|
March 12.
Whitehall. |
719. Council of Trade and Plantations to Lt. Governor
Spotswood. Enclose H.M. Order in Council, March 1st, relating
to the Boundary Commission. [C.O. 5, 1363, pp. 264, 265;
and (rough draft) 5, 1335. pp. 106, 107.] |
March 12.
Whitehal. |
720. Mr. Popple to Mr. Burchett. The Lords Commissrs.
of Trade not knowing in what condition or circumstances our
settlements at newfoundland may be in, by reason of the late
attempts by the French, they do not see what proper queries can
be fram'd to be given to the Commodore for this year; however
they think it will be of service that the usual heads of enquiry and
additional Instructions (tho' it is not expected the Commodore
should answer them all) be given to him entire for such answers
as he shal be able to make; and therefore their Lordships have
commanded me to send you the said enquiries to be laid before
the Lords Commrs. of the Admiralty for their directions therein.
Annexed, |
|
720. i. Heads of Enquires and Additional Instructions relating
to the trade and fishery of Newfoundland, to be given to
the C. in C. of the Newfoundland Convoy. Same as in
former years. [C.O. 195, 5. pp. 209–222.] |
March 12.
Boston. |
721. Col. Vetch to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.
I make bold to give your Lordships the trouble of this line with
relation to the bills I have drawn in favours of Mr. Borland, H.M.
Agent here, for victualling the garrison of Annapolis Royall
under my command. I have agreed upon 7½d. per day each man,
which was the lowest it possibly could be done for, the Agent
Victualer att Boston being payed 7d. for H.M. ships of warr.
And considering the fraught and great deficulty of sending it
above 100 leagues by sea in such a dangerous season of the year
upon so hazardous a coast a halfpenny more was the least could
be allowed, especially att this juncture when provisions are
dearer then they have been these severall years past, etc. Refers
to details of accounts enclosed. Signed, Sam. Vetch. Copy. 1 p.
Enclosed, |
|
721. i. Account of provisions left at Annapolis Royal by the
country transports and paid for by the Governor, Col.
Vetch, by his bill to Mr. John Borland for £595 0s. 11d.
Signed, Andrew Belcher, Commissary Office, Boston.
March 27, 1711. Copy. ¾ p. [C.O. 5, 9, Nos. 90,
91.] |
March 14.
Portsmouth. |
722. Lord A. Hamilton to [? Lord Dartmouth.] Haveing
before taken ye liberty to mentione ye affaire of Monsr. Suere
to yr. Lordship, I herewith send a Memoriall upon his subject, etc.,
and pray yt. I may be honour'd with H.M. commands on yt.
affaire before we sayle. Signed, A. Hamilton. Endorsed,
Ordered Mar. 22. Holograph. 1 p. [C.O. 137, 51. No. 32.] |
March 14.
Craven House. |
723. Commission for Charles Craven to be Governor of
South Carolina. Signed, Craven Palatin. Beaufort, Carteret,
M. Ashley, J. Danson, M. Ashley for Joseph Blake. [C. O. 5, 290.
pp. 15–17.] |
| March 14. |
724. General Nicholson to Lord Dartmouth. Urges payment
of bills referred to Feb. 26, March 3. Your Lordship was pleased
to tell me that Mr. Secretary St. Johns had undertaken ye managemt. of ye Expedition, and that I should apply to him, wch. I
have accordingly done and reced letters from him, and now send
an express to give him an accot. how things are with us at present.
I suppose he shows your Lordp. what I write, so I will not presume
to trouble your Lordp. with a repetition thereof. Recommends
officers for commissions and promotion, etc. signed, Fr. Nicholson.
1½ pp. [C.O. 5, 9. No. 96.] |
March 15.
Whitehall. |
725. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Queen. Enclose
following (v. March 1). We endeavoured to have infored ourselves of the yearly charges of that Government and of the annual
produce of the revenue granted by the Act pass'd there in 1692,
but have not been able to obtain such an account thereof as is
fit to be laid before your Majesty. However we presume Mr.
Blathwayt, being Surveyor and Auditor General of your Majesty's
Revenues in America, can lay before your Majesty an exact state
of the yearly charges of that Government and of the anual
produce of the said Revenue. Autograph signatures. 1¾ pp.
