Treasury Warrants: February 1718, 1-10

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 32, 1718. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1962.

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'Treasury Warrants: February 1718, 1-10', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 32, 1718, ed. William A Shaw, F H Slingsby( London, 1962), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol32/pp179-195 [accessed 24 November 2024].

'Treasury Warrants: February 1718, 1-10', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 32, 1718. Edited by William A Shaw, F H Slingsby( London, 1962), British History Online, accessed November 24, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol32/pp179-195.

"Treasury Warrants: February 1718, 1-10". Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 32, 1718. Ed. William A Shaw, F H Slingsby(London, 1962), , British History Online. Web. 24 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol32/pp179-195.

February 1718, 1–10

Feb. 1. Royal warrant dated St. James's to the Clerk of the Signet for a privy seal to authorise the Treasury Lords to appoint Receivers General of the Land Tax anno 1718. (The privy seal hereon is dated Feb. 12.) (For the petitions, reports and commissions of the respective Receivers General see under 1718 May 21.) Out Letters (Affairs of Taxes) II, p. 257.
Money order for 250l. to Charles, Duke of St. Albans, for 1717 June 24 quarter on his annuity in [lieu or] consideration of his pension of 1,000l. per an. formerly payable out of the logwood farm. Order Book IX, p. 483.
Same for 1,605l. 18s. 3d. to Samuel Edwyn, Usher of the Receipt: for necessaries by him delivered to the ancient Offices of the Exchequer in Easter and Trinity terms 1717. (Letter of direction dated Feb. 25 hereon.) Ibid., p. 63. Disposition Book XXIV, p. 76.
Same for 1,541l. 0s. 9¾d. to same: for the like delivered by him to the several new Offices of the Receipt as follows:
£ s. d.
[the Office for] Annuities 14 per cent. and Survivors[hips] 237 12 3½
[the Office for] 3,700l. per week Excise 38 2 2
[the Office for] Annuities anno 1706 92 18 6½
[the Office for] Annuities anno 1707 40 16 4¾
[the Office for] Annuities 40,000l. per an. anno 1708 13 13 0
[the Office for] Annuities 80,000l. per an. anno 1708 33 2 0
[the Office for] Annuities 9 per cent. [8 Anne, c. 12] 17 2 1
[the Office for] Exchequer Bills 42 12 2
[the Office for] 1,500,000l. Lottery anno 1710 30 9 6½
[the Office for] Two Million Adventure anno 1711 126 9 9
[the Office for] 1,500,000l. Lottery anno 1711 151 0 1
[the Office for] First 1,800,000l. Lottery anno 1712 103 3 8
[the Office for] Second 1,800,000l. Lottery anno 1712 98 12 9
[the Office for] Civil List Lottery anno 1713 51 13 7½
[the Office for] 1,400,000l. Lottery anno 1714 63 12 9
—
£1,141 0 9¾
Order Book X, p. 64.
Same for 50l. to Edward Byam, Esq., Lieutenant Governor of Antigua: for one quarter to Jan. 28 last on his allowance of 200l. per an.: out of the Four and a Half per cent. Duty. Ibid., p. 65.
C. Stanhope to the Comptrollers of Army Accounts enclosing Auditor Harley's state [missing] of Mr. Conduit's account as Commissary of Stores and Provisions at Gibraltar, from 1714 July 19 to 1715 July 17. My Lords direct you to examine the same and return it to them with your observations thereon as soon as conveniently you can. Out Letters (General) XXII, p. 270.
Feb. 1, 5,
6, 15, 17,
19, 21, 26.		 Treasury warrant to the Customs Commissioners to employ John Hutchins as a watchman in London port at 6l. 15s. 0d. per an. salary and 2s. per noctem in the summer and 2s. 6d. in the winter when employed: all loco Samuel Douglas, deceased (Feb. 1).
Charles Tyrrell as Collector of the Customs at Southampton loco Francis Medcalfe, deceased (Feb. 6).
William Green as waiter and searcher at Seaton Sluice in Newcastle port loco John Collingwood, deceased (Feb. 5).
William Cowell as Collector of the Customs at Dartmouth loco William Ettrick, who has surrendered (Feb. 17).
David Seys as waiter and searcher at Newport in Cardiff port loco Nehemiah Williams, deceased: at 15l. per an. and the searcher's fees (Feb. 17).
Benjamin Skutt as Surveyor of Poole loco Richard Lightfoot, resigned (Feb. 19).
Richard Jones as tidesman, Liverpool, loco William Pope, deceased (Feb. 15).
Philip Williams as a tidesman in the superior list, Bristol port, loco Samuel Place, superannuated (Feb. 21).
Hugh Sutherland as a same in the inferior list, ibid., loco said Philip Williams (Feb. 21).
Edward Hartley as a tidesman in Exeter port loco Richard Chamberlain, deceased (Feb. 26). Out Letters (Customs) XVII, pp. 57, 60, 61, 62.
