Journal, May 1776: Volume 83

Journal, May 1776

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Tuesday, May 7th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Jolliffe Mr. Keene, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

Plantations General.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attended, and laid before the Board, by his Majesty's command, two memorials of his Majesty's subjects on the Mosquito Shore, (together with a state of facts annexed to one of the said memorials), complaining of the misconduct and oppression of the Superintendant of his Majesty's Affairs on the said shore; also the Superintendant's reply to the said memorials and state of facts; and the answer of his Majesty's subjects to the said reply: and his Lordship acquainted the Board, that it was his Majesty's pleasure, that they do take the same into consideration, and represent to his Majesty, after mature examination, what it may be adviseable for his Majesty to do thereupon.

Mr. White, agent for the inhabitants of the Mosquito Shore, and Mr. Montgomery attending, they were called in, and, after some conversation with them on the subject of the abovementioned complaints, they were desired to attend again on Tuesday next.

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Miscellanies.

Lord George Germain acquainted the Board, that Mr. Ambrose Serle, Solicitor and Clerk of the Reports, being appointed Under Secretary to the Commission, which Lord Howe is now on the point of carrying out with him to North America, application had been made, that Mr. Serle might be so far indulged by their lordships as to resume his place and employ in this office, when he shall return to England, and shall have duly discharged the business upon which he is now going.

Their lordships, in consideration of the public service and the accommodation of Lord Howe, resolved:

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That agreably to the above application, Mr. Serle shall be permitted to resume his office of Solicitor and Clerk of the Reports upon his return to England, after he shall have duly discharged the business upon which he is now going, in case he be not in the meantime otherwise provided for, and upon condition, that so long as he shall be absent from his duty at this office, the whole salary, fees and emoluments, which shall arise and become due to the Solicitor and Clerk of the Reports, shall be applied to the payment of such person or persons, as their lordships shall think fit to appoint to execute that office during his absence.

Senegambia.

The Board took into further consideration the letters and papers relative to the state of the province of Senegambia, mentioned in the minutes of the 30th of last month; and Governor O'Hara attending, as also Mr. Barnes, sometime Governor of Senegal, and Mr. Hansard, their lordships had some discourse with them respecting the affairs of that province, and they were desired to attend again on Tuesday next, the 14th instant.

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Read a letter from Mr. Robinson, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, dated May 6th, 1776, to the Deputy Secretary, in answer to his letter of the 1st instant, transmitting,
The memorial of Charles O'Hara, esquire, Governor of Senegambia, stating two accounts of disbursements for contingent services at Fort Louis in the province of Senegambia, from the 1st of April, 1771 to 31st December, 1772.

Ordered, that a letter be sent to the Office of Ordnance, desiring, that accounts of the issue and expenditure of the ordnance stores sent to the province of Senegambia, and of the returns of the Governor respecting the disposition of the said stores during the last ten years, may be transmitted to this Board, for their lordships' information.

Ordered, that a letter be wrote to the Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, desiring him to move that Board that the following accounts may be prepared and laid before their lordships, with all convenient dispatch, vizt.,
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An account of the number of ships and vessels, which have entered and cleared in and out of the province of Senegambia during the last ten years, together with an account of the tonnage of the said ships and vessels.
An account of the quantity and value of goods exported from and imported into the province of Senegambia during the last ten years.

Jamaica.

Quebec.

Ordered, that draughts of representations to his Majesty be prepared, recommending that Edward Foord. esquire, may be appointed of the Council for the Island of Jamaica; and Henry Caldwell, esquire, of the Council for Quebec.

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Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated May 3rd. 1776. referring to this Board the petition of Messrs. French and Hobson. for leave to export to Nantes certain military stores, for the French African trade at Angola.

The parties interested attending, and their lordships having entered into an examination of such points as they thought fit to interrogate them upon, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed: and it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Council thereupon be prepared.

The following draughts of reports to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared pursuant to order, were approved, transcribed and signed, vizt..
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Report upon the petition of James Baril, for leave to export military stores to Havre de Grace.
Report upon the petition of David Grant, for leave to export military stores to the province of Quebec.
Report upon the petition of Messrs. Chapman and Elyard, for leave to export military stores to Scanderoon.
Report upon the petition of Messrs. Lowbridge and Bright, for leave to export military stores to the Island of Jamaica.

Tobago.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of two Acts passed in the Island of Tobago in September and November. 1775. mentioned in the minutes of the 23rd of last month. having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

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West Florida.

