[Extract]
No 53.
My Lord,
I have received the Honour of your Lordship's No 21. and have communicated to M. Florida blanca the Sentiments which I was instructed to convey, and this I did in the most particular and ample Manner that I could; And I am to acquaint your Lordship, that he received them with Expressions strongly professing the Desire of this Court to preserve the publick Tranquility. I was obliged however, at the same Time to repeat and to lay before him the Intelligence which I had received from Ferrol, (and communicated to him on the same Day by the enclosed Note,) of the Stay which Gustavus Cunningham and his last Prize continued to make in that Port; and I pointed out to him; that their Wants, or pretended Necessities had been liberally supplied, and that I had reason to suspect, that a collusive Sale of the Prize might take place. — I stated to him very clearly, that no Proceeding whatever could be so contrary to the Promises I had received, and that it gave me the greatest Concern on the moment I expected to see them performed to find myself obliged to complain of their not being executed. — In reply to this complaint he shewed me, that the Orders, which, upon my first complaint on this Subject had been repeated, had not yet reached Ferrol, and assured me, that those Orders were accompanied with a severe reprimand to the Commandant of that Port; and he immediately directed an Enquiry to be made into the Supply given to G. Cunningham which, according to my Information, had been furnished out of The Catholick King's Stores, and promised that he would seriously and effectually enforce The King of Spain's Intentions in the Orders that had been issued, and that they should be strictly obeyed in all the Ports, even in those of Biscay, which are not under the same Controul. I have furnished him with all the Information which I can collect of Ships, which have been fitted out there, and told him, that I could not but make an essential Difference between such Prizes as may have been sold before the Prohibition was issued, and such whose Sale might be connived at, or allowed afterwards, of which however, I do not yet know any Instance. With regard to the Cargoes of the brig Princess Masserano, & of the Juno, mentioned to me in your Lordship's No 20, and in a Letter from Mr [Anthony] Chamier the 2d Inst, I see no hopes of Success in application for them, or their Value, unless I could ascertain that they were sold since the Orders were published, in which case, I apprehend there would be a better Ground for claiming them, as this Court would then be more answerable for them. M. Florida blanca however assured me, that in such Cases the Tribunals of the Admiralty Courts here, with Appeal to the Council of War, would be open; But it still remains to know what would be their Decision.
I am under some difficulty for true Intelligence from Bilbao, which place has been the seat of most American Transactions in this Country, the Trading People of that Port being doubtless in that Interest. . .
[Endorsed] R 10 October
