Monday, November 5.
Present:—Earl of Halifax, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Mr. Townshend.
Read the following letters and papers from the Honourable Edward Cornwallis, Esquire, his Majesty’s Governor of Nova Scotia, viz.:—
Letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, dated at Halifax, the 16th September, 1750, containing his observation on the Board’s complaint against Mr. Davidson, Secretary of that province.
Letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, dated the 22nd of September, 1750, containing an account of the success of the detachment sent to take post at Chiconecto and relating to other affairs of Government, transmitting:—
Report of the Committee appointed to examine Mr. Davidson’s accompts, etc., dated September 20th, 1750.
Chart of the Islands of Canso and Sable, describing part of the province of Nova Scotia.
An extract of so much of the last mentioned letter, as relates to the success of the detachments under Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence, having been ordered to be made, the draught of a letter to the Duke of Bedford for inclosing the said extract, was prepared, agreed to, transcribed and signed.
Read a letter from Mr. John Dick, merchant, at Rotterdam, to the Secretary, dated the 13th of November, N.S., 1750, inclosing two letters from his agents in Saxony relating to their expectation of getting a number of foreign protestants to go to Nova Scotia.
Wednesday, November 7.
Present:—Earl of Halifax, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Mr. Townshend.
Read a letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, to the Board, dated the 22nd of September, 1750, containing advice of several bills drawn by him for the service of the settlement in Nova Scotia.
Ordered that the Secretary do deliver a copy of the above letter to Mr. Kilby, agent for the said settlement.
Read a letter from Mr. Otis Little, Commissary of the Stores in Nova Scotia, to the Board, dated at Halifax, the 27th of September, 1750, inclosing the four following papers, viz.:—
State of the provisions on the contract of Chauncy Townshend, Esquire, for 3,000 people.
Account of provisions received and delivered from June, 1749, to 15th September, 1750, on the contract of Chauncy Townshend, Esquire.
Abstract of provisions charged to and issued from the stores in 1749, 1750.
Abstract of provisions issued from the stores in Halifax in 1749, 1750.
Thursday, November 8.
Present:—Earl of Halifax, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Mr. Townshend.
Mr. Davidson, Secretary to the province of Nova Scotia, lately arrived from thence, attending, laid before their lordships several accounts of money disbursed for the use of the settlement of the said province from August, 1748, to September, 1750.
The titles of the said accounts being read, their lordships required from him the vouchers thereof which he informed their lordships he had left with Colonel Cornwallis at his request not having been examined.
He then desired leave to take copies of the said accounts to be transmitted to the province, not having left copies there when he came away, which their lordships agreed to and recommended to him to take care that such copies be made as soon as possible.
Their lordships then informed him that several complaints having been laid before them touching his conduct in the execution of his office, they had ordered the particulars thereof to be delivered to him in writing to which they expected he should in like manner give in an answer.
Mr. Davidson then proceeded to give their lordships some account of the state of the said province and the progress of the settlement, and acquainted them that the two ships sent out from hence this year with settlers, as well as that sent by Mr. Dick from Holland, were arrived safe at Halifax, but that Mr. Dick’s ship was something sickly; that the Governor had contracted with the Palatines to work out their freight at 1s. per day, which was the occasion of other labourers refusing to continue, and by their insurrections the Palatines were made uneasy and demanded higher wages, and that he believed Colonel Cornwallis would allow them an additional sixpence; that the Swiss petitioned to go to Piziquid where there were several deserted houses and a mill.
That the Alderney’s people, consisting of about 300, were settled on the other side the harbour at the saw mill where there was a blockhouse; that they were supplied with provisions and had begun to clear the ground for a town; that they were allowed the use of the saw mill and some boards which had been prepared; that the people employed in the fishery were desirous of having a village there.
That the Swiss were employed at Gorham’s Point out of the town of Halifax.
That the people of the Nancy and Alderney were in good health at their arrival owing to ventilators, there being none on board Mr. Dick’s ship; that the principal person sent over by Mr. Dick died there.
