Journal, July 1780: Volume 87

Journal, July 1780

fo. 122.

Saturday, July 1st. Present:— The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Stuart.

The minutes of yesterday were read, approved and signed.

Ireland.

Mr. Elliott informed the Board, that he had wrote to Mr. Stanley agreeable to their directions; and to Sir Stanier Porten, returning him the vote of the Irish Parliament.

fo. 123.

Read a memorial from the Sugar Refiners of London stating, that they, apprehending material damage from a Bill lately transmitted from Ireland, presented a memorial to the Lords of the Treasury, shewing that the duty therein laid in addition to the former duty upon British refined sugar, was not an equalizing duty, but a prohibition on the British manufactory; and the same, having been referred to this Board, they humbly request their lordships to take under their serious consideration, some other parts of the said Act of the Parliament of Ireland, which tend to prejudice the trade of this kingdom, and in particular the interests of their lordships' memorialists; and further praying, that their lordships will state in their report, the propriety of recommending an Act of Parliament to moderate (for a limited time) the duties on prize sugars.

fo. 124.

Mr. Jackson having attended, their lordships resumed the consideration of the matters referred to them by the Lords of the Committee of Council; and their lordships understanding that William Knox, esquire, Secretary to Lord George Germain, had lately arrived from Ireland, and was well informed upon the subject in question, the Board desired his attendance, and after having entered fully into the matter, he withdrew; and the Committee of Sugar Refiners attending were called in, and further examined, as well upon the matters referred as upon the allegations contained in their memorial, presented to the Board this day; which examination being concluded, the Bench Officers of the Customs laid before, and explained to the Board, the different calculations they had made in ascertaining the duties now before their lordships; and after spending a considerable time upon the whole extent of the business, the Board adjourned their final discussion of it until Monday morning at 11 o'clock.

fo. 125.

Monday, July 3rd. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. de Grey, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

The minutes of the 1st instant were read, approved and signed.

Trade.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Elliott, dated Treasury Chambers, 3rd July, 1780, enclosing, for the information of the Board, a report to the Lords of the Treasury from the Commissioners of Salt Duties, upon the petition of James Keir and others, praying to be exempt from paying the duty on salt used in the making of mineral alkali, which answers all the purposes of Spanish barilla, and most of the purposes of pot and pearl ashes.

fo. 126.

Ireland.

Mr. Jackson attending at the desire of the Board, they proceeded to resume the consideration of the several matters referred from the Lords of the Committee of Council upon, and relating to the Bill transmitted from Ireland, entitled, An Act for granting to his Majesty the several duties upon imported sugar therein mentioned, and extending the sugar trade; and having concluded the same, directed, that a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council appointed to consider the Irish Bills, be prepared thereupon; and the same being done, was read and approved, and being transcribed, was signed. And Mr. Elliott was directed to write to Mr. Robinson, and transmit to him a copy of the said report, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.

fo. 127.

Thursday, July 6th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. Stuart.

The minutes of the last Board were approved and signed.

Trade.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Privy Council, dated July 5th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Charles and Edward Hague, for leave to export to Flushing, on board the ship Dunkirk, one hundred guns, two pounders, one hundred guns, three pounders, and one hundred guns, four pounders.

Their lordships, being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for in the above petition should be allowed; and the draft of a report to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared thereupon, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 128.

Wednesday, July 12th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

The minutes of the last Board were read, approved and signed.

Ireland.

Mr. Elliott informed the Board that he had, agreeable to their order of the 3rd instant, wrote to Mr. Robinson, and transmitted to him a copy of the report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, for the information of the Lords of the Treasury.

fo. 129.

Mr. Jackson by desire of the Board attending, an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council appointed to consider the Irish Bills was read, referring for the consideration and report of the Board, whether the bastard sugar after the process of refining is not to be considered as worth more than Muscovado sugar on an average; and whether the molasses and scum is not to be considered as worth something, and what? And in such case, whether more than 5/20 of the additional duty imposed by the House of Commons of Ireland, should not be allotted to the bastard sugar, and some part of the said duty be allotted to the molasses, and consequently less than 15/20 to the lump, as stated in the second calculation of the Board in a former report. And also what duty may be proper to be laid upon all sugar imported into Ireland, except from Great Britain or the British Plantations in the West Indies, so as to prevent the ordinary importation of foreign sugars to the prejudice of the British or West Indian trade ? And likewise, whether it is reasonable that any deduction should be made on account of the charge and freight of the circuitous import of sugar through Great Britain to Ireland, as prayed in a memorial of the Sugar Refiners of London annexed to the said Order.

fo. 130.

