manner of their making returns from the plantations to pay for those Manufactures &c And that as to the rise in the Exchange I did not apprehend it was owing to the Emission of Bills of Credit as has been Suggested, for in Pensilvania New Jersey & New York, they have Emitted considerable quantitys & yet the Exchange there had not advanc'd 40 P Cent this 20 years, but that the occasion of so great a difference in the Exchange between New England and Great Britain was from quite another Reason, as that they were so constantly overloaded with Goods from England & always largely in debt for want of a Supply of Returns sufficient to pay for them, that the Factors were so eager in buying up whatever Comoditys was brought to Market Suitable to be sent home as fast as ever they came, that they bid one upon another & thereby enhanced the prices one upon another which of course will enevitably raise the price of Silver & Gold & that is certainly what governs the Exchange. Report to the Lords of Trade from the Committee of Council, with draft of an additional Instruction to the Governors of the Plantations in America. To the Right Honble the Lords of the Committee of his Majestys most Honble Privy Council. My Lords, Pursuant to your Lordships Order of the 1st Instant We have reconsidered the Dra of the Additional Instruction to the respective Governors of his Majesty's Colonies & Plantations in America, requiring and commanding them to observe his Majesty's Royal In struction which directs, That the Act of the sixth of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Anne, Entituled, An Act for ascertaining the Rates of foreign Coins in her Majesty's Plantations in America, be punctually & bona fide observed and put in Execution; And also his Majty's Royal Instruction to the respective Governors not to give Assent to, or pass any Act, whereby Bills of Credit may be issued in lieu of money, without a Clause be inserted in such Act, declaring that the same shall not take Effect until the said Act be approved by His Majesty; and herewith take Leave to lay the said Draught of an Additional Instruction before your Lordships, as we have altered the same, We are, My Lords Whitehall July 9th 1740 Your Lordships &c. &c. MONSON AR: CROFT. M. BLADEN ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION to Edward Trelawney Esq Gen! and Governor in chief of his Majesty's Island of Jamaica, & the Territories depending thereon in America; Or to the Commander in Chief or the said Island for the time being. Given at Whitehall the day of 1740. In the Year of his Majesty's Reign. WHEREAS an Act of Parliament was past in the 6th Year of her late Majesty Queen Anne, Entituled An Act for ascertaining the Rates of foreign Coins in her Majesty's Plantations in America, which Act, the respective Governors of all the Plantations in America have, from time to time, been instructed to observe, and carry into due Execution; And Whereas notwithstanding the same, Complaints have been made that the said Act has not been observed, as it ought to have been, in many of his Majesty's Colonies & Plantations in America, by means whereof, many indirect Practices have grown up, & various and illegal Currencies have been introduced in sev! of the said Colonies & Plantations, contrary to the true Intent & Meaning of the said Act, and to the Prejudice of the Trade of his Majesty's Subjects. In consequence of which Complaints, an humble Address was presented the last Sessions, by the House of Commons to his Majesty, That he wou'd be graciously pleased to require & command the respective Governors of his Colonies & Plantations in America effectually to observe his Majesty's Royal Instruction, directing them, That the Act of the 6th Year of the Reign of her Majesty Queen Anne, entitled, An Act for ascertaining the Rate of foreign Coins in her Majesty's Plantations in America, be punctually & bona fide observed and put in Execution according to the true Intent and meaning of the said Act. It is therefore His Majesty's Royal Will & Pleasure, And you are hereby strictly required and commanded, under Pain of his Majesty's highest Displeasure, and of being removed from your Government, to take the most effectual Care for the future, that the said Act be punctually and bonâ fide observed and put in Execution, according to the true intent and Meaning thereof. And to the end that his Majesty's Commands herein may be fully made known to all his Subjects within your Government; and that none of them may pretend Ignorance thereof, you are hereby further re quired and commanded to publish this Instruction in such Manner as may best answer his Majesty's gracious Intentions herein signified. And whereas, for preventing the many & great Inconveniences that had arisen in some of his Majesty's Colonies & Plantations in America, by passing Laws for Striking Bills of Credit, & issuing out the same, in lieu of money, the respective Governors & Command ers in chief of his Majesty's Colonies and Plantations for the time being, have been particularly instructed not to give their Assent to or pass any such laws for the future, without a Clause be inserted in such Act, declaring that the same shall not take Effect, until the said Act shall have been approved and confirm'd by his Majesty his Heirs or Successors: And whereas notwithstanding such his Majesty's Commanders [?] to the said Governors in that behalf, Paper Bills of Credit have been created & issued in his Majesty's said Colonies & Plantations by Virtue of Acts of Assembly there, making it obligatory on all Persons to take such Bills of Credit, in payment for Debts, Dues & Demands, whereby the good Intention of the aforemention'd Act of the 6th of her late Maj'! Queen Anne, for ascertaining the rates of foreign Coins in her Majesty's Plantations in America, has been frustrated, and a great Discouragement has been bro! on the Com'erce of this Kingdom by occasioning a Confusion in Dealings and a lessening of Credit in those Parts: And whereas an humble Address was presented, the last Session, by the House of Commons, to his Majesry, That he would be graciously pleased to require & command the respective Governors of his Colonies & Plantations in America, punctually & effectually to observe his Maj's Royal Instructions not to give Assent to or to pass any Act, whereby Bills of Credit may be issued in lieu of money, without a Clause be inserted in such Act, declaring that the same shall be approved by his Majesty: It is therefore his Majesty's Will & Pleasure, & you are hereby also further required & comanded under pain of his Majesty's highest displeasure and of being removed, from your Governm! punctually & effectually to observe his Majesty's Royal Instruction not to give Assent to or pass any Act, whereby Bills of Credit may be issued in lieu of money without a Clause be inserted in such Act, declaring that the same shall not take Effect, until the said Act shall be approved by his Majesty, his Heirs or Successors. [N. B. A like Instruction (mutatis mutandis) was prepared for the Governors of the other colonies and West India islands.] Letter from Mr. Carkesse, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs-relative to a Glass House erected in New Jersey. [From P. R. O. B. T. New Jersey, Vol. IV, F. 37.] To Thomas Hill Esq Secretary to the Lords Comiss for Trade & Plantations. Sir, M: William Frasor Collector of the Customs at Salem in West Jersey having inform'd the Commissioners, that there has lately been Erected a Glass work within Eight miles of that Port by one Casper Wester' a Palatine, and is brought to perfection so as to make Glass: I am directed to give you an Account thereof for the Information of the Lords of Trade. I am Sir . Your most humble Serv Custom ho London 31: July 1740. 1 CASPAR WISTAR was father of the Professor of Anatomy, Physician and Author, who subsequently became distinguished in Philadelphia. ED. |