Minute Book: October 1710 | British History Online

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 24, 1710. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1952.

Citation:

'Minute Book: October 1710', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 24, 1710, ed. William A Shaw( London, 1952), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol24/pp87-95 [accessed 24 November 2024].

October 1710



Oct. 3, forenoon.	Present: Earl Paulet, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Benson. [Send word] to Sir Thomas Frankland to be here this morning or in the [struck through] afternoon at five o'clock.
	[Send word] to Mr. Clayton to be here to-morrow afternoon about interest on the fourth and fifth General Mortgage.
	The Navy Commissioners and Victualling Commissioners [are] called in. Mr. Colby says they have contracted for some quantities of pork at 7s. or 8s. per hundredweight less than the price mentioned in their letter of 26 Sept. The brewers insist on the high price mentioned in their letter and they [the Commissioners] have made some contracts for beef.
	[My Lords order that] 146 tons 19 hundredweight [of the Queen's] tin in further part of 960 tons (of which 640 were shipped lately) is to be shipped on the Hamburg man of war and other ships bound for Hamburg with convoy, to be consigned to Francis Stratford and Company; upon which they [Stratford] are to advance money proportionably on their former contract in that behalf.
	The Commissioners of Sick and Wounded are called in. [My Lords] ordered 7,400l. 7s. 9d. to be paid [to the Treasurer for Sick and Wounded].
	[Send word] to the Customs Commissioners to excuse their attendance till this day week in the afternoon.
	[Send word] to Mr. Stafford to be here in the afternoon. Likewise to the Commissioners of Stamp Duties to be here then. Treasury Minute Book XVIII, p. 37.
Eodem die, afternoon.	Present: Earl Paulet, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Benson.
	The Commissioners of Stamp Duties are called in. They say about a year and a half ago they had an order to renew the dies [for the stamps]. When they renew dies they deface the old. About a year and a half ago they renewed the 6d. and 1d. dies and no other. They saw the old dies defaced, but it was done by Mr. Ross, engraver. There never was but one 40s. and one 5s. die. Capt. Harris had the keeping of the dies in a strong box, but the Comptroller and the Receiver [of Stamps] had keys. Ibid., p. 38.
Oct. 4, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Mr. Brydges [is] called in and also Mr. Moses Hart, a broker. It is proposed by Mr. Hart to advance to Mr. Brydges a sum of 20,000l. in Exchequer Bills upon his [Brydges] depositing 22,000l. with him [Hart] in tallies and orders, to wit 10,000l. on the General Mortgage anno 1710 and 12,000l. on the Candle Duties Act: to be repaid in [specie or ready] money within three months from the time of advancing and to have interest for the same at the rate of 4 per cent. per an.
	My Lords agree thereunto and do direct that the same shall be applied towards satisfying the bills of exchange drawn by Mr. William Chetwynd, Resident at Genoa, for the service of the Troops in Spain.
	In the margin: my Lords upon further consideration are pleased to respite this agreement and desire Mr. Hart to attend next Tuesday.
	[My Lords order that] 25,000l. of the last 100,000l. which the Bank have agreed to advance on a deposit of tallies is to be taken up by the Treasurer of the Navy for the [Bank's] first weekly advance after their [the Bank's] having completed the former 100,000l. and to be applied to such uses [of the Navy and Victualling] as my Lords shall direct.
	Mr. Hawes [is] called in. At my Lords' instance he promises out of the money he is receiving of the Bank [which is] to complete the [Bank's] first 100,000l., to accommodate Mr. Brydges with 20,000l. on the 22,000l. tallies abovementioned till Mr. Hart can advance the sum as above.
	The Board of Ordnance are called in. Their [weekly] memorial [for money] is read. My Lords agree to what is therein proposed as to the deposit of 7,200l. in tallies on the General Mortgage with Mr. Gibbon for [security and repayment of] his remittances for the [Artillery] Train in Flanders. And as to what is further absolutely necessary for their Office, which they say is at least 5,000l., my Lords will consider of it and [do] direct them to attend next Friday morning. Ibid., p. 39.
Eodem die, afternoon.	Present: ut supra.
	[My Lords] ordered [a letter of direction for] 20,000l. to Mr. Corker upon the order in his name for buying of tin: out of loans on the Exchequer made by Mr. Lambert and Company on that [the tin money] Register.
	[My Lords] ordered [a letter of direction for] 500l. to Lord Stair out of Civil List money, on an order signed by their Lordships for so much on his ordinary entertainment as late Envoy in Poland.
