126 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S05. 



jnost unequivocal manner, that upon which the orders for its »\o- 

 I'Vcnch troops were marcniiig cution originsted, does not appear 

 through Spain for tliat port, and tliat to have been absolute))' correct. The 

 a considerable Spanish force was Spanish government positively assert, 

 then coilc^ling there, and an arma- that tht; armament al Ferrol had 

 ment iu a 'considerable degree of no other object than to convi-y 

 forwardness. In coosequence of troops to Bilboa, and the coast of 

 this intelligence, the IJritish govern- Biscaj', ^^here tliere was an actual 

 incnt immediately issued order* for and open insurrcdtion on foot 

 tlie interception of, and lu) ing an against the government. An'l it 

 embargo on, tlic Spanish treasure should seem that this stalcmenl \vas 

 ships that M'cre periodically return- perfeilrtly correct, as it, at the' same 

 ing from South America, and hour- time, professed its being ready and 

 ly expeeted at Cadiz. willing to disarm its vessels sq soon 



The result of this ineasTjre was as it should be required so to do. 

 the cruizing of a squadron of fkilish The existing Driiish government, 

 frigates, oft' Cadiz, which, on the .5th at the period of whicii we speak, 

 of October, 1804, fell in with four seemed in every event disposed to 

 Spanish frigates of the above de- convider it to be the detirminalion 

 scription. The latter were immedi- of the Spanish councils either aclive- 

 ately informed by the English com- ly to co-operate with Franco, or at 

 modorc of his orders to detain them, least to make a very serious diver- 

 to which they paid no attention, sion in her favour, by occupying a 

 but resolved upon defending (Iiem- great proportion of our fleets in 

 4Clvcs. An action immediately en- watching their ports. It did not 

 sued, iu which three of the Spa- appear to it to be essential to tho 

 nish vessels were captured, and (he merits of the case, whether it had 

 fourth, witli a considerable propor- received accurate inlonnation or 

 tion of the treasure^ and some not, or that it affefled the justice of 

 passengors of distinflion on l)oard, the principles upon which it had 

 nnfortunatcly blew np, an arcidrnt acted. Indeed, when two nations 

 which gave this affair a character of are in a state of merely suspended 

 more decided hostility than itprolia- hostilities, the slighte^t misapprc. 

 bly would otherwise have assumed, hension, or accident, might, without 



The captured ships were not im- 

 mediately condemned, but were re- 

 tained as pledges of that satisfaction 

 which Great IJritain demanded of 

 the Spanish government.* 



compromising the national character 

 of either, naturally produce an ac- 

 tual rupture. In this instance, 

 liowev»r, the declaration of war 

 came from the side of Spain. 1 he 



The striking this blow had the seizure of the treasure ships was an 

 important effort of immediately pro- act which might easily have admit- 

 ducing war between England and ted of explanation and satisfaction. 

 Siipain. The information however But the Spanish government dc- 



innnd«>d 



* For the sake ef comiection, we have here recapitulated the Icadinc features of 

 tliis unfortunate ailair, whicli however will be fnuiul detKileri at leiicth in the vol. 

 of 1804, pa|;e 1 11. Al^o, in the same vol. ride p. 5.'>5, for the oflicial account. As 

 also jj, 421, for tiie pai ticuiais of the dreadful and affcctinc accident above adverted 

 to. 