Enclosed, |
|
725. i. Heads of an Act for granting a Revenue to H.M. to
arise within the Province of New York in America, for
the support of that Government. 2 pp. |
|
725. ii. Draft of the above proposed Revenue Act. Signed,
Approved by Edward Northey and Ro. Raymond
March 13, 17 10/11. 10 pp. |
|
725. iii. Duplicate of preceding. [C.O. 5, 1084. Nos. 45, 45 i.–iii.; and 5, 1122. pp. 299–318.] |
March 15.
St. James's. |
726. Order of Council. The Lords Comnrs. of Trade and
Plantations are to transmit papers relating to the petition of
David Creagh and John Clark touching the sloop St. James of
Barbados, etc. Singed, William Blathwayt. Endorsed, Recd.
19th, Read 20th March, 17 10/11, ¾ p. [C.O. 37, 9. No. 16; and
38, 7. p. 4.] |
March 15.
Whitehall. |
727. Council of Trade and Plantations to Lord Dartmouth.
Enclose copy of an account of the murder of Col. Parke. (v. Jan.
27, No. ii. [C.O. 29, 12 pp. 328, 329.] |
March 16.
Portsmouth. |
728. Lord A. Himilton to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Being inform'd of the death of the late Attorney General
at Jamaica, and that Major General Handasyd has impowered
Mr. Broderick in that Island to act in that office, and recommended
him in order to his being confirm'd in it by H.M., I beg leave
to join my recommendation in his favours etc. Signed, A. Hamilton. Endorsed, Recd. 19th, Read 20th March, 17 10/11. 1 p.
[C.O. 137, 9. No. 34; and 138, 13. p. 324.] |
March 16.
Portsmouth |
729. Same to Lord Dartmouth. Recommeds Mr. Brod
rick as in preceding. Signed, A. Hamilton. Holgraph. 1 p.
[C.O. 137, 51. No. 33.] |
March 16.
Whitehall. |
730. Council of Trade and Plantations to Lieut. General
Hamilton. Instructions in relation to the Revenue Bill of St. Kitts
in accordance with Representation and Order in Council, March 1st,
q.v. P.S. Since the writing of this we have been inform'd of ye
murder of Col. Parke, and ye disorders yt. have happen'd in ye
Island of Antego by a copy of a letter from Mounserrat to Col.
Gledhill here, and are very much concern'd and surpris'd at it,
especially in not having had any account of it from you; the sending whereof you ought not to have neglected, tho' you had hir'd
a vessel on purpose. [C.O. 153, 11. pp. 124–129.] |
| March 16. |
731. Capt. Walton to the Council of Trade and Plantations.
A further Memorial relating to the Virgin Islands, etc. of. Jan 15.
These Islands through want of a due Representation to your
Lordships have been neglected, for scarce any accounts hath been
tendered here of them, but what peittioner gave and left in
draught. The undue and irregular administaration (of those sent
to precide there) hath only serv'd to encourage clandestine trade,
and consequently oppress the fair traders through the whole Plantations. This petitioner conceives to arise from it is not being
customary to swear the Governors to the Acts of trade and from
their not having a confirmation of their commissions from hence,
or any regular instructions to tye them downe, which must have
hindred them from being of their proper use to England. Hence
the right of the Crown to them would be better preserv'd and
strengthned, and the pretentions of the French, Dutch, and Danes,
which they have and do lay to them be secluded. The soil of these
Islands is as good, and will bear anything that our southern
Collonies will, but much better cotton. From Spanish Town one
person hath shipt off in one year 40,000 weight etc. v. March 5th.
The Government being put into the hands of a prudent man,
acting with good faith, and acquainted, having an independant
company of marines, a small friggott and a sloop or two, might
not only destroy the injurious trade carried on at St. Thomas', but
prevent the pirates from sheltring amongst them, and bring many
of them, which wou'd turn so, upon the Peace, to come and settle
here, and become usefull and advantagious subjects to our Crowne. |
|
Answers to questions put to petitioner by the Board: (1) What
advantage it would be to the Crown to have them made a separate
Government ? He humbly conceives in a few years as much as
hath done from the Leeward Islands being seperated from that
of Barbados, which is not above 45 years, and it is pretty obvious
how they have improv'd since, for at the time of their separation
St. Christophers only excepted, they were not in a more promising
condition then the Virgins are now, besides the Virgins are as far
to Leeward of Antigoa, as Antigoa is of Barbados. (2) Whether
the said Islands are able to support the dignity of a Government
without the assistance of the Leeward Islands ? If the Governor
shoul'd have the same encouragement from hence (or no more
then is aforementioned) as the Governors of the Leeward Islands
had upon the separation from Barbados, they wou'd need no
more ye assistance of the Leeward Islands, then they do that of
Barbados. (3) That the Virgins are under the Government of the
Leeward Islands. So was they under that of Barbados, but if
the Virgins had been known here, and understood to be under
that Government, why were they not as well worth mentioning in
that Commission as Anguila, which is not so good as any one I
have nam'd, Salt Island excepted ? |
|
Upon the whole matter, it's humbly submitted to your Lordships' great judgments, wether these Islands appear so valuable
in themselves as to merritt H.M. care and directions touching
their Government; if not, I having serv'd their without any sallary
or reward, most humbly beg your Lordships' favourable report,
that I together with other adventurers may have a commission
for the improvement of the said Islands, upon such terms and
regulations as your Lordships shall think fitt. Endorsed, Recd.
