I declare that all merchants who have any falt fish, or other produce of the fisheries of the dominions of England in their poffeffion, muft make a declaration of the fame, and register them in the space of fifteen days, reckoning from the publication of this my prefent Chedule, which is fixed for their peremptory term, before fuch officers as fall be appointed by Don Miguel de Muzquiz, my Superintendantgeneral of Finances, as well in this court as elsewhere, to the end that notice may be given. And in cafe that they keep them unregistered beyond the faid term of fifteen days, they fhall be immediately declared to have fallen under con

fifcation.

I will alfo, that a term of two months be allowed for the difpofing of the faid fish, and no prolongation of that term fhall be granted, but after that term all traders fhall be obliged to carry them to the Custom Houfe, or, in places where there is no Cuftom House, to fome houfe of government, where they fhall be publicly fold to the highest bidder, in the prefence of the officer or cfficers deputed for that purpose, or, in their abfence, in prefence of the magifirates of the place, who fhall give the produce of the fale to the proprietors, who fhall not be allowed to carry back to their fhops, or warehouses, any of those prohibited goods, in like manner as has been obferved heretofore.

I have given to Miguel de Muzquiz, a particular commiffion, that in qulity of Superintendant-general of my Finances, he fhall have the care of the aforefaid difpofitions, in the manner that he shall judge moft proper to accomplish

an object fo important. He fhall take cognizance, in the first inftance, by himself or his fub-dele. gates, of all difputes that may arise in confequence of contraband; faving there is an appeal to the Council of Finances in the Hall of Juftice, excepting any martial contraventions, refpecting arms, ammunition, and other effects relative to war, as are explained by the treaties of peace; the cognizance of any difputes about those belonging to the Council of War, and Martial Judges.

I order, that all the above regulations be obferved, kept, and fulfilled, under the pains prescribed by the laws, the pragmaties, and Royal Chedule, paffed in former times, from motives of the fame nature, comprehending therein all my fubjects, and the inhabitants of my kingdoms and lordships, without exception of any perfon whatsoever, and howfoever privileged. It being my will, that this declaration fhall come, as foon as poffible, to the knowledge of my fabjects, that they may preferve their effects and perfons from all infults from the English; for that purpose my Supreme Council of War will make all neceffary difpofitions, that it be formally published, and duly executed.

Given at Aranjuez, the 26th of
June, 1779.

(Signed) I THE KING. This prefent, feen and ratified in full council, hath been this day published by proclamation in the ufual places of this court, with the affiftance of the Clerk of the Council Chamber, and the Algua. fils of the Tribunal, the Staff Officers of Place, the Serjeants, Drummers, Fifers, Kettle Drummers,

⚫and

and Trumpeters of the Garrifon; a company of infantry, and a picquet of horfe; as it is verified by the original, remaining under my care, in the Secretary's Office of the Supreme Council of War.

At Madrid, the 28th
of June, 1779.
(Signed)

DON JOSEPH PORTUOSE.

Tranflation of the Spanish Manifefto, published at Madrid, declaring the Motives which have induced his Catholic Majefty to withdraw his Ambaffador, and act hoftily against England.

T would be too long to relate mi

to them. None of thefe ftipulations have been performed by the English: they have introduced themfelves more and more into the ancient fettlements, beyond the limits allotted them, and have excited a rebellion among the native Indians, providing them with arms, and giving them every fuccour and affiftance under the protection of Great Britain.

Not fatisfied with thefe violences, they have established themfelves in many other ports, rivers, and coafts of the Spanish territory in the faid Bay of Honduras; in which places they could not even alledge the fpecious pretence of cutting log-wood, but manifeftly with a defign of ufurping foreign dominion, and of fmuggling various merchandizes without any

