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| Sept. 11. |
1,203. Memorial of the African Company to Lords of Trade and Plantations. You have ordered four convoys to sail in October so as to return by the end of March next. Our ships cannot return in so limited a time, and we therefore beg that we may have liberty to send ships as our occasions may require, with stores and provisions for the preservation of our castles and fortresses; also for negroes for the West Indies, which, owing to the embargo last year, were but slenderly supplied. We beg also that one of the ships of the Barbados convoy may be ordered to Cambia to assist and countenance the people there, which deviation can be no hindrance to such
ships convoying home the American fleet. 1 p. Endorsed, Recd. 11 Sept., 1690. Read same day. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 4.] |
| Sept. 11. |
1,204. Memorial of the merchants trading to Italy. Praying that the convoy for the Straits may proceed as far as Leghorn, and stay there six days so as to bring back any ships from thence. No time will be lost thereby. Six signatures. 1 p. Endorsed as the preceding. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 5.] |
| [Sept. 11.] |
1,205. Memorial of the merchants trading to Newfoundland. Five or six small ships, which will carry about forty men, are fitting out and will be ready to sail on the 10th October with provisions for the poor people in Newfoundland. They as well as the whole trade will be lost unless some relief be sent to them. We beg, therefore, that no embargo may be laid on ships for Newfoundland before the 10th or 20th of October next. ½ p. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 6.] |
| Sept. 11. |
1,206. Petition of the merchants trading to New England to the King. New England supplies the West Indies with provisions, but many New England ships are now laid up in England, while others have been taken by the French, so that the traders of the Colony are now in great want of shipping. We beg that a convoy may be granted for the maintenance and support of our trade. Twenty-five signatures. ½ p. Endorsed, Recd. 11 Sept., 1690; read same day. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 7.] |
| [Sept. 11.] |
1,207. Petition of the traders to Jamaica to the House of Commons. We had orders from the Privy Council that two hundred seamen should be allowed to us to proceed to the Isle of Jamaica, and we furnished a list of them and gave bond for them at the Custom House, as required. We now learn that upon your address the King will allow us but one hundred seamen, whereby six of our vessels, already fitted out, loaded with ammunition, stores, and provisions, must be brought back again, to the ruin of the owners and the danger of the Island. Since these six ships contain but fifty-six men, we beg you to make a fresh representation to the King in our favour. Fourteen signatures. 1 p. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 8.] |
| Sept. 18. |
1,208. Petition of traders to the Leeward Islands to the King. We hear that you have directed the squadron in the West Indies to return home immediately. We are deeply sensible of the danger to the Leeward Islands if any part of this force be taken away. Two hundred ships from the West Indies are homeward bound, which will furnish many seamen to the Royal Navy. We beg, therefore, that the squadron be continued in these parts and that victuals may be sent to it. Eighteen signatures. ½ p. Endorsed, Recd. and read in Council, 18 Sept., 1690. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 9.] |
| Sept. 21. |
1,209. Petition of the merchants trading to Barbados to the King and Queen. Barbados depends now on England for subsistence, supplies from Ireland and New England being now cut off.
Fewer ships than can be sailed with six hundred men will not suffice to relieve the island's necessities, and the planters will be ruined unless ships be sent to bring home their produce. The number of ships now asked for is not a quarter of that annually laden by the island in time of peace. The ships, being ready in the Downs by 20 October, may reasonably be expected to return in April, and their detention will cause great loss. We beg, therefore, that they may be permitted to sail. Fifteen signatures. 1 p. Inscribed, Presented, 21 Sept., 1690. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 10.] |
| Sept. 21. |
1,210. Petition of the traders to Virginia and Maryland to the King. We had fitted up ships for the Plantations requiring a thousand or twelve hundred seamen, which we hoped to receive in discharge from the Royal Navy. You have ordered, however, that we shall have but four hundred men, which has led to much competition among us for them. To avoid this inconvenience we suggest that a general embargo be imposed, as the Colonies are sufficiently supplied for the present. Twenty-three signatures. 1 p. Inscribed, Presented 21 Sept., 1690. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 11.] |
| Sept. 21. |
1,211. List of ships now bound to Virginia and Maryland. Fifty-two ships requiring 1,142 men. 1 p. Endorsed, Presented 21 Sept., 1690, by the Virginia merchants. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 12.] |
| Sept. 22. |
1,212. The Lord President to William Blathwayt. The question of trade in relation to the number of men and to convoys was considered by the King in Council yesterday. The West India merchants are allowed twelve hundred men and their convoy will be ready for them in the Downs on 20 October, but will accompany them only a sufficient distance out of soundings. On their arrival in the West Indies convoys should be allotted them from Captain Wright's squadron, which should attend them there and return with them. The Virginia and Maryland merchants are also allowed twelve hundred men, and their convoy will be ready on 31 October. The African ships are not to go at all, but the rest will stand as in the paper which you gave, excepting such alterations as I have already specified. The distribution of the men among the merchants has been left to the Commissioners of Customs, but it is suggested that the number shall be proportioned to the customs paid in each port by the respective traders. It is also ordered that they shall give bond to sail to no port but that for which they enter, and that they shall return with the convoys. Care is to be taken as to the ships bound to the Straits, for they are ordered not to go beyond Malaga. The Messina ships will be convoyed by the squadron that goes to the Mediterranean. The ships to Lisbon will be convoyed by some of those that go to Malaga. I write this because I shall not be this night in London. Signed, Carmarthen, P. Holograph. 3 pp. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 13.] |
| [Sept.] |
1,213. Considerations upon the present embargo. The King should give orders how long the ships bound to Virginia, Maryland, and New England shall stop, when they shall go and under what
security, and an advice-boat should be sent to notify the men in Virginia. It should be distinguished what ships shall have leave to go to Barbados to make up the number of two hundred men, and what to Jamaica to make up the number of one hundred men. The ships that carry provisions and recruits to Barbados have 266 men. The embargo on the ships to the Canaries and Cadiz should be raised at once. 1 p. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 14.] |
| Sept. 25. |
1,214. Abstract of the orders given as to the sailing of convoys. Already given in the Lord President's letter of 22 September, 1690. 1 p. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 15.] |
| Sept. 25. |
1,215. The Victualling Board to the Admiralty. We have agreed with the commanders of the ships enumerated below to carry three months' provision to the West Indian squadron, but the King has allotted a given number of mariners to the West Indian trade, of which the traders would exclude these victualling vessels from having any share. We conceive that these ships should be favoured rather than the reverse, and, if no proportion of these mariners be allowed to them, they will be unable to sail. We beg your intercession in favour of the masters of these ships. Here follows the list of victualling ships, five in number, aggregating 1,380 tons. Copy. 2 pp. Endorsed, Recd. 27 Sept., 1690; read same day. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 16.] |
| Sept. 25. |
1,216. Draft memorandum of the orders given for the convoy of the West Indian squadron on 25 September, 1690. ½ p. [Colonial Papers, Vol. LXVI., No. 17.] |
