Note 7-A Lift of the Ships put in Commiffion, on the Dif pute with Spain about Falkland Islands, in 1770.

Barfleur,

At the time the above fhips were ordered to be put in commiffion, the following fhips were in commiffion :

Thefe were guardships, and were partly ftationed at Portsmouth,

Plymouth, and Chatham.

Exclufive of a great number of floops and cutters.

The above forty-two fhips were moftly employed on foreign stations, except a few frigates employed at home to prevent smuggling.

All negociations having been for fome time at an end between Lord Weymouth, or myself, and the Spanish Ambaffador, to whom his Catholic Majesty thought fit to commit his anfwer. to the King's demand, which anfwer was totally inadmiffible; and it being inconfiftent with his Majefty's honour to make any farther propofal to the Court of Spain, I am now to fignify to you the King's pleafure, that your longer ftay at Madrid appearing entirely unneceffary, you prepare to return home with all convenient fpeed, after taking leave in the ufual manner.

SIR,

I am, &c.

ROCHFORD.

St. James's, Jan. 18, 1771.

The King having reafon, from the informations he has received, to believe, that Prince de Mafferano has orders to make fresh propofitions of fatisfaction for the injury done to his Majesty at Falkland's iflands, I am to fignify to you his Majefty's pleafure, that you return to the court of Madrid, in order that you may be ready to hear any thing which the Minifters of his Catholic Majefty may have in

(B2)

charge

charge to fay to you, on the fame fubject, and to carry on the usual intercourse between the two Courts, in cafe the above-mentioned propofitions should prove fatisfactory; and as in the prefent circumstances your appearance at Madrid is very material, it is his Majesty's pleasure, that you should not lose any time in your journey on account of private affairs or inconvenience, and that you should remain there till his Majefty fhall think proper to fill your place by a Minifter of higher character.

I am, &c.

ROCHFORD.

Tranflation of the DECLARATION figned and delivered by Prince de Mafferano, Ambafador-Extraordinary from his Catholic Majefty, the 22d January, 1771.

His Britannic Majefty having complained of the violence which was committed on the 10th of June, 1770, at the island, commonly called the Great Malouine, and by the English Falkland's ifland, in obliging by force, the Commander and fubjects of his Britannic Majefty to evacuate the port by them called Egmont, a ftep offenfive to the honour of his crown; the Prince de Mafferano, Ambaffador-Extraordinary of his Catholic Majefty, has received orders to declare, and declares, that his Catholic Majefty, confidering the defire with which he is animated for peace, and for the maintenance of good harmony with his Britannic Majefty, and reflecting that this event might interrupt it, has feen with difpleafure this expedition tending to disturb it; and in the perfuafion in which he is of the reciprocity of fentiments of his Britannic Majefty, and of its being far from his intention to authorife any thing that might difturb the good understanding between the two Courts, his Catholic Majefty does difavow the faid violent enterprize; and, in confequence, the Prince de Mafferano declares, that his Catholic Majefty engages to give immediate orders that things fhall be reftored in the Great Malouine, at the port called Egmont, precifely to the ftate in which they were before the 10th of June, 1770; for which purpose, his Catholic Majefty will give orders to one of his officers, to deliver up to the officer authorised by his Bri. tannic Majefty, the port and fort called Egmont, with all the artillery, ftores, and effects of his Britannic Majefty, and his fubjects, which were at that place the day above named, agreeable to the inventory which has been made of them.

The Prince de Mafferano declares, at the fame time, in the name of the King his mafter, that the engagement of his faid Catholic Majefty to restore to his Britannic Majefty the poffeffion of the port and fort called Egmont, cannot, nor ought, any wife to affect the queftion of the prior right of fovereignty of the Malouine iflands, otherwife called Falkland's iflands. In witnefs whereof, I the underwritten Ambaffador-Extraordinary, have figned the prefent declaration with my ufual fignature, and caufed it to be fealed with our

arms,

arms, London, the twenty-fecond day of January, one thousand feven hundred and feventy-one.

(L.S.)

(Signed)

LE PRINCE DE MASSERANO.

Translation of his Catholic Majefty's Order for the Refloration of Falkland's Inland.

It being agreed between the King and his Britannic Majefty, by a Convention, figned at London on the 22d of January laft paft, by the Prince of Mafferano and the Earl of Rochford, that the Great Malouine, called by the English Falkland island, fhould be immediately replaced in the precise situation in which it was before it was evacuated by them on the 10th of June last year; I fignify to you, by the King's order, that as foon as the perfon commiffioned by the Court of London fhall present himself to you, with this, you order the delivery of the Port de la Crufada, or Egmont, and its fort and dependencies, to be effected; as also that of all the artillery, ammunition, and effects, that were found there, belonging to his Britannic Majefty and his fubjects, according to the inventories figned by George Farmer and William Maltby, Efqrs. on the 11th of July of the faid year, at the time of their quitting the fame; of which I fend you the inclofed copies, authenticated under my hand; and that as foon as the one and the other fhall be effected, with the due formalities, you cause to retire immediately the officer, and other subjects of the King which may be there. God preserve you many years. Pardo, Feb. 7, 1771.

THE BALIO FRAY DON JULIAN DE ARRIAGA,

To Don Philip Ruiz Puente.

Note 9.-A Lift of the Squadron sent to the East Indies, under the Command of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Harland, Bart.