Transcription of the Memorial of the East India Company to the Earl of Dartmouth

Last time I introduced the memorial the East India Company submitted to the Earl of Dartmouth, Secretary of State for American Affairs, following the destruction of their tea in Boston Harbor. Today I'd like to offer a transcription of it. Then we can examine what it reveals for us about the Boston Tea Party.

A grainy copy of the last two pages of the memorial and invoice. This is from Benjamin Labaree's "Catalyst for Revolution: the Boston Tea Party 1773" (Massachusetts Bicentennial Commission Publication, 1973. It is available here on the Internet Archive.)

"Copy of Memorial of the East India Company to the Earl of Dartmouth. Dated Febr'y 16th 1774.

In Mr. Michell's letter to Mr. Pownall of 16th Febr'y 1774.

To the Right Honorable The Earl of Dartmouth His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for American Affairs.

The humble Memorial of the Court of Directors for the Affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies.

Sheweth,

    That your Memorialists, in the Month of Septr last, shipped on board the Bever, Captain Hezekiah Coffin, the Eleanor, Captain James Bruce, & the Dartmouth Captain James Hall, Three Hundred & Forty Chests of Tea, of the Value of Nine Thousand, Six Hundred fifty Nine Pounds Six Shillings and four Pence, according to the Account of the Invoice Amount of the said Teas hereto annexed, which were consigned to different Agents at Boston in New England, to be there imported, subject to the American duty payable thereon, & to be sold for the Account of the East India Company.

    That before & subsequent to the Arrival of the said Ships several Meetings were held by the Inhabitants of Boston, and in consequence thereof, & of the Resolutions then taken, & Menaces thrown out, incase of the Importation of the Tea onboard the said Ships, a lawless Rabble went on board on the Arrival thereof, and stoved & threw into the Harbour the whole of the said Cargoes of Tea, after forcing the Officers of the Customs on board of the said Ships to quit the same, & go on Shore, whilst they perpetrated their violent and illegal Proceedings.

    That the East India Company's loss on this account, together with the Freights which they are obliged to pay, will amount, according to the said annexed Account, to the Sum of Nine Thousand Six Hundred Fifty Nine Pounds Six Shillings and four Pence, and as it was not in your Memorialists' power, who were carrying on a fair & legal Trade, to prevent the Consequences of such an Insurrection.

    Your Memorialists, on behalf of their Constituents be leave to request your Lordship to lay their Case before His Majesty, & that His Majesty will be graciously pleased to pursue such Measures, or give such Directions, for the Indemnity of the East India Company, respecting their said Loss, as to His Majesty, in His great Equity and Widom, shall seem meet.

    And your Memorialists shall ever pray

        East India House

        London 16th Febr'y 1774

        (L.S.)

An Account of the Invoice Amount of Teas exported to Boston, in New England, by the United East India Company, Consigned to Mess.rs Thomas & Elisha Hutchinson, Benjamin Faneuil Jun.r Joshua Winslow, and Richard Clarke & Sons, Merchants."

Representation of the data contained in the invoice, presented in a manner that hopefully maintains authenticity while adding clarity.

(Parliamentary Archives, London, HL/PO/JO/10/7/408. Memorial of the East India Company to the Earl of Dartmouth, 16 February 1774.)


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