A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
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Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to William Dawkins, December 8, 1727
Robert Carter writes to London merchant William Dawkins, December 8, 1727, to report the arrival of Dawkins' letter of October 9th, and the arrival of a number of ships in the colony. He notes the death of Nathaniel Harrison, deputy auditor, and that he is too old and infirm to seek the place under the patronage of Horace Walpole.
Letter from Robert Carter to William Dawkins,
December 8, 1727
-1
-
Rappahannock, [Lancaster County, Virginia]
Decr. the 8th. 1727
Mr. William Dawkins
Sir --
A Small Vessel belonging to Bristol that loaded high
up our river
and is unexpectedly come down to clear out gives the Opportu
nity of this Short line Buckeridge
and Bradby
are Arrived into York
Keeling
and Brooks
into Piankatank,
what others to the Southward I
dont know, I have yours of the 9th. of October advising the Safety of the Carter
into the
Downs
and that you intended to dispatch her away forthwith if you
make her not an Early Ship her Success for what I know may be doubtful
It is reported a great many Ships from London are bound hither,
Colonel Harrison
our Deputy Auditor
is lately dead
gone
off I think on Saturday last well and Dead in three hours time a good place
in the Gift of Mr. Horace Walpole
is become
Auditor of the plan [tation]
s is become
Vacant many no doubt will be Striving for it, whom our Governor
recommends
I Suppose will have the fairest chance, I have no thoughts of such a thing
-2
-
in my old infirm age if I had I have little Interest so must Sit Still
as a Spectator ( Although I have now Served the Government near Eight and Twenty years without a place of profit)
only wishing merit may take place.
A Liverpool Ship will be ready to depart hence in a few days
I Shall write to you again by her remain at present
Yor: very humble Servant
per Western Snow
NOTES
Source copy consulted:
Robert Carter Letter Book, 1727 April 13-1728 July 23, Carter Family Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond.
Robert Carter generally used a return address of "Rappahannock" for the river on which he lived rather than "Corotoman," the name of his home, on his correspondence, especially to merchants abroad. The county and colony have been added for clarity to the heading on the draft.
[1] the Rappahannock
[2] The Marlborough
was a vessel of 100 tons and 14 men, commanded by George Buckeridge (Buckbridge). In a letter to London merchant John Falconar July 24, 1727,
Carter refers to this vessel as "your Marlborrough." ( Survey report 6801 summarizing Adm. 68/195, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
)
[3] Captain James Bradby commanded the Micajah and Philip.
( Survey report 6801 summarizing Adm. 68/195, ff. 74v, found in the microfilms of the Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
)
[4] Captain William Keiling commanded the Betty.
( Survey Report 6800 summarizing Adm. 68/194, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
)
[5] Christopher Brooks commanded the Cambridge, a vessel of 100 tons and 11 men owned by London merchants Haswell and Brooks in 1729. (Survey Report 6801 summarising Adm. 68/195, found in the microfilms of the Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.)
[6] The Piankatank is a small river between the Rappahannock and the York.
[7] "The part of the sea within the Goodwin Sands, off the east coast of Kent [England], a famous rendezvous for ships. [It lies opposite to the eastern termination of the North Downs.]" ( Oxford English Dictionary
online.
)
[8] "The auditor was unquestionably a royal appointee, and held his commission under the great seal. He was, after 1680, upon the appointment of the auditor-general of the colonies, the deputy of that official. When the auditorship was established, it was stated that only councillors and those who had long resided in the colony were eligible to this office, and it seems that this principle was generally observed. . . . As the name of the office indicates, the auditor examined all the revenue accounts of the colony, except a few purely local ones under the supervision of the treasurer. Among these accounts were those of the royal collectors and naval officers, the quit-rents, the public claims, the fines and forfeitures. He swore to his accounts before the governor and the Council in April and October, and forwarded them through the auditor general to the lords of the treasury. . . . For a few years after the establishment of the office, the auditor received a salary from the Assembly; later, he was paid a salary as a royal official of £100 a year out of the British treasury. His compensation was, however, largely in the form of a fee, which was gradually increased from three to seven and a half per cent of the revenue accounts audited, and amounted to about £400 a year." ( Percy Scott Flippin. The Financial Administration of the Colony of Virginia
[Johns Hopkins Press, 1915.] 38-39.
)
[9] Horace Walpole was the brother of Robert Walpole, the chief minister of England. Horace held the posts of "auditor general and surveyor general of the royal revenue in the colonies." (Billings. et al.
Colonial Virginia: A History.
)
This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised May 29, 2014, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.