Minute Book: January 1712 | British History Online

Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 26, 1712. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1954.

Citation:

'Minute Book: January 1712', in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 26, 1712, ed. William A Shaw( London, 1954), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol26/pp1-8 [accessed 24 November 2024].

January 1712



1711–12. Jan. 1. Whitehall Treasury Chambers.	Present: Lord Treasurer [Oxford], Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, [Robert Benson].
	Sir John Lambert et al., the remitters [of exchange to Flanders &c.], are called in and offer a proposal signed by said Lambert and by E. Gibbon for [remitting] 50,000l. by giving bills on Amsterdam at 2½ usance and on Antwerp at sight at the [exchange] rate of 10 guilders 12 stivers current money per pound sterling: [they] to be paid for the same in money on delivery of their bills.
	My Lord agrees that 50,000l. be immediately issued out of loans on the Land Tax anno 1712 to Mr. Brydges for the [abovesaid] remitters [in payment] for their bills; but that instead of 10 guilders 12 stivers they be given at 12 guilders 13 stivers sic probably an erratum for 10 guilders 13 stivers]: to which the remitters agree and will give their bills to be sent by this night's post accordingly.
	Issue to Mr. Brydges [Paymaster of the Forces Abroad] out of the like loans 9,375l. for account of subsidies to the Allies, to wit subsidies to the King of Denmark.
	Write to Mr. How [Paymaster of Guards and Garrisons] that he or his deputy be here on Thursday next at 12 o'clock about taking up the money in the hands of the Receiver for Customs in Scotland to subsist the Troops there.
	[Send to the] Auditors of Imprests to be here at the same time with their report on Mr. Brydges' memorial about the warrant which is necessary for giving allowance on his accounts of the moneys paid by him for extraordinaries.
	[Send word to the] Commissioners for Taxes to attend at the same time about the [Taxes] Receivers not corresponding with the Bank. Treasury Minute Book XIX, p. 113.
Jan. 3.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	The Commissioners of Taxes [are] called in. They will write to the Commissioners of Taxes [sic for the Assessment Commissioners] and the Receivers to hasten the raising and bringing in the Land Taxes.
	Ordered one month's subsistence for the Guards and Garrisons.
	Desire Mr. Bridges and Sir John Lambert to be here to-morrow morning: and in the meantime consider of a monthly sum for the [subsistence of the] prisoners.
	[Send word] to Mr. Milner to attend to-morrow morning with a proposal for [remitting exchange] for Lisbon. Ibid., p. 114.
Jan. 4.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	Sir Francis Child and the Governor of Christ's Church Hospital [are] called in with the [King's] mathematical boys. My Lords order a warrant for a year's pension due to them at Xmas last.
	Mr. Cæsar [the Treasurer of the Navy] is called in: [and my Lords discourse him] upon his memorial [for money for the Navy and there-upon] ordered 35,500l. for wages; 15,000l. on the head of Victualling; 21,000l. on the head of Wear and Tear for bills of exchange. But so much of this last sum as is demanded for Sir Hovenden Walker's bills is to be respited till a report be made by those to whom the examination thereof is referred.
		£	s.	d.
	total [bills of exchange] of the list	20,954	2	11
	New England bills [the said Walker's]	6,977	6	7
		£13,976	16	4
	[My Lord further] ordered 4,000l. for [seamen's wages by] Parliamentary tickets, out of the 4,042l. remaining of the 100,000l. lately issued and the 42l. is to be also applied to the same use.
	[My Lords order] 10,000l. to Mr. Bridges upon his memorial of this day: to be paid over to the General [or Staff] Officers.
	Likewise 113l. to him: to be paid over to three supernumerary Officers of Disney's Regiment.
	Likewise 25,000l. to him: on his memorial of the 1st inst. for [paying for] Mr. Milner's bills on Lisbon. Treasury Minute Book XIX, p. 115.
Jan. 7.	Present: [attendance not stated].
	My Lords direct that the subsistence of the Troops [the Guards and Garrisons] till the 23 Dec. 1711 be paid by Mr. How out of such effects as are in his hands for that purpose.
	And that 26,118l. 19s. 7½d. for six months' offreckonings for the Guards &c. to 24 June 1711 and 6,257l. 6s. 8¼d. for the like for 5,000 men [for sea service] on Mr. How's memorial of this day, making in both 32,376l. 6s. 3¾d., is to be satisfied with South Sea Stock.