Read an Order of the King in Council, dated April 26th, 1776, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report to a Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, the memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Douglas, setting forth the injury he has sustained by an Order of Council for a grant of land being made out for him by mistake in East Florida instead of West Florida, which Order he has lost; and praying in consideration of these unfortunate accidents, that he may have a grant of land in West Florida.

Captain Douglas attending, was called in and heard in what he had to offer respecting his memorial.

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Ordered, that any further proceedings upon Captain Douglas's memorial be postponed, until an enquiry be made, whether the grant of land in East Florida did exist, and if so, whether any persons are at present in possession of the said land.

Tuesday. May 14th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns. Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene. Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Senegambia.

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Their lordships resumed the consideration of the letters and papers relative to the state of the province of Senegambia, mentioned in the minutes of the 7th instant; and Mr. Crispin, solicitor for Mr. Le Juge, attending, was called in, and requested that the pleading on the complaints of the inhabitants of Senegambia might be postponed; which the Board being pleased to comply with, this affair was put off to Tuesday next, and Governor O'Hara was called in and acquainted therewith.

Mr. Crispin likewise desired that he might have copies of several of the Senegambia papers, the titles of which are hereafter inserted; and it was ordered, that copies thereof should be made and delivered to him, as also like copies for Mr. Goostrey, solicitor for Governor O'Hara, vizt.,
Minutes of Council held at Fort Lewis, the 26th and 27th of January 1776.
Deposition of James Pellegrine of the Island of St. Lewis.
Power of attorney to Stephen Le Juge from the inhabitants of Senegal.
Petition of the inhabitants of Senegal relating to the injustice done them by Governor O'Hara.

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Read a letter from Captain Campion to the Deputy Secretary, dated Plymouth, May 6th, 1776, in answer to one from him of the 1st instant, desiring his attendance at the Board this day on the subject of the Senegambia papers.

Ordered, that another letter be written to Captain Campion, requesting his attendance as soon as possible.

Read a letter from John Boddington, esquire, to the Deputy Secretary, dated Office of Ordnance, May 10th, 1776, signifying that orders are given for preparing accounts of the issue and expenditure of ordnance stores sent to Senegambia, and of the returns etc., with all possible dispatch.

Plantations General.

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Mr. White, Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Lowrie attending, were called in, and their lordships having had some discourse with them on the subject of the complaints against the Superintendant of the Mosquito Shore, mentioned in the minutes of the 7th instant, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon should be prepared.

Read a letter from Sir Grey Cooper, Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, to Mr. Cumberland, dated the 8th instant, transmitting several papers relative to expences incurred by Mr. Terry in bringing over and maintaining some persons from the Mosquito Shore; and desiring him to lay them before the Board for their lordships' opinion thereupon.

Ordered, that the abovementioned letter and papers be taken into further consideration on Tuesday next.

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Draughts of representations to his Majesty, proposing that

Jamaica.

Quebec.

Trade.

Edward Foord. esquire, may be appointed of the Council of the Island of Jamaica., in the room of Bryan Edwards, esquire, who has resigned his seat: and Henry Caldwell. esquire, to be of the Council of Quebec, having been prepared pursuant to order. were approved, transcribed and signed.

Read a letter from Edward Stanley, esquire. Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, to the Secretary to this Board. dated March 30th. 1776. transmitting,
An account of the certificates that have been produced in discharge of bonds entered into by merchants for the exportation of military stores to European ports since the prohibition.

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Tuesday. May 21st. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Gascoyne. Mr. Greville, Mr. Keene. Mr. Eden.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Miscellanies.

Their lordships having taken into consideration the business of filling up the office of Solicitor and Clerk of the Reports during the absence of Mr. Serle. as stated in the minutes of the 7th instant, resolved:

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That Mr. Palmer, senior clerk in this office, should be appointed acting Solicitor and Clerk of the Reports for the time and upon the terms expressed in the said minutes of the 7th instant, and that Mr. Goddard, one of the clerks of this office, be appointed assistant to the said Mr. Palmer: the salary, fees and emoluments of the said office for such time as they shall jointly execute it. to be equally shared and divided between them.

Messrs. Palmer and Goddard being called in. and their lordships having acquainted them with the aforesaid resolution, after returning thanks to the Board, immediately entered on the execution of their office.

Trade.

