government to return them, which I fear will occasion warm debates in the House of Commons, because they say they were promised that they should be forthwith returned.

ADDISON TO THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF TRADE.

MY LORDS,

Whitehall, October 5th, 1717.

His Majesty having been pleased to sign the additional instructions to the governors of the several plantations in America, relating to their passing acts which may any ways affect the trade or shipping of this kingdom; I herewith transmit the same to your Lordships, that they may be forwarded to the said respective governors by the first convenient opportunity.

I am, my Lords,

Your Lordships' most obedient and
Most humble servant,

J. ADDISON.

ADDISON TO THE OFFICERS OF THE ORDNANCE.

GENTLEMEN,

Hampton Court, October 13th, 1717.

The happy delivery of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales being daily expected, I am to signify to you his Majesty's pleasure that, when it shall happen, you give order for firing the guns, as usual.

I am, &c.,

J. ADDISON.

MY LORD,

ADDISON TO THE EARL OF STAIR.

Whitehall, 14th October, 1717.

I received last Saturday your Excellency's letters of the 16th instant, N. S., which being now before the king, I hope to receive his Majesty's commands upon them in a very little time.

In the mean while, I transmit to your Excellency for your private perusal a copy of the answer given by the Court of Madrid to Mr. Bubb's Memorial upon the late Expedition to Sardinia, and shall, by the next post, send you the copy of a

letter, which I have written to Count Gallas, by his Majesty's command, on the subject of my Lord Peterborough.

I am, &c.,

J. ADDISON.

SIR,

ADDISON TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.

Whitehall, October 14th, 1717.

The Lords Commissioners of Trade having represented that it would be for his Majesty's service, that a governor should be appointed for the Bahama Islands, and a fortification erected there, and that the said governor should have the command of such a number of soldiers, as should be thought necessary for that service; which representation having been laid before the king and the Lords of the Committee; his Majesty has been pleased to appoint Captain Woodes Rogers1 to be governor of the said islands, and likewise to direct that he should have the command of an independent Company, which, according to the representation of the said Rogers, ought to consist of a hundred men at least. And, whereas I am ordered to concert with you the most speedy and least expensive method of furnishing him with the above-mentioned number of men, I am to acquaint you that he has represented to me, that the season is too far advanced to procure these forces from any part of America, and proposes that they may be draughted out of the Guards, or any other regiments now on foot, or out of his Majesty's Hospital at Chelsea. I am therefore to desire, that you will please to inform yourself which of these methods will be most proper for this service, and that you will signify to me his Majesty's pleasure thereupon, as soon as conveniently you can, to the end that a Commission for the said Captain Rogers may be prepared accordingly.

I am, your most obedient,
Humble servant,

J. ADDISON.

MY LORD,

ADDISON TO THE EARL OF STAIR.

Whitehall, October 21st, 1717.

I have your Excellency's of the 27th only to acknowledge, which came yesterday to my hands, and is now before his Majesty.

See note, p. 477.

What I am chiefly to observe to your Excellency at present is, that the king having long since been assured, that the directors of the work at Mardyke, on the part of France, had received a positive order to demolish the Jetties, his Majesty has expected to hear by every post, that they were accordingly employed in that part of the demolition; but having not yet received any account thereof, his Majesty thinks it necessary, that your Excellency should insist strongly on the immediate demolition of the Jetties; and his Majesty hopes that your pressing instances, which have already removed so many difficulties in that great work, will also prove effectual in this particular.

As to the complaint of the Regent, mentioned in your Excellency's of the 20th, concerning the packet-boats, I have, by his Majesty's command, acquainted the PostmasterGeneral therewith, in order to have it inquired into and redressed.

His Grace the Duke of Roxburgh has put into my hands the following minute, to be transmitted to your Excellency. Major General Gordon stays near to Bourdeaux. He has a sister married to one Gordon, a factor there."