	The Earl of Orkney and Lieut. Gen. Lumley with Mr. Sloper [are] called in. Mr. Sloper will make a demand to-morrow morning for what additional sum (over and above the 500l. per battalion already supplied) will be necessary to complete the recruiting of the Foot. And as to the Horse, Lieut. Gen. Lumley says no demand will be made except for the Squadron of Palmes which was ruined by the enemy.
	Mr. Sloper is also to make a demand of subsistence for the Horse; and also another for a provision of forage for the Troops till the grass grows.
	Write to the Secretary at War to prepare the draft of the contracts for Bread and Bread Waggons.
	The 50,000l. sent last week for the Douceurs is to be equally divided among all the Foreign Troops that are in the Low Countries. (The margin reads "to be equally divided amongst the Troops in the Low Countries.")
	Mr. Cardonnel is called in.
	To-morrow morning Mr. Sloper will make a demand for a proportional advance for the summer rations (about 1,200,000) and for the winter rations (about 2,000,000).
	Mr. Cardonel shews a letter from the Duke of Wurtemberg that the Danes are two months in arrear of their ordinary pay.
	Lieut. General Lumley proposes that some person should signify the Queen's pleasure to the foreign Generals to have their Troops in readiness in regard provision is made for them.
	[Write] to the Board of Ordnance to be here to-morrow about providing for the [Artillery] Train in Flanders.
	[Write] to Mr. Bridges that complaint has been made that several of the Regiments are overpaid and that the overpayments of some are a prejudice to other Regiments. Direct Mr. Bridges to bring an account to-morrow morning of these overpayments and to which Regiments [same have been made]. Mr. Sloper takes notice of this. Ibid., p. 116.
Jan. 8.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	[The Principal] Officers of the Board of Ordnance are called in. My Lord directs them to speed their contracts that are necessary for carrying on the service of their Office.
	[My Lord] ordered 10,000l. [to the Ordnance] in part of their memorial of this day towards fitting out the Fleet and the Trains of Artillery abroad.
	Mr. Milner and Mr. Sloper [are] called in. Mr. Milner's proposal for supplying [bills of exchange for] 25,000l. on Lisbon is read, half thereof at sight and half at thirty days' sight, at the exchange rate of 5s. 3d. [per milrei: and he to be repaid the value here in] present money. My Lord agreed to same at the rate of 5s. 2½d. [per milrei: to be paid for here in] present money.
	Ordered that Mr. Bridges do apply [as follows] 50,000l., viz. 35,633l. 9s. 115/7d. for completing the full pay of the British and Foreign Troops in the Low Countries to 23 Dec. 1711 and 14,366l. 10s. 02/7d. towards the advance for the magazine of Spring forage: out of the money in his hands applicable thereto.
	Ordered that 13,000l. be issued to him [Brydges], out of loans on the Land Tax, on account of subsistence for the Forces in the Low Countries from the 23 Dec. 1711, for better enabling the Officers to make their recruits. Ibid., p. 117.
Jan. 10.	Present: ut supra.
	[My Lord directed] 2,000l. to the Mistress of the Robes: [to be paid] by 500l. a week.
	Mr. Sloper's memorial concerning 40s. a man for recruits is read. Mr. Sloper will speak to the Secretary at War to prepare the draft of warrant for giving credit to the Regiments for the said bounty money and to present the same to my Lord.
	My Lord resolves that Sir John Lambert and Sir William Hodges shall have a [deposit of] security for all moneys now due to them severally upon bills [of exchange] drawn from Madrid for support [subsistence &c.] of the [English] prisoners in Spain: to wit by a sufficient deposit of tallies and orders (part of those which Mr. Bridges deposited in [the hands of] the Bank [of England] and are now to be redeemed with Land Tax tallies and orders of 1712), for satisfying the said moneys due to Sir John and Sir William in the month of March next.
	And Sir John Lambert doth undertake to furnish from the 23rd Dec. last 7,500l. a month, to be applied as well to the growing subsistence of the said prisoners [in Spain] as to lessen by degrees the arrear now due to them [he to draw bills for his repayment which is] to be paid punctually in money as his bills become due: but [the said bills] to be drawn at two months' date on Mr. Bridges. Treasury Minute Book XIX, p. 118.
