Skipping ahead to 16 Nov 1711 in the Board of Trade Minute Book , there is a letter from the Lt. Gov. of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood. He asks about the policy of selling the tobacco which is received as quit rent payments. [I believe it was Spotswood who made tobacco (actually the warehouse receipts for tobacco) legal tender. People were paying their "taxes" with tobacco, and the colony was becoming a major owner of tobacco.] The question was, how were they to sell it. Spotswood also requested a fresh supply of gunpowder, as the quality of the gunpowder for the use of the colony was poor. There was also a question about land grants. [Spotswood was not hesitant to ask for guidance on policy questions. Also, he did a good job of keeping the Board informed.] On the question of selling tobacco, the Commissioners wrote to the Lord High Treasurer. On the gunpowder question, an opinion was asked of the Earl of Dartmouth, who asked the Board of Ordnance. The Board of Ordnance's answer to the Earl was forwarded to the Board of Trade, who sent a copy to Spotswood.
On 29 Nov., a letter, dated 15 Oct., was received from Spotswood reporting an armed uprising by the Tuscuraro Indians in North Carolina, and the massacre of many settlers. The now Baron de Graffenried was captured, along with a NC official, Lawson. Lawson was killed by the Indians, but Graffenried talked his way to freedom. In Spotswood’s duties as Lt. Gov., a major part of his time and travels were taken up by Indian questions. He was at Indian conference in New York when he was replaced as Governor of Virginia in 1722.
There were two vacancies on the Council of Virginia and Spotswood had recommended two people, whose names he forwarded to the Board. Other people, such as the Earl of Orkney, also made recommendations on filling vacancies. Generally, the Board selected a name to fill a vacancy and sent it to Her Majesty in Council, who said yea or nay.
On 4 Dec 1711, the Commissioners prepared an answer to the Earl of Dartmouth, regarding the poor condition of gunpowder in Virginia, along with a request for a fresh supply. Two days later they signed the letter to the Earl. [Their copy machine sometimes was not the speediest.]
On 8 Jan 1712 (NS), the Commissioners read an Order in Council [the Queen’s advisors], dated 19 Dec 1711, referring to them, for consideration and report, a petition submitted by Mr. Garvin Corbin, Naval Officer of the Rappahannock River, protesting his suspension by Col. Spotswood, Lt. Gov. of Virginia, on suspicion of having made an erasure in H.M.’s Letter of License for the ship Robinson. The Commissioners arranged for Mr. Corbin and Mr. Blakiston (agent for Virginia) to attend a later meeting at which the matter would be considered.
[This was another typical action complain to London about something or some person in Virginia. The Board considered all manner of requests of this type, some of them without any signature.]
On 11 Jan, the Commissioners heard Mr. Corbin, Col. Blakiston, the Earl of Orkney, and the mate of the Robinson frigate, and considered Mr. Corbin’s petition.
(16 Aug 00)
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