That the old settlers were struck off their provision on the 22nd of September, there being then about 3,200 upon the books, of which about 2,700 were old settlers, but that many of them being necessitous, he supposed would be put on again; that the people were not discontented upon this occasion.
That the price of labour would be the same as in New England, at about 2s. per day, though the people were at first very exorbitant in their demands.
That there was much sickness on board one of the Irish transports when she arrived; that there were five large ships in all much crowded with women and children, who upon the regiments marching to Chigenecto were left in great distress.
That the climate was wholesome, always clear in the winter.
That there were 750 houses built and many of them very good ones; that they make 200,000 bricks this year, but that there was no limestone found as yet which obliged them to fetch it from Boston at a great price.
That several fires had happened at Halifax, but no great damage done, and that they had two engines which were of great use.
That little or no ground was cleared as yet without the town, occasioned by the high price of labour; that no method had been or could be thought of to induce the people to clear the ground; and that not one person had asked for his allotment of land; but that he apprehends they will hereafter find the necessity of clearing.
That the fishery had succeeded well, there being about 30,000 quintals cured this year, which he computes will bring £10,000 clear profit to Great Britain.
That about 1,000 people had come from the colonies; the best of settlers.
That but very few of those, which came from England, had left the settlement, there being a penalty of £50, which in one or two instances, however, had been paid.
That the people in general were much addicted to drink; that to prevent it there was a penalty of £20 and corporal punishment upon any one selling liquors without lycence, and those who had licences were under high penalties to observe the regulations prescribed them; but that there was no punishment for persons taken in drunkenness.
That there were several good Justices of the Peace of which Mr. Collier was chief, who constituted a County Court.
That there was only one clergyman, one being dead, that he behaved well and lived with the Governor; that the church was finished, and had been preached in once, and that the people attended divine service very regularly; that the dissenters were allowed a pastor of their own persuasion.
That the surgeons behaved well, but that only two apothecaries were struck off their pay.
That he believed there had been £100,000 of private money laid out in the colony.
That as to the state of defence of Halifax, he believed the entrance of Chibucto harbour could not be well secured by a battery upon Cornwallis Island; that ships might land men at Sandwich Point or in the river to the South of the town; that George’s Island had nine 32-pounders mounted upon it for the defence of the town, and that the strength of the place was such that he believed 2,000 men would not give any alarm.
That if the French and Indians were reduced the province could be perfectly secured; that in the last action at Chigenecto only seven or eight Indians were supposed to be killed and only one found upon the field; that 100 houses were deserted at Chigenecto by the inhabitants, which might be reckoned to contain 1,000 inhabitants who were gone over to la Corne; that 1,000 more were gone over to the Island of St. John’s, but it was apprehended that they would be necessitated to return.
That the French agent referred to in Colonel Cornwallis’s letter had been tried and condemned but not executed, Colonel Cornwallis intending to transmit his case home.
Friday, November 9.
Present:—Earl of Halifax, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Townshend.
Mr. Davidson attending, their lordships had some further discourse with him concerning the state of the province of Nova Scotia and of the settlements making there.
Ordered that Mr. Kilby be wrote to, to attend the Board on Monday next and that Mr. Davidson do attend at the same time.
The Secretary then laid before their lordships a paper containing articles of complaint against Mr. Davidson for his conduct in the execution of his office as Secretary of the said province of Nova Scotia, prepared pursuant to their lordships’ directions, which having been read and agreed to, was ordered to be transcribed and delivered to Mr. Davidson for his answer thereto.
Monday, November 12. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane.
Mr. Davidson and Mr. Kilby attending, as desired, their lordships had some discourse with them upon the subject of the state of the money granted by Parliament last year for the service of the settlement of Nova Scotia now remaining in the Exchequer unissued, and of the bills drawn and not paid or which may be drawn before the expiration of this year by Colonel Cornwallis for that service.