Feb. 1. Treasury reference to same of the petition of John Etheridge praying to be tidesurveyor at Margarets [Margate] in Kent, in consideration of his having relinquished a surveyor's place at Maidstone at the request of the Members [of Parliament] of the said town, and the [Treasury] Lords' promise of providing for him when a vacancy should happen. Reference Book IX, p. 371.
Same to Auditor Jett of the petition of Jackman Morse, clerk, incumbent of Minsterworth, Co. Gloucester, shewing that said living is about 20l. a year, whereof 10l. per an. is payable from the Crown by the Receiver General of Crown Revenues for said county: that by reason of the smallness of the living, petitioner holds it by licence from the Bishop, as Curate and [it] has been held so for above 100 years: that the Auditor [of Crown Lands] alleges that petitioner should hold by institution or induction as Vicar, without which or a Treasury warrant for payment to him petitioner cannot receive the said 10l. per an., he not being able to take institution and induction to be Vicar. Ibid., p. 372.
Treasury warrant to Hugh Cholmley, Surveyor General of Crown Lands, for a particular of the scite of the manor of Ingleby, Co. Lincoln, in order to a lease thereof to Thomas Ingoldsby, Esq.
Prefixing: report by said Cholmley on said Ingoldsby's petition. The premises were granted 1712–13 Feb. 11 to John Mariett and William Colemore, executors of Richard Ingoldsby. They are valued by the surveys at 320l. per an. above the reserve rent. Warrants not Relating to Money XXIV, p. 424.
Feb. 1. Royal warrant dated St. James's to the Barons of the Exchequer in Scotland to give warrant to the Receiver General of Crown Rents and Casualties in Scotland to pay 256l. 18s. 102/3d. to David, Earl of Northesk, being so much due and owing to him at the time of the Union for six months on his salary as then one of the Lords of the Treasury in Scotland, to wit from Martinmas 1706 to Whitsunday 1707: all as by the report of said Barons dated Jan. 15 last. Out Letters (North Britain) IV, p. 246.
Feb. 3. William Lowndes to the [Principal] Officers of the Ordnance. The Treasury Lords will forthwith reimburse your Office the charge you shall be at in providing stores of war for the Leeward Islands [to wit, they will reimburse you] out of the Four and a Half per cent. Duty money remaining in the Exchequer, upon your transmitting to my Lords an account thereof pursuant to their directions of Nov. 22 last. Out Letters (General) XXII, p. 266.
Feb. 4. Money order for 250l. to William, Lord Ross, for 1717 June 24 quarter on his pension. (Letter of direction dated Feb. 25 hereon.) Order Book X, p. 63. Disposition Book XXIV, p. 75.
Letter of direction for 1717 Xmas quarter to the Bedchamber as follows: viz.
250l. each to the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber, viz. Charles, Duke of Richmond; Henry, Earl of Lincoln; James, Earl of Berkeley; Charles, Earl of Selkirk; John, Earl of Stair; George, Earl of Orkney; John, Earl of Leicester; Charles, Earl of Manchester; John, Lord Carteret.
125l. each to the Grooms of the Bedchamber, viz. Charles Howard, Geo. Fielding, Philip Honeywood, Henry Cornwall, James Dormer, William Carr, James Tyrrell and Sir Gustavus Hume, bart.
Disposition Book XXIV, p. 71.
Feb. 5. Royal warrant dated St. James's to the Commissioners appointed to take and state the Debts due to the Army, to determine and certify the demand of Eliza[beth] Coatsworth, widow and executrix of the late Dr. Edward Coatsworth, as Apothecary General of the Army, for medicines furnished for the sick soldiers in the Hospitals at Dunkirk and Newport in the years 1712, 1713 and 1714: it appearing by the report of the said Commissioners that the sum of 134,238 guilders 2 stivers, making (at the rate of 10 guilders 15 stivers to the £ sterling) the sum of 12,487l. 5s. 3½d.: but that by reason of there being no warrant or Instructions given for the management of the said Hospitals the same cannot be certified by the said Commissioners without a royal warrant as is provided in the Act 3 Geo. I., c. 17.
Allowance is hereby to be given to the said Eliza[beth] Coatsworth of the said sum as in full for said medicines and the said Commissioners are hereby to make out their certificate for the same to the Paymaster General of the Forces in order to his issuing one or more debentures for satisfying thereof. King's Warrant Book XXIX, p. 17.
