this time the frigates had warped in-fhore, and moored head and ftern oppofite to the blockhouse and battery. At night Captain Maltby, with fifty of the Favourite's men, came on fhore, and brought with them two fix pounders, ten fwivels, fmall arms, ammunition, &c. The next morning, a part of the Spanish troops and artillery landed about half a mile to the northward of us. When they had advanced about half way to us from where they had landed, the rest of their boats, with the remainder of the troops and artillery, put off from one of the Spanish frigates, and rowed right in for the Cove, covered by the fire of the frigates, whose fhot went over the blockhouse.

We fired fome fhot, and (not feeing the leaft probability of being able, against fuch a fuperior force, to defend the fettlement) hoifted a flag of truce, and defired articles of capitulation, which were in part granted. Their troops then landed, and took poffeffion of the place. I fend you by Mr. Gower, (late Lieutenant of the Swift) who goes exprefs, copies of all the letters, articles and capitulation, receipts, &c. that paffed between the Spaniards and us.

And am, &c.

GEORGE FARMER.

The Spanish Commodore John Ignacio Madariaga to Captain Farmer, dated in the Bay of Cruizada, June 8, 1770.

MY DEAR SIR,

Finding myself with incomparable fuperior forces of troops, train of artillery, utenfils, ammunition, and all the reft correfponding, for to reduce a regular fortification, with fourteen hundred men for difembarking, of which five hundred and twenty-fix are of choice regular troops, as you may fee, I see myself in this cafe obliged to intimate to you, according to the orders of my Court, that you should quit that begun establishment: for if you don't execute it amicably, 1 will oblige you by force, and you will be anfwerable for all the ill refults of the action and meafures I fhall take. 1 am always at your fervice; pray unto God to preferve you many years.

I kifs your hand, &c.

JOHN IGNACIO MADARIAGA.

Captain Farmer to the Spanish Commodore John Ignacio Madariaga, dated at Port Egmont, June 8, 1770.

SIR,

As you have received the refreshments of water, &c. you ftood in need of, my order from his Britannic Majefty, my Royal Mafter, is, to warn you forthwith to depart from this port, and all the islands called Falkland's, having first been discovered by the fubjects of the crown of England, fent out by the government thereof for that purpose, and of right belong to his Majefty; and his Majefty having

given orders for the settlement thereof, the subjects of no other power can have any title to establish themselves therein without the King's permiffion. I am, &c. GEORGE FARMER.

The Spanish Commodore to Captains Farmer and Maltby, dated in the Bay of Cruizada, June 9, 1770.

Mers. George Farmer and William Maltby, or any others that command the English Forces by fea and land, in this Bay of the Cruizada,

GENTLEMEN,

No body ought to make an establishment, and much lefs to fortify themselves, in these islands, ports, and coafts, of Magellan, without the permission of his Catholic Majesty, my refpectable Sovereign; and as you have not that permiffion, you ought to abandon and quit this bay, batteries on fhore, and the fettlement which you have begun. If you willgive me authentic proof that you will quickly and with good will do this, 1 will put with peace and quietnefs my troops on fhore, and yours will be treated with all the confideration and attention that correfponds to the good harmony that fubfifts between our Sovereigns;

and I will permit that you may carry with you all that you have got

on fhore, and belongs to you lawfully; and what you cannot carry, or will not carry, I will give a receipt, that upon this fubject the two Courts interested may fettle the affair.

But if, contrary to all expectation, you fhould be determined to maintain your new eftablishment, I will avail myfelf of the forces under my command, to make you quit the place with the fire of my guns and mufquets, and you will be the caufe of your own ruin, and the fatal confequences of the warm attack that I fhall make both by fea and land, in order to obtain by force the accomplishment of my orders, if from this intimation fhould not refult the effect I defire. Before I begin to fire, I admonifh you for once, twice, and more times, that with good will you may quit the place, the territory and bay, where I find you introduced against the will of their proper owner, which is my Royal Mafter, although with lefs notice I have a just cause to begin my operations, from the paffages that have passed with Mr. Anthony Hunt. I have been defirous to exceed in attention, in order to put myself ftill more in the right, and to ftand excufed on my part for the poffibly to be avoided hoftilities, and their confequences.

After this attention, I affure you, that if you do not in fifteen minutes after this letter fhall have been delivered into your hands, by my officer of orders, give a categorical and favourable answer to my intent, I will begin the operations directed to obtain it; confidering the want of an answer in the time prefixed, as a tacit negative, that you will not quit or abandon with good will this place, and an exprefs obftinacy to maintain your refolution. In this cafe, you will experience

the

the brilliancy and spirit with which the troops and feamen under my command know how to operate, notwithstanding the inclemency of the feafon.

You will meditate upon the fatal confequences to the innocent fubjects of his Britannic Majefty, if, instead of the kind treatment I offer you, you oblige me to ufe the moft rigid, as indifpenfible in the prefent cafe.

At all events, I wish to ferve you with all civility in what regards your perfons, which I pray God to preferve many years.

On board the frigate Industry, at anchor in the bay of the Crui zada, June 9, 1770.

I kiss your hands, &c.

JOHN IGNACIO MADARIAGA.

The Spanish Commodore to Captains Farmer and Maltby, dated in the Bay of Cruizada, June 9, 1770.

MY DEAR SIRS,

After having wrote the adjoining letter of the fame date, I received by my orderly officer two letters of yours upon the same subject and the fame reafons, and for to avoid a repetition, which is prejudicial to the quickness that is requifite, I answer you both in this.