14th, Read 16th March, 17 10/11. 2¾ pp. [C.O. 152, 9. No. 44; and
153, 11. pp. 130–133.] |
March 16.
Whitehal. |
732. Council of Trade and Plantations to Governor Hunter.
Enclose Order in Council, March 1st, confirming Act for ascertaining the place of sitting, etc. [C.O. 5, 995. p. 142.] |
| March 16. |
733. Copy of victualling accounts of the garrison at Port
Royal, and of bills drawn by the Governor. Signed, Sam Vetch.
3 pp. [C.O. 5, 9. Nos. 80, 81.] |
| March 17. |
734. Order of the House of Lords, that the Council of Trade
and Plantations, do on Tuesday next lay before this House an
account in writing of what hath been done pursuant to the late
Acts of parliament for encouraging the bringing into this Kingdom
Naval Stores. Signed, Math. Johnson, Cler. Parliamentor. En
dorsed, Recd. Read 19th March, 17 10/11. ½ p. [C.O. 323, 7. No.
10; and 324, 9. p. 454.] |
March 19.
Whitehall. |
735. Lord Dartmouth to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. The Lords of the Committee desire to speak with
you this evening (at the Duke of Queensberry's Office) at six a
clock about the disorders that have laitly happen'd in the Leeward
Islands. Signed, Dartmouth. Endorsed, Recd. Read March 19,
17 10/11. Addressed. 1 p. [C.O. 152, 9. No. 46; and 153, 11.
p. 136.] |
March 19.
Whitehall. |
736. Council of Trade and Plantations to Lord Dartmouth.
Upon Mr. Lillington's letter (Jan. 27), desire a duplicate of order
in Council Sept. 26th and H.M. pleasure in relation to the right
of nominating a Treasurer at Barbados, to be sent to him. [C.O.
29, 12. p. 336.] |
March 20.
Whitehall. |
737. W. Popple to Josiah Burchet. The Council of Trade
and Plantations having by H.M. commands some matters under
consideration relating to the West Indies, they have commanded
me to desire you will let me know to-morrow if possible what
number of ships of war are now going with the trade to Barbadoes,
the Leeward Islands, and Jamaica, and what rates the said ships
are of, who is the Commodore of the said ships, what number of
marines are on board each ship, where the trade which they are
to convoy is at present, and when they are to proceed. [C.O.
138, 13. p. 325.] |
March 20.
Spanish Towne. |
738. Governor Handasyd to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Acknowledges letter of Sept. 19. As to the escheat of
Mr. Sutton, that affair is over, by reason of his being acquitted.
The Galloon is still at Carthageen and very rich; and I am of
oppinion that they designe to send the effects on board other
shipps to the Havana, and so to transport them by the Laverde
Cruse Squadron. What time they designe to go. I cannot learne.
Commador Littleton had sent two men of war to cruse off the
Havana. I am of oppinion they will meet with some interprize
of moment, or else they will be well beeten. He has likewise
order'd the rest of the shipps to cruse to windward of Carthageen,
so that it's imposible if any of the enemy's ships be stirring that
they should escape them. I shall send your Lordshipps the
publick accots. with the three men of war that are to sayle with
the Trade that is ready against the 4th or 5th of next mouth.
My Lord Hambleton not coming to releive me so soon as I expected, I have been obliged to issue out, by and with the advice of
the Councill, writts for the calling a new Assembley; which is to
meet the 17th of next month, the Quartering Act expireing the
last of April. The Attorney General Mr. Percival being dead,
I have been obliged to appoint William Brodrick Esq. to succeed
him, until H.M. pleasure be farther knowen, as the most fitt man
in this Island. I have given notice of the same to the Rt. Hon.
the Earl of Rochester, Lord President of H.M. most Honble.
