110 DISPUTE ABOUT THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. [1770. 



establishments were formed on the coast between San Diego and 

 Monterey ; and, as the means of subsistence soon became abundant 

 by the multiplication of their cattle, independently of the fruits of 

 their labor in agriculture, the Spanish colonies in Upper California 

 were, before 1775, in a condition to resist the dangers to which they 

 were likely to be exposed. 



Another measure, undertaken by the Spanish government about 

 this time, in prosecution of its plans for securing the unsettled 

 coasts and islands of America from occupation by foreign powers, 

 brought Spain into collision, and nearly into war, with Great Britain. 



Soon after the peace of 1763, colonies were formed by the French 

 and the British on the barren, storm-vexed group of the Falk- 

 land Islands, in the South Atlantic Ocean, near the entrance of 

 Magellan's Strait. The French colonists were soon withdrawn by 

 their government, at the instance of the Spanish king, though not 

 until after an angry discussion : the British ministers, on the other 

 hand, treated with contempt the remonstrances addressed to them 

 from Madrid, on the subject of their settlement. At length, in 

 June, 1770, the British colonists were expelled from Port Egmont, 

 the place which they occupied, by a squadron and troops sent for the 

 purpose from Buenos Ayres by Don Francisco Bucareli, the gov- 

 ernor of that province. This event created great excitement in 

 England, and both nations prepared for war ; but the dispute was 

 compromised through the mediation of France. A declaration was 

 presented on the part of Spain, to the effect — that the Catholic king 

 disavowed the act of the governor of Buenos Ayres, and promised 

 to restore the settlers to Port Egmont ; but that these concessions 

 were not to be considered as prejudicing his prior right of sovereign- 

 ty over the islands : and the British minister gave in return an accept- 

 ance of the disavowal and promise of restoration, without noticing 

 the Spanish reservation of right.* Agreeably to this promise, the 

 British colonists were replaced at Port Egmont in 1771 ; but they 

 were withdrawn by order of their government in 1774, on the plea 

 of the expensiveness and inutility of the establishment, but, as is 



* The documents relative to this dispute may be found at length m the London 

 Annual Register, and in the Gentleman's Magazine, for 1770. See, also, — the 

 Parliamentary History, vol. xvi. — the Anecdotes of the Life of Lord Chatham, 

 chap, xxxix. — Thoughts on the Falkland Islands, by Dr. Samuel Johnson, &c. 

 The author of this History may also be permitted to refer to — a Memoir, Historical 

 and Political, on the Falkland Islands — written by himself, and published in the New 

 York Merchant's Magazine for February, 1842, containing full accounts of all the 

 circumstances connected with this famous dispute. 