Spain might complain of fince the conclusion of the treaty of peace in 1763; for that reafon we shall reftrain ourselves to the greater ones, and those most recent, left we fhould be accused of reviving old injuries already forgotten. By the fixteenth article of the preliminaries of that treaty; England acknowledged the Bay of Honduras as making part of the Spanish dominions, and bound itself to caufe every fortification that had been erected by its fubjects in that part of the world, to be demolished within four months after the ratification of the treaty; without preferving to the court of London any other right than that of being permitted to cut log-wood, without any moleftation or hindrance; and for which purpofe, its workmen were to be allowed only the houses and barracks effentially neceffary

places wherein they went are, El Pincho, Rio Tinto, Rio Matina, and many others, they have there trained up bodies of militia to arms, and have given the King of England's brevet, or commiffion, of Captain-general of all thefe fettlements or establishments to Jacob Loury; which brevet, or paffport, together with many other patents or commiffions to fubaltern officers, was folemnly read to the whole colony on the 21ft of September, 1776, before the troops and people. All thefe proceedings of the English were discovered by the Spaniards, at a time when the British miniftry had declared that thofe encroachments and fettlements had been made without their approbation, or the fanction of their authority.

The English fettlers found ont artifices and various various perfidious

means

means to prevail on the chief or leader, to revolt against Spain, and to ftile himself King of the Mofquito Indians, and perfuaded him to take the title of Captain in Chief of the other indians, whofe leaders have fent commiffioners to the Vice-Roy of the Spanish go. vernment, acknowledging themfelves as vaffals of his Catholic Majetty befides which, the English fupplied them with arms, and gave them all kind of affiftance to prevent their feeking the protection of Spain, who has an immediate right upon the dominion of thofe territories. Moreover, though foreigners of all denominations, let their religion be what it will, be well received in all the English fettlements of America, the Spaniards only have been refufed admittance, they being either imprifened or driven away.

The better to prove the uniform defign England had always harboured of becoming mafters of thefe extenfive territories; to lay there the foundation of its fettlements; and to augment every day the immenfe prohibited commerce carried on by its fubjects in the interior parts of the Spanish provinces, we need but relate what happened in the year 1775. That a certain phyfician, famous for his voyage round the world, known by the name of Doctor Irwin, left England, having with him all kinds of tools for agriculture, feveral artists, and many other fuccours found by the British miniftry, to the end and purpofe of making a lasting fettlement in the province of Nacha, wherein he landed feveral families, and feveral more were foon to follow them. With

that intention, the faid doctor had brought up and educated in his own house a fon of an Indian King, and two Indians of note in these countries. The Spanish Guarda Coftas were foon apprised of the doctor's embarkation, and the British miniftry, inftead of giving redress to remonftrances for that breach of the treaty, threatened Spain with a war.

Laft year, in the month of November, fome Spaniards happened to fettle themselves on the river Saint Johne, on the fame coaft of Mofquito, whereupon they built fome houses; and when they leaft expected it, they were attacked by a party of English, and another party of Indians; in that conflict, the captain of the fhip was wounded, most of his people were put to prifon, and many other violences were offered. While that was tranfacting, the negociation of peace, then on the carpet, was carried on with the greatest anxiety by his Majefty, for the benefit of England; and he was ftraining every nerve to make it fućceed. No other proof is required to establish the effential difference extant between the proceedings of the court of London, its minilters and subjects, and the generous and magnanimous conduct of his Catholic Majesty.

Wherever they fet their feet for the purposes of fettlement, the English behave in the fame manner: for example, on the coast of St. Blas, a province of the Darien, they engaged the Indians that inhabit the frontiers of the Spanish fettlements, to raise a revolt; and, after giving them all fuccours, enticed, and drew them on their

fide, by decorating them with pompous patents and brevets, or commiffions of command under the protection of Great Britain. A like commiffion was granted to one chief of the Indians, named Bernard, to whom the governor of Jamaica fent a formal patent or commiflion, and in which he was ftiled captaingeneral of that coat. That proceeding was alfo difcovered at the beginning of the prefent year, and, complained of the 8th of March to the English miniltry, who, pretending to be unacquainted with it, antwered it in their ufual man

ner.

Many have been the attempts made by the English, within thefe few years, to drive into rebellion against Spain, thole nations of India, their allies, and friends, who, inhabit the lands contiguous to Louifiana; one while they regularly provided them with arms; at other times they bribed them with prefents, and honoured them with pa. tents and English medals, &c. &c. and finally, inftigated them to join the English troops to commit holli lities againit the fubjects of his Catholic Majelly.;

Applications have been regular ly made to the court of London, on different occafions, for the redrefs of various offences of that nature; and though its, anfwers have been made in general terms, fuch as thefe: We shall take n tice "of that, and fend the neceffary or

ders;" Spain has not yet feen the alteration which, fhe expected in all reafon and justice.

