The Trade between Dundee and Veere
Extracts from the Convention of Royal Burrows (Burghs) (Page 2)
Protection of Convoys
24th May 1744
The which day the preses reported that letters were by him transmitted to London agreeable to the resolution mentioned in the former minuts, and that their agent at London had along with a letter transmitted a coppy of a petition presented to the lords of the admiralty, the tenor of both which are as follows: - Mr Lord, - I had the favour of your lordship’s of the 3rd, which was delivered to me by Mr Stewart (under whose cover it came) on Thursday last. I forthwith prepared a petition to the lords of the admiralty which I yesterday show’d to Mr Stuart and several other of the gentlemen that are members of parliament from Scotland, who all approved of the draught. As it was thought most advisable that I should alone wait upon the lords of the admiralty. I waited upon them this day, and sent to Mr Corbet and delivered him the petition, whereof inclosed I send yow a coppy, and which I sign’d as agent to the royal burrows; after staying some time, Mr Corbet came to me with a message from the lords, that they had read the petition, and would this day sign orders for two men of war to saill for Scotland to protect their trade, and that one of them should convoy the ships for London, and the other those for Holland, and desired me to acquaint your lordship That the ship would be verry soon at Leith, and that propper directions should be given to have the ships ready to saill as soon as could be after the arrival of the men at war. I hope I have punctually comply’d with the directions of your lordship and the committee of burrows, which shall always be my endeavour in every thing they are pleased to entrust with me. Mr Stewart tells me that during the late wars with France the captains of the men of war that were in Scotland were by their orders oblidged to obey the directions of the lord provost of Edinbr. Now give me leave to submit one thing to your lordship, that as no doubt such powers and authorities as the lord provost of Edinburgh had from time to time from the lords of the admiralty are enter’d in the city books, I should think it adviseable coppys of all these orders or letters from the admiralty should be sent up here, that incase it should be necessary to make any further applications for the like directions we may have the presidents to found on, and by having the dates wee may the easier have recours to the entrys in the admiralty court books, and which will make all applications in like cases more easy; but this I intirely submit and shall be verry glad to obey whatever commands I shall receive from your lordship and the committee of burrows, and am, my lord, your lordship’s most humble & most obedient servt. Sic subscribitur., Lincolns Inn, 14 April 1744 Will. Hamilton Follows the petition to the admiralty. To the right honourable the Lords Commissioners appointed for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, the petition of the committee of the convention of the royal burrows of Scotland, Humbly sheweth, - That as war is now declared betwixt Great Britain and France, there is no reason to doubt but the sea coasts of Scotland will soon be infested with French privateers, that having been the usual practice dureing the late war. There are at present vessells lying in different ports of Scotland loaded with their manufacture and other goods bound for London, which cannot with safety proceed in their voyages without a convoy. The said committee therefor humbly pray your lordships will be please dot give such propper directions as your lop. shall think fitt for stationing ships on the coast of Scotland and to grant convoys to the ships coming from that country, which have been usually granted in time of war with France, and without which such trade of that country must suffer, greatly to the prejudice of the United Kingdom. After which the preses reported that he had by a circular letter acquainted the tradeing burrows that such as intended to take the benefit of the said convoy should as soon as possible repair to Leith. Which being considered by the committee, they recommend to their preses to continue his applications to the admiralty for ships to be stationed on the several coasts of Scotland and for convoys to our shipping.
Iain D. McIntosh, 2021