What you write about equalizing the Duties on Commodities in the Severall plantations by an Act of Parliament here is a Matter of great weight upon which I presume not to make any Judgement. But as I know that the Suppression of Pirats and the discouragement of them in the Plantations, either by preventing their fitting out from thence or apprehending and punishing those that return thither, is absolutely necessary not only in respect of England, but for all honest Men even in the plantations themselves, I cannot therefore but commend the Zeal you have many times expressed in that matter, and remain confident that you will omit nothing in your power that may contribute to so good a Work, whether it be by intelligence and advices hither or by the care full Execution of what is required from you in the place of your residence there I heartily wish you all manner of happiness in the Post where you are placed, And am & Whitehall Octob: ye 25th 1698. W. P. Secretary Popple to Mr. Lownds, Secretary of the Commissioners of the Treasury, inquiring whether any directions had been given by them relative to the Port of Perth Amboy. S! [From P. R. O. B. T. Proprietors, Vol. 25. p. 262.] The Lords Com's of y Council of Trade and plantations having lately received Lett's from the E of Bellomont wherein he writes that M Bass at p'sent Gov! of East & West New Jersey, notwithstanding his Majtys Ord in Council of the 25th Novemb! 1697 (whereof I send you here enclosed a copy) had Controverted before the Council at New Yorke the Right of the proprietors of the Jersey's to have a Port at Perth Amboy, directly contrary to his Majts fores Order in Councill and to all y Instructions that have been constantly given to the Gov's of New Yorke and pretended to maintain that Right by Force; Their Lordships being highly sensible of how pernicious consequence the allowance of the priviledge to ye Jersey's would be to the Trade of his Majts provce of N. Yorke & to his Majts Revenues there, have comand me to Desire you would please to inform y whether y1 matt have been before y R Honble ye Lords of ye Trea" & wt directions their Lords have been pleased to give about it I am & Whitehall Decemb! the 14th 1698. } W. P. Earl of Bellomont to the Lords of Trade. [From New York Col. Docts., Vol. IV., p 438.] To the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations. Mr. Basse the Governour of the Jerseys in contempt of the orders your Lordships formerly sent me, loaded the ship Hester at Perth Amboy in East Jersey and was sending her on a voyage; on notice whereof I sent M' Hungerford one of the present Collectors, and one of my Lieutenants with forty soldiers and seized and brought the ship away. I have since offered to restore the ship provided Basse would have her cleared at this Port, but he refusing so to do we are going to have her tried. The whole proceeding about the said ship is contained in the papers herewith sent (No. 1) viz1 two minutes of Council and two letters, one whereof writ by Mr. Cozens, Clerk of the Council to Basse, by · order of myself and Council, and Basse's answer to that letter. M' Basse sent me word he had positive orders from the Proprietors not to yield upon no account to any orders I had received, and he threatens to try in Westminster Hall whether Perth Amboy be a port or no, and to sue me for damages for bringing away the ship Hester.' She is a leaky ship of about 120 tun and her loading is 28,000 barrel staves. Now that I speak of the Jerseys it will be proper to acquaint your Lordships that I have not yet complied with his Majesty's instruction which orders my regulating the Militia of the Jerseys, because there is no civill government there, for Basse having not the King's approbation, as the Act of Parliament of the seventh & eighth of the King obliges all governours of Plantations to have, the people do not own Basse's authority, and for fear they should call it more publickly in question, he dares not call an Assembly. Besides 'tis said he has been formerly in very mean circumstances in that country, and his carriage now is very foolish, which makes him contemptible to the people. * * * I am with respect My Lords Your Lordships most humble New Yorke and obedient Servant December 14th 1698 BELLOMONT 1 Governor Basse did,as he threatened he would do. The case was taken into Westminster Hall, and its thorough discussion resulted in the establishment of Perth Amboy as a free port, and a verdict was rendered in favor of Governor Basse, for several hundreds of pounds sterling. See East Jersey under the Propri. Govts., 2d Edition, pp. 205-207. Proceedings of N. J. Hist, Society, Vol. X, p 144.-ED, Secretary Popple to Secretary Sansom, transmitting sundry documents referring to the Controversy about the Ports of New Jersey, for the consideration of the Commisssoners of the Customs. [From P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties, Vol. 25, page 282.1 To JOHN SANSOM, ESQ Sir: The Lords Commissioners of the Councill of Trade and plantations having been lately informed by the Earle of Bellomont from New York of some opposition made by M: Bass Governor of the Jersy's, to his Majesties Order in Councill of the Twenty fifth of Novemb 1697; relating to a Port at Perth Amboy; they have commanded me to send you the following papers for the information of the Commissioners of his Majesties Customs in that matter Viz. (') [*] Copy of their Representation to the Lords Justices Dated the 27th October 1697. [*] Copy of his Majesties order in council upon their said Representation dated the 25th Nov! 97. Copy of the Earl of Bellomonts proclamation in Pursuance of the forementioned Representation and Order Dated at N. Yorke the 4th of May 1698. [*] Copy of M Bass's proclamation challenging the Right of a Port at Perth Amboy in opposition to his Majesty's foresaid Order in counc! dat at perth Amboy ye 30th May 1698. [*] Copy of a Minute of his Majesties Council of New York upon a Dispute about the clearing of a Ship for Perth Amboy, without paying customes at New York. Dated the 23rd of July 1698. [*] Copy of Ducy Hungerford's Affidavit relating to the opposition made to him at Perth Amboy, upon a (1) [*] The documents thus marked will be found under their respective dates on preceding pages.-ED. seizure that he endeavoured to make there in pursuance of his Majesty's forsaid Order in Councill and the Earl of Bellomonts proclamation upon it. Dated the 18th September 1698. Unto which I am commanded to add that their Lordships observing that M Bass now waves the former pretence of a Right derived from the Duke of York and builds chiefly upon the commissions granted by the Commissioners of his Majesties customes to their Officers at Perth Amboy from whence he seems to infer either a direct Establishment or at least Tacit Supposition of a Right to a Port in that place by vertue of the act of Parliament of the 25th Ch: 2a They are desirous to know if the Commissioners of the Customes have received the like Informations from the Earl of Bellomont about this Business and what Order they have taken therein; Or if they had not received So full Information before, Their lordships desire they would now please to consider the Papers I send You, and let them know their thoughts thereupon; Because it seems much for his Majesties Interest, and of great importance to the province of New York, and consequently to the Security of his Majesties other plantations in America, (of which New York is the most considerable frontier) that his Majesties forsaid Order in Council and the Instruction constantly given to all the Governors of New York upon that Subject, be punctually observed. Their Lordships observing also that the Earl of Bellomont in his Letter of the First of July last makes mention of a vessel Seized by M Randolp in the Jerseys and afterwards Tryed in the Court of Ads of New York, they desire you would let them know the Subject and Success of that Tryall, I am & Whitehall Decemb' the 22 1698. W. P. |