Same to same to give allowance to Brigadier Lewis Petit, late Lieut. Governor of Port Mahon, of the following sums as in full satisfaction of all his claims and demands either for his services or expenses as Paymaster for building the fortifications of the said port and other extraordinary services between 23 Sept. 1708 and 26 Jan. 1711–12: being several claims made by him for his own service and expenses as Paymaster of the said Fortifications, which claims have not been inserted by him in the body of his accompt of moneys received and paid by him for building the said fortifications, in regard that no warrant or authority was produced to the abovesaid Commissioners for making allowances of that nature: and the said Commissioners think it reasonable to make him allowances for his said trouble and charge: viz. as follows:
£ s. d.
for his service as Engineer and Paymaster of the said fortifications from 2 Sept. 1708 (when the care thereof was first committed to him) to 20 August 1709, when his pay commenced as Engineer to the said fortifications pursuant to a warrant of the Commander in Chief of the British Forces in Spain: making 332 days at 10s. a day; during which time a considerable part of the said fortifications were built 166 0 0
for his expenses and charge during the time he attended the Commissioners for Inspecting the Affairs of the War in Spain, on their examination of his accounts and measurement of the said fortifications; being from the 26th January 1711–12 (at which time his said pay as Engineer ceased) until the 20th of November following, when the said Commissioners finished their examination: being 299 days at 10s. a day 149 10 0
for the expenses of his passage on shipboard from Mahon to Toulon and all other travelling charges of himself and his clerk in their return home by way of France 100 0 0
for the wages of a clerk employed to assist him in making payments for the said fortifications and keeping the accompts thereof: to wit from 23 Sept. 1708 to 26 Jan. 1711–12, the day he was superseded 208 6 0
for the charge of translating out of Spanish all the vouchers for his payments, and for entering of warrants, and the service of a clerk since his return for the abstracting &c. his accounts and for the cost of a copy of the Spanish [War Enquiry] Commissioners' Objections (of which no receipts have been produced) 217 15 8
for fees paid for warrants and papers relating to his account 50 0 0
—
£891 11 8
King's Warrant Book XXIX, pp. 18–19.
Royal warrant dated St. James's to the Commissioners appointed to take and state the Debts due to the Army, to make allowances as follows in determining the account of Sir Solomon de Medina for bread and bread waggons provided by him for the Forces in the Low Countries in the year 1711. The late Commissioners for Army Debts have examined said account with his contracts and vouchers and have reported thereon, and the present Commissioners for Army Debts have likewise reported thereon, that it is reasonable to allow the several sums following, the like allowances having been made in his former accounts; but the present Commissioners for Army Debts being unable to determine upon those demands without the king's authority: viz.
guilders stivers penning
for the service of 437 waggons employed during the 1711 campaign, viz. 250 waggons from 12 April 1711 to 25 May and 437 waggons from 25 May to 7 November at 5 guilders 10 stivers a day each according to contract and the certificate of the Quarter Master General of the Army of the service of the said number 469,766 0 0
for 392,7132/3 loaves of bread delivered to the New Prussian Corps of Augmentation consisting of 6,205 men wholly in the pay of the late Queen between the 7th of April 1711 and the 12th November following: and for 383,4322/3 loaves of bread delivered to the Quota of the Old Corps of Prussians consisting of 12,000 men, then in the joint pay of the said Queen and the States General between the 10th of April 1711 and the end of October following at 55/8 stivers per loaf, according to the contract and certificate of the delivery thereof under the hand of the Commissary General of the said Forces 217,842 16 13
for 523,238½ loaves of bread delivered to the British Forces during the said campaign of 1711 according to the said contract, the value whereof hath been stopt from the Troops by the Earl of Carnarvon, late Paymaster General of the Forces, and brought to the public accompt 147,039 14 15
for transporting meal from Aire to Lisle [Lille] and from Lille to Douay by boats for the subsistence of the Troops 3,290 0 0
for boat carriage of bread from Douay to Marchiennes for subsistence of the Troops employed to secure that pass 1,524 6 0
for the loss of 316 horses taken by the enemy during the campaign at 80 guilders each horse, as agreed by the contract, it appearing by certificates that the said number of horses was taken from the contractor by the enemy 25,280 0 0
for proviant gelt payable to the contractor by the British Foot and Dragoons as by the contract, which is to be deducted from the pay of the said Troops 13,706 0 0
—
878,448 17 12
which at the rate of 10 guilders 12 stivers to the pound sterling amounts to 82,872l. 10s. 8¾d.
King's Warrant Book XXIX, pp. 20–21.
Feb. 5. Royal sign manual for 1,500l. to Henry, Earl of Suffolk and Bindon: without account: for and in consideration and in recompense and full satisfaction of all claims, pretensions and demands whatsoever, either on account of his expense, trouble and attendance at all ceremonies of Coronations, royal funerals and other proceedings of State at any time before the date hereof as Deputy for executing the office of Earl Marshal and Marshal of England or upon account of any loss or damage that accrued to him upon his being obliged to dispose of the office he heretofore had of Commissary General of Musters or upon any other account or occasion whatsoever. (Money warrant dated Feb. 8 hereon.) (Money order dated Feb. 11 hereon.) (Letter of direction dated Feb. 25 hereon.) Ibid., p. 23. Order Book X, p. 69. Disposition Book XXIV, p. 76.
Money warrant for 100l. to Alexander, Lord Hay, for 1717 June 24 quarter on his allowance or yearly sum of 400l. (Money order dated Feb. 8 hereon.) (Letter of direction dated Feb. 25 hereon.) Money Book XXVI, p. 212. Order Book X, p. 71. Disposition Book XXIV, pp. 76, 79.