Privy Council, who ownes him as his relation, and likewise to the
Earl of Dartmouth, H.M. principal Secr. of State. As to newes
here, there is very little, Trade being very dead and like to be
worse, except some method cou'd be taken for preventing the
French trading to the South Seas, and the River Plato. from
whence they supply the Spaniards with negros, stores and other
necessarys. Capt. Spann the 20th Jan. last run two French
merchantmen on shore, the one of 30 gunns, and the other of 14
gunns. 'Tis suposed they were laden with wine, brandy, and
dry goods, but do not hear anything of value was saved. I hope
in a little time to be releived myself, by my Lord Hambleton, but
am sorry that H.M. has not thought fitt to releive my Regiment
with me, after being here 10 years. At my arrival, I shall not
faile to waite on your Lordships, not only to returne you thanks
for your favours already received, but also desire the continuance
of your Lordships' friendship. Same of H.M. men of war has
lost a great many men, as also the Regiment under my command,
but thanks be to God they are now pretty healthy, as is also the
Island, etc. Signed, Tho. Handasyd. Endorsed., Recd. 7th,
Read 10th May, 1711. 2 pp. [C.O. 137, 9. No. 36; and 138,
13. pp. 329–331.] |
March 20.
Spanish Towne in Jamaica. |
739. Governor Handasyd to Lord Dartmouth. Acknowledges letters of Sept. 20 and Dec. 12. Repeats preceding.
Signed, Tho. Handasyd. 2 pp. [C.O. 137, 51. No. 35.] |
| [March 20.] |
740. John Walton to the Council of Trade and Plantations.
According to the signification received (the 17th from Mr. Popple),
he conceives himself capable by his friends (if H.M. shall think
fitt to make them the Proprietors) to improve the Virgin Islands,
that after a term of years, they may revert to the Crown and be
as advantagious to it, as the Leeward Islands are now. His hopes
to compass this, or H.M. Commission for the Government of
them, occasioned him to expend a great deale of mony and time
in those parts to become a judge of their value and forme the
draught, before your Lordships, that this grant of the property
for a terme of years, will by your Honours recommendation best
recompence him etc. Endorsed, Recd. 20th, Read 21st March,
1711. ¾ p. [C.O. 152, 9. No. 48; and 153, 11. p. 137.] |
March 20.
Boston. |
741. Col. Vetch to Lord Dartmouth. This comes to introduce the bearer, Major Livingston, to kiss your Lordship's hands,
who after not only the greatest fatigue but danger ever mortal
perhaps undertook and escaped, (v. Feb. 23) comes to give H.M.
and your Lordships of the Ministry ane account in person of his
negotiation upon which he went by order of the Counsell of warr,
and as he is perhaps the only Brittish subject of any figure or
character capable of such extraordinary undertakings, so I doubt
not your Lordship and the Ministry will doe him that justice
with H.M., that he may meet with a suitable reward for his post
services and a setled encouragement to continue intirely devoted
to H.M. immediate service. I have given your Lordship the
trouble of severalls by this conveyance relating to H.M. garison
of Annapolis Royall, to which I sayle in company with the vessells
that carrys Major Livingston to Great Brittain. I shall long
much to receive H.M. particular commands etc. Signed, Sam.
Vetch. 1 p. Endorsed, |
|
741. i. (a) Memorial from Col. Vetch, Governor of Fort Annapolis Royal, to the Governor, Council and Representatives of the Massachusetts Bay. Enquires as to the
payment of the New England soldiers left in garrison
at Annapolis Royal. (b) Resolution of the Council
and Assembly of the Massachusets Bay, March 17, 1711.
The souldiers of this Province who after the reduction
of Port Royall and determination of that Expedition,
voluntarily inlisted themselves, wee consider no otherwise then volunteers in H.M. service, agreeable to H.E.
proclamation July 19 last, and that this Province is no
further charged with their subsistance or pay. Copy.
1 p. |
|
741. ii. Bills drawn by Col. Vetch, for soldiers pay at Annapolis
Royal, Boston, March 26, 1711. Signed, Sam Vetch.
2 pp. [C.O. 5, 9. Nos. 92–94.] |
March 20.