Jan. 11, forenoon.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	Sir John Lambert presents a proposal for remitting to Holland and Flanders 50,000l. by bills on Amsterdam at 2½ usance and on Antwerp at sight, at the exchange rate of 10 guilders 12 stivers current money per pound sterling: [in repayment the value thereof] to be paid me in money at delivery of my bills. "If any profits on this remittance I will make it good in the next remittance." My Lord Treasurer agrees to this proposition. In the margin: "satisfied for these bills out of the 50,000l. mentioned in the minute of 8 January." Ibid., p. 119.
Jan. 15.	Present: ut supra.
	[My Lord orders] a new warrant [for a privy seal] for the Privy Purse.
	[Send word] to Mr. Lyn and Mr. Sloper to be here at six o'clock this evening.
	[Send word] to Mr. Southwell to be here to-morrow morning between twelve and one o'clock and to bring the papers relating to his report of yesterday's date concerning filling up the Establishment of the Troops in Ireland. And desire Mr. Lynn to be here then.
	Fill up the constitution with the name of Mr. [William] Fitch [as Register and Comptroller of the 2,000,000l. Class Lottery by 9 Anne, c. 16].
	Mr. Cæsar [Treasurer of the Navy] is called in. [My Lord discoursed him on his memorial for money for the Navy and] ordered 20,000l. for pay of the Kent, York, Romny, Plymouth and Montagu to the end of June 1709 in part of 60,000l. [as] in his memorial of this day.
	Mr. Bridges [is] called in. My Lord ordered 3,123l. 14s. 0½d. upon his memorial of this day for [Exchequer] fees. Ibid., p. 120.
Jan. 16.	Present: ut supra.
	Mr. Southwell is called in about filling up the Establishment of Ireland with one Regiment of Dragoons and seven Regiments of Foot. Ibid., p. 121.
Jan. 18, forenoon.	Present: ut supra.
	Sir John Lambert and Mr. E. Gibbon [are] called in. Their proposal is read to supply bills for 50,000l. on Amsterdam at 2½ usance and on Antwerp at sight at the exchange rate of 10 guilders 8 stivers current money per pound sterling: [they] to be paid for the same on delivery of their bills. My Lord agrees to this proposal with this difference, that instead of being paid for these bills in ready money the Remitters shall be paid for the same on the last day of March next and be allowed interest in the meantime at the rate of 6 per cent. per an. And the better to enable the said Remitters to carry on the service his Lordship now directs a sum of 50,000l. in part of 150,000l. which they were to be paid on the last day of this month. But because this 50,000l. is paid sooner than the last of this instant January therefore the interest of the 50,000l. now to be remitted is not to commence till the 1st of February next. And a proportionable part of the deposit of 180,000l. in South Sea Stock (for security of the 150,000l. abovementioned) is to be continued from the last of this instant January as a security for the repayment of the 50,000l. now to be remitted. Ibid., p. 122.
Jan. 22.	Present: ut supra.
	The Treasurer of the Navy and the Governor and Directors of the Bank are called in. They [the Bank] complain of their ill condition to serve the publique by reason that very few of the Receivers [of Taxes, Customs &c., &c.], Paymasters [of Departments] or others having the public money [in their hands do] negotiate their affairs with them.
	My Lord says they shall have all reasonable assistance from him so as this may be regulated to their satisfaction; and that in appointing new Receivers he will have a special regard to the matter of their complaint. His Lordship hopes they will agree to the lending 100,000l. to the Treasurer of the Navy on a deposit of tallies and orders now in his hands. [The Directors reply that] they shall have a Court on Thursday next [and they] will lay it before them and wait on his Lordship with an answer.
	The Commissioners of the Equivalent are called in and lay before my Lord a state of the cash of the Equivalent to 3 Aug. 1711 and a general abbreviate of the demands [on] and payments out of the Equivalent to that date.
	My Lord directs the Treasurer of the Navy to desire the Bank of England to advance to him for the service of the Navy a sum of 100,000l. upon a deposit of 110,000l. in tallies and orders on the Malt Act for the year 1711: to be repaid within two months from the time of advancing to the time of repayment: with interest at the rate of 6 per cent. per an. Ibid., p. 123.
Jan. 23.	Present: ut supra.