Treasury reference to the Customs Commissioners of the petition of William Bagley for leave to export three bells containing 1,800 [pound] weight to the Canaries. Reference Book IX, p. 372.
Same to same of the petition of John Appleton of London, cornfactor, praying to compound a judgment of 1,257l. by a payment of 200l. Ibid.
Same to same of the petition of William Squire praying a lease of an extended estate of Edward Scarborough, late Collector at Liverpool. Ibid.
Treasury warrant to Hugh Cholmley, Surveyor General of Crown Lands, to make forth a constat of lodgings in the possession of Edmund Dunch within the Palace of Whitehall and a piece of waste ground thereto belonging: all in order to a lease thereof to the said Dunch.
Prefixing: report by said Cholmley on said Dunch's petition. The lodgings are situate in Scotland Yard, and front west to the waste ground, south to the Thames and abut north on the lodgings belonging to — Kehon and — Parsons. They may reasonably be estimated to be worth 100l. per an. The waste ground abuts east on the Thames, south on a passage leading to the river, and west on part of the lodgings belonging to Mr. Transam and other part on the first Court within Whitehall. The reserve rent of 33l. 6s. 8d. per an. is a third part of the clear yearly value. There are some rooms built over part of the said lodgings [and are] in the possession of — Hyde, which are to be excepted out of the lease. Warrants not Relating to Money XXIV, p. 425.
Feb. 5. Treasury allowance of the salary bill, detailed, of the Salt Duty officers in Scotland for the quarter ended 1717 Xmas: total 658l. 10s. 2d. Out Letters (North Britain) IV, pp. 247–9.
Feb. 6. Money warrant for 16l. 17s. 0d. to Richard Topham, Supervisor of the work of digesting and ordering the Records in Cæsar's Chapel in the Tower: and is for his charges and disbursements therein from Xmas 1714 to Michaelmas 1717.
Appending: bill of said charges attested by George Holmes: (paper, pens and ink; parchment for covers and labels; catgutts, packthread and tape; penknives and bodkins; gum and paste to mend the Rolls). (Money order dated Feb. 8 hereon.) (Letter of direction dated Feb. 10 hereon.) Money Book XXVI, p. 213. Order Book X, p. 66. Disposition Book XXIV, p. 70.
H. Kelsall to the Attorney General to hasten his reports upon the memorial upon the Vice Treasurer of Ireland relating to the money in “their” hands arising by the pension granted to the late Duke of Ormonde in Ireland; and on the petition of Archibald Hutcheson in behalf of himself and other creditors of the said late Duke. Out Letters (General) XXII, p. 270.
Hen. Kelsall (in the absence of the Treasury Secretaries) to Auditor Harley. The Treasury Lords desire you to attend them here tomorrow about ten of the clock in the forenoon in relation to the supers set on several persons in their accounts. (The like letter to Auditor Foley.) (The like letter to Mr. Cracherode.) Ibid., p. 268.
Treasury reference to the Hackney Coaches Commissioners of the petition of Seymour Stillingfleet shewing that Edward Dickerson, street keeper to the Hackney Coaches, carries on a trade of cutler, which obliges him to neglect his business of street keeper, and that he was a servant in the Lord of Oxford's family: therefore praying to be appointed street keeper in his place. Reference Book IX, p. 372.
Same to the Attorney and Solicitor General of the draft Indenture for the Mint in England between his Majesty and Sir Isaac Newton, with a schedule of fees and salaries of the officers of the Mint payable by the Warden of the Mint and a like schedule payable by the Master and Worker thereof. Ibid.
Treasury warrant to the Stamps Commissioners to employ Thomas Goddard as a distributor of stamps for the city of Norwich loco Robert Clark, who is forthwith to be superseded. Warrants not Relating to Money XXV, p. 1.
Treasury reference to the Agents for Taxes of the petition of Richard Hughes for the place of Receiver General of the Land Tax anno 1717 for Cos. Merioneth, Anglesea and Carnarvon and proposing his securities, detailed. (Report from the Taxes Commissioners dated Feb. 13 on the validity of said securities and Treasury commission dated Feb. 13 hereon.) (Treasury commission dated March 1, for him to be Receiver General of House Duties for said counties.) Out Letters (Affairs of Taxes) II, pp. 206, 208, 248, 250, 252.
Feb. 7. Money warrant for 440l. to James Preston, Under-Sheriff for London and Middlesex: for disbursements for rewards as follows: in accordance with the Act 3 Geo. I., c. 16, for the better regulating the office of Sheriffs and for ascertaining their fees &c. from and after 9 July 1717: viz.
