|
1741–2.
Jan. 7. |
1. Warrant for the execution of a Lord Chamberlain's warrant, of date 1740–1, March 23, to the Duke of Montagu for the provision of furniture, detailed, for the royal service at St. James's, including particulars for the Lutheran Chapel, Mr. Brinks, the Countess of Yarmouth, Lady Campbell; item at Kensington; item at the House of Lords; a small carpet for the Tennis Court, and to cover a scaffold for swearing in the Lord Mayor at the Tower with green baize: all to an estimate of 645l.
[Lord Chamberlain's Warrant Book II. p. 168.] |
Jan. 7.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers. |
2. Present. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Earle, Mr. Clutterbuck.
Order for the issue to the Treasurer of the Navy of 66,000l. for wages as by his memorial of the 6th instant.
Same for same out of the Civil List funds of 3,399l. 5s. 8½d. to the Usher of the Exchequer, and 285l. 2s. 6d. to the Poor Knights of Windsor.
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 393.] |
| Jan. 8. |
3. Memorial to the Treasury from Chas. Warner, Receiver, by Treasury appointment, of His Majesty's rents belonging to the late dissolved Hospital of the Savoy. In virtue of his office has held an audit for the receipt of said rents, but very few within the site of the Savoy appeared by reason the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Cholmondeley, as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, claims a right to those rents as belonging to the Duchy, and has given notice to the tenants not to pay any more rent till further order. 1 page.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCVII. No. 1.] |
Jan. 11.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers. |
4. Present: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Earle, Mr. Clutterbuck.
General Anstruther, and Messrs. Burrell and Bristow attended concerning the victualling stores at Port Mahon, which the General is of opinion would not be sufficient in case of a siege. Said General to lay a representation herein before the Treasury, and Burrell and Bristow to give in with all speed an account of all provisions in store, sent and sending thither: “my Lords observe to General Anstruther that till now they have heard nothing from him, who has been here for some time, about this affair, and are informed by the General that no representation thereof has been made by him at any other office.”
The Navy Commissioners' letter of the 11th instant read concerning an imprest for slop cloths. Said Commissioners to attend Thursday next, and bring a copy of Mr. Browning's contract for slops, “and in case their Lordships do not sit then that the Commissioners be directed to attend the Chancellor of the Exchequer at his house.”
[Treasury Minute Book XXVIII. p. 394; Letter Book XIX. p. 570; XX. p. 24.] |
Jan. 14.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers. |
5. Present: ut supra.
The Navy Commissioners attend concerning Mr. Browning's contract for slop cloths. To be directed to desire the Treasurer of the Navy to apply to the Treasury in the usual manner for an imprest of 10,000l. for said contractor.
A memorial from Major Gen. Phil. Anstruther, Lieut. Governor of Minorca, read and entered in detail representing the victual necessary for the garrison of St. Philip for 3 months in case of a siege. Agreed to, and a copy to be sent to Burrell and Bristow to make the provision proposed “if they have no objection thereto.”
Mr. Lowther to pay out of the King's money in his hands 7l. 15s. 0d. to John Shepherd, assistant messenger, for his bill for extraordinary services from 1739 to 1741, July 6.
[Treasury Minute Book XXIX. pp. 1–2; Letter Book XX. p. 24, 25.] |
| Jan. 21. |
6. Royal warrant to the Paymaster General of the Forces, countersigned, to pay to Thomas Revel 422l. 14s. 6d., for building a coal yard adjoining the Victualling Office by the South Port, Gibraltar.
Appending:—(1) Major Gen. W. Hargrave, Lieut. Gen. and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar, to John Scrope, dated Gibraltar, 1741, Sept., enclosing and supporting the certificate and estimate as below:
(2) Certificate by William Skinner, Chief Engineer at Gibraltar, concerning the estimate for said yard, and the necessity for same, the old coal yard being such a distance from the new Victualling Office, situated upon the Esplanade, that the coals were liable to be embezzled in peace, and destroyed by the enemy in time of war.
(3) Said estimate.
[King's Warrant Book XXXIV. pp. 396–7.] |
| Jan. 22. |
7. Report to the Treasury from the Commissioners of Excise, England, on the copy of a bill transmitted from Ireland, proposing a duty on beer and ale imported from England. The alleged reason for the bill, viz.: the fall of the Excise in Ireland owing to importations of beer and ale from England, has been inconsiderable till the late scarcity of barley in Ireland occasioned a larger demand for English beer and ale. The like cause has produced the same effect in England. Are opposed to the proposed bill as likely to discourage the English brewers and to prejudice the revenue on malt thereby. 1 page.
Appending:—(a) A copy of a minute of the Privy Council, Whitehall, 1741, Dec. 5.
Together with the draft bill from Ireland, as abovesaid, and a letter from the Lord Lieutenant, Ireland, and the Privy Council of Ireland, to the Duke of Newcastle upon the same. 4½ pages.
(b) An account of the net Excise duty on a barrel of beer or ale of 32 gallons. 1 sheet.
