11

Ex^mo. S^or.

De algun tiempo á esta parte habrá notado VE. con no poca admiracion suya la singularisima conducta que observan los Corsarios Americanos en nuestros Mares de Europa. Sus excesos aun dentro de los mismos Puertos de Francia son bien notorios, y han llegado a terminos de precisar á esa Corte á expedir las estrechas ordenes que sabemos, dando tambien lugar á que en España se hayan despachado otras iguales.

Su desorden se habia reducido a los principios á abusar imprudentem^te. de la proteccion que hallaban en ambos Reynos, y á disponer su caso del modo que juzgaban mas perjudicial á los Vasallos de Inglaterra. Pero no satisfechos ya de este abuso han llevado la temeridad hasta apoderarse de varias embarcaciones francesas, con pretexto de conducir generos de fabrica Inglesa, á pertenecientes á Vasallos Britanicos, y mirandolar como presa lexitima dirixilas á sus Colonias.

Desde luego nos persuadimos que el Ministerio de Versailles, gravemente ofen dido de semejantes excesor, tomaria sus providencias ya con los mismos Armadores Americanos al volver á los Puertos de ese Reyno, ó bien con los Diputados residentes ahi, para obtener la mas completa satisfaccion, de forma que no volvieren á suceder iguales casos.

?Qual será nuestra sorpresa al ver que continua el mismo desorden y qual nuestra indignacion observando que los Cosarios Americanos se atreven á apresar embarcacion cargada principalmente de cuenta de Comerciantes Españoles? Los papeles que acompañan instruirán á VE. de lo ocurrido cerca de la Costa de Galicia el dia 9. de Sept^re. al Navio francés el fortuné que navegaba de Londres á Cadiz é iva cargado con generos de licito comercio, como vá dicho de cuenta de nuestros Nacionales. No se expresa el nobre del Cosario, pero provablemente habrá sido alguno de los que en aquellos dias entraron en los Puertos de la Coruña y Ferrol á experimentar muy buena acogida, ya recivir los auxilios que necesitaren; cuya circunstancia hace tanto mas odioso el hecho de que se trata.

Por decontado reciven los Vasallos del Rey un perjuicio notavilisimo una vez que la Presa se ha enviado a America; pues prescindiendo de los riesgos regulares de mar, puede ser apresada por algun Buque de la armada Britanica, o distribuido allá mismo el valor de su carga antes que tengan noticias Veridicas de su nombre, vandera y demas circunstancias.

No me detendré á exponer quan indecoroso es á las Coronas de España y Francia tolerar semejantes excesos, y quan injusto seria dejar á sus respectivos Vasallos expuestos en tiempo de paz á unos chascos de igual naturaleza. Tampoco me explayaré, como podria, sobre el incremento que tomarián estos excesos una vez tolerados, y sobre la consternacion general que habria si los Cosarios Americanos se convirtieren en piratas y á su exemplo lo practicaren igualmente los Armadores Ingleses como otros muchos de varias Naciones. Pero si manifestaré á VE. que ha chocado al Rey en sumo grado el lance del dia 9. de Septiembre por recaer sobre los que ya sabiamos, y por la circonstancia de haber sido a la vista de nuestros mismos Puertos, cuyo auxilio vienen diariamente á solicitar; y aunque en mi carta del N^o. 2^o tengo insinuado que se iva á providenciar la remesa de algun socorro en dinero ó Letras á esos Diputados me acaba SM. de mandar que lo suspenda. Comprehende el Rey que seria muy impropio exercer tales actos de generosidad al mismo tiempo que se reciven unos agravios tan escandolosos, y antes de todo desea SM asegurarse de que sin la menor dilacion se ha de restituir la presa referida con total resarcimiento de los perjuicios causados, y de que en lo succesivo no volveran á verse lances iguales; pues así para obtener proteccion en nuestros Puertos los Cosarios Americanos se les ha de mirar como sugetos al actual Govierno del Congreso, y en tratandose de sus tropelias particulares se han de disculpar como que no alcanza su autoridad sobre ellos, seria esta una contradicion repugnante por mil caminos, y sobre todo incompatible con la seguridad de las Naciones.