£
paid to Mathew Nicholas and others for apprehending and convicting John Calloway for robbery on the highway 40
paid to Elizabeth Micher et al. for apprehending Mary Hunt, alias Spy, and Johannah Wood for counterfeiting 80
paid to William Thomson et al. for apprehending John Wood and John Meeth, alias West, alias Mason, for burglary 40
paid to Thomas Miles for apprehending James Dickenson for burglary 40
paid to Ann Kettle et al. for apprehending Thomas Bingley, Joseph Sharia and Edward Mott, alias Popham, for robbery 120
paid to Simon Knibb for apprehending Joseph Smith for burglary 40
paid to Samuel Courton et al. for apprehending William Aldridge for burglary 40
paid to Anne Parker et al. for apprehending John Mowstienres for robbery on the highway 40
—
£440
(Money order dated Feb. 17 hereon.) (Letter of direction dated Feb. 25 hereon.) Money Book XXVI, pp. 214–15. Order Book X, p. 67. Disposition Book XXIV, p. 77.
Letter of direction for 2,343l. 14s. 6d. to Harry Mordaunt on the unsatisfied order in his name as Treasurer of the Ordnance: and is for stores of war provided for the Leeward Islands by the Office of Ordnance: to be issued out of the Four and a Half per cent. Duty. Disposition Book XXIV, p. 70. Out Letters (General) XXII, p. 270.
Treasury reference to Hugh Cholmley, Surveyor General of Crown Lands, of the petition of Sir John Vanbrugh praying' a lease of the quarries of stone in the Isle of Portland for 31 years at 20l. per an. rent “and to be obliged to maintain the wharf, crane and ways to them at his own charge and at all times during the said term to permit the raising and carrying off such stone as shall be wanting for the use of the Crown without any consideration or allowance whatever.” Reference Book IX, p. 373.
Feb. 7. Treasury warrant to Edward Harley and Thomas Foley, Auditors of Imprests, to proceed conformable to the report as below so as the documents thereby required may be exhibited and laid before you and thereupon the Transport account in question may be fully stated by you, the said Auditors and laid before the Treasury Lords before a royal warrant be obtained for a privy seal [for passing said accounts]: to wit accompts of the salaries and incidents paid without Treasury allowance.
And in order to the discharging of supers or imprests set on the [Navy] Treasurer's accounts for transports you are to call (from the Transports Commissioners or from Thomas Colby, who was appointed singly to bring up and close their accounts) accounts of all supers or imprests cleared since the passing of the accounts wherein they are set, so that the persons charged therewith may be cleared and discharged, or otherwise to form a distinct and separate account, and so to comprehend therein all moneys still to be accounted for as imprests, balances or value of stores.
“And in regard it seems to us that the late Commissioners for Transports, as also the said Thomas Colby, have acted in the Office of Transports after the rule and example of the Commissioners of the Navy and Victualling with relation to the buying of provisions and stores and the examination and adjustment of the accounts thereof, we think it just and reasonable that the memorandums should be discharged, which are inserted at the foot of the [Transport] Treasurer's accompts for transports already passed, and which import the passing general accompts in the Exchequer by the said Commissioners for the Transport service. Thereupon after the Transport accompts are examined and stated as herein you are to prepare a privy seal for passing same and therein to insert a clause to acquit and discharge the said Commissioners from the said memorandums.
Prefixing: report dated 30 Dec. 1717 from said Auditors to the Treasury Lords on the accompts of the said Transport Commissioners. In a memorial the said Commissioners represent that they acted in their office after the rule and manner of the Navy and victualling [to wit] as a branch of those offices as well in purchasing provisions and stores and paying for same by their warrants and orders on their Treasurer, as in examining, stating and auditing the accounts of the Transport service; and that as the Commissioners of the Navy and Victualling have not in the course of their offices been accomptable in the Exchequer either for payment directed by them or for stores bought, but their examination and adjustment of the accounts of the persons dealing with them is held to be sufficient, so the said Commissioners of Transports pray that their examination and settlement of the accounts of the Transport service may be accepted in the same manner and that they may be exempted from accounting for the same in the Exchequer, notwithstanding the memorandums made upon their Treasurer's accounts by the Auditors of Imprests.
Hereon the Auditors of Imprests state the authority vested in Navy Commissioners who, besides the particular trusts committed to them to examine and comptrol the proceedings and accompts under their care in their respective Offices, are empowered as a Board by the Instructions to the [Navy] Office to make out warrants to their Treasurer for all issues of the public money, to take up and cancel their said warrants and at the end of every year to examine, balance and sign his accounts; and are also authorised to make out warrants to the storekeepers for the receipt and issue of all provisions and once a year to make a general audit of all accounts of provisions and to balance and adjust the storekeeper's accounts thereof.
Further [we] the Auditors are authorised by privy seal to pass the accounts of the Navy Treasurer upon Leidger Books signed on every page by three or more of the Navy Commissioners, “by virtue of which letters of privy seal the accounts of the Treasurers of the Navy have been passed for many years without vouchers upon Leidger Books subscribed as aforesaid.”
The authority granted to the late Commissioners of Transports is contained either in their Treasurer's Constitutions to that Office and in certain Instructions given to the said late [Transport] Commissioners for performance of the Transport service, or in her late Majesty's patents and the warrants or commissions granted by his present Majesty. The Treasurer is thereby to pay and apply moneys (imprested to him) according to warrants or orders from the said Commissioners and these with the acquittances are to be a sufficient voucher and discharge “by which Directions the ancient course of accompting in the Exchequer by perfect vouchers appears to be altered as far as relates to the said Treasurer's accounts.” Yet no provision is made therein to authorise the passing the accompts of the service in general upon the said Commissioners' examination or for making their examination conclusive.