(c) Same of the quantities of beer and ale exported to Ireland for 5¼ years to 1741, Michaelmas. 1 sheet.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCVII. No. 5.] |
| Jan. 23. |
8. Report to the King from the Commissioners and Trustees for improving Fisheries and Manufactures in Scotland, dated from Edinburgh. The funds available for the General Plan of Improvements for the year ended 1741, Xmas, were 2,000l. annuity as by the Act 5 Geo. I. and 2,000l., the interest of 40,000l. lodged with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Out of the above have issued:— |
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
|
For the fishery |
594 |
8 |
0 |
|
For the linen manufacture |
1,846 |
2 |
6 |
|
For encouraging the manufacture of coarse wool |
685 |
19 |
8 |
leaving a balance of 873l. 9s. 10d. The herring fishery has been remarkably unsuccessful, only 2 bushes from Aberdeen fished in deep water, taking only 79 barrels, and on the coast only 2,900 barrels were taken on Loch Fyne and Loch Ryan, and none at all on the north west coast, Lewis, or the Moray and Forth firths. In the winter a shoal of herrings came upon the coast of Fife, and proved a very seasonable relief to the poorer sort of people in the great scarcity of bread corn that has prevailed in Scotland for some time. Have inhibited their officers putting their mark on these winter herrings for export as being of lower quality and to prevent their mark falling into discredit. Detail the experiments for the discovery of a cod and ling fishery among the Western Isles, and propose to repeat them. The linen manufacture thrives as fast as the circumstances of the country permit. In the year 4,609,672¾ yards were stamped for sale, which is 191,864¾ yards short of the preceding year. The shortage arose in the stations in Perth and Angus, where the lowest priced cloth was made, and was due to the rigour of the frosts last winter, and to the very great scarcity of provisions, which led many of the weavers to enlist as soldiers. The better qualities of cloth have increased in output. The above figures are irrespective of the cloth made for home consumption, of which no account is taken. The manufacture of cloth in Scotland would increase more rapidly were it not that large quantities of the yarn are bought up and exported to England to be worked up there. That practice must continue so long as there is no law to prevent it, and as the people of Scotland continue to spin large quantites of yarn, by which, though they should carry the manufacture no further, the country must gain. “There is one further advantage that attends the finer part of the manufacture. The people generally favour it, and the spirit runs so high that way that men of some condition, no longer slaves to that vanity which in this country has been so noxious to honest industry, begin to putt their children, their friends, and relations, prentices to the loom.” Detail their proceedings for encouraging the coarser qualities of the linen manufacture, which have been very ineffectual, and their plan for same for the coming year by offering prizes of looms, &c. The mystery of whitening or bleaching, particularly the finer sort of cloth, continues to be diffused over the country. Andrew and William Grays instruct with general satisfaction such persons as are recommended to them by the Trustees; in so much that nothing but the duties which affect the materials necessary for whitening upon importation prevent the whitening of fine cloth at reasonable prices. Have issued 300l. to the undertakers of the whitening field at Dalquhurn, and 100l. to William Neilson, master of that at Roslyn, and propose to issue 100l. to the proprietors of that at Cupar. Detail transactions relating to the apprentices of the Dutch master weaver Bartholomeus Ysenbrans at Ormiston. The grant for settling a Dutch master weaver at Glasgow with 4 apprentices has not been issued, as he was not brought over. Propose to issue 200l. for encouraging undertakers to set up a press for pressing and folding at Edinburgh in regard of the advantages which the manufacturers in the neighbourhood of Glasgow have reaped from a set of presses put up there some years since on the like encouragement. The art of making and whitening thread for sewing is carried on to a considerable pitch in Scotland. Propose to issue 40l. to Mrs. Anderson, a person deservedly noted for her skill in that branch of manufacture, to enable her to purchase a few looms to begin the making of thread stockings. Detail their expenditure in the encouragement of the coarse wool manufacture. The produce of the malt duty and excise long diminishing in consequence of smuggling has further accidentally diminished by the scarcity of grain. Are therefore obliged still further to restrict their plan for the current year. Detail proposed expenditure for said current year. 19 pages.
Together with appendices of the accounts referred to in the report. 8 pages. [Treasury Board Papers CCCVII. No. 6.] |
Jan. 28.
Whitehall,
Treasury
Chambers. |
9. Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Sundon, Mr. Earle, Mr Clutterbuck.
On Harman Verelst's memorial for 903l. 19s. 2d. for bills drawn on him by General Oglethorpe from America, a warrant ordered for same by way of imprest.
Mrs. Kingdon's arrear of pension to be paid.
[Treasury Minute Book XXIX. p. 3.] |
| Jan. 30. |
10. Tho. Corbett to John Scrope, dated Admiralty Office. Lewis Morris, Surveyor of the Customs in Anglesea, has been employed by the Lords of the Admiralty in surveying the sea coasts from Anglesea towards Milford. He has made some progress herein and given a demonstration of his abilities for a work which is much wanted for the safety of navigation in those parts. Said Lords have agreed to give him 5s. a day for said employment, with leave to hire a boat. Said Lords desire the Treasury orders to the Customs Commissioners to give Morris leave to attend said service without stoppage of his Customs salary, he providing and paying a sufficient deputy for his office in the Customs. 1½ pages.
[Treasury Board Papers CCCVII. No. 10.] |