Boston. |
742. Col. Vetch to Lord Dartmouth. I was under ane
absolute necessity to come to this place about 5 weeks ago after
I hade secured the garrison as well as the season of the year
would possibly allow of, and though the voyage att that season of
the year was what had hardly bein practised before by reason of
the severity of the weather, yett I was necessitate to undertake
both in order to regulate the account of the victualling and pay of
the garrison. As to the first, I have drawn bills upon the Lords
of H.M. Treasury (v. preceding) in favours of the Agent for the
same. As to the payment of the country troops who were left
in garrison with me, refers to encl. i. preceding. As to the payment
of them, I know there is no peradventure to be made but that H.M.
will if thiss country does not. But the Queen's pay being so farr
short of what they hade in the respective Governments from
whence they came will I fear make them verry uneasy; though I
shall take all possible methods to keep them in good order as they
are att present, but am most humbly of oppinion that H.M. for
att least a twelvemonth more then what the Counsell of warr
ord'red will be pleased to allow them victualling besides their pay
untill the cultivation of the country render provisions reasonably
plentifull and cheap there, for att present all their pay will not go
near to purchase them provisions, especially in a country where
the coldness and sharpness of the air contributes so much to their
good appetites; they are now victualled to the end of eight months
ordered by the Counsell of warr, but as it is altogether unsafe and
unreasonable to trust the garrison without att least three months
provisions befor hand whatever might befall us, I have ordred
Mr. Borland, H.M. Agent here, to send us upon the Queen's
account three months provision more, which will bring us to
Sept. 10th, by which time I hope to be honoured with H.M.
commands, etc. Though I have the honour of H.M. Commission
as Generall of her troops here, as well as Governour of Nova Scotia,
and am necessitate to keep a rank accordingly, yett I have never
hade any sallary or pay assigned for either of them, and therefore
most humbly intreat your Lordship's and Ministry's favour and
justice with H.M. for appointing me the same, and the more because my circumstances in the world will not otherways allow me
to maintain the honour and station H.M. hath putt me into, etc.
Signed, Sam. Vetch. 1⅓ pp. [C.O. 5, 9. No. 95.] |
March 20.
Whitehall. |
743. Lord Dartmouth to Lt. General Hamilton. The Queen
having received advice of the disorders that have happened in
the Leeward Islands, and of your taking upon you the administration of the Government til some other person should be
appointed, H.M. has commanded me to signify Her Pleasure to
you, that you use your utmost endeavours to preserve the peace
of those Islands, and that you may expect full Instructions for
that purpose by the next Leeward convoy. Signed, Dartmouth.
[C.O. 324, 32. p. 63.] |
March 20.
Virginia. |
744. Lt. Governor Spotswood to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. Having writt so lately and largely by the Robinson
frigate, I have little to add to your Lordps.' trouble by this conveyance except one proposal, which if it shall be found a mistaken
notion in the affairs of trade, I hope your Lordps. will pardon it as
proceeding from the sincere intentions of one so much a zealot for
what I apprehend to be for the service of H.M. and the true
interest of my mother country. The unhappy circumstances of
the trade of this Colony oblige me to lay before your Lordps. the
ill consequences which I am apprehensive it may have on that of
Great Brittain without the application of some proper and speedy
remedy. The great number of negros imported here (so long as
there remained any money or credit in the country to buy them)
and solely imployed in making tobacco, hath produced for some
years past an increase of that commodity, far disproportioned to
the consumption that could be made of it in all the marketts
which the war had left open, and by a natural consequence
lowered the price to a great degree. This was first felt in those
parts of the country where tobacco is reputed mean, and the
people being disappointed of the necessary supplys of cloathing
for their familys in return of their tobacco found themselves under
a necessity of attempting to cloath themselves with their own
manufactures, and the markett for tobacco still declining and few
stores of goods brought in, other parts of the country through the
like necessity have been forced to run into the same humour of
planting cotton, and sowing flax, and by mixing the first with
their wool to supply the want of course cloathing and linnen not
only for their negros, but for the poorer sort of housekeepers.