On the contrary, the court of London, under pretence of its war with the American ftates, and forgetting fo well the exact impar, tiality obferved by the Spanish coVOL. XXII.

lonies, as to the good reception the English, have always met with therein, they have committed, both by land and fea, the moft grievous infults having even threatened with deftruction a frigate of war in the very capital town of New Orleans.

Soon after this, and in the months of June and July of the, year 1778, the English prompted the Characas, Miraquies, and Micathas Indians, to raife a rebellion,T paying to each Indian the value of a fkin of venifon a day, and in-.. ducing them to fall upon, with the natural and brutal cruelty of those barbarous nations, and destroy the Spanish fettlements; notwithlanding the treaty of peace then in force between Spain and England, and the pacific difpofition of the King, and his impartial and upright conduct in regard to the difturbances of America, and the hoftilities committed against France." To the purpofe aforefaid, the In-. dians were to have repaired to, and flembled in a place called the Natches, with a body of English well armed; but a happy circumftance prevented this barbarous project from taking place: two of thole nations, convinced, without doubt, of the injuftice they were going to commit, every way repug nant to the rights of med, and to the good treatment they had always received from the Spaniards, they withdrew, and thus difcountenanced the rest.

Some inhabitants of the Spanish dominions were carried away, others were offered all fort of vio lence, and many compelled to car, ry arms and war against the Americans: particularly in one, among many other inftances of our fub[A a]

jects,

jects, a young man, named Livois, the fon of a captain of one of our Spanish colonies.

in

By the laft news we have received the original letters of the Englifh Commander Hamilton, which he threatened to enter the Spanish territories, as has been related in the Gazette of Madrid of the 20th of July, at the article of la Havanna: it appeared moreover, by thofe letters, that the British government had given orders to build many fortreffes, and in particular a folid and permanent one at the mouth of the Miffiipi, near the lake of Iberville; which proceeding alone would be fufficient to bring to light the defigns of the court of London againft the Spanish dominions, fince the faid fortrefs could by no means moleft the Americans, but would be highly prejudicial to the Spanish nation.

To the above purpose we muft not omit, that in the month of May in the year 1778, Don Francifco Efcarano, the Spanish Chargé des Affaires, came to London to complain, that the English had inftigated the Indians called Pafeagulas, whofe habitations are contiguous to Louifiana, to bake off the obedience they owe to the King; by giving them commiffions of captains in the fervice of his Britannic Majefty, and decorating them with orders and medals. fhould never have done, if we would relate, with their circumftances, thefe, and many more infringements of the treaties, violences, and ufurpations executed thefe late years by the English government against the Spanish dominions.

We

2. Spain gave, in regard to prizes, orders fimilar to thofe of France; and it caused them to be pat in execution with fo much rigour and exactness, that feveral American privateers, and among others the famous Cunningham, exafperated against Spain, retaliated, by ufing the Spaniards very ill, and making upon them reprizals, which have not as yet been delivered back, though often asked for.

3. Neither ought motives of jealoufy or the thirst of discord to have prevailed upon the English fo much, as to make them lose any fenfe of justice, gratitude, or refpect in regard to Spain, confidering that this last could carry on but little or no trade with the English Americans, having already enough of that it carries on with its own poffeffions of America; and being amply provided with every neceffary by the fame. Neverthelefs, the court of London, with an intention of keeping at hand a fpecious pretence for a rupture, whenever its projects fhould be in maturity, affected a great uneafinefs on account of the mercantile correfpondence carried on between fome merchants of Bilboa and others of the English colonies, though that correfpondence had begun feveral years before their rupture with the mother country. The English miniftry difcovered the fame uneafinefs for a like mercantile correfpondence carried on by fome French merchants of Louisiana with the Americans; and pretended to call the Spanish government to an account for that contravention to its own laws in that part of the world: at the fame period, wherein the fabjects