Excuso entrar en otras muchas consideraciones obvias, y solo apuntaré, que harán bien los Diputados Americanos de reflexionar sobre los daños á que exponen su causa Nacional si llegan á disgustar á las Cortes de Expaña y Francia pues el resentimiento de estas podria trastornar todas las ideas del actual Govierno de las Colonias. Y concluyo recomendando á VE. hable seriamente sobre este asunto con el Ş^or. Conde de Vergennes y haya igualmente entender á los Diputados las graves causas que concurren para el justo enojo de SM. Dios gue. á VE. m^s. as^. como deseo. S^n. Lorenzo 23. de Oct^re. de 1777.

P.D. Acavo de saber que el Cosario Hawke apresó la goleta la ventura sobre nuestra Costa de Bilban y por tal ha sido alli declarada mala presa.

Lo mismo ha sucedido en Sn. Sebastian con la presa la Elisabet que hizo el Americano Juan Bufinton.

[Translation]

Most excellent sir,

For some time at this place your excellency might have noted with no little wonder the most singular behavior that the American privateers observe in our European seas. Their excesses even within the very ports of France are notorious and have arrived at the point of obliging that court to issue the strictest regulations that we know, giving rise also to the issuance of similar ones in Spain.

Their disorder has reduced itself to the principles of imprudently abusing the protection which they found in both realms, and in arranging their case in the way that they judged most prejudicial to the subjects of England. But still not satisfied with this abuse, they have had the temerity to seize several French vessels, on the pretext of their carrying goods of English manufacture, belonging to British subjects, and looking on them as legitimate prizes to send them to their colonies.

Since that time we are persuaded that the ministry at Versailles, gravely offended by similar excesses, will take measures with the same American privateersmen on their returning to the ports of that kingdom, or with the deputies living there, to obtain the completest satisfaction, in a manner that will stop the future occurances of like kind.

What will be our surprise on seeing that same disorder continue and what our indignation on observing that the American privateers dare to seize vessels laden principally on the account of Spanish merchants? The accompanying papers will inform your excellency of what happened near the coast of Galicia the 9th of September to the French merchantman the Fortune, which was sailing from London to Cadiz, laden with commodities of licit commerce, as stated in statements by our nationals. The name of the privateer was not stated, but it was probably the same as one of those that on one of those days entered the ports of Corunna and Ferrol, where they recieved a very warm welcome and received the assistance that they needed; which circumstance makes so much more odious the deed under discussion.

Of course the king's subjects suffer a most significant injury once the prize has been sent to America; and setting aside the ordinary risks of the sea, it could be captured by any ship of the British fleet, or the bulk of its cargo be distributed then and there before they take truthful note of its name, flag, and other identifying characteristics.

I shall not cease to expound how indecorous it is for the crowns of Spain and France to tolerate such excesses, and how unjust it would be to leave their respective subjects exposed in peacetime to tricks of like nature. Neither shall I expound, as I could, upon the increase that these excesses would take once tolerated, and on the general consternation there would be if the American privateers turned into pirates and whose example the English privateersmen as well as many others from several nations would likewise follow. But if I shall demonstrate to your excellency that the episode of September 9th has vexed the king to a high degree, by falling back on what we already knew, and by the circumstance of it having taken place in sight of our very ports, whose help they came daily to solicit; and although in my letter of the second I had suggested taking measures to send some aid in money or bills of exchange to those deputies, His Majesty concludes in commanding me that the aid be suspended. The king understands that it would be very improper to exercise such acts of generosity at the same time we are receiving such scandalous insults, and, above all, His Majesty desires to assure himself that, without the least procrastination, the prize referred to be restored with complete compensation for the damages caused, and that in the future similar episodes will not be repeated. Thus if, in order to obtain protection in our ports, the American privateers look on themselves as subjects of the current government, to the Congress, and in treating of their particular outrages they have excused themselves as if it has no authority over them, it would be a contradiction repugnant in a thousand ways, and above all incompatible with the security of nations.

I excuse myself from entering into many other obvious considerations and will only point out that the American deputies will do well to reflect on the damage to which they expose the cause of their nation if they arrive at the point of offending the courts of Spain and France, in as much as the resentment of these courts could overturn all the plans of the current government of the colonies. I conclude in recommending to your excellency to speak seriously about this matter with the Comte de Vergennes and as well to make the deputies understand the grave consequences that they incur because of the just anger of His Majesty. That God may keep you many years is my desire. San Lorenzo, 23 October 1777.

El Conde de Floridablanca

P.S. I have just learned that the privateer Hawke seized the schooner Adventure on our coast of Bilbao and for that reason it has been declared an unlawful prize.

The same thing has happened at San Sebastian with the prize the Elizabeth, made by the American John Buffinton.