1730-1. January 12. January 12. January 12. concerning the tare of Denia raisins. The Commissioners report that in taring the packages the usual practice has been observed, which they see no reason to alter. The merchants represent that the reducing the tare by this practice to 3 lb. from 4 lb. a basket, allowed them without innovation for 20 years past, will be a great prejudice to their trade. The Commissioners to attend on Tuesday next. The Earl of Sutherland to be paid the quarter on his annuity due Christmas last. An anonymous letter, dated December 31 ultimo, to the Chancellor of the Exchequer read, to call on the York Buildings Company to clear their account with the Government, and also an extract of the several minutes and proceedings at the Treasury relating to the said company. There still remains due 12,000l. from the Company on the purchase of Widrington Estate in England, and 18,000-19,000l. on account of other estates in Scotland, as by the minute of 1729, May 21. Mr. Paxton to be ordered to forward the cause depending in the Exchequer against the Company on the Widrington Estate account, and the Barons of the Exchequer in Scotland to be requested to state what proceedings are carrying on there against same to compel them to complete their purchases, and to quicken same. Order for the issue of 1,000l. to the Treasurer of the Chamber for the messengers on account of their foreign voyages, as by the Duke of Newcastle's letter of the 9th instant. [Treasury Minute Book XXVI. p. 387.] 15. Warrant from the Treasury to the Commissioners of Excise, to direct the Collector of Excise for Norfolk to pay to the "owners, adventures, and fishermen" of Great Yarmouth, 1600 for the year ended 1730, Michaelmas, in consideration of their payment of the duties of Excise for strong beer provided by them for the North Sea and herring fishery. [Money Book XXXV. pp. 414-5.] 16. Memorial of John Rollos [to the Treasury] for 851l. 148. 91d. for public seals as below, made pursuant to His Majesty's sign manual; referred to the principal officer of the Mint:--For the Leeward Isles; Bahama Islands; New York; Nova Scotia; the counties of Denbigh, Montgomery, and Flint; Glamorgan, Brecon, and Radnor; Carnarvon, Merioneth, and Anglesey; Carmarthen Cardigan, and Pembroke; Seal for the Order of the Garter; a signet in steel for the same; a large double silver seal for North Carolina. [Reference Book IX. pp. 422-3.] 17. Warrant under the royal sign manual to John Hammerton, Esq. Receiver General of the Revenues in Carolina, for the payment to George Barrington, Esq. constituted Captain General and Governor in Chief of North Carolina, by letters patent of 1730, April 29, of the salary of 700l. per annum out of quit rents of North Carolina; to date from said date of appointment. [King's Warrant Book XXX. p. 130.] 1730-1. January 12. [After 18. Royal sign manual to Henry Pelham, Esq. for the payment to John Plumptre, Treasurer and Paymaster of the Ordnance, of 8621. 148. 8d. for expenditure in repairing the victualling storerooms at Gibraltar, used by Thos. Missing, the contractor for victualling that garrison, from the damage they had received by bombs, &c. thrown into that fortress during the late siege. Appending:-An account of the money expended in the above [King's Warrant Book XXX. p. 131.] repairs. 19. Same to the Clerk of the Signet attending, to prepare a bill to pass the Privy Seal for the payment to Spencer Earl of Wilmington, declared Lord President of the Council on 1730, December 31, of the allowance of 4,000l. per annum established for the Lord President in lieu of all other allowances by a Privy Seal, dated 1730, June 17. [Ibid, p. 132.] 20. A copy of several minutes of the Lords of the Treasury January 12.] from 1727, June 8, to 1730-1, January 12, concerning the accounts of the York Buildings Company. 2 pages. January 13. January 14. January 14. Appending:-An abstract of the accompts of the purchase moneys of the several estates purchased for and by the York Buildings Company in Scotland. Endorsed:-To be considered on Thursday morning. 7 pages. 21. A state of the Exchequer bills to date, viz. the amounts 22. Privy Seal dormant directed to the Lords of the Treasury and the Chancellor and Under Treasurer of the Exchequer for the payment from time to time of 41. per day in lieu of the ancient diet of 16 dishes of meat heretofore settled and allowed to the Keeper of the Privy Seal, to Abraham Stanyan and Robert Jackson, appointed Commissioners for executing the office of Keeper of the Privy Seal during pleasure; the first payment to commence from 1730-1, January 1. [King's Warrant Book XXX. p. 133.] 