	The letter [of direction] for 500l. a week to the Privy Purse [is ordered] to be signed.
	A warrant to be prepared for discharging Sir Thomas Mansel of his [liability to return into the Jewel House what was issued to him thence as] plate as late Comptroller of the Household.
	Write to the Commissioners of Stamp Duties to consider what method they think proper to be now used for avoiding the inconveniences that may happen by the counterfeited stampt paper and parchment which has been distributed by Mr. Dyot and his agents; and to attend with their report in this matter in writing next Friday at five o'clock in the afternoon.
	Whereas the Bank of England did on the 28th Sept. 1710 agree to advance for the public service the sum of 100,000l. in Exchequer Bills upon a deposit of tallies for 115,000l. on the General Mortgage anno 1710 to be repaid in specie within two months with interest at the rate of 4 per cent. per an. from the time of advancing to the time of repayment, my Lords do now direct the Treasurer of the Navy forthwith to deposit with the said Bank 28,750l. of the tallies and orders on the said General Mortgage put into his hands for the service of the Navy, as part of the said 115,000l. upon their [the Bank's] advancing to him 25,000l. in Exchequer Bills: and their Lordships consent on her Majesty's behalf that he signs an instrument that in case the said 25,000l. be not repaid with interest as aforesaid by the end of the said two months it shall and may be lawful for the said Bank to sell and dispose of the said tallies for their satisfaction, accounting for the overplus to her Majesty's use. Ibid., p. 40.
Oct. 5. Hampton Court.	Her Majesty's commands [are] brought from thence [Hampton Court] by Lord Powlet viz. that 4,236l. 2s. 1½d. be issued out of the Civil List money to Mr. Compton in part of what is due in his office for the quarter ended at Michaelmas last, being to be applied for satisfying what is due to the accounts [servants] of his late Royal Highness [Prince George of Denmark] for that quarter.
	that the bounties [passage money] of 20l. a piece be paid to the chaplains and schoolmasters going to the West Indies according to the Bishop of London's letter. But write to his Lordship that in regard my Lords always receive her Majesty's directions in these matters it would be most convenient if his Lordship could send hither a list of those gentlemen at once that he intends for the West Indies by the convoy now appointed, because then one [single] application would serve: and assure his Lordship that the letter he lately received of a respit being put to the payment of these bounties did not in the least proceed from any disrespect to his Lordship's recommendations but from the low circumstances of her Majesty's treasure.
	Write to Mr. Vanbrugh that although the condition of her Majesty's revenue and the great arrears due [out of the Civil List funds] to her servants and family [the Household] are such as will not at present allow the supplying so much money for the building at Blenheim as may be necessary for carrying on that work so fast as her Majesty could wish, nevertheless her Majesty is pleased to direct that he forthwith sends to my Lords an account of what money is absolutely necessary for covering in so much of the building as he proposes to finish before winter [so] that orders may be given for supplying thereof in the best manner that may be. Treasury Minute Book XVIII, p. 41.
Oct. 6, forenoon. Treasury Chambers, Whitehall.	Present: Earl Poulet, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Benson.
	[My Lords] direct for the service of the Ordnance 5,000l. out of the last 100,000l. which the Bank have agreed to lend on a deposit of tallies as by a minute entered 28 Sept. last; and the Treasurer of the Ordnance is [ordered by my Lords] to deposit General Mortgage tallies for the same in such proportion as 115 is to 100; to be repaid according to the said agreement with the Bank.
	Mr. Musgrave acquaints my Lords that their [the Ordnance] Treasurer's deputy, he believes, can get advances on deposits of tallies for 2,000 or 3,000l. at a time if he had directions so to do. My Lords think this reasonable but that he should not take up any considerable sum without first acquainting them therewith. Nevertheless my Lords will speak with the Board of Ordnance here next Tuesday morning about these matters.
	[The draft of] a letter to the Bank about discounting foreign bills of exchange is read and approved. Ibid., p. 42.
Eodem die, afternoon.	Present: ut supra.
	[Write a] letter to Mr. Merryll to send my Lords an estimate of what the extraordinary charge of the encampment in the Isle of Wight amounts to.
	The Commissioners of Stamp Duties [are] called in. Their report or proposal is read relating to the preventing inconveniences from the counterfeited stamps distributed by Mr. Dyot or his agents. It is delivered back to the Commissioners to be further considered; as also their account of what quantities of stamped paper and parchment have been brought or returned to them by persons who received the same from Mr. Dyot.
	My Lords direct the Commissioners to send them the examinations of the several persons that have and shall bring in such stampt paper and parchment. Ibid., pp. 42–3.
