A. D. 1770. 5or 



in view in firfl: propofing it, but alfo vaft profpefts of extenfive trade 

 with the Indian nations of Chili and the fouthern extremity of America, 

 and the natives of the great continent to be difcovered in the Antardlic 

 regions, the vifionary 'terra au/Iralis incognita, befides the profitable clan- 

 deftine trade with the Spanifh and Portuguefe fettlements in South 

 America. Similar ideas with refped to trade feem to have prevailed 

 about the fame time in France, which produced Mr. Bougainville's voy- 

 age and a fertlement upon thofe iflands, called Port Louis, afterwards re- 

 ligned by France to Spain. 



In the later part of the year 1769 Captain Hunt, the commanding of- 

 ficer at the Britifh fertlement called Port Egmont, difcovered, that there 

 was a Spanifh colony with a governor at the head of it at the old French 

 fettlement, to which the Spaniards had given ihe new name of Port So- 

 lidad. A correfpondence thereupon enfued between the two command- 

 ers, wherein each afTerted the fole right of his fovereign to the country, 

 and warned the other to depart. In February 1770 two Spanifh frigates 

 arrived, the commander of which protefted againft the Britifh fettle- 

 ment, declaring at the fame time, that he would take no further ftep 

 till he fhould acquaint his court of the affair. Captain Hunt thereupon 

 thought it btfl to go home to inform government of what had happen- 

 ed ; and he left two floops of war to keep polTcflion in his abfence, one 

 of which was afterwards loft: on the coaft of America. In the beginning 

 of June five Sjianifh frigates, with a confiderable military force, arrived 

 at Poit Egmont, which obliged the Britilh commander to furrcnder the 

 place, but not his fliii-^ to the Spaniards. The ftiip, however, by an ar- 

 ticle of the capitulation, was not to fail till a limited time ; and for fe- 

 curing the perfonnauce of that article the Spaniards thought proper to 

 unhang the fhip's rudder, and carry it on (hore. 



The affront put upon the Bntilh flag, and particularly the affair of the 

 rudder, was loudly relented at home ; and the minds of moft people 

 were much enflamed and eager for a war with Spain ; a war, which the 

 fuggeftions of the diemon of avarice, fliflmg the wifcr counfcl of the 

 genius of commerce, too often renders popular with the unthinking vul- 

 gar. In fliort, this trifling object was upon the point of j^lunging Eu- 

 rope, or raiher the whole world, inro the horrors of war ; and the pre- 

 miums of iniurance upon outward-bound veffels actually role fro\wfour 

 to ten per cent But the king of Spain, having happily no inclination 

 for hoftilities, (or beingy?/o«f/)' adviled againft them) in the begmning 

 of the h)llowing year (January 177 1) formally difavowed the act of his 

 officer, and ordered the place to be rcftorcd to Great Britain. It was 

 accordingly taken poffeffion of (16'' September 1771) ; and afterwards, 

 upon a fufticient experience of its inutihty, it was filenily abandoned in 

 the year 1774. 



On the application of the planters and others concerned in the illand 



