In the Dutch magazine Maandelykse Nederlandsche Mercurius monthly published at Amsterdam, Netherlands by Bernardus Mourik, I found some interesting news dealing with the Spanish navy preparing for war duties.
Vol. 45, page 78.
The Spanish naval strength in [August 1778] consisted of:ships-of-the-line (1-112 guns, 1-90 guns, 6-80 guns, 48-70 guns, 9-64guns, 2-54 guns), frigates (16-30 guns, 16-26guns, 6-20à30 guns ), so-called verboten (12-40 guns, 1-24 guns, 7-29 guns), chebecken (3-30guns, 5-32 guns, 3-22 guns), snows ( 1-20 guns, 3-18 guns, 3-16 guns), brigantines (1-18 guns, 1-16 guns, 2-8 guns), bomb galliots (4-2à 8 guns), 4 fire ships; galliots (7-3 guns) and 1 galley of 18 guns. Totally 163 ships and vessels.
Page 84. The Spanish court ordered [August 1778] to fit out at Corumba two fast sailing royal packet boats to choose sea at first order. The officers on board were able to speak and understand English and well known with the coastal waters of England. The squadron lying at Cadiz was daily strengthened. The day of departure and destination of the fleet was still a secret. However, the Spanish fleet was never as strong as nowadays. To prevent problems with the merchant shipping and fishery, the court of Naples delivered 10.000 sailors, 3000 were born in Naples, and the others 7000 were Greece born, from Lipari and surrounding islands. So it becomes possible to give 10.000 Spanish sailors shore leave for 2 years to serve in fishery and merchant shipping. After this two years they have to come back to substitute another 10.000 sailors at that moment in military service.
Page 124. A news item dated 27 August [1778] mentioned that Don Louis de Cordoba, lieutenant general hoisted his colours on board of the ship called De Drieëenheid, arriving from Ferrol at Cadiz. The Spanish fleet lying in the Bay of Cadiz numbered 42 ships-of-the-lines, 7 frigates, 2 bomb galliots, 2 fluyts and 2 fire ships. She will be divided in 3 squadrons, commanded by don Adriaan Coudron-Cantin, Don Michel Gaston and Don Antonio Posado.
Page 185. Bilbao 8 October [1778]. The Spanish fleet was still being strengthened. Beside the 11 frigates of 20 à 30 guns, 2 hulks of 40 guns, 2 fire ships, 1 polacre, 1 tartane en many transports of 300 à 500tons, were 31 ships-of-the-line fitted out. Of the latter were 1-120guns, 3-80 guns, 25-70 guns, 1-64 guns and 1-54 guns. At Ferrol were another 7 warships available for duty. Still the destination was unknown.
Fol. 46, 1779.
Page 94. [February 1779]. Since 2 years the Spanish court was strengthening her navy, without saying why. At the moment there were 8 new warships built, 5 of 80 and the other 5 of 74 guns? As soon as they were completed, they will start the building of the same number. More than 6000 men are building new shipyards and storehouses.
Page 123. Madrid, 2 March [1779]. It’s expected that Spain will join France with England as their opponent. There were 63 ships-of-the-line ready to depart for sea: 44 at Cadiz, 15 at Ferrol and 4 at Carthagena. At the latter harbour there were two who needed to be cleaned. The 8 chebecken, commanded by Don Antonio Barcelo, arriving at 22 February, departed 26th again. News from Cadiz dated 7 March mentioned that 15 ships-of-the-line and frigates were ordered to depart before 29 March with a secret destination.
Fol 47, 1779.
Page 9. Madrid, 16 June [1779]. The Spanish Court appointed 25 captains for ships-of-the-line, 26 captains for frigates and a large amount officers of lesser rank. The fleet at Cadiz numbered 32 ships-of-the-line, 8 frigates, 2 fire ships, 2 corvettes, 2 hookers or bomb galliots, totally 46 ships and vessels. The fleet was commanded by General Don Louis de Cordova, who also commanded the first division with1-80 guns, 10-70 guns and 2 frigates. The second division was commanded by lieutenant general Don Antonio Ulloa, with 1-120 guns, 1-80 guns, 7-70 guns, 2-60 guns and 2 frigates. The third division, commanded by lieutenant Don Miguel Gaston, numbered 1-80 guns, 8-70 guns, 1-60 guns and 2 frigates and finally the fourth division numbered 2-30 guns frigates, 2-20 guns fire ships, 1-20 guns corvette, 1-40guns hooker withfood, 1-40 guns hooker serving as hospital ship and 3 bomb galliots; perhaps the author mentioned hulks when he wrote hookers. The squadron at Ferrol numbered 8 ships-of-the-line and 2 frigates and seemed to have join the French fleet commanded by d’Orvilliers.