Your letters are reduced only to warn me to quit this port, ftrengthening your reafons to justify the right you have of poffeffing the new establishment. Notwithstanding all you have expreffed, I nevertheless confirm what I have wrote in the adjoined, because your figured reafons and rights do not appear fufficient.

Was I a Spanish Ambaffador in London, I would demonftrate the juft and legal titles of my Sovereign to these islands and lands of Magellan; but this does not belong to this day, nor is it my business to queftion rights, only to proceed to doing; leaving or fubmitting to our Courts the decifions of right and property: fo I confirm what I have faid in the adjoined, remaining always at your fervice. Pray unto God to preserve you many years.

I kiss your hands, &c.

JOHN IGNACIO MADARIAGA.

Captain Farmer to the Spanish Commodore John Ignacio Madariaga, dated at Port Egmont, June 9, 1770.

SIR,

Your letters of the 8th and this day's date I have received, in which you threaten, pursuant to your orders, to fend me from hence by force of arms. Words are not always deemed hoftilities; nor can I

think you mean, in a time of profound peace, to put them in execution; more especially, as you allow there now fubfifts the greatest harmony between the two crowns.

I make not the leaft doubt of your being thoroughly convinced, that the King of Great Britain, my Royal Master, has forces fufficient to demand fatisfaction in all parts of the globe, of any power whatsoever, that may offer to infult the British flag. Therefore, was the time limited shorter than the fifteen minutes you have allowed, it fhould make no alteration in my determined refolution to defend the charge committed to me, to the utmost of my power; and am, &c. GEORGE FARMER.

Copy of the Articles of Capitulation between Captains George Farmer and William Maltby, Commanders of his Britannic Majefty's Forces by Sea and Land at Port Egmont and Falkland's Iflands, and Don John Ignacio Madariaga, Major-General of the Royal Navy of his Catholic Majefty, dated June 10, 1770.

Art. I. That we will deliver to the faid Commander the blockhoufe, with its guns, and whatever appertains to it within or without, like vife the battery commanding Jafon's Cove, being fenfible of the fuperior forces with which we are attacked by fea and land.

Anfwer. The blockhouse battery, and the reft, muft be delivered immediately to the Colonel Don Antonio Gutiarroz, Commander of the Spanish troops.

II. That the King's colours be kept flying on the shore until we embark, and the fame on board his Majefty's floop Favourite, and that the officers and troops be permitted to remain in their quarters as before.

Anfwer. They will be allowed their quarters on fhore for the officers and troops until they embark, and likewife their colours flying on shore and on board the Favourite, but without exercifing any other jurifdiction but with their own people, they being only there for a time limited until their embarkation.

III. That we may be permitted to carry in his Majefty's floop Favourite, wherever we fhall think proper, the officers, troops, feamen, ammunition of all kinds, provifions and ftores as much as we may think neceffary, and depart as foon as we are fit for fea.

Anfwer. The troops muft precifely go in the Favourite frigate, with the feamen and whatever effects fhe can carry, to be transported out of the American dominions belonging to the Catholic King, my Mafter, after duly delivering every thing in proper form to Don Philip Ruiz Puenta, Governor of thefe iflands of Magellan, refiding in the eaftermoft, to which we will immediately give an account, that he may come in perfon, or fend his deputy, without delay, to take

charge

As

charge of the ftorchoufe, ftores, &c. that the English have. this is part of his government, he is and will be anfwerable to my Sovereign for the good husbandry of what will be delivered to him, or to his deputy, commiffioned for that purpofe; and till this can be performed with all requifite formalities, the Favourite fhall not move, unlefs by any accident Don Philip Ruiz Puenta, er his deputy, fhould delay coming; in which cafe, if it fhould exceed forty days, the Favourite may fail whenever they think proper, with all that she can carry; but fhe can never go out until twenty days after one of the frigates under my command; and for the further fecurity of observing the capitulation, the Favourite frigate fhall be dismantled, by putting her rudder on fhore.

will give

IV. That what we fhall not be able to carry with us, you us receipts for, expreffing every article left here, that we may be able to give an account thereof when required.

Anfaver. There will be receipts given for all the ftores, &c. that his Britannic Majefty's floop Favourite cannot carry.

V. That at the time we are going to embark on board his Majefty's floop Favourite, (after concluding the inventories, and delivering every thing to you in proper form), we may have liberty to march of under arms, with drums beating, colours flying, &c. without being incommoded or injured.

Anfwer. At the time of their embarking on board the Favourite, they must acquaint the Spanish Commodore thereof to agree upon the ́hour, as the English are not allowed to take arms without giving notice to the said Commander, that he may give orders to be observed what they have defired, in order that they may not be incommoded or injured at their departure; but fhould they do contrary to the above, it will be taken for an attempt, and they will be anfwerable for the refult.

VI. That to prevent disorder, an officer with a few men may poffeffion of the blockhouse.

take

Anfwer. For to prevent diforder, and to take poffeffion of the blockhouse with regularity and good order, the Colonel Don Antonio Gutiarroz will march with all his troops, and will have in the settlement for the present only a company of grenadiers.

VII. That the cordage and other materials that ferved for parapets, &c. at the batteries may be put into the ftorehouses, under lock and key, until proper inventories can be taken, or that we may carry them on board the Favourite.

Anfwer. The cordage and all the materials that ferved for parapets at the batteries will be put in ftorehouses, which keys will be delivered to the English till the inventories are drawn in proper form, and they embarked on board the Favourite as granted.

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