This is now become so universal that even in one of the best
countys for tobacco, I'm credibly informed there has been made
this last year above 40,000 yards of diverse sorts of wollen cotton,
and linnen cloath, and other small countys where tobacco is less
valuable have no doubt advanced their manufactures proportionably. Tho' this be at present the general humour of the country,
it is introduced more by necessity than inclination: and the people
are so little skilled in this kind of manufacture that they will with
difficulty attain any tolerable perfection in it, and own that what
they make now costs them dearer than that they usually had from
England, when their tobacco bore but a moderate price; yet
since time and practice make most things, (tho' difficult at first)
to become easy and habitual, it is certainly necessary to divert
their applications to some other commodity that may be beneficial,
at least less prejudicial, to the trade of Great Brittain, and wherein
the Planters too may find their account The production of
Naval Stores seems to be that wch. this country is most capable
of, and most likely to engage the inclinations of the people here.
and might be carryed on with the greatest advantage to the trade
of Great Brittain. The lands in this country wch. are improper
for tobacco and bring only such as serves to spoil the markett is
the most fitt for producing pitch, tarr and hemp, of the two first
there are good quantitys made, and carryed to the West Indies
and some to Brittain, besides the home consumption. And of the
latter enough to shew how much more might be produced if there
was sufficient encouragement given for it. The advantages which
this country might have expected from the Act of Parliament
concerning the importation of Naval Stores has been totally lost
through the want of men of substance and skill in trade to make
use of them, those merchants we have here extending their
thoughts little farther than what concerns tobacco, which they
understand, but having no enterprizing genus for new adventures.
And I have been told that the difficultys in obtaining the premiums have even discouraged the merchants in England from
venturing their money in those commoditys. I would therefore
humbly propose that H.M. may be moved to direct the Commissioners of the Customs to accept of Naval Stores imported
from the Plantations at the current market price in payment of
the dutys on tobacco, and that upon a certificate of the delivery of
those Naval Stores to some officer appointed by the Commissioners
of the Navy, the importer shall be intitled to ye several abatements allowed for prompt payment. This would engage abundance of people here who cannot propose any advantage by
tobacco to go upon Naval Stores, and would encourage the
freighters and considerable planters to buy up those stores, and
send them to Brittain to clear the dutys of their tobacco. And as
tobacco would then only be planted in land proper for producing
the best, it would no doubt make returns in cloathing as well as
other goods at a cheaper rate than they can be made in the country,
and by that means soon put a stop to all manufactures here
that may interfere with those of our mother country. There are
but two objections I can foresee against this scheme. One is that
it would lessen the quantity of tobacco and consequently H.M.
Revenue of Customs; the other that the encouraging Naval
Stores so much would glutt the market and oblige the Queen to
take more than are necessary for the use of the Navy. As to the
first, the people must of necessity lessen the quantity and employ
their hands to other uses when they lose by their labour in this;
but whenever tobacco comes again to be valuable they will
naturally fall into that trade which seems to be rooted in their
affections and no doubt they will always make enough to supply
all the vent that can be had for it. And as to the other, if H.M.
only takes Naval Stores at the current markett price, there can
be no loss, for if it be not wanted in the Navy, there will be buyers
enough for much more than this country can import in a long
time. There is one advantage which this country has in relation
to Naval Stores, which none of H.M. other Plantations enjoy,
which is that the trade for tobacco will always deserve a good
convoy in time of war, whereby the Naval Stores carryed hence in
those fleets will be much safer from the enemy than those in single
ships from the other Plantations, which serve only to arm our
enemys at our own cost. The production of Naval Stores will
also remove the temptation the masters of ships have for cutting
and defacing the tobacco hogsheads since bales of hemp or
barrells of pitch will be easily stowed in the vaccant places of the
ship where a hogshead cannot be putt without great injury, and
that unjust practice quite extinguished (against which the general
clamour made it necessary to pass a law the last Assembly) and
with more advantage to the owners in their freights. About 12
ways agoe some of the Fleet that left England in December, having
been much separated and dispersed in their passage, the greatest
part of them are since come in, together with the Tyger, one of the
convoys, but disabled in the voyage by springing a mast. The
Reserve (which was Commodore) being in want of water, and
several of the men sick, was forced to bear away to Barbados. I
have received diverse letters sent in this last ship, wch. the
Commodore put on board one of the merchant ships at his parting
with the Fleet, but finding none from your Lordps., I concluded
you had no particular commands to charge me with, and have
thereupon prorogued the Assembly to Nov. 7th, there being
nothing of moment here to require their meeting sooner. Signed.
A. Spotswood. Endorsed, Recd. 5th. Read 29th June, 1711.
4 pp. [C.O. 5, 1316. No. 65; and 5, 1363. pp. 317–325.] |