By Treasurer Godolphin's Instructions of 13 June 1705 the said Commissioners are directed, when any shipping is to be hired or goods to be bought, to give public notice upon the Exchange and to contract with those who will serve cheapest and best, to make out and sign the bills and orders for payment for all manner of services relating to Transports, to register them in course, deliver them to the proprietors and assign them for payment as money comes in to their Treasurer's hands.
Other Instructions were given 13 Feb. 1705–6 by Treasurer Godolphin for locking up and issuing out the cash. But neither of these [sets of] Instructions contain any direction in relation to the accounts of the [Transport] service.
The Commissioners appear to have acted under these Rules and Instructions until the 15th August 1710, at which time the late Queen constituted them by a great seal to be Commissioners for the Transport Service therein to follow Rules and Instructions to be received from the Treasury or Admiralty and with salaries and incidents to be allowed by the Treasury. And whereas until that time the said Commissioners had transacted the Transport Service pursuant to orders and Directions of the Treasury or Admiralty without any commission or letters patent from the Queen in that behalf, the Queen by the said great seal ratified and confirmed all they had done in pursuance of the said orders.
The said great seal became void by the death of the late Queen Anne, but was continued with the same powers by the present King's warrant or commission under his royal sign manual dated 22 July 1715 until the first day of Michaelmas term following: and afterwards Mr. Colby, one of the said Commissioners, was appointed sole Commissioner for Transports by a commission from his Majesty dated 28 Dec. 1715, with power to settle, adjust and determine the just demands of the creditors of the said [Transport] Office and to carry on such further services relating to Transports as the necessity of public affairs since the Rebellion shall require.
Upon the abovesaid statement of the Commissioners' authority, the Auditors of Imprests make two observations:
(1) The Commissioners' warrants for payments are a sufficient voucher and discharge to the Treasurer. The payments have accordingly been allowed in the Treasurer's accounts without any examination of the accounts or vouchers upon which same were founded “and by which it might appear either that the service required the making the said payments or that the provisions bought had been duly expended in the service of the public, as the ancient usage of accompting in the Exchequer requires.”
(2) It does not appear that any power is expressly given to the Commissioners of Transports, in the abovesaid commissions and Instructions, to take up and cancel their Treasurer's vouchers or to make the said Commissioners' examination and settlement of the accounts of the persons dealing with them final; or that they had a power lodged in them for auditing and passing the accounts of provisions as is vested in the Navy Commissioners. Neither has any privy seal or other authority been produced to us for passing the accounts of the Transport Service without perfect vouchers other than the constitutions of the Treasurers to their Office.
For the above reasons we, the Auditors of Imprests, conceived it our duty to insert memoranda on the said Treasurer's accounts, to the end the said Commissioners (with whom the relative vouchers remain) might render a general account and produce the vouchers for the orders made by them and for the issues and expenditure of the provisions by them bought for the said service.
The Commissioners in their memorial allege that the public would not receive even the smallest benefit or advantage by their accompting in such manner in the Exchequer, but on the contrary would from the nature and length of the accounts be at a considerable expense thereby: for which reasons they pray your Lordships to grant a warrant for discharging the Auditors' memorandums on their Treasurer's accounts and to direct the King's Remembrancer to forbear issuing any process thereupon.
In order to your Lordships' judging of these allegations we humbly lay before you the following Representation of the nature of the accounts of the Transport Service and of the methods used by the said Commissioners in making up and adjusting thereof, as it appears by several Books and papers produced to us by them for part of the time, the method whereof they assert was preserved through the whole course of the service.
The payments for hire of ships are made according to contracts, specifying the rates of pay, and on certificates of the times of their [the ships,] service, and the payment for provisions and necessaries [are made] upon tradesmen's bills of particulars and receipts which mention the names of the masters of the ships or storekeepers to whom the provisions were delivered by them; and the incident disbursements [were made] upon the bills and receipts of the parties: and it appears that several imprests have been made to agents and others employed under the said Commissioners for buying provisions and defraying charges of the Transport Service, all which are posted up to the accounts of the parties in Leidgers kept by way of Debtor and Creditor for the Cash: wherein the parties also are discharged, as the Commissioners allege, according to the contracts for the times they have served or according to the accounts and vouchers rendered by them of their disbursements in the aforesaid service. Besides which other Leidgers are kept for the accounts of provisions, wherein the masters of the ships, the storekeepers or other persons that received the provisions from the tradesmen are debted therewith: in which accounts the masters of the ships have credit for the provisions expended by the Forces in their transportation upon certificates signed by the Commanding Officers of the quantities furnished to them, as also for what they appear by receipts to have returned back into the Stores or delivered over to other persons for carrying on the service, which [deliveries] are charged to the parties' accounts. And the affidavits of the [ships'] masters are likewise taken to the truth of their accounts of the provisions: and if the Credits do not answer to the quantities charged upon them, the value of what remains is transferred to and made good by them in their accounts of Cash.