Oct. 10, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Prepare a warrant for the [Treasury] Lords' salary [reckoned] by the day [from August 10] to Michaelmas [last].
	William Johns of Exeter (who was turned out without cause) is to be restored, pursuing the methods of the law and the rules of the Stamp Office,
	[Send] to Mr. Mead and Mr. Morice to explain how all the exceedings [in the requirements for the Forces in Spain amd Portugal] have accrued. Ibid., p. 44.
Eodem die, afternoon.	Present: ut supra.
	[My Lords direct] 750l. to Lord Dartmouth for secret service.
	The Customs Commissioners are called in. Their papers are read and minutes [of my Lords' answers and decisions thereon are endorsed] upon them.
	[My Lords order] Mr. Nathaniell Smith to be collector of Liverpool instead of Edmond Smith deceased.
	Direct the Agents [for Taxes] every week when they attend my Lords to present a list of all arrears of the House Tax moneys as they do of the Land Tax.
	Write a letter [of direction] for the 50l. to Mr. Strong. Ibid.
Oct. 11, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	My Lords order the 25,000l. mentioned in the minute of the 4th inst. to be applied to the head of [seamen's] wages; out of which the Royal Anne, Royal Sovereign and one third rate are to be paid off in order to be laid up.
	My Lords approve the [draft of the] letter to be sent to the Duke of Marlborough about the contracts for forage.
	Mr. Bridges and Mr. Medina are called in.
	[Send word] to Mr. Moses Hart to be here in the afternoon. Ibid., p. 45.
Eodem die, afternoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Mr. Moses Hart is called in. He insists upon 6 per cent. interest for the 20,000l. mentioned in the minute of the 4th inst.; which my Lords do not agree to.
	Then he proposes to advance 40,000l. in Exchequer Bills viz. 20,000l. within a week and 20,000l. within a fortnight after [the time] of [Mr. Bridges] depositing tallies and orders on the sixth General Mortgage and the Candle Duty Act for 44,000l. or in that proportion for the respective sums he shall advance: to be repaid in [ready] money within three months from the respective times of the advance and to have interest after the rate of 4 per cent. per an.
	Direct Mr. Bridges to deposit the tallies for the sums so to be advanced to him, and to enter into an agreement with Mr. Hart for [Hart's] disposing the tallies and orders (in case they be not redeemed) as usual.
	And direct Mr. Bridges to apply the 40,000l. for payment of bills of exchange. Ibid.
Oct. 17, forenoon.	Present: Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	[The draft of] a letter [of direction] for 7,000l. [to be issued] by weekly payments for [the building work] at Blenheim is read and approved.
	[The draft of] a letter [of direction] for 3,000l. for secret service: [to be paid] by weekly payments is also read and approved.
	Mr. Medina's memorial is referred to Mr. Bridges.
	Mr. Bridges is called in: his memorial of this day is read relating to 40,000l. grounded upon former memorials [and is ordered by my Lords] to be considered this day sevennight. In the meantime Mr. Bridges is to distinguish how much is to be issued on one order and how much on another.
	Memorandum: to write to Mr. Mead about the six Catalan Regiments said to be raised after the battle of Almanza, how long they continued and what they received for pay and what became of them. Desire also the Secretary at War to give what information he can concerning them and send for Mr. Alexander Stephenson to attend the Treasury to give an account of the money he received for those Regiments. Treasury Minute Book XVIII, p. 53.
Oct. 18, forenoon.	Present. Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	[A letter of direction is signed for the following issues viz.]
	5,000l. to the Treasurer of the Navy for short allowance money to ships returned from foreign voyages.
	6,000l. to ditto for bills of exchange for the Navy.
	4,000l. to same for necessary money for ships bound outwards.
	5,000l. to same for Victualling bills of exchange.
	[the total 20,000l. to be issued] out of the last 100,000l. which is to be advanced by the Bank on the tallies on the General Mortgage anno 1710 which are in the hands of the said Treasurer of the Navy.
	[A letter of direction likewise for] 20,000l. more to same in part of the said 100,000l. which is so to be advanced by the Bank: the same to be applied towards a quarter to the Yards, out of which 19,834l. is to be paid in the first place to the Yards at Deptford and Woolwich.