The Board proceeded to take the same under consideration, and the Committee of Sugar Refiners attending, were called in, and examined upon the points referred, and set forth in their memorial, and after spending some time therein, it was determined to resume the consideration thereof tomorrow at 12 o'clock.

Read an Order of the Lords of the same Committee, dated July 6th, 1780, referring to the consideration of the Board, a Bill lately transmitted from Ireland, entitled, An Act for granting bounties on the export of certain species of the linnen and hempen manufactures of this kingdom therein enumerated, and for repealing the bounties on flax seed imported, and for encouraging the growth thereof in this kingdom; and directing a report thereupon, how far the provisions of the said Bill may affect the linnen trade of this kingdom.

fo. 131.

The Board determined to take the same into their consideration on Friday next, the 14th instant, at 11 o'clock, and Mr. Elliott was directed to write to Richard Neave, and William Greenwood, esquires, who have extensive concerns in the exportation of linnen manufactures, desiring their attendance at the Board on that day; and Mr. Elliott was also directed to write to Sir Stanier Porten and Mr. Robinson, for a speedy communication of such papers and correspondence upon the subject, as may be before the Lords of the Treasury, and the Earl of Hillsborough, for the information of the Board.

fo. 132.

Thursday, July 13th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

The minutes of yesterday were read, approved and signed.

Trade.

Read the two following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, vizt.,
Order, dated July 6th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Evan Evans, for leave to export to Georgia, on board the ship Goulton, fifty barrels of gunpowder, for the use of the petitioner's correspondents.
Order, dated July 7th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of John Shoolbred, for leave to export to Savannah in Georgia, and Charles Town in South Carolina, on board the ship Tartar, sundry military stores, for the purpose of deer hunting.

fo. 133.

Their lordships being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for in the aforementioned petitions should be allowed; and the drafts of two reports to the Lords of the Privy Council having been prepared thereupon, was approved, transcribed and signed.

Ireland.

Mr. Elliott informed the Board, that agreeable to their directions as mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, he had wrote to Sir Stanier Porten, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Neave, and Mr. Greenwood.

Read a letter from Sir Stanier Porten to Mr. Elliott, in answer to his of yesterday's date, and enclosing, for the information of the Board,
Copy of a letter from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated Dublin Castle, 21st June, 1780.

fo. 134.

The Board then resumed the consideration of the matters referred to them on the 6th instant by the Lords of the Committee of Council, appointed to consider the Irish Bills, upon the Bill, For granting to his Majesty the several duties upon imported sugar therein mentioned, and extending the sugar trade; and after spending a considerable time therein, ordered, that a report thereupon be prepared and laid before them tomorrow.

fo. 135.

Friday, July 14th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

The minutes of yesterday were read, approved and signed.

Ireland.

The report to the Lords of the Committee of Council, appointed to consider the Irish Bills, having been prepared, as directed by the minutes of yesterday, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 136.

The Board proceeded to the consideration of the Bill referred by the Lords of the Committee of Council, entitled, An Act for granting bounties on the export of certain species of the linnen and hempen manufactures of this kingdom therein enumerated, and for repealing the bounties on flax seed imported, and for encouraging the the growth thereof in this kingdom; and Mr. Greenwood attended, was called in and asked several questions upon that subject, and it appearing to the Board, that it would be necessary to enter into a further examination of the provisions of the said Bill, Mr. Elliott was directed to write to the following gentlemen, vizt., Messieurs Adair and Jackson, Messieurs Johnston and Son, Thomas Fletcher, esquire, Mr. James Touchet, Messieurs Worral and Walker, Messieurs Alexander and Robert Maitland, Messieurs Kettel and Mandeville, Messieurs Anderson and Davidson, Mr. Michael Pope, Mr. John Harrison, Mr. Robert Barclay, Edward Payne, esquire, Mr. Petrie, and Mr. Withers, desiring their attendance tomorrow at 11 o'clock, to which time, the Board agreed to postpone the further consideration of the said Bill.

fo. 137.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council appointed to consider the Irish Bills, dated July 13th, 1780, referring to the consideration of the Board, two Bills lately transmitted from Ireland, entitled, An Act for the better regulating the corn trade of this kingdom, and An Act to continue and amend an Act passed in the seventeenth and eighteenth years of the reign of his present Majesty, entitled, An Act for the encouragement of tillage, and rendering the carriage of corn to the City of Dublin less expensive, and requiring a report of what alterations were made in the said Bills relating to the corn trade of Ireland, copies of which Bill were enclosed; and whether any of the said alterations would operate materially to the prejudice of Great Britain.