66

I herewith enclose to your Excellency the copy of my letter to Count Gallas, which I promised you in my last. I am, with great respect,

My Lord, your Excellency's

Most obedient and most humble servant,

J. ADDISON.

MY LORD,

ADDISON TO THE EARL OF STAIR.

Whitehall, November 4th, 1717.

The occasion of this is, to communicate to your Excellency the joyful news, that on the 2nd instant, between six and seven o'clock in the evening, her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales, was safely delivered of a Prince; and that her Royal Highness and the young Prince are both in good health.

I am, &c.,
J. ADDISON.

MY LORD,

ADDISON TO THE EARL OF STAIR.

Whitehall, November 5th, 1717.

I take this opportunity, upon the return of Chalke the messenger to your Excellency, to acknowledge your letters of the 30th past, and the 3rd, 6th, and 8th instant [N. S.]; all of which I have laid before the king; and, although they do not contain anything that requires his Majesty's commands to your Excellency, yet I am to acquaint you, that his Majesty is highly satisfied with your accounts, and gives them a particular attention. The king is concerned to hear of your indisposition; but I hope I shall in a little time have the pleasure of giving H. M. the agreeable news of your recovery.

I have received his Majesty's commands about O'Kelly mentioned in one of your Excellency's letters, acknowledged in my last, and have written to the Duke of Bolton to give him all fitting encouragement and protection.

In answer to the complaint made by the French king's officers at Calais against the English masters of packetboats, as carrying on a clandestine trade, and defrauding that Crown of the duties, I enclose to your Excellency a copy of the account sent to the Postmaster-general by Mr. Lovel, their agent at Dover, who was ordered to inquire into the truth of this matter. Your Excellency will find, by his state of the case, that the French affairs at Calais have given rather than received occasion of complaint, and your Excellency will, as you find a proper opportunity, be able to return a satisfactory answer upon this subject to the Regent of France.

There is reason to believe that the officers of the marine at Calais are more officious than is necessary, and what strengthens this opinion is, a complaint lately made by them, as set forth in a memorial delivered by Mr. Chamourd Teery to the embassy here, that the English commanders of yachts refuse to take out their powder in the port of Calais; which memorial being referred to the Lords of the Admiralty, their Lordships have reported in favour of the commanders as having done their duty. I enclose the report to your Excellency for your information, to which I must add, that my Lord Berkley told me in conversation upon this subject, viz. that this demand of the French has never been made

upon us till of late, that we require no such thing of them in our ports, where there are many more ships, and consequently fear of much greater mischief; and that there is more danger in removing the powder by scattering small quantities of it, than there is in its remaining on board the ships.

Thus much I am to communicate to your Excellency; and though the matter does not lie before you at present, your Excellency will, upon occasion, be able to make a proper use of it.

His Majesty is glad to find that the French are, in all probability, by this time at work upon the demolition of their jetties.

I am, with great respect,
Your Excellency's most obedient and
Most humble servant,

J. ADDISON.

ADDISON TO THE LORDS OF THE TREASURY. MY LORDS,

Whitehall, November 6th, 1717.

His Majesty having, upon the humble representation of the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, appointed Captain Woodes Rogers to be governor of the Isle of Providence and the rest of the Bahama Islands, and it being judged expedient, that a fortification should be erected there, and a garrison established for the security of the said islands under the command of the said Captain Rogers; for which service such a quantity of ordnance and stores will be requisite, (as is specified in the list hereunto annexed,) and whereas the officers of his Majesty's ordnance, whose report is herewith enclosed, have represented that there was no money ever allowed by parliament for stores supplied to the West Indies, which has been an extraordinary burden on that office, and the occasion of his Majesty's stores being so low, and his magazines and other buildings so much out of repair, and that as the money given is appropriated to the particular services mentioned in the estimate laid before parliament; they humbly hope his Majesty will be pleased to order monies particularly for these stores, which will enable them to re-supply the same; I am therefore to signify to your Lordships his Majesty's pleasure, that you order the sum of £2003 5s. 10d. according to the computation made