{"product_id":"1726-robert-walpole-treasury-order-105-412-for-the-office-of-ordnance-signed-by-four-treasury-commissioners","title":"1726 Robert Walpole Treasury Order — £105,412 for the Office of Ordnance, Signed by Four Treasury Commissioners","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExceptional 1726 Treasury Document Signed by Robert Walpole and Three Fellow Treasury Commissioners\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA remarkable original \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1726 British Treasury document\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, signed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSir Robert Walpole\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Britain's first de facto Prime Minister, together with three other senior members of his Treasury administration.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eApril 19, 1726\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, from the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhitehall Treasury Chamber\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the document orders the payment of the extraordinary sum of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e£105,412 14s. 3d.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJohn Plumptree\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Treasurer and Paymaster of the Office of Ordnance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe payment was authorized for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"land and sea services\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e performed and to be performed by the Office of Ordnance, the government department responsible for Britain's artillery, arms, ammunition, military stores and related services.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFour Important Treasury Signatures\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document bears the signatures of:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSir Robert Walpole (1676–1745)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer, conventionally regarded as Britain's first Prime Minister.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSir Charles Turner, 1st Baronet (1666–1738)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — prominent Whig politician and Lord of the Treasury, as well as Walpole's brother-in-law.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGeorge Bubb Dodington (1691–1762)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — prominent Whig politician and Lord of the Treasury under Walpole.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSir William Strickland, 4th Baronet (c.1686–1735)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — Lord of the Treasury from 1725–1727 and later Secretary at War.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Treasury commission in place at this time included Walpole, Turner, Dodington and Strickland, making this an unusually attractive example of the financial machinery of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWalpole ministry\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document orders payment to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJohn Plumptree\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Treasurer of the Ordnance, an office documented in contemporary Treasury warrants preserved in the British Library.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe date, April 1726, places the document at the height of Robert Walpole's first administration and during a period of substantial British military expenditure. Britain was also engaged in a growing confrontation with Spain, and Admiral Hosier's fleet was dispatched to the Spanish West Indies that same month.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough the document should not be specifically attributed to financing Hosier's expedition without additional evidence, its enormous authorization of more than \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e£105,000 for Ordnance land and sea services\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e provides a remarkable record of the scale of British governmental and military expenditure during the period.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document is especially desirable because it is not merely a Walpole autograph. It records a major financial action of the Treasury and bears the signatures of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efour members of the government responsible for administering the nation's finances\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e April 19, 1726\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlace:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Whitehall Treasury Chamber, London\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRecipient:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e John Plumptree, Treasurer and Paymaster of the Office of Ordnance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmount:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e £105,412 14s. 3d.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSubject:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Payment for land and sea services of the Office of Ordnance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Good. Original 18th-century paper with substantial period folds, light staining and foxing, edge wear and localized losses\/tears. The manuscript remains highly legible, and the four important Treasury signatures remain clear and collectible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52702771773722,"sku":null,"price":5555.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2116.jpg?v=1786821675","url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/en-ca\/products\/1726-robert-walpole-treasury-order-105-412-for-the-office-of-ordnance-signed-by-four-treasury-commissioners","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}