	General Erle and Mr. Brydges of the Ordnance being called in they lay before my Lord Treasurer some papers relating to the demands made of Ordnance stores for the war in Spain. They take [from my Lord] orders to perfect their Estimates so as they may be in a readiness to be laid before the House, particularly in respect to Port Mahon and Gibraltar.
	Sir Roger Mostyn, Paymaster of the Marines, comes in and his memorial is read for two thirds pay and subsistence to the Marines. My Lord [tells him he] will consider this demand on Friday, the Bank being then to bring their answer about advancing 100,000l. to the Treasurer of the Navy.
	Write to the referees to hasten their report on all the papers sent them relating to the Expedition to Canada. Ibid., p. 124.
Jan. 28.	Present: ut supra.
	Mr. Brydges is called in and his memorial dated the 21st inst. for 54,592l. 0s. 1½d. for clearings to the Troops in the Low Countries to the 22nd Dec. 1711 is read. My Lord desired Mr. Brydges to endeavour to procure this sum to be advanced by the Bank on any the tallies in his hands (a list whereof is laid before my Lord, amounting to 236,063l. 17s. 10d.) and to let my Lord know on what terms it may be had. Ibid.
Jan. 29.	Present: ut supra.
	The Treasurer of the Navy and the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Bank are called in. The Governor acquaints my Lord that the Bank (according to his Lordship's desire) have agreed to advance 100,000l. to the Treasurer of the Navy upon the terms of being repaid the same again with interest after the rate of 6 per cent. per an. within two months from the time of advancing thereof, and having 110,000l. deposited with them in tallies and orders on the Duties on Malt pro anno 1711 for their security. My Lord directs the Treasurer of the Navy to receive the said 100,000l. and make the said deposit accordingly.
	The Governor of the Bank acquaints my Lord that the pays [of the ships' companies] at the outports are a heavy drain upon them because nothing but specie told and taken from the Bank is made to serve that purpose; and [the Governor] proposes that a proportion of Exchequer Bills may go to the said outports with the money, and that the interest on the Exchequer Bills from the time they were issued at the Bank be allowed to the seamen or others receiving them there. [My Lord orders that] Mr. Cæsar [the Navy Treasurer] is to consult the Act in relation to the said interest and to consider the best way of bringing what the Bank desires into practice.
	Ordered that out of the 100,000l. as above the Treasurer of the Navy do apply the sum of 20,000l. towards paying the Course of the Victualling since Michaelmas 1711.
	The General [or Staff] Officers who went on the Expedition to Canada will attend my Lords on Thursday next in the afternoon.
	[Send word] to Mr. Lynn to be here then about forming the several Detachments now at Annapolis Royal into an Independent Company and making an Establishment for them.
	[Send] to Sir Roger Mostyn to be here at the same time with his demands for the Marines.
	A memorial of Mr. Brydges of this day's date is read for 100,000l. now due to the Remitters to complete 150,000l. for bills given by them for Flanders on or about the 30th of November last and for which 180,000l. in South Sea Stock was assigned to them by way of mortgage. My Lord orders 50,000l. to be issued to Mr. Brydges in part of the said 100,000l.
	The Remitters [of exchange] offer a proposal of this day's date signed by Sir John Lambert and Richard Hoare for a further remittance of 50,000l. by this night's post for Flanders, which my Lord agrees to as follows, viz. to give bills to that amount on Amsterdam at 2½ usance and on Antwerp at sight at 10 guilders 8 stivers current money per pound sterling. "your Lordship paying us for the same in [ready] money in two months with interest at 6 per cent. per an.; the security of South Sea Stock now in our hands to remain with us till the same is paid."
	A memorial of Mr. Brydges dated the 25th inst. is read relating to the money remaining in the Deputy Paymaster's hands in Portugal and for the distribution thereof. My Lord agrees that out of the 40,431l. 5s. 6½d. which appears to be remaining, there be applied 38,580l. 5s. 7½d. to answer the services following: viz.
