Archibald Home appointed one of the New Jersey Council.

Order in Council, dated the 23 of April 1741, approving a Representation of this Board proposing Archibald Home Esq to Supply a Vacancy in the Council of New Jersey by the Death of Robert Lettice Hooper Esq

AT THE COURT AT ST JAMES'S

the 23d Day of April 1741
Present

The Kings most Excellent Majesty in Council

Upon reading at the Board a Report from the Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs dated the 9th of this Instant in the Words following-Viz

"Your Majesty having been pleased by Your Order "in Council of the 19th of last month, to referr unto "this Committee a Representation from the Lords "Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, Setting "forth, that there is a Vacancy in your Majestys "Council of New Jersey, Occasioned by the Death of "Robert Lettice Hooper Esq. And that Archibald "Home Esq' having been recommended to them as a "Person every way Qualified to Serve Your Majesty "in that Station, They therefore humbly propose, that "he may be appointed to Supply the said Vacancy. "The Lords of the Committee this day took the said "Representation into their Consideration And do "thereupon Agree humbly to Report, that they have

"no Objection to Your Majestys Appointing the said "Archibald Home to be of Your Majestys said Coun"cil in the Province of New Jersey, in the room of "the said Lettice Hooper deceased

His Majesty this day took the said Report into Consideration and was Pleased with the Advice of His Privy Council to Approve thereof and to Order as it is hereby Ordered, that the said Archibald Home Esq be Constituted and Appointed a Member of His Majestys said Council of New Jersey in the room of the said Robert Lettice Hooper.' And His Grace the Duke of Newcastle His Majestys Principal Secretary of State is to Cause the usual Warrant to be prepared for His Majestys Royal Signature

A true Copy

TEMPLE STANYAN

Communication from the Lords of Trade to the Lords Justices-relative to Ensigns to be borne by ships having private commissions.

[From P. R. O. B. T. Plantations General No. 36, Ent. Book G, p. 279.]

To their Excellencies the Lords Justices.

May it please your Excellencies,

In our Representation to your Excellencies of the 21st and 22 of July last, which accompanied the Instructions We had prepared for His Majesty's Governors of the Massachusets Bay and New Hampshire, We took Leave to propose an Alteration to be made in the Colours to be worn by all Ships having private Commissions or carrying Letters of Marque or Reprisal,

Mr. Home died in 1745 and was succeeded by Andrew Johnston on June 19th, 1745.

to make the same conformable to those given by His Majestys Commissioners for executing the Office of High Admiral of Great Britain to the Commanders of Vessels having Letters of Marque or Commissions for Private Men of War; And your Excellencies having been pleased to refer the said Representation and Instructions to the Lords of the Committee of His Majesty's most Honble Privy Council, Their Lordships upon Perusal thereof, did by their Order dated the 7t instant, direct us to consider whether Draughts of Additional Instructions relating to the said Ensigns should be sent to such Governors as have not been already instructed upon this head, & We apprehending the same may be for His Majesty's Service, have prepared the inclosed Draughts of Additional Instructions for that purpose, which are most humbly submitted to Your Excellencies.

M BLADEN.

B: KEENE

R: PLUMER

JA: BRUDENEL

[The instructions were to the following effect.]

That is to say, Such as is worn by our Ships of "War, with the Distinction of a white Escutcheon in "the middle thereof; And that the said Mark of Dis"tinction may extend itself to one half of the Depth "of the Jack, and to one third of the Fly thereof." It is His Majestys Will & Pleasure, And You are hereby required for the future to oblige all Commanders of Ships to whom You shall grant such Commissions to wear the same Ensign as Merchant Ships & a red Jack with the Union Jack in a Canton at the upper Corner next the Staff, instead of those mention'd in former Instructions,

Letter from Governor Lewis Morris to the Lords of Trade-about New Jersey affairs.

My Lords,

[From P. R. O. B. T. New Jersey, Vol. IV, F 43.]

Trenton, August 16th 1741

I have received the Honour of your Lordships of May 20th and 21st and August 1 1740, and one of Aprill 17th 1741 with two Acts of Parliament Pursuant to your Lordships commands of the 1st of August 1740. I gave the Commissioners residing in this Province the Information by your Lordships directed, but I am told none of them attended and that the Settling the bounds] between Boston and Rhode Island (if done) was done without their Assistance.

In Obedience to your Lordships of May 21st 1740 I have directed the Secretary of this Province (who farmes the Office of one Burnet in England who has the Patent for it) to Search the Office and give mean Account of what Laws have been pass'd but the Offices being kept in two places Viz! Amboy and Burlington and not Being Formerly kept so carefully as they should, a collection Even of their titles will be not Easie to make, and much more so to get them transcribed, the transcribing the minutes of the Council and Acts of Assembly Each Session and duplicates of them which is twice done by the Secretary and is a burden upon the Officer which the Assembly has given but a Scanty allowance for doing, and such as is very far short of paying for the Service done.

During the Sitting of the Assembly at Burlington I discovered an Old chest full of papers belonging to that Office and among them many of the Original Laws put in a Garret of a House that I had hired where I lodg'd my Servants, & it was a great chance that many

of them were not us'd for waste paper. they might have been as carelessly kept at Amboy for Ought I know, there having been no publick provision made for a place to keep them in, Either there or Elsewhere. There having been Coppies of all the Laws made here from time to time as they were made transmitted to the Secretary of State for the time being, and Duplicates of them to the board of trade, Each of those Offices are probably furnished with a compleat collection of them to lay before the house of commons if they desire it; however I will do what I can for Your Lordships Information on that head.

Your Lordships of the 20th of May 1740, requiring an Account of the tenor and Amount of the Bills of Credit current in New Jersie, with my Opinion what would be the most ready way to Sink and destroy them with the least Prejudice to the inhabitants, I laid before the Council, as I did your Lordships of the 5th of July 1739, with Coppyes of Addresses Ordered by the Lords and Commons to be made to His Majestie much to the same Purpose. I sent your Lordships the Report of the Council in answer to that of the 5th of July which I hope came to your Lordships hands; but, least that should have Miscarryed I send your Lordships another transcript of the minutes of Council then sent. I also send the minutes of Council commencing the 1st of December 1740. & ending the 2a of May 1741. Among those last mentioned minutes there is one of January 1st 1740, with relation to your Lordships letter of the 20th of May 1740. the 1st part of which they conceive was fully and compleatly answred by their report of the 4th of December 1739, and gives an Account of all the Bills that have been and now are Current in this Province Except £2000. in bills of Credit made current Since for Vicualling and transporting the troops rais'd in this Colony sent against the Spaniards. This Report of the 4th of