Vol. 45, page 78.
The Spanish naval strength in [August 1778] consisted of:ships-of-the-line (1-112 guns, 1-90 guns, 6-80 guns, 48-70 guns, 9-64guns, 2-54 guns), frigates (16-30 guns, 16-26guns, 6-20à30 guns ), so-called verboten (12-40 guns, 1-24 guns, 7-29 guns), chebecken (3-30guns, 5-32 guns, 3-22 guns), snows ( 1-20 guns, 3-18 guns, 3-16 guns), brigantines (1-18 guns, 1-16 guns, 2-8 guns), bomb galliots (4-2à 8 guns), 4 fire ships; galliots (7-3 guns) and 1 galley of 18 guns. Totally 163 ships and vessels.
Page 84. The Spanish court ordered [August 1778] to fit out at Corumba two fast sailing royal packet boats to choose sea at first order. The officers on board were able to speak and understand English and well known with the coastal waters of England. The squadron lying at Cadiz was daily strengthened. The day of departure and destination of the fleet was still a secret. However, the Spanish fleet was never as strong as nowadays. To prevent problems with the merchant shipping and fishery, the court of Naples delivered 10.000 sailors, 3000 were born in Naples, and the others 7000 were Greece born, from Lipari and surrounding islands. So it becomes possible to give 10.000 Spanish sailors shore leave for 2 years to serve in fishery and merchant shipping. After this two years they have to come back to substitute another 10.000 sailors at that moment in military service.
Page 124. A news item dated 27 August [1778] mentioned that Don Louis de Cordoba, lieutenant general hoisted his colours on board of the ship called De Drieëenheid, arriving from Ferrol at Cadiz. The Spanish fleet lying in the Bay of Cadiz numbered 42 ships-of-the-lines, 7 frigates, 2 bomb galliots, 2 fluyts and 2 fire ships. She will be divided in 3 squadrons, commanded by don Adriaan Coudron-Cantin, Don Michel Gaston and Don Antonio Posado.
Page 185. Bilbao 8 October [1778]. The Spanish fleet was still being strengthened. Beside the 11 frigates of 20 à 30 guns, 2 hulks of 40 guns, 2 fire ships, 1 polacre, 1 tartane en many transports of 300 à 500tons, were 31 ships-of-the-line fitted out. Of the latter were 1-120guns, 3-80 guns, 25-70 guns, 1-64 guns and 1-54 guns. At Ferrol were another 7 warships available for duty. Still the destination was unknown.
Fol. 46, 1779.
Page 94. [February 1779]. Since 2 years the Spanish court was strengthening her navy, without saying why. At the moment there were 8 new warships built, 5 of 80 and the other 5 of 74 guns? As soon as they were completed, they will start the building of the same number. More than 6000 men are building new shipyards and storehouses.
Page 123. Madrid, 2 March [1779]. It’s expected that Spain will join France with England as their opponent. There were 63 ships-of-the-line ready to depart for sea: 44 at Cadiz, 15 at Ferrol and 4 at Carthagena. At the latter harbour there were two who needed to be cleaned. The 8 chebecken, commanded by Don Antonio Barcelo, arriving at 22 February, departed 26th again. News from Cadiz dated 7 March mentioned that 15 ships-of-the-line and frigates were ordered to depart before 29 March with a secret destination.
Fol 47, 1779.
Page 9. Madrid, 16 June [1779]. The Spanish Court appointed 25 captains for ships-of-the-line, 26 captains for frigates and a large amount officers of lesser rank. The fleet at Cadiz numbered 32 ships-of-the-line, 8 frigates, 2 fire ships, 2 corvettes, 2 hookers or bomb galliots, totally 46 ships and vessels. The fleet was commanded by General Don Louis de Cordova, who also commanded the first division with1-80 guns, 10-70 guns and 2 frigates. The second division was commanded by lieutenant general Don Antonio Ulloa, with 1-120 guns, 1-80 guns, 7-70 guns, 2-60 guns and 2 frigates. The third division, commanded by lieutenant Don Miguel Gaston, numbered 1-80 guns, 8-70 guns, 1-60 guns and 2 frigates and finally the fourth division numbered 2-30 guns frigates, 2-20 guns fire ships, 1-20 guns corvette, 1-40guns hooker withfood, 1-40 guns hooker serving as hospital ship and 3 bomb galliots; perhaps the author mentioned hulks when he wrote hookers. The squadron at Ferrol numbered 8 ships-of-the-line and 2 frigates and seemed to have join the French fleet commanded by d’Orvilliers.