		£	s.	d.
	for 121 days' pay from 24 Aug. 1711 to 23 Dec. for the General and Staff Officers on the spot in Portugal at 34l. 3s. 4d. per diem [poundage and Hospital deducted]	4,030	13	8¾
	for 121 days' pay for one Brigadier General serving with a body of Portuguese at 1l. per diem, poundage and Hospital deducted	114	12	4
	for 182 days' pay from 24 June 1711 to 23 Dec. following for the Governor and other Officers at Gibraltar at 4l. 7s. 0d. per diem according to the Establishment intended for that Garrison anno 1711, poundage and Hospitals deducted	749	18	9
	towards what is wanting to complete the allowance for the Army and Hospital contingencies to the 22nd of December 1711	1,584	18	7¾
	to pay up the allowance of Forage and Waggon Money to the 23 December 1711 at 9,000l. per an. according to [the] Establishment: to be applied towards defraying the extra charge of the bread and forage alone	6,536	11	9
	to complete the pay of the Second Officers of the six new raised Regiments of Dragoons to the 23rd of December 1711, poundage and Hospital deducted	1,831	12	0
	for the Effectives on the spot, of the several Regiments in Portugal from the 23rd of December 1711 to the 22nd of February following	23,731	18	5
		38,580	5	7½
	Treasury Minute Book XIX, pp. 125–6.
Jan. 31.	Present: Lord Treasurer, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	The Officers of the Ordnance are called in. They lay before my Lord an estimate of the charge of stores which the Engineers and Colonels of the Train in Spain think necessary as well for the said Train as for the defence of Port Mahon and Gibraltar in case of a seige: amounting to 219,614l. 16s. 0d. My Lord Treasurer thinks no more should be demanded of Parliament this year than was last year, but the Ordnance may make such memorandums at the foot of their estimate to show that a greater supply is necessary in case of distress.
	Another memorial of the Ordnance is read proposing that the Officers of the Train in Flanders and Spain may be paid their arrears, some part at least, in money and not all in South Sea Stock which is subscribed [into the South Sea Company as public money] by the Treasurer [and Paymaster of the Ordnance] for them. My Lord orders the said Officers to consider how much shall be in money and how much in stock, the said arrears amounting to 15,779l. 13s. 3½d.
	Mr. Brydges comes in and his memorial dated Jan. 31 is read for discharging him of sums paid for fortifications at Port Mahon by setting the same in super on those particular persons who received the same. It is ordered to be sent to the Auditors [of Imprests] for them to consider and report.
	Also a memorial [of the said Brydges is read] for 15,000l. to answer the like sum negotiated by drawing and re-drawing from Holland to accommodate Sir Solomon de Medina in part of his demands. My Lords order this 15,000l. to be issued out of loans to be made by Sir Theodore Janssen on the Land Tax anno 1712, the [said] bills being [having been] re-drawn on him: the said loans to remain as a deposit (instead of South Sea Stock) to secure the payment of the said bills when due: and interest to commence on the orders of loan from that time.
	Another memorial [of the said Brydges is read] for 7,000l. to answer the demands of the General Officers serving in Flanders, on account of pay. It is ordered to be issued out of loans on the Land Tax anno 1712.
	Brigadier Hill and Col. Clayton are called in. The memorial from the Secretary at War is read about filling up the vacancies in the Establishment of Ireland with Regiments to be sent from hence. It is ordered to be sent to Mr. Southwell to lay before the Duke of Ormonde [Lord Lieutenant of Ireland] for his Grace to consider.
	Another memorial [from the Secretary at War is read] about forming the Detachments left at Annapolis into Independent Companies. My Lord approves thereof and orders that an Establishment be made for four Companies to consist of 80 men each with Officers in proportion, to commence from Dec. 23 last: but the Secretary at War is at the same time to consider how this may be done without increasing the charge on the public.
	The several reports of Mr. Brydges and the Comptrollers of the Army Accounts are read on the memorials of the Colonels who went on the Expedition to Canada [who pray] to be allowed [for their Companies as] complete to the times therein mentioned, in consideration of losses and to enable them to recruit. My Lord respites the giving any directions thereon till the Auditors [of Imprests] peruse these reports and do report their opinions on them.
	The petition of the Officers whose Regiments suffered shipwreck in the said Expedition is read [praying] for some consideration in respect to their losses. It is ordered to be referred to the Comptrollers of the Accounts of the Army.
	Issue to my Lord Masham, Cofferer of the Household, 2,000l. for imprests: [to be issued] preferable to any other payments. And my Lord orders that all or any of the weekly payments out of the Civil List may be postponed (the 2,000l. per week to the Cofferer excepted) till the particular directions ordered at any time be satisfied. Treasury Minute Book XIX, pp. 127–8.