Thanks to the by T.C. Hansard published The Parliamentary Debates from the year 1803 with the discussed papers, it was possible to get an impression on what was going in the Spanish navy at that moment an ally of the French empire and an enemy of the British empire. In an extract of the letter, dated 14 October 1803, written to W. Marsden in England, by J. Duff, British consul at Cadiz, the following information becomes available.
"I am assured this day, orders have been received at the island for the arming at that arsenal of 2 three-deckers, an 84, and 3 74's; and at Carthagena 3 large frigates. It has even been said some line of battle ships have been ordered to be fitted out there; also at Ferrol, nut I believe not with certainty; and the fact is, several months must elapse before those at this department can be in any readiness to put to sea. My next will probably convey you more pointed information on this head. Our capt.-gen. is called to court; and, as a considerable number of troops have assembled at Zamora and Valladolid, it may be inferred with a view to his inspecting them, or giving him some command".
Source
T.C. Hansard. The Parliamentary Debates from the year 1803 to the present time. vol III comprising the period from the fifteenth day of January to the twelfth day of March 1805. London, 1812. Parliamentary Debates, February 4, 1805, Second Additonal Papers relative to the war with Spain, p. 232. Digitized by Google.com.