The following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council were read and considered, vizt.,
Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated May 16th, 1776. referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of Wellscomb Forster, for leave to export to Dublin three hundred barrels of gunpowder, for the use of government.
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Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated May 16th, 1776. referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of James Hambrough, for leave to export to Dublin two hundred barrels of gunpowder, for the use of the army.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the abovementioned petitions, were of opinion, that it would not be expedient to recommend the exportation prayed for.

Read an Order of Council, dated May 16th, 1776, referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of Messrs. Gurnell, Hoare, Harman and Company, for leave to export to St. Malo's in France certain military stores, for the use of a French African trader.

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Mr. Wood, agent for the petitioners, attending, and their lordships having entered into an examination of such points as they thought necessary, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and it was ordered, that the draught of a report thereupon to the Lords of Council should be prepared.

Senegambia.

Read a memorial of the merchants of London trading to Senegal, and of the masters of ships now in London and employed in the said trade, giving testimony of their satisfaction with the conduct of Governor O'Hara during his administration.

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Their lordships took into further consideration the letters and papers relative to the complaints against Charles O'Hara, esquire, during his administration of the government of Senegambia, mentioned in the minutes of the 14th instant, and Governor O'Hara attending; as also Mr. Macdonald, counsel on behalf of the complainants, with several other gentlemen, they were called in; but it appearing, that the Governor's counsel could not attend, it was agreed to postpone any further proceedings in this business until Friday next, when the Governor promised that his counsel should be ready to attend on his behalf.

Read a memorial to this Board of Hugh Josiah Hansard, agent to Mathias McNamara, esquire, Lieutenant Governor of Senegambia, relative to three bills drawn by the said Lieutenant Governor on Mr. Robert Browne, which said bills Mr. Browne refused to honour, and praying such relief, as to the Board shall seem meet.

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Mr. Browne attending, was called in, and it appearing that the said bills were drawn not on government but on contract account, Mr. Hansard was acquainted, that the Board did not think fit to take cognizance thereof.

Mr. Bullock, late agent for the province of Senegambia, attending, was called in and desired to lay before the Board his accounts relative to the said province during his agency.

St. Vincent's.

The draught of a letter to the Governor of St. Vincent's upon an Act passed in that island in 1771, for the better regulating the militia of the Island of St. Vincent, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved and ordered to be transcribed.

Jamaica.

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Read a memorial of Stephen Fuller, agent for the Island of Jamaica, praying that the Board would recommend to his Majesty, for his royal confirmation, an Act passed in that island in 1773, intituled, an Act for explaining an Act intituled an Act for the further quieting of possessions and regulating re-surveys and for establishing reputed boundaries.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, proposing the confirmation of the abovementioned Act of Jamaica.

East Florida, Nova Scotia, Plantations General.

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Read two memorials of the agents for the provinces of East Florida and Nova Scotia: also two memorials of the agents for general surveys to the Lords of the Treasury, praying that the money granted by Parliament for the support of the civil establishment of those colonies, and for general Surveys for the year 1776, may be issued, as usual, into their hands: and the Secretary was directed to certify their lordships' approbation of the said memorials being presented accordingly.

Plantations General

Their lordships took into further consideration the letter and papers relative to the expences incurred by Mr. Terry in bringing over and maintaining some persons from the Mosquito Shore, mentioned in the minutes of the 14th instant; and Mr. Terry was desired to attend the Board on Friday next.

Ordered, that Captain James Laurie be likewise desired to attend on Friday next on the same business.

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Friday. May 24th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns. Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene. Mr. Greville. Mr. Eden.

East Florida.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attended and laid before the Board, by his Majesty's command, a state of the charges exhibited by Governor Tonyn against Mr. Drayton. Chief Justice of East Florida, in consequence of which he had thought proper to suspend him from his said office: and his Lordship acquainted the Board, that it was his Majesty's pleasure, that they do take the same into consideration, and represent to his Majesty what it may be adviseable for his Majesty to do thereupon.

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Resolved, that this business should be taken into consideration on Monday, the 3rd of June, and Mr. Drayton was desired to attend on that day.

Jamaica.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of an Act passed in Jamaica for further quieting of possessions, etc., mentioned in the minutes of the 21st instant, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Trade.

St. Vincent's.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Council upon the petition of Messrs. Gurnell, Hoare, Harman and Company, for leave to export military stores, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed: as was also a letter to the Governor of St. Vincent's upon an Act passed in that island, in September. 1771. for better regulating the militia.

