The Trade between Dundee and Veere
Extracts from the Convention of Royal Burrows (Burghs) (Page 7)
Protection of Convoys
28th Feb 1745
Mr Hamilton’s Letter
Sr. By my last some time ago I acquainted yow that Mr Stewart from Campvere was not arrived, but as he landed soon after, he & I have had several conferences together, and from the account I had of the trade from Scotland to Campvere and other circumstances prepared petition in the name of the committee of the royal burrows to the lords of the admiralty. I communicated that petition to the provost of Edinburgh and several others of the members from Scotland, but upon consideration it was thought most advisable that the petition should not be restrain’d to the trade to Holland but extend also to that to London; accordingly the petition was varry’d, and on Munday last I waited upon the board and delivered it, the provost of Edinbr. and several other of the members from Scotland being so good as to attend the board at the same time. Inclosed I send yow a coppy of the petition. After waiting some time we were call’d in, and their lordships were pleased to say what was apply’d for was extremely reasonable and they would give the propper directions accordingly; and yesterday I received a letter from Mr Corbet, the secretary, desiring to know when the royal burrows would want a convoy for their trade from the Nore to Scotland, a coppy of which letter I send also inclosed and have communicated it to the provost of Edinbr. I have write to Mr Corbet that when I receive any directions from the royal burrows I would doe myself the pleasure of waiting of him with them, and that I would write to Scotland this post for directions. Thus have I comply’d with the commands I received, and I flatter myself the committee will approve of the steps that have been taken, and whatever directions the committee are oleased to favour me with shall be carefully obeyed by sr., your most humble servt.
Sic subtr.
Will. Hamilton
Lincolns Inn, 21 Ffebry.1744/5.
Follows the petition to the Admiralty
To the Rt. Honble. the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the humble petition of the committee of the convention of the royal burroughs of Scotland,
Sheweth –
That the trade from the north and eastern coasts of Scotland to Campvere in Zealand is a trade of the greatest importance to that part of the United Kingdom, and by virtue of an ancient agreement betwixt the royal burrows of Scotland and the magistrats of Campvere, all goods and merchandize the grouth and manufacture of Scotland imported from thence to Campvere are exempted from the payment of any duty to the states.
That in virtue of this agreement and priviledge, which has ever been religiously observed and still subsists in the utmost force, the trade from Scotland to Zealand is verry considerable, and their annual imports to Campvere before the war did usually amount to 200,000 lit., but since that time doe not amount to above half that sum, notwithstanding that the demand for these goods and manufactures is as great there now if not greater that in the time of peace.
This the royal burroughs are apprehensive has been occasioned by the want of regular convoys for the trade from Scotland to Campvere, and as the like prejudice also has happen’d in some degree to the trade from Scotland to London, they humbly intreat your lordships that directions may be given for the future for proper regular convoys to protect the said two trades.
Our petitioners are extremely sensible of the various publick services which demand your lordships’ attention and the various branches of trade which equally claim protection, they therefor presume to lay before your lordships the manner in which they apprehend the trade from Scotland to Holland, Zealand, and the port of London may be safely convoy’d with the smallest number of ships possible.
That three twenty-gun ships or sloops as your lordships shall please to direct, constantly imploy’d appear to your petitioners to be the smallest number this service can possibly take; that such ships or sloops should every two monthes, or at such stated times as you lordships shall think fitt, assemble the whole trade of the east coast of Scotland in Leith road, one of the said ships before she runs up the Firth of Forth going as far north as Aberdeen to receive the trade of that place, which is generally of considerable value.
That the whole fleet, which is judged every two monthes will consist of thirty or fourty ships from Scotland alone, should proceed from Leith to Yarmouth roads, taking up by the way the trade of Berwick, New Castle, & Hull.
That at Yarmouth the fleet should seperat, the trade for London proceeding under a convoy of one of the ships of war, and the trade for Holland and Zealand under that of the other two.
That the convoy for Rotterdam and Zealand should first see the trade for Rotterdam in safety and proceed with the rest of the trade to Campvere, where waiting two or three days one of the ships of war shall return to Scotland with such ships as are found ready or can be got ready in that time, dropping by the way the ships bound for the north of England; the other may return to Yarmouth there to wait the convoy from London, which may proceed from thence according as the trade requires & your lops. direct.
In this manner and with this number of ships it is conceived that the north country trade to London, Holland, and Zealand may be sufficiently secured, which your petitioners have therefor presumed to lay before your lordships, humbly submitting the whole to your lordships consideration.
Admiralty Office, 20 Ffebry. 1744/5
Sir- I am commander by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to desire yow will let me know when the royal burghs of Scotland will want a convoy for their trade from the Nore to Scotland. – I am, sir, your verry humble servant
Sic subscribitur.
Tho. Corbet
To Mr William Hamilton at Lincoln’s Inn
Which being read, the committee appoint their preses to write to Mr William Hamilton, their agent at London, to apply to the lords of the admiralty without loss of time for a convoy to the trade from the Nore to Scotland, they being inform’d that there are a great many ships lying there for a convoy; and as the committee doe approve of his proceedings in the application formerly made, soe they desire he would continue his applications for regular convoys every two moneths, which would be much more usefull to the trade, as the merchts. would take care to have their ships loaded and ready to saill at the times appointed.
Which letter was wrote by the preses accordingly.
Iain D. McIntosh, 2021