23. Warrant from the Lords of the Treasury countersigning a warrant under the royal sign manual, dated 1730-1, January 9, and directed to Henry Pelham, Esq. Paymaster of the Forces, for the payment of 1,500l. per annum without deduction to Thomas Spencer, appointed paymaster of the pensions to the widows of officers who have died in service on full pay; same to be by him distributed to the widows of half-pay officers married before 1716, December 25, in accordance with the grant of Parliament of the last session. [Ibid, pp. 133-4.] 24. J. Scrope to the Earons of the Exchequer, Scotland, desiring an account to be given to the Lords of the Treasury of 1730-1. January 14. Whitehall, Treasury Chambers. January 14. January 16. the proceedings taken and now carrying on against the York 25. Present:-Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Mr. Clayton. Sir Luke Schaub, His Majesty's Minister at the Court of the King of Poland, to be exempted from the 4s. per £ tax on his pension of 600l. per annum payable in Ireland. Mr. Milling, a minister of the English Church at the Hague, having had during the time when Lord Townshend was Secretary of State 50l. per annum paid him, it is the King's pleasure that the same allowance should be paid him. Mr. Lowther to pay same from time to time; the first payment to be for the half year ended Michaelmas past. A petition of James Cornwall for leave to apply to Parliament to obtain a clause to import 13,152 lbs. of tobacco duty free in consideration of the like quantity destroyed by fire in his house, read and referred to the Commissioners of Customs. The reply of John Halls, Comptroller of the Great Wardrobe, to Mr. Keen's answer to his report touching Keen's bills for work and goods for the service of the Removing Wardrobe, of which he is one of the pages, read. Considering the many and gross abuses and impositions laid on His Majesty by the bills for the said work their Lordships order a copy of same to be transmitted to the Lord Chamberlain for his Grace strictly to examine into this affair and to take measures against such abuses. Horace Walpole's representation as Auditor of the Plantations, dated the 13th instant, stating the condition in which the account for the duties of 4 per cent. in Barbados and the Leeward Islands lie at present, read. A copy ordered to be sent to the Commissioners of Customs for them to consider some method of removing the difficulties complained of. "The Governors of Christ's Hospital, with the mathematical boys attending, are called in and exhibit to their Lordships some drawings in perspective of their performing, and their Lordships order a warrant to pay the perpetuity to that hospital up to Christmas last." [Treasury Minute Book XXVI. pp. 388-9.] 26. A state of the supplies of the year 1730. (Total of " services," 2,655,4621. 8s. 6d. total of sums paid," 2,428,6071. 68. 4d.). 1 sheet. [Treasury Board Papers CCLXXV. No. 6.] 27. A list of the persons who paid the 2s. 6d. levy per head of negroes for the year 1729 in Barbados. Names of owners arranged alphabetically, with the number of negroes, windmills, 1730-1. January 18. January 19. January 19. Whitehall, and cattle mills. (Total proceeds of tax for 11 parishes, 1,8661. 18. 8d.) 42 pages. Docqueted "In Governor Worseley's letter, 16th January, 1730-1." [Treasury Board Papers CCLXXV. No. 7.] 28. Report of the Commissioners of the Customs, London, to the Lords of the Treasury on the memorial of the sureties of Mr. Nathaniel Smith, late Collector of the Customs at Liverpool. 7 pages. Appending:-Memorial of Matthew Lyon, Sylvester Moorecroft, John Seacome, Jno. Martindale, John Huddleston, sureties for Nathaniel Smith, late Collector of Customs at Liverpool, concerning Smith's services in discovering frauds in the Customs there, and his losses consequent upon actions brought against him thereupon, and craving the allowance to him of such losses and expenses. Together with tabular statement of the entries of tobacco stopped by Smith. Minuted with order of reference thereupon, dated 1729-30, January 9, from the Lords of the Treasury to the Commissioners of Customs. 3 pages. [Ibid, No. 8.] 