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Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated May 17th. 1776. referring to this Board, for their consideration and report, the petition of Alexander Dun of St. John's in Newfoundland, for leave to export military stores from Bristol to that island, on board the ship Charlotte.

The petitioner attending, and their lordships having entered into an examination of such points as they thought fit to interro gate him upon, were of opinion, that the exportation prayed for should be allowed; and it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Council thereupon should be prepared.

Plantations General.

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Captain James Laurie attending, was called in, and examined touching what he knew of Mr. Terry's services and proceedings on the Mosquito Shore, mentioned in the minutes of the 21st instant, and acquainted the Board:

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That he was resident on the Mosquito Shore upon the arrival of Mr. Terry; that he formed acquaintance with him there, but never heard him declare the business or motives which drew him thither; that Mr. Terry, in a progress which he made along the coast, engaged with the Mosquito King to bring over to England his brother and son, for the purpose of laying before his Majesty's ministers some representations and complaints touching the conduct of the trade for slaves; that Mr. Hodgson, the Superintendant, remonstrated against Mr. Terry's bringing over Isaac the King's brother, as being a man of evil character, and presumed to have been accessary in the guilt of murder; that the said Isaac, avowing his innocence, thereupon demanded of the Superintendant to be brought to trial, either before our people, or his own; and was, in consequence, brought over by Mr. Terry, together with two slaves of the interior country; that the said Captain Laurie, upon being asked what he conjectured to have been the business of Mr. Terry on the coast, replied, that he believed he had been sent over by some persons of consequence here to take up lands from the Mosquito King.

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Ordered, that the Secretary do write to the Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, acquainting him, for the information of that Board, that their lordships have not been able to obtain any such evidence of Mr. Terry's public motives for bringing to England the Indians from the Mosquito Shore, as warrants their recommending an indemnification for his expence.

Senegambia.

Mr. Bullock, late agent for Senegambia, attended, and excused himself to the Board for not bringing his accounts, pursuant to the minutes of the 21st instant, part of the accounts wanted being at his country house, a considerable distance from town, but promised to prepare and lay them before the Board with all possible dispatch.

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Their lordships took into further consideration the letter and papers relative to the state of the province of Senegambia, mentioned in the minutes of 21st instant; and Governor O'Hara attending, with Mr. Mansfield, his counsel; as also Mr. Le Juge, with Mr. Schomberg, King's Notary, his interpreter, and Mr. Macdonald, counsel on behalf of the complainants; they were called in; and the petition of the inhabitants of Senegal, dated August 22nd, 1775, containing several charges against Governor O'Hara, being read, Mr. Macdonald was heard, and examined Mr. Le Juge touching the said complaints.

Senegambia.

Mr. Mansfield having made his reply to Mr. Macdonald, the Board adjourned until tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock, when the several parties were desired to attend again.

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Saturday. May 25th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns. Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Keene. Mr. Greville. Mr. Eden.

Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Trade.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council upon the petition of Alexander Dun. for leave to export military stores to Newfoundland, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Plantations General.

Read a memorial of Mr. Des Barres. Surveyor of the Coast and Harbours of North America, praying that he may be allowed to have access to the surveys and geographical observations in this office, to enable him to compleat his atlas of charts of the said coasts and harbours.

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Ordered, that Mr. Des Barres be permitted to have access to the surveys, etc. in this office, agreable to his request.

Senegambia.

Their lordships resumed the consideration of the letters and papers respecting the state of Senegambia. and the several parties mentioned in the preceding minutes attending, they were called in: and Mr. Mansfield examined several witnesses on behalf of Governor O'Hara. some of whom, at the request of Mr. Macdonald, were afterwards examined upon oath; Mr. Mansfield likewise delivered to the Board the following letters and paper which were read. vizt.,
Letter from Mr. Stanton to Mr. Browne, dated Senegal, February 1st. 1776. relative to Governor O'Hara's grant to him of a spot of ground on which his house is situated, and inclosing.
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Copy of a receipt for the purchase money paid to the owner of the said land.
Letter from Mr. Lang to Governor O'Hara. dated Senegal, February 3rd. 1776. respecting the depositions taken upon oath before the Council by several of the inhabitants of Senegal, complaining of the Governor's conduct.

Mr. Macdonald having replied to Mr. Mansfield. and the parties having nothing further to offer, they were ordered to withdraw, and the Board adjourned to Monday, the 3rd of June.