Gibraltar, 10 July. Some American and British ships coming from Havana
loaded with colonial stores arrived these days at Gibraltar. Probably the
Colombian warships which were cruising in these waters learned of the Spanish
convoy coming from Havana and destined towards Cadiz while they in haste
departed for open sea through the Strait. There is no doubt that they will
capture the convoy unless a sufficient force will be sent to protect it.
Excluded the vessels which now departed have the Colombians stationed vessels
for the entrances of nearly all Spanish harbours while others are cruising on a
distance of more as 100
miles from the coast mainly in the waters of cape St.
Vincent. Spanish ships coming from Biscay, Asturien or Galicia are lucky if
they managed to escape the privateers and rounded the cape without being taken.
Nearly daily arrived at Lagoa the crews of Spanish ships which were captured.
Recently arrived the crew of a ship coming van Trinidad and captured by the
goelette el Aguila and which were allowed by the Colombians to go on board of a
Portuguese ships which was met.
London, 28 July. There was recently news published dealing with the extra
ordinary expedition fitted out by the Mexican government to join another
prepared in the United States. This news was confirmed to be true. The 36-gun
ship Serrat Castle [Surat Castle] one of the ships bought by the Mexican
government departed from Gravesend towards Vera Cruz.(1) She was ordered to
join at New York a Mexican division, where they were waiting for a Swedish ship
of the line and 2-46 gun frigates. The first aim of this squadron is to cut of
all communication between Cuba and St. Juan d’Uloa to force the latter town to
surrender and the next aim is to attack Havana. The Serrat Castle was commanded
by captain Smith, a nephew of Sir Sidney Smith, the complete crew included the
officers were British.
Note
1. See on this weblog the note ‘The Mexican Navy’ published 2 January 2009.
This former East Indiaman was in Mexican service called Libertad or Libertador.
A item with nearly the same contents was also published in The Examiner of
1825, p. 487.