Ordered that Mr. Kilby do prepare a state of this affair in writing with his opinion of what may be proper to be done thereupon and lay the same before the Board as soon as possible.
Read a letter from Monsieur de Burger, pastor to the foreign protestants, lately gone to settle in the province of Nova Scotia, dated at Halifax, the 21st September, 1750, relative to the settlement of the said foreign protestants.
Read a memorial from Monsieur du Pasquier, lately arrived from Nova Scotia, containing proposals for transporting and settling 300 Swiss protestants in that province.
Ordered that Monsieur du Pasquier be desired to attend the Board on Friday next.
Read a letter from his Majesty’s Commissaries at the Court of France, dated the 7–18 November, 1750, containing a further account of their proceedings with the Commissaries of the Crown of France and inclosing:—
Mémoire des Commissaires Francois au Sujet des limites d’Acadie.
Read a letter from Mr. Shirley, one of his Majesty’s Commissaries at Paris, to Mr. Pownall, dated the 3–14 November, 1750, inclosing a duplicate of a letter to him from Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, relative to the boundaries of the province of New York.
Read a letter from Mr. Aldworth, Secretary to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, to the Secretary of this Board, dated the 12th of November, 1750, transmitting to him several letters and other papers from his Majesty’s Commissaries at the Court relative to the conferences with the French Commissaries concerning the limits of Acadia for this Board to consider and report their opinion upon.
Memorial containing a state of the evidences produced by his Majesty’s Commissaries.
Memorial proving his Majesty’s right to Nova Scotia or Acadie with its’ ancient limits.
A letter from the Commissaries to the Duke of Bedford, Paris, 7–18 November, 1750, inclosing:—
Mémoire des Commissaires François au Sujet des limites d’Acadie.
A letter from Mr. Shirley to the Duke of Bedford, Paris, 7–18 November, 1750.
Ordered that the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, desiring a copy of Monsieur Durand’s memorial relative to the limits of Acadie, referred to in Mr. Shirley’s letter to the Duke of Bedford, dated the 7–18 November, be prepared.
Tuesday, November 13.
Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Grenville, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Mr. Townshend.
The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford desiring a copy of Monsieur Durand’s memorial, relating to Nova Scotia having been prepared pursuant to the preceding day’s minutes, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.
Read the following letters and papers from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, viz.:—
Letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, to the Board, dated 18th August, 1750, containing advice of bills drawn by him upon Mr. Kilby for the service of the settlement.
Letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, to the Board, dated September 2nd, 1750, giving an account of the arrival of the Anne having on board the foreign protestants from Holland.
Letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, to the Board, dated the 24th of September, 1750, containing advice of bills drawn by him upon Mr. Kilby for the service of the settlement.
State of cash expended, due and drawn for and of the grants of Parliament, 1749 and 1750.
Ordered that copies of the aforementioned letters from Colonel Cornwallis containing advice of the bills drawn by him be delivered to Mr. Kilby.
Read a letter from Messrs. Delancy and Watts to the Board, dated at New York, the 4th October, 1750, relating to money advanced by them for the service of the settlement of Nova Scotia and inclosing several papers relative thereto.
Read a letter from Mr. John Dick to the Secretary, dated at Amsterdam, the 20th of November, N.S., 1750, inclosing copy of one from Captain Spurrier of the Anne, dated at Halifax in Nova Scotia, the 21st of September, 1750, containing an account of his arrival and of the reception of the foreign protestants.
Ordered that extracts be made of such parts of the several letters received from Colonel Cornwallis since the last year as any ways relate to the disposal of publick money and the credit of the colony.
Their lordships took into consideration the memorial of Monsieur du Pasquier, mentioned in the minutes of the 12th instant, and the memorialist attending, their lordships had some conversation with him upon the subject matter of the said memorial and he was ordered to attend again at another opportunity.
The Secretary laid before the Board the two following papers, which he had received from Mr. Aldworth by order of the Duke of Bedford, in consequence of the Board’s letter to his Grace, mentioned in the minutes of the 12th instant.