29. Warrant under the royal sign manual to the Advocate General and Procurator General in the Court of Admiralty and Courts Ecclesiastical, commanding them to appear in the royal interest before the Ecclesiastical Court of the Archbishop of York, in order to assert the King's right to the estate of Thos. Badcock, late of Bexton, in the parish of Rostherne, Cheshire, a bastard, deceased intestate. [King's Warrant Book XXX. p. 135.] 30. Present:-Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dedington, Sir Geo. Oxenden, Mr. Clayton. " Petition read from Matthew Beechcroft and others for leave to unload a cargo of currants from the "Braganza," now at Harwich, to a smaller vessel for Amsterdam, where the "Braganza was first consigned but refused admittance on supposition of coming from places infected. Referred to the Commissioners of Customs. Sir John Stanley and Mr. Walker, attending for the Commissioners of Customs concerning the merchants' demands of tare on Denia raisins, inform their Lordships that the merchants have for many years uninterruptedly had an allowance of 4lb. tare on each basket. But of late the packages have been observed to be lighter, and on taking new tare (which is not to be refused) they found that the baskets averaged not above 21lb. Yet they allowed 3lb. giving the turn of the scale. The difference in value for goods now in question is not much, but the consequence of yielding may be great, as there are 200-300 sorts of goods subject to tare. It is the more unreasonable for the merchants to insist thereupon, because at all times they have had the advantage of being allowed more than is set down in the Table of Tare upon trial at their request, which is never refused. 1730-1. January 20. January 22. Many instances of this were read to their Lordships out of a paper exhibited by the said Commissioners. The merchants attending being called in, urged the badness of the fruit trade, the difficulties of clearing at the Custom House, several causes of the lightness of the package, the great want of their goods, but principally the many years the allowance of 4lb. tare has been made them, and then withdrew. Their Lordships, consulting with the Commissioners, are of opinion that the Tare Table annexed to the book of rates is the rule to be adhered to, subject nevertheless to alterations either on behalf of the Crown or of the merchants, as occasion arises. As a matter of favour to the merchants in this instance alone, their Lordships agree that the deposits, made by them to answer the duty for the difference of tare between 31b, and 4lb. demanded, be restored to them. January 22. Whitehall, Treasury Chambers. [Treasury Minute Book XXVI. pp. 390-1.] 31. Warrant dormant from the Lords of the Treasury to the Auditor of the Receipt to draw orders from time to time for paying to the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies the reduced annuity of 128,000l. on their capital stock of 3,200,000l. from Michaelmas, 1730, by quarterly payments, as their late annuity of 160,000l. was payable, in accordance with the Act of the last Session of Parliament for reducing the annuity or fund of the said Company; same to be charged on the Aggregate Fund. [Money Book XXXV. p. 420; Order Book XIV. p. 457.] 32. Warrant from same to Anthony Cracherode to retain for himself out of money imprested to him for law charges 106l. Os. 6d. for six months and eleven days on an allowance of 2001. per annum for perusing all the printed pamphlets and newspapers published between 1730, June 11, and December 22, the day on which he surrendered his employment as Solicitor for the Affairs of the Treasury, and observing upon them to His Majesty's Secretary of State when the King or Government are traduced or slandered thereby. [Money Book XXXV. p. 427.] 33. Present:-Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Dodington, Mr. Clayton, Sir Geo. Oxenden. Sir Wm. Strickland lays before their Lordships the estimates for the guards, garrisons, and land forces for 1731, with an account of extraordinary services incurred and not provided for by Parliament, which amount to about 42,000l. To be further considered with the rest of the estimates before they be delivered into the House. Order for the issue of 7,835l. 10s. 41d. to the Paymaster of the Works to clear the debt in that office, Christmas quarter, 1730, according to the particulars certified by the Board of Works the 19th instant. Order for Mr. Lowther to pay out of the King's money in his hands 961. as royal bounty to Elizabeth Andrew, Frances Daniel, |