il'
1 5 6 APPENDIX.
" You will endeavour, on all occasions, to inculcate the absurdity
of Spain having any apprehensions, from the state in which Port
Egmont was before its capture, or the force now sent out, of his
Majesty's intending to make use of it for the annoyance of their settlements
in the South Sea, than which nothing can be farther from
the King's inchnation, who sincerely desires to preserve peace between
the two nations."
The EAE L of Rocm?OBn to the LORDS of the AUMISALTY.
" St. James's, 16th March 1771.
" Your lordships having acquainted me that, in consequence of
his Majesty's pleasure, signified in my letter of 22d last, you had
ordered the Juno frigate, the Hound sloop, and Florida store-ship,
to be prepared to proceed to Falldand's Islands, I am commanded to
signify to your lordships his Majesty's pleasure, that you order the
commander of the said frigate, as soon as those ships are ready for
sea, to repair directly with them to Port Egmont, and presenting to
Don Felipe Ruiz Puente, or any other Spanish officer he finds there,
the duplicates of his Catholic Majesty's orders sent herewith, to
receive, in proper form, the restitution of possession, and of the
artillerj', stores, and effects, agreeably to the said orders, and to the
inventories signed by the Captains Farmer and Maltby (copies of
which are annexed), and that you direct him to take an exact account
of any deficiency which there may be of the things mentioned in the
said inventories, in order that the same may be made good by his
CathoUc Majesty ; givmg a copy of the said account, signed by himself,
to the Spanish officer, and desiring an acknowledgment under
liis hand of the same being a true account.
" After the said restitution shall have been completed, it is the
King's pleasure that Captain Stott should return immediately to
England with the Juno frigate and the Florida store-ship, unless he
find it necessary to leave the latter behind ; and that the Hound
sloop should remain stationed in the harbour till his Majesty's further
orders. .
" Your lordships wiU direct Captain Stott to behave with the
.greatest prudence and civility towards the Spanish commander and
the subjects of liis Cathohc Majesty, carefully avoiding any thing
that might give occasion to disputes or animosity, and strictly
APPENDIX. 157
restraining the crews of the ships under his command in this respect ;
but if, at or after the restitution to be made, the Spanish commander
should make any protest against his Majesty's right to Port Egmont,
or Falkland's Islands, it is his Majesty's pleasure that the commander
of his ships should answer the same by a counter-protest, in proper
terms, of his Majesty's right to the whole of the said islands, and
against the right of his CathoHc Majesty to any part of the same.
" In case, from any accident or otherwise. Captain Stott should
not, on his arrival at Port Egmont, find any officer there on the part
of the King of Spain, your lordships will direct him (supposmg he
should find it necessary to put any of his men on shore) to avoid
setting up any marks of possession, or letting his Majesty's colours
fly on shore, as it is for the King's honour that the possession should
be formally restored by an officer of his Catholic Majesty ; and for
that reason it wiU be proper that the King's commanding officer
should keep a good look-out, and, upon percéiving the approach of
any vessel of his CathoUc Majesty, should re-embark any of his men
who may at that time be on shore, that the possession may be indisputably
vacant.
" If it should happen that after the King's ships shall have
remained as late as all October, no Spanish officer should yet appear,
your lordships will direct Captain Stott, m such case, either to proceed
himself, or send an officer to Soledad, to deliver his CathoKc
Majesty's orders to the Spanish commander there, taking care not to
salute the fort as a Spanish garrison, and making a protest, in civil
terms, against that settlement of his CathoUc Majesty's subjects in an
island belonging to his Majesty.
" If, withm a reasonable time after the deUvery of the said order
to the Spanish commander, at Soledad, there stUl shall not arrive at
Port Egmont any officer of his Catholic Majesty to make the restitution,
it is the King's pleasure that the commanding officer of his
ships should then draw up a protest of the inexécution of his CathoUc
Majesty's late declaration, and should take formal possession, in his
Majesty's name ; hoisting his Majesty's colours on shore ; and that,
leaving there the Hound sloop, and Florida store-ship (if the latter is
necessary), and sending a duplicate of his protest to the Spanish
officer at Soledad, he should proceed to England to lay before your
lordships, for his Majesty's information, his report of the manner in
which he has executed his commission.
• :1! ' 1