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March 1.
Annapolis.
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61. Mr. Janssen to Mr. Popple. Is ordered by the Lord
Proprietor to send enclosed to be laid before the Board. "The
extremity of the weather having hindered the ships sailing,
hath prevented it being done sooner" etc. Signed, William
Janssen. Endorsed, Recd. 11th, Read 16th May, 1733. Addressed.
1 p. Enclosed,
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61. i. A short account of the state of the Province of Maryland.
(i) Number of inhabitants about 96,000, whereof 21,000
are blacks. It is very difficult to give an exact account
of the white servants, their times of servitude daily
expiring, and others constantly coming in. (ii) It is
impracticable to give an account of their increase or
decrease within these five years past, "there not being
that I can find any calculation heretofore made but
only of the taxables." (iii) Comodities exported to
Great Britain are, tobacco, a small quantity of iron,
some furs, staves, and other lumber. There are a few
traders to the West Indies, the Maderas and Lisbon ;
the comodities sent are grain, bread, flower, beef, pork
and lumber ; the comodities received from the West
Indies, rum, sugar and molosses, and wine from the
Maderas ; New England carries on a trade with this
country and exchange[s] rum and molosses for grain.
(iv) The inhabitants still supply themselves with what
manufactures are needfull for them from Great Britain
only, so far as they can possibly find means to purchase
the same ; but the exceeding poverty of the people in
general, occasioned by the low price of tobacco, hath
driven the poor families to make some few course
woollens and linnens to cloath themselves, without
which they must goe naked. (v) The trade of the
Province is of late years greatly decay'd, the price of
tobacco for several years past being so low that the
makers of it have been brought to the want of many
of the necessaries of life, and by their neglecting other
things and trusting wholly to that, in hopes of an
amendment in it's value, they seem now almost reduc'd
to an incapacity of carrying on any other considerable
trade whatsoever. (vi) To prevent illegal trade, there
are officers appointed in the several districts pursuant
to the Acts of Trade etc. (vii) Vessels belonging to the
Province :about 16 sloops, 2 snows and 1 ship :
seafaring men, 106. All the abovementioned, except
1 sloop and 2 snows, built in this province. (viii) There
is one iron-work set up, and two or three more which
are not compleated. 1 pp. [C.O. 5, 1268. ff. 120,
121, 121 v., 122 v.].
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March 2.
Whitehall.
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62. Council of Trade and Plantations. Propose William
Provoost for the Council of New Jersey in the room of John Hugg
decd. [C.O. 5, 996. p. 367.]
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March 2.
Whitehall.
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63. Council of Trade and Plantations to the King. Recommend
for the Council of New York Henry Lane and Daniel
Horsmanden in the room of Robert Walters decd. and William
Provoost, who has removed his habitation into New Jersey, where
his estate is scituated. [C.O. 5, 1125. p. 295.]
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March 2.
St. James's.
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64. H.M. Warrant appointing Joseph Fox Naval Officer
S. Carolina, with a clause obliging him to reside etc. Countersigned,
Holles Newcastle. Copy. [C.O. 324, 50. pp. 96-98 ; and 324,
36. pp. 403, 404.]
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March 4.
St.
Christophers.
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65. Major Doyle to Brigadier General Jones. Notwithstanding
his Grace the Duke of Newcastle's letter to these islands,
recommending to them in H.M. name, to provide barracks, or
quarters for your regiment, we remain just as we were. Col.
Morris some time before I left Antigua, advised me to remind the
Council and Assembly of this affair, by giving them a memorial
upon that head (copy enclosed) and that he would back it there etc.
Accordingly I framed one and delivered it to Govt. Byam in
Council, where it was read, and sent by two of their members,
recommended to the Assembly, which they read, and ordered it
to lye upon their table, which I take to be a sure sign of their
indifference. Col. Morris was heartily zealous in the pushing
this matter etc. Copy. 1 pp.
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65. ii. Memorial of Major Andrew Doyle to the Council and
Assembly of Antigua. In all H.M. Dominions, where
any of his troops are quartered, there is provided
necessary and convenient barracks or quarters for them
etc. The present provision of a guard-house in St.
Johns and the guard-room on Monks Hill cannot
contain more than 2 officers and sixty men, whereas the
Regiment here is more than double that number at
present, and we expect to be encreased very speedily etc.
Copy. 1 p. [C.O. 152, 43. ff. 302, 302 v., 304 v. 305.]
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March 6.
Admly Office.
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66. Mr. Burchett to Mr. Popple. H.M.S. the Romney, under
the command of Lord Muskery, and Solebay, commanded by
Captain Fanshaw, being designed this year for Newfoundland,
and the Sheerness, Captain Fytche, for Canseaux etc., requests that
Heads of Enquiry may be prepared for them as soon as may be.
Signed, J. Burchett. Endorsed, Recd. 6th March, Read 19th.
April, 1733. Addressed. 1 p. [C.O. 194, 9. ff. 170, 171 v.]
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March 7.
Whitehall.
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67. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Committee of
the Privy Council. Report upon Governor Fitzwilliam's proposals,
quoted (v. 23rd April). Refer to their own reports of 8th
Sept., 1730 and 9th March, 1732. Continue : Although we have
not yet received [from the Lessees of the Bahama Islands] the
evidence required by your Lordships 23rd March, yet we do still
conceive that great advantages may arise both to H.M. and the
Publick from the purchase of their lease, for a reasonable consideration,
because till this is done, H.M. cannot grant any lands
in those islands, nor will people be induced to settle there, notwithstanding
the goodness of the soil, until they can have a solid title
to depend upon. With regard to the security of the Bahamas,
we have never failed upon all occasions to set forth the importance
of these Islands to the British Navigation in America, by their
being so well situated for the reception of such light frigates as
may be employed for the protection of our trade in those parts,
or of privateers for the annoyance of an enemy in time of war ;
and we are now of opinion that for the necessary defence of this
place in case of an attack, it may be highly proper to send a
Company of Invalids thither, as Mr. Fitzwilliam has proposed ;
But if no such Company can at present be ordered upon this
service, that then the Company already at the Bahamas should
be augmented to the number of 150 effective men, commissioned
and non-commissioned officers included, which augmentation
is the more necessary from the difficulty of recruiting : and as
to the quantity of small arms desired by Mr. Fitzwilliam, we have
no objection why H.M. may not be graciously pleased to allow
the same according to the prayer of his petition, with an armourer
to keep them in repair. We would also propose that an Engineer
may be immediately sent over, who after having viewed the
island and the fort, and taken a survey of the military stores
already there, may make a report to H.M. in conjunction with the
Governor, of what is necessary to be done, either for the repair
of the old fortifications or the erection of new works ; what
number of bombardiers, gunners and matrosses it may be proper
to send thither ; and what quantity of ammunition and stores
may be requisite for the defence of these islands, together with
proper estimates of the expence that will accrue thereupon.
[C.O. 24, 1. pp. 215221.]
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March 8.
Whitehall.
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68. Council of Trade and Plantations to the King. Recount
antecedents of Act of Antigua for repealing part of Act for
constituting a Court of Chancery etc. (v. C.S.P. 1732), and recommend
it for confirmation. [C.O. 153, 15. pp. 135137.]
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