	Whereas the Bank of England did on 28 Sept. 1710 agree to advance for the public service the sum of 100,000l. in Exchequer Bills upon a deposit of tallies for 115,000l. on the General Mortgage anno 1710 to be repaid in specie with 4 per cent. interest within two months, my Lords do now direct the Navy Treasurer forthwith to deposit with the said Bank 46,000l. of the abovesaid tallies and orders put into his hands for the service of the Navy: as part of the said 115,000l. and upon the Bank's advancing to him 40,000l. in Exchequer Bills: and their Lordships consent on her Majesty's behalf that he signs an instrument that in case the said 40,000l. be not repaid with interest as aforesaid by the end of the said two months it shall and may be lawful for the said Bank to sell and dispose of the said tallies for their satisfaction; accounting for the overplus to her Majesty's use. Ibid., p. 54.
Oct. 24.	Present: Earl Poulett.
	Ordered that Mr. Le Neve be paid 20l. for sundry books and accounts which he has recovered belonging to the Exchequer upon [his] delivering them into this Office.
	[Write] to Mr. Dummer to know what became of the plate [struck through] goods &c. formerly served [out of the Great Wardrobe and the Jewel House] for the [Governor's] chapel in Jamaica.
	Mr. Kent is called in. Ibid., p. 55.
Oct. 25, forenoon.	Present: Earl Poulet, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Pagett.
	The [draft of the] letters to the Bank and to the Treasurer of the Navy for the 40,000l. ordered 18th Oct. are read and approved.
	My Lords order 500l. to Mr. Borret.
	Likewise 803l. 3s. 7¾d. to Mr. Wise.
	Likewise 5,000l. to the Great Wardrobe in part of 13,239l.
	Mr. Dod and Mr. Walters are called in [concerning prizes].
	Mr. Kent is called in. He exhibits a memorial signed by himself dated this day which is read in these words: "to the Right Honble. the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury. The memorial of Mr. John Kent, late Customer and Collector of Lynn Regis in Norfolk. That in the year 1699 the said Kent ..." [the remainder of p. 61 and the whole of p. 62 are left blank doubtless for the entry of Kent's memorial].
	[Send word] to Mr. Holt to be here this afternoon at six o'clock.
	[Write] to Mr. Knackston, collector at Ipswich, to give my Lords copies of all the letters and transactions passed between him and Mr. Richardson with a narrative of what hath passed between them concerning any allowance of incidents or other extraordinary demands upon the revenue.
	[Send] to Mr. Downes to come up forthwith and attend my Lords.
	[Send word] to Mr. Baker and Mr. Gosslin to be here this day seven-night with an account in writing of what arrears [of prizes] were standing out when the late Commission of Prizes determined, how much thereof has been recovered, how the money recovered has been applied and what now remains in arrear for prizes and what claims or demands thereon are unsatisfied.
	[My Lords direct] 260l. to be paid to Dr. Robinson, being the first article in his bill of extraordinaries [as late Envoy in Sweden].
	To know whether Daniell Cutting was formerly a surveyor of windows and if so what was he turned out for. Ibid., pp. 61–3.
Eodem die, afternoon.	Present: [no entry of the attendance].
	[My Lords order] the Navy Commissioners to send an account of what money is most necessary to be immediately supplied to the services of the Navy and Victualling and what they think will be wanting to carry on the several heads of those expenses to the end of this year and [the Treasury Secretary is to write] to some of them to attend my Lords with the said account next Tuesday morning.
	A letter is read from Lord Dartmouth enclosing a representation from the Postmaster General concerning a complaint made against the packet boats from Falmouth carrying merchandise to Lisbon. My Lords direct it to be sent to the Customs Commissioners for consideration, who are to bring their report thereon at their attendance on my Lords next Tuesday afternoon.
	Mr. Holt [Comptroller General of Customs is] called in. Lord Poulett [says to him] my Lords would have you give them an account what you can concerning the abuses that have been committed in relation to the incidents of the Customs.
	Holt: I should have discovered these frauds when I should have gone over the bills before they had been carried to the Auditor.
	Lord Poulet: how often do you look into your office, for 'tis much that these frauds should have been practising seven years and that we should find out more of them in seven weeks than you have done.
	Mr. Ch[ancellor of the Exchequer] gives my Lords an account how this could have been discovered.
	Holt: the Commissioners of the Customs are the persons who allow the incidents and sign warrants upon the bills but such a sum as 600l. is so very extraordinary that I could not but have taken notice of it before the accounts had gone to the Auditors.
	Mr. Ch[ancellor of the Exchequer]: what is the method of your Office and what clerks have you ?
	Holt: Mr. Paul is my first clerk, who cheques the bills of incidents; next Mr. Hamel; then Richardson, Clerk of the Incidents who has an under clerk whose name I do not remember; one Birch who copies the certificates and one Yorke who copies the accounts.
