In reply to Your Excellency's letter of the Ninth of this month in which you informed me of what transpired between the Spanish brigantine La Vierge du Carmel on her return to Cadiz from Havana, and a British frigate commanded by Captain Maximillian Jacobs,² I shall inform Your Excellency that I conveyed my protests to Mylord Suffolk at the confrence. He replied that he had given the clearest and most positive orders in order to avoid any similar difficulties. I replied that the officers ought to be punished most severely for the simple reason that they could not pretend to be ignorant of them. Mylord was surprised that the frigate had fired a roundshot. I said to him that doubtless our brigantine had resisted the search, as she had every right to, and I reminded him of the steps I had taken here as a precaution; before the ships of war left their ports with orders to stop the Americans. I added that if the brigantine had been stronger, she would have answered the British frigate with a cannon shot, and that the two vessels might have engaged in an action which perhaps might have produced unfortunate consequences. They will result one day from the arrogance of the British officers, if they are not restrained, for in time of peace one does not search the vessels of a friendly Power, nor open their mail packets. He told me that the Americans were resorting to so many subterfuges in order to arrive at their ends that the officers of their Navy were at a loss as to what to do. I answered that in a packet of paper there could hardly be any powder or shot, and that several days earlier His Majesty had ordered me to tell the British Minister that he had given the most rigorous orders prohibiting the supply of munitions of war to the rebels. He replied they were very satisfied with the good faith of our King, and that they had many proofs of it, and that the assurances given to Mylord Grantham were consistent with my manner of explanation here.

I said to him that I served only to carry out the orders of the King whom I knew was very desirous of maintaining good harmony with England; He replied to me in this manner:

I answered that this hope for a more solid peace between Spain and England would bring pleasure to the King who thinks likewise and who wishes only to keep that which he possesses without seeing it usurped by anyone.

Reflecting on this type of overture to which I only accord as much trust as it deserves, I do not know who caused it, whether the fear of seeing ourselves armed and the desire to remove from ourselves the fear of seeing them invade our possessions in America with the troops that they have in the Colonies, or the desire to give me to understand that they are not in a position to be able to support Portugal and that they will not support her, even if they were to succeed in America. I perceive these two motives there, but I do not know the one upon which to lay stress. But I still believe that we must remain armed and await events.

I Shall finish this dispatch by telling Your Excellency that Mylord Suffolk promised me to deliver my note to Mylord Weymouth, the one which I gave him containing the names of the Captains of the brigantine and the frigate in order that he might make a report to His Britannic Majesty.