The Board directed, that the said Bills be sent to Mr. Jackson, and that he be desired to report with all possible dispatch, what alterations had been made in the said Bills in the laws relating to the corn trade of Ireland. And Mr. Elliott was also directed to write to Sir Stanier Porten, and desire a communication of such information relating to the said Bills, as may be in the office of the Earl of Hillsborough.

Mr. Elliott laid before the Board, a letter received from Richard Neave, esquire, in answer to a letter wrote to him by the direction of the Board.

fo. 138.

Miscellanies.

The Board were pleased to come to the following resolution. It is hereby ordered, that the clerks of this office do punctually attend at the usual office hours, and at such other times as the Secretary shall direct. And that such clerks, whose other avocations will not permit that constant attendance, are to choose which they will prefer, as non-attendance will bring on a dismission. Which resolution the Earl of Carlisle was pleased to sign, and to direct that a copy thereof should be put up in the clerks' room.

fo. 139.

Saturday, July 15th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville, Mr. Eden, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

The minutes of yesterday, were read, approved and signed.

Ireland.

Mr. Elliott informed the Board that he had wrote, agreeable to their order of yesterday, to the following gentlemen, vizt., Messieurs Adair and Jackson, Messieurs Johnston and Son, Thomas Fletcher, esquire, Mr. James Touchet, Messieurs Worral and Walker, Messieurs Alexander and Robert Maitland, Messieurs Kettel and Mandeville, Messieurs Anderson and Davidson, Mr. Michael Pope, Mr. John Harrison, Mr. Robert Barclay, and Edward Payne, esquire, Mr. Petrie, Mr. Withers and Sir Stanier Porten.

fo. 140.

The undermentioned gentlemen, attending as desired by the Board, vizt., Messieurs Payne, Fletcher, Pope, Barclay, Anderson, Worral, Maitland and Withers, were severally called in, and examined upon the provisions of the Bill transmitted from Ireland, entitled, An Act for granting bounties on the export of certain species of the linnen and hempen manufactures of this kingdom therein enumerated, and for repealing the bounties on flax seed imported, and for encouraging the growth thereof in this kingdom; and the Board, after spending some considerable time therein, deferred the final consideration thereof, until Monday, the 17th instant at 12 o'clock.

Mr. Elliott acquainted their lordships, that he had sent Mr. Jackson the two Bills; entitled, An Act for the better regulating the corn trade of this kingdom, and An Act to continue and amend an Act passed in the seventeenth and eighteenth years of the reign of his present Majesty; entitled, An Act for the encouragement of tillage, and rendering the carriage of corn to the City of Dublin less expensive; in conformity to their lordships' order of yesterday.

fo. 141.

Bahama.

Mr. Elliott laid before the Board, the following letters, papers and Acts received from John Maxwell, esquire, Governor of the Bahama Islands, vizt.,
No. 9. Letter from the Governor to the Board, dated New Providence, May 26th, 1780, enclosing sundry duplicates and triplicates of letters and papers, the originals of which appear in the minutes of the 22nd of last month; together with the following duplicates, the originals of which have not been received.
Copy of a letter (marked no. 3) from Mr. Andrew Symmer to the Governor, dated Nassau, March 18th, 1780.
No. 7. Letter from the Governor to the Board, dated May 1st, 1780.
No. 8. Letter from the Governor to the Board, dated May 3rd, 1780.

fo. 142.