	Mr. Ch[ancellor of the Exchequer]: how long has Richardson been with you ?
	Holt: about four years.
	The Chancellor: who had you before him ?
	Holt: one White.
	The Chancellor: why did you part with him ?
	Holt: he had entered into a combination with two other of my clerks to stand by each other; and so I parted with him; for which some of the Customs Commissioners complained that I turned away the most experienced clerks.
	The Chancellor: where is he now ?
	Holt: he is under Sir I. Newton at the Mint.
	The Chancellor: what is his Christian name ?
	Holt: Joshua.
	The Chancellor: was not Downes your clerk ?
	Holt: yes; he was recommended by Sir W. Trumbull; he was not with me above a year and then Mr. Kent [the Customs Cashier] took him away.
	The Chancellor: Mr. Paul [when he was] here owned that he took only copies of the incidents from Mr. Richardson and so could be no cheque to them.
	Holt: he and Richardson were directed always to make their entries without ever seeing or being privy to what each other did.
	The Chancellor: this only shows that you have a useless double entry of the bills.
	Lord Paulett: can you propose any method that may prevent these evils for the public ?
	Holt: I believe I can if your Lordships allow me time.
	Lord Paulett: Paul knew of a razure in his Book and that 'twas done by another hand and owns that he put a Q against it to enquire how it came, but never did.
	The Chancellor: what do you propose to discover these mischiefs and to prevent the like for the future ?
	Holt: the Customs Commissioners have appointed two men to overlook the accounts of incidents for the year 1706 and I will inspect my books and will lay before your Lordships what I can discover. The Commissioners are the proper officers to give allowance of the incidents for the outports.
	The Chancellor: suppose you had seen the 600l. allowed by them, would you have passed it ?
	Holt: I would have examined into it and would have represented it to the Customs Commissioners. I can do no more than inspect my books and if I suspect anything will lay it before your Lordships.
	The Chancellor: how came Paul to pass the 600l.?
	Holt: he took the allowance [thereof] to be the Commissioners' own hands.
	The Chancellor: how could he believe that when the account was allowed in May or June 1709 and Mr. Clark was one of those that signed it that was dead before that time ?
	What is the method of your Office ?
	Here Mr. Holt talkt over some general heads.
	Mr. Paget: your Lordships have desired Mr. Holt to lay a scheme before you of what he thinks proper to prevent like mischiefs for the future and if you please he may also at the same time give your Lordships an account in writing of the method of his Office.
	Holt: I will do it my Lords as soon as I can.
	The Chancellor: pray let it be by next Tuesday.
	Holt: it shall. He goes out. Treasury Minute Book XVIII, pp. 64–66.
Oct. 28, forenoon.	Present: Lord Poulett, Mr. Paget.
	[The draft of a] letter to the Board of Ordnance is read and approved [directing them] to assign tallies on Low Wines anno 1705 for 11,933l. 6s. 8d. to such persons as are empowered by the King of Portugal to receive the same [as an equivalent] for the value of 4,000 barrels of gunpowder [as] part of what [subsidy] is due to his Portuguese Majesty by treaty in that behalf. But the interest incurred on the said tallies to the time they should be assigned is to be computed and paid as part of the said 11,933l. 6s. 8d. A copy of this letter is to be sent to the Auditors of Imprests with directions to them to take care to surcharge the accounts of the Treasurer of the Ordnance with the amount of the said interest.
	The draft of a letter to the Customs Commissioners is read and approved [directing them] to stay the process against Mr. Shepheard and others for non-payment of bills drawn on them for the Duties on Wines taken [prize by the French] as they were coming from Penryn to London; in order to give them [Shepheard et al.] an opportunity to apply to Parliament for relief.
	A letter from the Navy Commissioners of the 27th inst. is read [and is ordered] to be read again as soon as there is a Board [a quorum of Treasury Lords].
	A letter from Lord Dartmouth is read about passes to be taken out by persons going to Holland, Ostend &c. [and is ordered] to be read again when the Customs Commissioners are here.
	A report from [the Lord Lieutenant of] Ireland concerning Lord Power and another concerning the Palatines are read. Both are [directed] to be laid before the Queen. Ibid., p. 67.
Oct. 30. Hampton Court.	The Queen signed a warrant for discharge of 1,053 ounces of white plate [delivered out of the Jewel House] to the Duke of Kent [as late Lord Chamberlain of the Household].
	likewise a warrant for prolonging the Duke of Leeds' pension.
	and signified her pleasure that a weekly payment of 500l. be continued for goods furnished to the Palatines. Ibid.