in readyness etc.
Proposes that 30 good serjeants be sent over to discipline
the companies. Scheme for raising the two regiments proposed
for the expedition. Endorsed, Recd. Read Nov. 17, 1708. 3¾
pp. [C.O. 323, 6. No. 71; and 324, 9. pp. 255–266.] |
Nov. 18. Maryland. |
197. Governor Seymour to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I have your commands of Aprill 15th, which came
to hand by a chance sloope from Barbados, but not untill
Oct. 13, by which your Lordships may perceive how tedious and
uncertain that conveyance is; and therefore have not the least
apprehensions your Lordships justice will impute any neglect
to me; since in obedience thereto I imediately made the best
inquiry I could, what numbers of negro's have been supplyd
to this H.M. Province by the Royall Affrican Company, or by
the seperate traders who pay the 10 p.c. since June 24, 1698,
and by the list inclosed, which is as exact as the speedy
dispatch of this answer would admitt, your Lordships will find
the Royall Affrican Company have not supplyd one negro to
this Province during that tyme; nor can I, on enquiry of
above 20 years last past, heare of any ship belonging to the
Company that has come hither; but wee have been wholy
supply'd by the separate traders, as your Lordships may perceive, (tho' by the death and removeall of severall officers of the
Customes here, I cannot learne the owners or importers, further
than the names of the severall shipps and commanders, yet
am satisfied they were exclusive of the Royall Affrican Company.
And these negro's have been sold for Bills of Exchange payable
in London, generally men at £30 sterl. per head, and women
at 5 and 6 and 20 pounds. I have pursuant to your Lordships'
directions discourst many of the principall planters here, by
whom I am inform'd that before 1698 this province has been
supply'd by some small quantitys of negro's from Barbados
and other H.M. Islands and Plantations, as Jamaica and New
England, 7, 8, 9 or 10 in a sloope, and sometymes larger
quantitys, and sometymes, tho' very seldome, whole ship loads
of slaves have been brought here directly from Affrica by
interlopers, or such as have had lycences or otherwise traded
there. At present the trade seems to run high, there having
been between 6 and 700 negro's imported hither this yeare,
1708, and ye Planters owne themselves obliged to the seperate
traders for these supplys having never had any from the Company, and now the price of negro's begins to abate as wee
suppose by reason of the plentifull importation by ye seperate
traders, so that 'tis the opinion of most here, should the seperate
traders be totally excluded, the Company would take no better
care to supply them with slaves than they have formerly done,
which would not only be a great detriment to the planters,
but also to H.M. Revenue of so valuable Customes on tobaccos.
As to shipping belonging to this Country and imploy'd to the
coast of Affrica at present, I cannot learne of any, nor above
2 or 3 persons concern'd therein with ye merchts. in London.
I humbly begg your Lordships' pardon that the account of
negros has not been transmitted, which being interwoven with
the encouragemt. and protection I am enjoyned to give the
Royall Affrican Company made me mistake to be intended of
those to be supply'd by them only. And to convince your
Lordships of my future exact complyance with commands I
esteeme so sacred, have sent you a list of those imported
this year, etc. Signed, Jo. Seymour. Endorsed, Recd. 11th
May, Read July 18, 1709. 3 pp. Enclosed, |
197. i. List of negroes imported into Maryland, Midsummer
1698—Xtmas, 1707. Total, 2290. Same endorsement.
1 p. |
197. ii. List of negroes imported into Maryland Dec. 25,
1707–1708. Total, 648. Same endorsement. 1 p.
[C.O. 5, 716. Nos. 66, 66.i.,ii.; and (without enclosures) 5, 727. pp. 121–125.] |
Nov. 20. St. James's. |
198. H.M. Warrants for John Richardson and Michael Smith
to be of the Council of Nevis. Countersigned, Sunderland.
[C.O. 5, 210. p. 123.] |
Nov. 20. St. James's. |
199. H.M. Warrant for John Burryan to be of the Council of
St. Kitts. Countersigned, Sunderland. [C.O. 5, 210. p. 123.] |