468 



MEXICO. 



the ports of Vera Cruz, Tampico, &c., without 

 the authority of the consuls, who will them- 

 selves receive the customs dues on sucli en- 

 trances and clearances. They will throw the 

 proceeds into a common treasury of their own 

 at each port. They will retain 5 per cent., and 

 will pay over 50 per cent, to the Mexican 

 customs revenue. The Gulf is very large. The 

 above arrangements will continue until all 

 claims shall have been discharged. A ship of 

 war in the roadsteads in each of these ports 

 will secure the maintenance of the authority of 

 the allied consuls. If the Mexican Government 

 should unexpectedly set the three allied powers 

 at defiance, an effective blockade would be in- 

 stantly established." 



The force contributed by each power was as 

 follows : 



The only British ships-of-war sent specially for 

 service in the expedition against Mexico were 

 the Conqueror, (99,) Donegal, (99,) Sanspareil, 

 (70,) and Phaeton, (51.) Nevertheless, the 

 whole British squadron on the North American 

 and West Indian station, including the vessels 

 named, were placed under the orders of Sir 

 Alexander Milne. The entire naval force thus 

 at his command consisted of 29 vessels, carry- 

 ing 836 guns, and manned by 9,623 men. 



The English sent out no exclusive military 

 branch to their Mexican expedition. The only 

 force, in addition to the usual number of sailors 

 and marines on board war ships consisted of a 

 detachment of royal marines, (infantry and ar- 

 tillery,) numbering some 800 officers and men. 



The French part of the expedition was under 

 the command of Admiral De La Graviere. All 

 the vessels left Toulon and Brest on Nov. 20th. 

 The military portion embarked at Algerian 

 ports. The Massena, flagship, took 500 Zouaves 

 at Gran. The number of vessels was 14, car- 

 rying 314 guns, and 4,058 men. 



The French military branch of the Mexican 

 expedition consisted of 1 battalion 2d Regiment 

 Zouaves ; 1 mounted company 2d Regiment 

 Chasseurs d' Afrique ; a detachment of artillery ; 

 a detachment of engineers. These troops were 

 all taken from the army in Algeria. They 

 were embarked in the Aube and Massena on 

 the 19th and 20th of November. 



Number in all 3,000 



Add sailors and marines 4,058 



Total men 7,058 



The first division of the Spanish fleet sailed 

 from Havana for Vera Cruz on the 28th of 

 November; the second division on the 1st of 

 December, and the third on the second. They 

 preceded the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Prim, 

 who left Cadiz in the Ulloa on the 22d of No- 

 vember. The transports employed by the 

 Spanish Government to convey troops to 

 Mexico included some 20 vessels. The naval 

 portion of the Spanish part of the expedition 

 consisted of 18 vessels, carrying 461 guns and 

 5,250 men. 



The military branch of the Spanish expedi- 



tion consisted of 2 battalions of Chasseurs; 1st 

 battalion of the infantry regiment Napoles ; 1st 

 battalion of the infantry regiment of Cuba ; 4 

 companies of the 1st battalion of Napoles; 4 

 companies of the 2d battalion del Rey. 



Total military force 6,000 



Add sailors and marines 5,250 



Total 11,250 



The question of the future of Mexico was dis- 

 cussed early in September, and a rumor pre- 

 vailed that Don Juan de Borbon was to be 

 selected as the future sovereign. This rumor 

 induced that gentleman to publish a card declin- 

 ing the proposed honor. 



The expedition being ready, all the Spanish 

 fleet left Havana, and at 11 o'clock, Decem- 

 ber 8th, arrived off Vera Cruz. On the 12th 

 two officers had an interview with the Gov- 

 ernor, who replied that, in obedience to orders 

 received from his Government, he had pub- 

 lished that morning a proclamation requiring 

 that all the forces should abandon the city 

 and the forts ; that no resistance would be of- 

 fered to the entry of the expeditionary army, 

 nor to the occupation of the city. Notwith- 

 standing this he desired to reply officially within 

 the twenty-four hours given him. 



Accordingly on Sunday, the 15th, he replied 

 that he was abandoning the place and retiring 

 with his troops. 



On the 17th, in the morning, taking advan- 

 tage of some hours of calm weather, Brigadier- 

 General Don Carlos Vargas, second in command 

 of the expeditionary forces, who had been ap- 

 pointed Civil and Military Governor of the city, 

 disembarked with Captain Joaquin Ibanez and 

 the second officer of the frigate Petronila, two 

 aids and some officers of the staff, engineers and 

 artillery. All were cordially received by the 

 multitude, which crowded the wharf, and by a 

 committee of the city government. Captain 

 Don Rafael Arias was appointed Governor of 

 San Juan d'Ulloa. The following proclamation 

 was issued : 



PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF VEBA CRUZ. 



VERA CRCZAKS : The Spanish troops that occupy 

 your city do not come for conquest nor interested mo- 

 tives. The duty of demanding satisfaction for the 

 non-fulfilment of treaties and violence committed 

 against our countrymen, as well as the necessity for 

 guarantees that such outrages shall not be repeated, 

 alone bring them. Until these objects have been at- 

 tained, here and wherever events may lead it, the 

 Spanish army, with its rigorous discipline, will know 

 how to preserve public tranquillity, at whatever cost; 

 to protect peaceful inhabitants, and chastise, with 

 severity, the disturbers of order, subjecting them to 

 the military committee which shall be appointed to 

 proceed against all classes of delinquents. 



Vera Cruzans, you have nothing to apprehend. You 

 know the Spanish soldier, and your very attitude has 

 just proven it to me. Devote yourselves, therefore, to 

 your business, and confide in what will be the greatest 

 satisfaction for this army, after having fulfilled the 

 mission with which the Queen has intrusted it, to re- 

 turn to their countrv in the assurance of having de- 

 eerved your friendsh'ip. MANUEL GASSETT, 

 Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Forces. 



VBBA CEUZ, Dec. 17, 1361. 



