passed under the Seal of that Province for constituting and appointing William Aynsley Esq: Chief Justice of your Majestys said Province, in the room of Robert Hunter Morris Esq' who has resigned. And We humbly beg leave herewith to lay the said Warrant before your Majesty, for your Majestys Royal Signature Which is most humbly submitted W. G. HAMILTON W. SLOPER WHITEHALL Feb 17. 1757. DUNK HALIFAX SOAME JENYNS Letter from the Earl of Holdernesse, Secretary of State, to the Earl of Loudoun-removing the embargo upon Corn. [From P. R. O. America & West Indies, Vol. 75.] Earl of Loudoun My Lord, WHITEHALL May 2o 1757. It being apprehended, that the Embargo, which It has been thought expedient to lay in America, might obstruct the Supplies of Corn, which are, at present, very much wanted in Great Britain, and Ireland, from the bad Crops, in most Parts last year; His Majesty has been pleased to order a Sloop to be dispatched immediately, with Letters to the Several Governors, directing them not only to take off any Embargo, that' may now subsist; but also not to lay any future Embargo on Ships, loaded with Corn, or any other Species of Grain, for His Majesty's Dominions in Europe; and I send Your Lordship inclosed, for your Information, a Copy of the Circular Letter, I have wrote, by the King's Command, to the several Governors, for this purpose. Your Lordships Dispatch of the 10th March has been received, and laid before His Majesty; but this Sloop being dispatched, in a Hurry, with the Orders abovementioned, I have not Time to send Your Lordship any particular Answer thereto at present; and can only acquaint you, that Advice having been received, that Four French Ships of the Line had passed the Streights of Gibralter, and were supposed to be destined for North America, His Majesty has directed an Additional Strength, consisting of Three large Ships of the Line, to be forthwith sent to reinforce the Squadron under the Command of Admiral Helburne, who sailed from S Hellens, the 16th past, since which Time no account has been received from Him. I am &ca HOLDERNESSE Letter from Governor Belcher to Mr. Secretary Pitthad summoned the Council and Assembly to meet as soon as possible in order to carry out the King's views. Sir, [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 71.) ELIZA TOWN (NJ) May 11, 1757 MR. SECRETARY PITT I have the honour of yours of the 4: Februa last thro' the Care of Sir Charles Hardy, Governour of New York, and which came to my hands the 6. Ins', and I have re'd the same with close Attention; I observe with great Duty and Gratitude, the King's Paternal and Tender Care of His good Subjects and Colonies of North America, and that he has come to a Resolution of acting with the greatest Vigour, the insueing Campaign. In obedience to His Majesty's Order I summond the Council of this Province, and laid before them your aforesaid Letter, and asked their Advice and Opinion thereon, Copy whereof I have the honour to inclose to you, and In consequence of it I have summond the Council and Assembly to meet me here as soon as possible, when I shall press them in the strongest Manner to comply with the Contents thereof, & so to answer His Majesty's just Expectations from this Province, But I must observe to you that at a late Session, the Assembly granted five hundred men for the Service of the insueing Campaign, over and above what might be necessary for the immediate Defence of this Province, and they are to join the King's Troops to be under the Command of the Earl of Loudoun, to act as he shall judge most conducive to the Service in general and this Number is the most the Assembly have raised during the War, altho Lord Loudoun demanded as their Quota for this Year One thousand men, but they could not be persuaded to come into it, and I did all in my Power for their Complyance and so did Lord Loudoun himself urge the Assembly to do it, but since they did not his Lordship writes me it wou'd be too late for this Campaign for them to go about it now but wou'd have this Deficiency supplyed by the Militia of this Province upon any extraordinary Emergency, and which I shall endeavour to do in the best manner I can. I hope all the King's Colonies will exert their utmost Endeavours to second and strengthen the Operations against the French, and the more especially since measures are taken for laying up Magazines of Stores and Provisions of all Kinds at the Expence of the Crown, and I say I shall use all my Influence with the Council and Assembly of this Province, for the Execution of these His Majesty's Commands. I have the honour to be with great Respect and Deference, Honourable Sir, Your most obedient & most humble Servant J. BELCHER. Letter from Governor Belcher to Mr. Secretary Pitt— has been informed of the appointment of Rear Admiral Holburn to command the fleet in American Waters. [From P. R. O. America & West Indies, Vol. 71.] ELIZA TOWN (N J) May 16: 1757 Sir, MR SEC'RY PITT The inclosed is Duplicate of what I wrote you the 11: Ins since which I have received the Honor of yours, of the 19: of Febru last and take a particular Notice of its Contents, and I shall duly put in Practice his Majesty's Orders therein as far as shall be in my Power and in that of this Government. I see His Majesty has been pleased to appoint rear Admiral Holburn to Command the Squadron of Ships to whom I shall apply for any Naval Assistance if it shoud be wanted for the Protection of this Government & I shall take Care to Communicate to the said Comander all such Intelligence as shall come to my Knowledge concerning the Arrival of any Ships of War or Vessels having Warlike Stores on Board, and likewise all such Advices as may concern the motions, or may in any Manner relate to that Part of His Maj esty's Service, with which the Commanders of the King's Ships shoud be acquainted. As Rear Admiral Holburn with his Ships will be at a great Distance from this Province I don't expect any Application from him for Seamen, yet if he shou'd very few if any can be raised in this little inland Province in which there is little or no Navigation or Trade. I have the honour to be with great Respect and Deference, Honourable Sir, Your most obedient & most humble Servant Letter from Captain William Skinner, in London, to his father, the Rev. William Skinner, of Perth Amboy. [From Skinner Papers among Manuscripts of W. A. Whitehead, Vol. 1, No. 31.] Revd WILLIAM SKINNER Dr Sir LONDON ye 17th May 1759 I have the pleasure to acquaint you that wee are now in London, having come over from France (about ten days past) with the Officers that were there, upon our Paroles' to return in three months if wee can't find Officers prisoners in England, of Equall Rank to send to France in our Room which wee find attended with a great deal of Difficulty, for there are not a Sufficient number of French officers here for us, so that wee shall be Obliged to return to France if wee cant gett our Time prolonged which I am in hopes we 1 Captain Skinner belonged to the detachment under Col. Schuyler from New Jersey, which took part in the battle of Oswego, 14th August, 1756; was there made prisoner and taken to France. He was also in the campaign of 1755. For a biographical sketch of Captain Skinner see "Contributions to the Early History of Perth Amboy," pp. 112-119.-ED. |