D.] PROOFS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 429 



CO 



Spanish Declaration, and British Counter-Declaration, exchanged at 

 Madrid on the 24th of July, 1790. 



DECLARATION. 



His Britannic majesty having complained of the capture of certain 

 vessels belonging to his subjects in the port of Nootka, situated on the 

 north-west coast of America, by an officer in the service of the king, — the 

 undersigned counsellor and principal secretary of state to his majesty, 

 being thereto duly authorized, declares, in the name and by the order of 

 his said majesty, that he is willing to give satisfaction to his Britannic 

 majesty for the injury of which he has complained, fully persuaded that 

 his said Britannic majesty would act in the same manner towards the 

 king, under similar circumstances ; and his majesty further engages to 

 make full restitution of all the British vessels which were captured at 

 Nootka, and to indemnify the parties interested in those vessels, for the 

 losses which they shall have sustained, as soon as the amount thereof 

 shall have been ascertained. 



It being understood that this declaration is not to preclude or preju- 

 dice the ulterior discussion of any right which his majesty may claim to 

 form an exclusive establishment at the port of Nootka. 



In witness whereof, I have signed this declaration, and sealed it with 

 the seal of my arms. At Madrid, the 24th of July, 1790. 



(l. s.) Signed, 



Le Comte de Florida Blanca. 



counter-declaration. 



His Catholic majesty having declared that he was willing to give 

 satisfaction for the injury done to the king, by the capture of certain 

 vessels belonging to his subjects, in the bay of Nootka, and the Count de 

 Florida Blanca having signed, in the name and by the order of his Catho- 

 lic majesty, a declaration to this effect, and by which his said majesty 

 likewise engages to make full restitution of the vessels so captured, and 

 to indemnify the parties interested in those vessels for the losses they shall 

 have sustained, — the undersigned ambassador extraordinary and plenipo- 

 tentiary of his majesty to the Catholic king, being thereto duly and 

 expressly authorized, accepts the said declaration in the name of the king, 

 and declares that his majesty will consider this declaration, together with 

 the performance of the engagements contained therein, as a full and entire 

 satisfaction for the injury of which his majesty has complained. 



The undersigned declares, at the same time, that it is to be under- 

 stood, that neither the said declaration signed by Count Florida Blanca, 

 nor the acceptance thereof by the undersigned, in the name of the king, 

 is to preclude or prejudice, in any respect, the right which his majesty 

 may claim to any establishment which his subjects may have formed, or 

 should be desirous of forming in future, at the said bay of Nootka. 



In witness whereof, I have signed this counter-declaration, and sealed 

 it with the seal of my arms. At Madrid, the 24th of July, 1790. 



(l. s.) Signed, 



Alleyne Fitzherbert. 



