Journal, January 1780: Volume 87

Journal, January 1780

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At a meeting of his Majesty's Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

Thursday, January 20th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Gibbon.

Miscellanies.

Read a letter from Sir Grey Cooper to Mr. Cumberland, dated December 27th, 1779, requesting that he will move the Lords of Trade to cause an account of the establishment of this office to be made, and transmitted to the Treasury in conformity to an Order, received by the Lords of the Treasury from the House of Commons, as follows, vizt.,
Lunae, 15 die Februarii, 1779.
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Ordered, that there be laid before this House an account of the offices and employments under the Crown existing on the 25th of October, 1705, the number of officers employed at that time in each, with their respective salaries; and also an account of the number and names of the officers in each department with their salaries, as they stood on the 5th day of January last, distinguishing the time when any increase in the number of such officers or their salaries was first made. J. Hatsell. CI. Dom. Com.

Whereupon the Secretary laid before the Board the following paper, which he had caused to be prepared in pursuance of the letter abovementioned; and their lordships, having examined and approved the same, a copy thereof was ordered to be transmitted by the Secretary to Sir Grey Cooper, vizt.,
Comparative state of the establishment of the office of Trade and Plantations on the 25th day of October, 1705, and on the 5th day of January, 1779.

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And a copy of the said paper, having been prepared accoringly, was immediately transmitted to the Secretary, inclosed in a letter to Sir Grey Cooper.

Africa.

Read a letter from Mr. Rutherford, Secretary to the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, to Mr. Cumberland, dated January 15th, 1780, transmitting the following paper, to be laid before the Board, vizt.,
Copy of an intended petition of the Committee of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa to the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament assembled.

East Florida,

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Read a letter from Lord George Germain, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, to the Board, dated the 19th January, 1780, stating that Patrick Tonyn, esquire, Governor of East Florida, having represented the inconveniences under which 19—(37) the inhabitants labor, from the want of provincial laws suited to their circumstances and occasions, he had received his Majesty's commands, that this Board do prepare a draught of such additional instructions as their lordships shall think proper to propose to his Majesty to be given to Governor Tonyn, for his guidance in calling an Assembly; and in the proposing such matters for their consideration as may be proper to be enacted into laws, or in giving or witholding his assent to such Acts, as may be offered to him for that purpose.

Resolved, that his Majesty's commands, contained in the above letter, be taken into consideration at next meeting.

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Trade.

Read the following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, vizt.,
Order, dated January 1st, 1780, referring the petition of James Jones, praying leave to export to Flushing, on board the ship London Packett, sundry ordnance therein specified, for the use of ships trading to Africa.
Order, dated January 7th, 1780. referring the petition of Messieurs Watson and Rashleigh, praying leave to export to Halifax in Nova Scotia, on board the ship St. Lawrence, sundry military stores therein mentioned, for trade.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the said petitions, were of opinion, that the exportation therein prayed for should be allowed; and the draught of two reports to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared, were approved, transcribed and signed.

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Messieurs Hawley and Downe. agents to Messieurs Ketland and Company, whose petition was read the 21st of December last, attended pursuant to order, and were desired to exhibit to the Board, at their next meeting, the orders and papers relating to the exportation prayed for by the said petition.

Nova Scotia.

The Secretary informed their lordships that in pursuance of their order he had written to Mr. Robinson in answer to his letter of the 30th of November last, respecting the memorial of Messieurs Watson and Rashleigh to the Lords of the Treasury.

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Thursday, January 27th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Greville, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Gibbon.

East Florida.

Read a letter from Mr. Knox to Mr. Cumberland, dated January 25th, 1780, transmitting, by direction of Lord George Germain, for the information of the Board,
Extract of a letter from Patrick Tonyn, esquire, Governor of East Florida, to Lord George Germain, dated St. Augustine, July 3rd, 1780, acquainting his Lordship with the state of that province, and inclosing,
Account of the exports from the Province of East Florida from January 1775 to January 1776.
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Account of the exports from the Province of East Florida from January 1776 to January 1777.
The same from January, 1777 to January, 1778.
The same from January, 1778 to January, 1779.

Their lordships in pursuance of their resolution at the last meeting, having taken into consideration his Majesty's commands, signified by Lord George Germain's letter to the Board of the 19th instant, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon should be prepared.

Plantations General.

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Read a memorial of Robert Hodgson, esquire, to the Board, stating that, having on the 15th December answered before their lordships to the accusation of twenty five persons called the inhabitants of the Mosquito Shore, he hopes, on account of some peculiar circumstances attending his case and situation, that in their lordships' wisdom, it may now seem meet for the premises to be decided upon.

The Secretary was desired to acquaint Mr. Hodgson, that their lordships understood, that Mr. White was preparing his answer with all possible dispatch.

Their lordships read and considered the following Acts together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon, vizt.,

Jamaica.

Nine Acts passed in the island of Jamaica in the years 1767, 1769, 1772, 1773, 1775, 1776 and 1777.
St. Christopher's.
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Four Acts passed in the Island of St. Christopher in June, July and August, 1779.
Montserrat.
Two Acts passed in the Island of Montserrat in March, 1779.
Nevis.
One Act passed in the Island of Nevis in May, 1779.
Antigua.
Four Acts passed in the Island of Antigua in March, April and May, 1779.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of the two following Acts passed in the island of Jamaica in December, 1769, and December, 1775, should be prepared, vizt. An Act for vesting in trustees part of the estate of Ballard Beckford, esquire, deceased. And An Act to authorise George Brooks, esquire, to settle and dispose of his estate, etc.

Trade.

Read the following Order of the Privy Council, vizt.,
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Order dated January 21st, 1780, referring the petition of Richard Morland and Co., praying leave to export to Quebec, on board the ship Montreal, sundry military stores therein mentioned, for trade.

At the same time their lordships took into their further consideration the petition of Messieurs Ketland and Company, referred by Order of Council of 21st December last; and the agent for the petitioners attending, their lordships were of opinion, the exportation should be allowed; and draughts of reports to the Lords of the Privy Council upon the said petition, and that of Messieurs Morland and Company, having been prepared, were approved, transcribed and signed.