According to tidings from Toulon dated 9 August ordered the minister of navy
8 August by a telegraph message to let him know in which stadium the fitting
out of the 4 bomb galliots was. These vessels were to be prepared for duty as
soon as possible under supervision of frigate captain E. Olivier. The same
message ordered to do everything possible to prepare the 3-decker Montebello.
The reason for fitting out the bombs was not known. The distance between France
and Mexico was too large otherwise it could be believed that they were to be
used for an attack at the castle St. Juan de Ulloa near Vera Cruz. The latest
tidings spoke from a threat by the commanding officer of the French blockade
squadron there to bombard this castle if the Mexican government keep ignoring
the French demands.
A government paper of Paris dated 14 August
reported that according to tidings from Tunis that the French squadron was
ordered to prevent the Turkish fleet entering that harbour. The French squadron
consisted of 4 ships of the line and some smaller vessels. In the meantime
however the French admiral was negotiating about the French commerce interests
