Spanish service, and was an intendant of the marine of the Havannah. He has many connexions in Mexico, and may be extremely useful by his correspondence. He has been some years in this country, where he has been detained with a view of being employed in case circumstances shall render it necessary for placing the Spanish provinces in independence. CASTLEREAGH.

Draft.

Lord Castlereagh to Charles Williamson, Esq. Downing Street, June 4, 1808. Sir-His Majesty has commanded me to entrust you with confidential despatches for his Grace the Duke of Manchester, Governor of Jamaica, requiring his Grace to take immediate measures for opening a communication with Cuba, and for inducing the Spanish Governor to act in concert for preventing that island and the Spanish American provinces from falling into the power of Buonaparte. I have acquainted his Grace that you may be of the greatest use, in being confidentially employed by him for effecting those objects.

You will embark on board his Majesty's schooner, Flying Fish, which will proceed with you, in the first instance, off Cadiz, to Rear-Admiral Purvis, when you will open to him the objects of your mission, and obtain from him all such intelligence as he is in possession of, respecting the state of Spain, the sentiments of the Spanish nation, and the probable issue of affairs there. The Rear-Admiral has orders to communicate with you fully and confidentially.

You will be allowed for your expenses £800 a-year whilst employed, and will receive £500 in advance on your salary. CASTLEREAGH.

Lord Castlereagh to the Commander of the Forces in the Leeward Islands.

Draft.

Downing Street, June 4, 1808. Sir-The late unparalleled proceedings in Spain by Buonaparte, in forcing the whole Royal Family to abdicate and

VOL. VI.

BB

renounce their right to the throne, and the measures he is taking to place that kingdom and the Spanish American provinces under his immediate power, call for every exertion of his Majesty's Government. If it may not be in their power to prevent the effects of his measures in Spain itself, it may be possible to counteract them in the Spanish American provinces. Measures are preparing for that purpose, which will shortly be communicated to you.

I have written fully upon this subject to the Duke of Manchester, his Majesty's Governor of Jamaica; and, if he shall apply to you for a reinforcement of one thousand men, I am to signify to you his Majesty's commands that you do concert measures with the naval Commander on the Leeward Island station, for having them forwarded to Jamaica.

I enclose to you a publication,' containing some accounts of what has passed in Spain; and I am to desire you will have the passages marked translated into Spanish, and a considerable number printed, and measures taken for circulating them through the Spanish provinces; which, it is conceived, may be easily effected from the free ports.

If any Spanish officers shall be sent to Barbadoes by ViceAdmiral Purvis, with a view to their being confidentially sent into the Spanish provinces, you will concert with the naval Commander on the station the best means of sending them to their destination, and establishing with them a confidential correspondence. CASTLEREAGH.

Draft.

Lord Castlereagh to Mr. Secretary Canning.

Downing Street, June 16, 1808. Sir-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the [blank] instant, stating that it has been thought advisable, under the present circumstances in Spain, that the natives of the Asturias, now prisoners of war in this country, should be liberated and sent back to Spain; and I have to

1 L'Ambigu, Nos. 182 to 185.

acquaint you that I have received his Majesty's commands to direct that measures may be taken for carrying the same into effect. CASTLEREAGH.

Draft.

Lord Castlereagh to the Lords of the Admiralty.

Downing Street, June 16, 1808. My Lords-There being reason to believe that certain Spanish officers are about to embark on board American vessels from some of the ports of Holland, with views hostile to this country, I am to signify to your lordships his Majesty's pleasure that all American vessels coming from the ports of Holland should be strictly searched for Spanish officers; and that all Spanish officers, together with their papers, found on board any of the said American ships or vessels, should be detained, and forthwith sent into port for examination, until further orders; and your lordships will give the necessary orders accordingly to the officers commanding his Majesty's squadrons and vessels of war.

In the execution of this service, your lordships will instruct the commanders of the ships of war to be most particular in examining American vessels coming from the port of Amsterdam, information having been received that the Spanish officers in question propose to embark at that port.

CASTLEREAGH.

Lord Castlereagh to Colonel Sir Thomas Dyer, Major Roche, and Captain Patrick.

Draft.

Downing Street, June 19, 1808. Gentlemen-It being desirable that his Majesty's Government should obtain as precise information as possible of the state of affairs in the principality of Asturias, his Majesty has been pleased to direct that some officers of his army, acquainted with the Spanish language, should be sent to that principality, for the purpose of collecting and reporting such information; and, his Majesty having been pleased to make choice of you for

this service, you will immediately proceed to Plymouth, and there embark on board the [blank] prepared for your reception.

A Spanish gentleman, recently arrived from the Asturias, will accompany you to the port of Gijon, and will previously land, to prepare your reception at Oviedo; upon your arrival at which place, you will present to the General Assembly of the Province of Asturias the enclosed letter from the Deputies of that body, who are now in London.

The objects to which you are particularly to direct your attention are:

1. The safe disembarkation of the military stores, destined for the use of the Asturian levies, which stores will sail at the same time with you, and will be consigned to Sir Thomas Dyer. A specification of the nature and amount of these stores is herewith enclosed.

2. You are to obtain the most precise information of the number of troops, whether regular or irregular, actually in arms in the province of Asturias; of the extent of means possessed by that province for adding to those numbers, and of furnishing them with arms.

3. You will endeavour to ascertain the amount and distribution of the French armies in Spain, and particularly in the neighbourhood of the Asturias, and the nature of the difficulties or facilities attending the invasion of that province.

So soon as you shall have been received by the existing authorities of the country, you will obtain permission to direct your inquiries to those and such other points as are connected with the military situation and means of that province, and to penetrate, if it be practicable, into any adjacent province which shall have made common cause with the Asturias. It may be expedient, for this purpose, that should pursue separate lines of inquiry, as Sir Thomas Dyer may judge the most advisable, being careful only that one of your number should always be resident at the seat of the local Government. As soon as you shall have obtained any such particulars as he

that you

may think material for the information of his Majesty's Government, Sir Thomas Dyer will return to England, in the vessel which will be directed to wait for him, leaving Major Roche and Captain Patrick to prosecute the objects of the

mission.

It is hoped that you will find the spirit of the country unbroken, and its means of resistance to French power strengthened and improved. But, in the more unfortunate event of any signal disaster having taken place, or of the counsels of the local Government appearing to have undergone such a change, as that resistance should be no longer intended, it is left to Sir Thomas Dyer's discretion to decline disembarking the stores at the hazard of their falling into the hands of the enemy.

You will at all times express, in the strongest terms, his Majesty's earnest desire to contribute, by all means in his power, to the success of the noble struggle in which the Asturians are engaged; and Sir Thomas Dyer will receive any further propositions either from that or from any other province of Spain, and undertake to bring them home, to be laid before his Majesty's Government.

Draft.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

CASTLEREAGH.

Lord Castlereagh to the Lords of the Admiralty. Downing Street, June 20, 1808. My Lords—It being judged expedient to release some of the Spanish prisoners now at Plymouth, to the number of eight or ten, for the purpose of accompanying Sir Thomas Dyer to the coast of Spain, I have to signify to your lordships his Majesty's pleasure that you do issue the necessary orders to the Admiral at Plymouth, for carrying the same into effect, in such manner as Sir Thomas Dyer may point out.

CASTLEREAGH.