The minister of state to the ambassador of her Majesty in Paris, and to the minister plenipotentiary in London.
The Spanish expedition having been ready, at the Havana, to set sail, and the captain general of the island of Cuba not knowing whether the treaty between Spain, France, and England had been signed; being, consequently, ignorant of what would be the place appointed for the union of the three squadrons, and the maintaining the prolongation of an expedition ready to enter into campaign, occasioning enormous expenses, General Serrano has informed her Majesty’s government, under date of November 26 last, that it was resolved to send out the Spanish expedition to Vera Cruz between the 29th of November and the 2d of December. The chief officer who should direct it was to carry orders to agree in everything with the squadrons of the two powers friendly and allied if they were already in Vera Cruz; otherwise, the city of Vera Cruz and the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa should be taken possession of and held by the three united powers until the arrival of the French and English squadrons, which must be acted upon by mutual consent.
[Page 759]Your excellency will please communicate the above to this government, showing forth the great considerations that have influenced the captain general of the island of Cuba to adopt the determination which I have already expressed.
God, etc.