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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the Board of Trade of Great Britain
Great Britain. Board of Trade
July 08, 1715 - July 15, 1715
Volume 02, Pages 193-196

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[B. P. R. O. B. T. Journals. Vol. 25.]


Whitehall. Friday July 8th 1715.

At a Meetg of H. M. Comrs for trade & Plants
Present
Mr Molesworth
Mr Cokburne
Mr Chetwynd
Mr Cooke

A letter from Mr Sec. Stanhope of the 7th inst. transmitting to the Board two letters one from Mr Craven Govr of Carolina dated 23rd May last the other from Col. Spotswood Govr of Virginia dated 27th of same month relating to Hostilities committed by the Indians in Carolina was read together Mr Craven's and Col. Spotswood's said letters; thereupon a letter was immediately writ to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina inclosing copies of the last mentioned letters and signifying this Board's desire of an opportunity to discourse with them thereupon any morning the next week that their Lordships shall appoint.


July 13th 1715.

The Lord Carteret one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina coming to the Board with Mr Kettleby, Mr Johnson & Mr Shelton the letter from Mr Secry Stanhope of the 7th inst. mentioned in the Minutes of the 8th referring to the Board two letters one from Mr Craven the other from Col. Spotswood relating to an Insurrection and Hostilities committed by the Indians in Carolina was again read, thereupon the Lord Carteret acquainted the Board that the Lords Proprietors had petitioned his Maj. for some assistance towards the preservation of the said Province which they are unable to support of themselves, the minority of two of the Proprietors making it impossible to raise money by mortgaging their Charter that their Charter will be a virtual security for what His Majesty shall please to advance them in arms ammunition & other necessarys for the defence of the Province tho' it will not be so to any private persons That besides what is mentioned in the Lords Proprietors letter of the 8th inst. they were informed that six small field pieces or rather some Harquetusess were necessary to be sent as soon as possible and his Lordship desired the Board would please to represent to his Maj. the extremities to which the Colony is reduced and what his Maj. may fitly do for their present relief.

Mr Johnson observed that tho' Carolina is at present under Proprietrs it is a frontier to the Colonies under his Maj. immediate government and

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therefore he hoped his Maj. would please to send the supply of Arms &c. as desired

The Board then desired my Lord Carteret would please to let them have in writing any further particulars he should necessary to move his Maj. for on this occasion


July 14th 1715

Mr Sec. Stanhope came to the Board who had some conference with him in relation to the present state of Carolina and the relief to be given to that Province upon the invasion and hostilities committed by the Indians after which the Lord Viscount Townshend coming likewise to the Board he acquainted them that the Lords of His Maj. Cabinet Council desired their attendance at his Lordship's Office, Whereupon the Board went accordingly & being returned a letter was immediately writ to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina with several Queries for their Answers in writing tomorrow morning and desiring their Lordships will please to come to the Board at the same time

Ordered that Mr Banister, Mr Byrd and Mr Shirrif be desired to attend the Board tomorrow morning


July 15th 1715

The Lord Carteret and Mr Asheley two of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina coming to the Board as desired, a letter from their Lordships in answer to the Queries sent them yesterday relating to the present condition of that Province and relief to be sent them was read and their Lordships entering into conference thereupon the Lord Carteret was pleased to say in relation to the 2nd Query, that the effects they had lately received from Carolina were rice and might be disposed of for about four hundred pounds sterling which they were willing should be applied towards paying (for the arms now proposed to be sent. That 1500 or even 1000 musquets cannot be immediately furnished here but by his Maj. office of Ordnance & if the Government think fit to give them credit on this occasion their said effects will be so far a security towards the payment of them. That they are not sure of being supply'd with arms and ammunition from New England & New York &c. to which places the Assembly of Carolina have sent the value of 2500 pounds as mentioned in their Lordships Answer to the said 2d Query and therefore they desire credit from his Maj. who will always have an equitable demand on the said Proprietrs and have that influence over their charter which no private person can nor for that reason will any such persons lend money upon the said charter His Lordship being then asked if Carolina was not already indebted to Virginia for assistance upon a former occasion He said it was but he knew not exactly how much However he did not doubt but that

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they should make Virginia amends and likewise be able after the present exigence to repay His Maj. and the public what should be now advanced. His Lordship hereupon took notice that Col. Spotswood acted prudently as Gov. Virginia in sending assistance formerly to Carolina it being better to fight an enemy at a distance than within his own Governmt As to provisions the Lords Proprietors were of opinion there would not be occasion to send any to Carolina from hence.

In relation to the 3rd Query it was observed to the said Proprietors that Transport ships to be sent from Carolina to fetch what men his Maj. might think fit to order for Carolina from any of the Northern Colonies would have too long a voyage and come too late for the intended service Whereupon the Lord Carteret said that the Proprietors did not desire any men but if the King would send some, Merchant ships might be found here to transport them but that the Proprietors were not able at present to hire such ships themselves & therefore they pray'd credit from the governmt to enable them to do it—It was then desired of them to signify what number of men would be necessary—The Lord Carteret said about 500 would be sufficient But the said Proprietors declaring that they expected the Officers who should command the men to be sent from hence should be subject to the directions of their Govr of Carolina, the Board took notice of the difficulty that would arise at his Maj. Officers submitting to the orders of any person not in immediate commission from him As to the subsistence of any men to be sent to Carolina the Lords Proprietors declared they did not doubt but the Province would maintain them for the time they should have occasion to be there.

In further Answer to the 4th Query the Lords Proprietors desired 300 barrels of powder 1500 musquets with Bayonets 40 Cohorn Mortars with hand Granadoes and said that the demand for the present service would not amount to £5000.

And upon the 5th Query relating to their Lordships surrendering the government of the said Province, they said they were willing to do it for an equitable consideration and not otherwise. That they thought any particular Proprietor surrendering his right would be to advance the interest of the rest That their Lordships Ancestors had been at very great expense in settling and improving this Colony which in customs on the product thereof had been of considerable benefit to this Kingdom there being annually produced in Carolina as the Lord Carteret informed the Board 3000 tons of rice one third of which is spent in the country and the customs on the other two thirds imported here amount to £10,000 per annum or a greater profit to this Nation if the said rice be re-exported

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by the returns, fifty thousand deer skins the duties whereof are one thousand pounds besides great quantities of pitch tar and other Naval Stores That their Quit rents amounting to about £2000 per annum that country money, are applied to the payment of the Govrs salary which is £300 per annum and for maintaining the other public Officers in that Governmt That a duty is raised in Carolina of a penny per skin exported which is applied to the maintenance of the Clergy there That in 1707 when Carolina was attacked by the French it cost the Province twenty thousand pounds and that neither His Maj. nor any of his predecessors had been at any charge from the first grant to defend the said Province against the French or other enemies.