For the provisions furnished to the Forces transported to the Low Countries, deductions were directed to be made by the late Queen's warrant dated 22 Oct. 1702 at the rate of 8d. a day for each Trooper and his horse; and of 5d. a day for every Dragoon and his horse and of 4d. a day for every foot soldier, towards reimbursing the charge of the said provisions: an account whereof is kept in a separate Book for that purpose. And the Commissioners allege that certificates for the whole have been returned by them to the Paymaster General of the Forces.
For the provisions furnished to the Forces transported to Spain and Portugal and the West Indies no deductions have been certified or made.
As to the provisions which remained unexpended at the disembarking of the Troops, the Commissioners allege that the soldiers have for the most part taken the same away. But for what appears by the Officers' certificates to have been left behind, such part as could be made serviceable was repaired and fitted up again and then became a charge upon the storekeepers to whom delivered.
They [the said Commissioners] also allege that their storekeepers' accounts have been examined, stated and balanced by them in the same manner: and that the stores which appeared to be remaining in their hands at the end of the service had been publicly sold by the Commissioners and the value thereof charged on the Treasurer's accompts. But it appears that several quantities of provisions have been delivered over to Commissaries of the Forces, Commanders of Garrisons, Agent Victuallers and others who pass their accounts in other Offices: which provisions therefore stand undischarged in their Books and are to be accounted for elsewhere.
Having thus laid before your Lordships the nature of the accounts of the Transport Service and the method in which the late Commissioners allege they have kept, examined and adjusted the same, we humbly submit to your Lordships' determination whether [or not] the said Commissioners shall exhibit their said accompts and vouchers to be examined and pass a General Accompt in the Exchequer of the moneys paid and provisions bought.
In case your Lordships shall consent to the said Commissioners' proposal we conceive that a privy seal will be necessary for confirming the settlement made by the said Commissioners of the accounts of the said service and declaring their examination and adjustment thereof to be final: and that Mr. Colby, now sole Commissioner for the said service, be directed to lay before your Lordships an account of the salaries and incidents which have been paid by orders of the said Commissioners, in regard that her late Majesty's letters patent before mentioned direct that the same be approved and allowed by the Treasury, which they have not yet been.
And whereas several considerable sums of the moneys imprested by the said late Commissioners to their Agents for carrying on the service of the Transportation do stand in super on the [said] parties in the accounts which have been passed in the Exchequer by them [the said late Commissioners] or their Treasurers, for part whereof accounts have since been rendered to them and adjusted with them [the said Commissioners], but other part thereof may remain unaccompted for by the said Agents, or the balances of their accounts [may] be unsatisfied at the time that the said Mr. Colby's commission determines: and as some part of the provisions bought have been consigned and delivered over to Commissaries and others as above who do not account with their [the Transport Commissioners'] Office, it will therefore be necessary that the said Mr. Colby be directed in the said privy seal to pass an account in the Exchequer of all such imprest moneys cleared and accompted for either to the late Commissioners or himself in order to the discharging of the parties of such supers so accounted for: and as to imprest moneys remaining unaccompted for and provisions delivered to persons who do not account with the Transport Office and the balances either of money or provisions on the accounts of persons who do account with the said Office [it will be necessary] that Mr. Colby be directed to make an account or return upon oath of every particular sum and of the value of the provisions so remaining unaccounted for when his commission determines and that the Auditor be authorised to set the same in super on the parties as in the said return and to transmit the said account to the Remembrancer of the Exchequer and the Clerk of the Pipe in order to their issuing process on the parties for the same:
and lastly that the said Remembrancer and the Clerk of the Pipe be authorised upon receipt of the said account, declared before your Lordships in the usual form, to discharge the Memorandums standing on the accounts of the Treasurers for Transports in relation to the said Commissioners passing an account in the Exchequer for the Transport Service. Warrants not Relating to Money XXIV, pp. 426–33.
Feb. 8. Treasury warrant to the Auditor of the Receipt to distribute and apply to Deficient Funds and other uses and purposes as follows the income of the General or Aggregate Fund for the quarter ended 1717 Xmas: pursuant to the several Acts in that behalf.
Prefixing: a state of the General or Aggregate Fund upon the Act 3 Geo. I., c. 8, for the Bank of England and others for the abovesaid quarter:
£ s. d.