Memorial of Monsieur Durand, respecting the limits of Acadie.
Answer to the said memorial.
Read a letter from Mr. Aldworth by order of the Duke of Bedford, dated the 19th of November, 1750, inclosing two papers his Grace received from Governor Shirley at Paris, for the Board’s report upon them and the other papers, transmitted in a former letter from Mr. Aldworth.
Letter from Mr. Shirley to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, dated Paris, November.…, 1750.
Paragraphs intended to have been inserted in the memorial containing a state of the evidence in proof of the limits of Acadie or Nova Scotia but omitted.
Their lordships then took the said papers into consideration, and after some time spent therein ordered the draught of a letter to the Duke of Bedford thereupon to be prepared and also the draught of such a memorial upon the subject of the Crown’s right to Acadie or Nova Scotia, as may be proper to be presented by his Majesty’s Commissaries to the Commissaries of his Most Christian Majesty.
The Secretary laid before the Board the following paper received from Mr. Charles, viz.:—
Mr. Charles’ account of disbursements and expenses as agent to the transports hired for carrying settlers to Nova Scotia in 1749 and as agent to the Board at Rotterdam in 1750.
Ordered that Mr. Kilby do make enquiry at the Navy Office whether any allowance was made there to Mr. Charles for the extraordinary services charged by him in the above account.
Read a letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, to the Board, dated at Halifax, the 1st September, 1750, relating to the difficulties he is under in getting dollars for the service of the colony and the failure of the credit of his bills.
The Earl of Halifax communicated to the Board:—
An extract of a letter from Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, to his Lordship, dated at Halifax, the 31st August, 1750, containing several particulars relative to the state of the settlement.
Read a letter from Mr. Davidson, dated the 21st instant, transmitting the accounts of expenses incurred in his Majesty’s province of Nova Scotia, from August, 1749, to September, 1750, and relating to some errors in the summing up the said accounts.
Ordered that the said accounts be delivered to Mr. Kilby and that he be directed to examine the same and make a report to the Board of such observations as shall occur to him thereupon.
Monday, November 26.
Present:—Earl of Halifax, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane.
Read a letter from the Duke of Bedford, dated the 26th instant, inclosing an extract of one from Lord Albemarle, dated at Paris, November 22nd—December 2nd, 1750, and signifying his Majesty’s repeated orders that the Board do make their report upon the papers relative to his Majesty’s title to Nova Scotia before referred to them.
The draught of a letter to his Grace in answer thereto was prepared, agreed to, transcribed and signed.
Wednesday, November 28. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Mr. Townshend.
Read a letter from the Duke of Bedford, dated the 27th of November, 1750, signifying his Majesty’s orders that the Board do not take any notice of the Islands of Cançeau in the memorial they are preparing, with respect to his Majesty’s right to Nova Scotia or Accadia.
Their lordships took into consideration the draught of a memorial, containing a state of the proofs relative to his Majesty’s right to the province of Accadia or Nova Scotia, prepared pursuant to the minutes of the 20th instant, and the same having been agreed to, was ordered to be transcribed, as was also the draught of a letter to the Duke of Bedford containing the Board’s observations thereupon.
Thursday, November 29.
Present:—Earl of Halifax, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane, Mr. Townshend.
The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Bedford inclosing a memorial to be delivered to the Commissaries of his Most Christian Majesty containing a state of the proofs of his Majesty’s right to the entire province of Accadia or Nova Scotia, having been transcribed pursuant to yesterday’s minutes, was signed.
Read a letter from Mr. Davidson, Secretary to the province of Nova Scotia, dated the 26th instant, containing his answer to the articles of charge against him in the Board’s letter to Colonel Cornwallis, Governor of the said province.
“Journal, November 1750: Volume 58.” Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 9, January 1750 – December 1753. Ed. K H Ledward. London: His Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1932. 109-126. British History Online. Web. 2 April 2020. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol9/pp109-126.