Madrid, 8 April. There was a lot of comments dealing with the Russian squadron regarded the condition of the ships, their manner of building and so on. The truth was that the ships were at their utmost best and that the manner of building compared with the British or Spanish would cause remarks. But just small repairs were needed to bring two ships in a good condition. So the squadron was suitable for the expedition of which the exact time of departure was still unknown. The troops were still waiting on their posts.