The Fund is Debtor
to the Deficiency at Michaelmas 1717 of the Fond for the Lottery anno 1711		 7,913 13 0½
to interest at 2 pence per cent. [per 100l.] per diem on 4,561,025l. in Exchequer Bills uncancelled on the 25th December 1717: whereof 2,000,000l. in principal money were to be delivered up by the Bank on or before the 25th December 1717 to be cancelled and made void 65,000 0 0
to the Bank of England on the allowance of 3 per cent. per an. for circulating the said sum of 4,561,025l. in Exchequer Bills uncancelled; for the quarter ended 25 Dec. 1717: from and after which date the said allowance is to cease and determine 34,207 13 9
to the Bank of England on the allowance of 45,000l. and 8,000l. per an. in consideration of their making specie or exchanging all the said Exchequer Bills for ready money upon demand: to wit for the quarter ended 31 October 1717 13,250 0 0
to the Bank of England, more on the same allowance of 45,000l. and 8,000l. per an., being computed by the day for 55 days from 31 Oct. 1717 exclusive to 25 Dec. inclusive, from and after which day the said allowances do cease and determine 7,986 6 0¼
to the Civil List for the quarter ended at Xmas 1717 30,000 0 0
to the 5 per cent. Annuities on 1,079,000l. contributed for the public service anno 1715 and on 650l. per an. allowed for management: to wit for the quarter ended at Xmas 1717 13,650 0 0
to the officers of the Exchequer Bill Office on their salaries for six months to Xmas 1717 325 0 0
—
172,332 12 9¾
to balance: to be reserved in the Exchequer 17,815 15 6¼
—
£190,148 8 4
Per Contra: the Fund is Creditor.
by the Surplus of the said Fond remaining in the Exchequer at Michaelmas 1717		 84,511 15 2¾
by the Income of the said Fond between Michaelmas and Xmas 1717:
on Two Thirds Tonnage and Poundage		 23,123 9 4½
on Half Subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage 33,681 1 9
Duty on coffee, tea, chocolate &c. 9,128 12 8
Increased Duties on ditto 10,197 4 10½
15 per cent. on wrought silks &c. 8,094 15 10½
Duty on hops 36 3 3
25l. per ton on French wines imported 6,713 16 3
Duties on foreign sail cloth 492 14 3½
Surplus of Half Subsidy at Xmas 1717 13,577 0 5¾
Prize Duty from the Plantations 300 0 0
Plantation Duty 234 1 10
5s. per ton on French ships 5 11 3
Duty on coals anno 1703 50 1 2½
Two Sevenths Tonnage 0 11 5
Five Sevenths Tonnage 1 8 7
(total income, 105,636l. 13s. 1¼d.)
—
£190,148 8 4
Money Book XXVI, pp. 216–17.
Feb. 8. Treasury reference to the Surveyor General of Crown Lands of the petition of Cha. Mason praying a lease of a certain place upon the coast of Essex called Leigh Swatch, being an arm of the sea, it being about two fathoms or four yards deep at low water; which is convenient for breeding of oysters. Reference Book IX, p. 373.
Treasury approval of a draft form of Debenture for Army Debts for Mr. Moor's Office: to be issuable by the Paymaster thereof in accordance with the Act 3 Geo. I., c. 17. “Pursuant to the power given to us in the said Act we do approve of the form and method of making out Debentures in the manner proposed: so as [i.e. on the understanding that] the Paymaster who is to make out the said Debentures [do] in a Book for that purpose retain those of the first column and do deliver those of the third column bound up in a Book for that purpose to the Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer to try [thereby] the Debentures of the second column as occasion may be: and that those of the second column be delivered to the Officers, Engineers, Gunners and others to whom the moneys contained therein shall belong pursuant to the said Act: and we do order and appoint the said form and method accordingly.
Prefixing: said form:
“By certificate from the Commissioners appointed by his Majesty in pursuance of an Act of Parliament in that behalf to take, state and determine the Debts due to the Army, dated the — day of — there appears to be due to —or his assigns the sum of — together with interest for the same at the rate of 4 per cent. per an. from the 24th day of June 1717.”
Memorandum: The above written form of Debentures was laid before the Lords of the Treasury by Mr. Parr for Col. Thomas Moore on a sheet of paper divided into three columns.
Warrants not Relating to Money XXIV, p. 418.
Feb. 10. Royal sign manual for 2,000l. to William Lowndes: for Secret Service: without account: out of Civil List money. (Money warrant dated Feb. 12 hereon.) (Money order dated Feb. 27 hereon.) (Letter of direction dated March 8 hereon.) King's Warrant Book XXIX, p. 7. Order Book X, p. 63. Disposition Book XXIV, p. 79.
Treasury commission to Robert Nelson to be Surveyor of the Duties on Houses loco John Scrivener, dismissed. (Treasury warrant dated Feb. 10 to the Receiver General of said Duties for part of Sussex to pay 50l. per an. salary to said Nelson as from date hereof.) Out Letters (Affairs of Taxes) II, pp. 216, 219.
Feb. 10. Treasury reference to the Barons of the Exchequer in Scotland of the petition of Sir John Areskine of Alva, shewing that he pointed out the particular place and assisted in all other matters necessary relating to the mine found in his ground, and is willing to prosecute the search after that or any other mines which are or may be found in his ground to the utmost of his power and ability provided a signature be granted on the part of the Crown, as usual in like cases. Out Letters (North Britain) IV, p. 250.
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