Also the undermentioned Acts passed in March and April, 1780.
An Act for reviving and amending An Act passed in the 13th year of his present Majesty's reign, intituled, An Act for forming a Militia within the Bahama Islands, and for the good government and disciplining of the same.
An Act for raising a sum of money, and empowering Commissioners for putting this island in a better state of defence.
An Act for laying duties on sundry goods and merchandize on importation into, and on exportation out of these islands; for the payment of salaries, defraying the expence of holding Assemblies, and other contingent charges of the government thereof.
An Act for laying a poll tax, and other taxes and assessments for the years therein mentioned; and directing how the same shall be collected and applied.
fo. 143.
An Act to impower the Governor or Commander in Chief and Council, to prohibit the exportation of provisions out of these islands.
An Act for settling a salary on his Excellency, John Maxwell, esquire, the present Governor and Commander in Chief of the Bahama Islands.
An Act for suspending parts of certain clauses, and amending other clauses in An Act intituled, An Act for governing Negroes, Mulattoes, and Indians.
An Act for the payment of certain salaries to the civil officers of this Government.
An Act for making allowances to the members of the Council and Assembly of these islands, and for the payment of certain salaries to the parochial officers within the same; and for suspending an Act therein mentioned.
fo. 144.
An Act for making proper allowances for the encouragement of persons qualified to teach the youth of these islands, and for putting a certain number of poor children to school.
An Act for amending an Act, intitled; An Act to oblige all masters of ships and other vessels to give security to the Secretary's Office.
An Act for granting a salary for a barrack master for this island, and for providing oil or candles, and firewood, for the troops doing duty in the same; also an allowance to the officers for house rent.

Ordered, that the above Acts be sent to Mr. Jackson.

fo. 145.

Monday, July 17th. Present:—The Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Greville.

The minutes of the last Board were read, approved and signed.

Ireland.

Mr. Elliott informed the Board, that he had sent the Bahama Acts, mentioned in the minutes of the 15th instant, to Mr. Jackson, agreeable to order.

Read a letter from Sir Stanier Porten to Mr. Elliott, dated the 15th instant, enclosing, for the information of the Board,
A letter from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated Dublin Castle, 21st June, 1780.

fo. 146.

The Board then concluding the consideration of the Bill, entitled, An Act for granting bounties on the export of certain species of the linnen and hempen manufactures of this kingdom therein enumerated, and for repealing the bounties on flax seed imported, and for encouraging the growth thereof in this kingdom; directed a report to be prepared thereupon, which being done, and approved, was transcribed and signed.

Read a report from Mr. Jackson upon the two Bills referred for his opinion on the 15th instant, entitled, An Act for the better regulating the corn trade of this kingdom, and An Act to continue and amend an Act passed in the seventeenth and eighteenth years of the reign of his present Majesty; entitled, An Act for the encouragement of tillage, and rendering the carriage of corn to the City of Dublin less expensive; and the Board, having considered the same, directed, that a report should be prepared thereupon; which being done, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 147.

Trade.

Read the two following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, vizt.,
Order, dated the 14th July, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Stapel, Coxe and Meilaw, for leave to export to Flushing, on board the ship Dunkirk, ten guns, two pounders, and six swivels, for the use of the Dutch ship Nepthune in the African, and West India trade.
Order, dated the 17th July, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of John Shoolbred, for leave to export to Georgia and Charles Town, South Carolina, on board the ship Tartar, sundry military stores, for the use of ships fitting out there, for the Indian trade.

Their lordships being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for in the abovementioned petitions should be allowed; and the drafts of two reports to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared thereupon, were approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 148.

Friday, July 28th. Present:—Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Gibbon.

The minutes of the last Board were read, approved and signed.

Trade.

Read the three following Orders of the Lords of the Privy Council, vizt.,
Order, dated July 25th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Messrs. Davis, Strachan and Company, for leave to export to St. Augustine in East Florida, on board the ship Expedition, sundry military stores.
Order, dated July 25th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of John Noble, for leave to export to Charles Town, South Carolina, and the Island of St. Kitts, on board the ship Robuste, sundry military stores, for the use of the inhabitants of the said places.
fo. 149.
Order, dated July 28th, 1780, referring to this Board, the petition of Messieurs Crawshay, Cornwell, and Moser, for leave to export to Halifax in Nova Scotia, on board the ship Adamant, sundry military stores, for the use of vessels fitting out there.

Their lordships, being of opinion, that the exportation prayed for in the aforementioned petitions should be allowed; and the drafts of three reports to the Lords of the Privy Council, having been prepared, were approved, transcribed and signed.

Ireland.

Read a letter from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Elliott, dated July 18th, 1780, acquainting him, that there are no papers in the Treasury, to supply the information requested in his letter of the 12th instant.