British light cruiser HMS Centaur cruising in the Mediterranean according to the Weekly Intelligence Summary No. 3 dated 22 January 1921

An item reported that the British light cruiser HMS Centaur would leave Port Mahon, Menorca on 24 January, visited Valencia, Spain between 25-27 January, Malaga, Spain between 29 January-1 February arriving at Gibraltar on 1 February to be refitted.

Note

1. C-class Centaur sub-class light cruiser, preceded by Arethusa-class, succeeded by Danae-class, laid down by Vickers Limited on 24 January 1915, launched on 6 January 1916, completed in August 1916 and sold to be broken up in February 1934.

Source

The National Archives, Kew Gardens, England CAB-24-118-88

Algerian privateers on sea for attacking American shipping returned according to the Dutch newspaper’s Gravenhaegse courant dated 18 May 1778

An item dated Algiers 3 April reported that on 17 March a British merchant ship coming from Port Mahon, Menorca, Balearic Islands arrived loaded with 50 guns of different calibre to arm the Algerian cruisers. Two days left 7 Algerian cruisers (1-34, 2-32, 1-24, 2-18, 1-10 guns) the harbour as was said to act against American shipping.

Movements of French and Spanish warships according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 3 September 1825

Cadiz, 12 August. According to the extra ordinary correspondence in the newspaper le Journal des Débats arrived yesterday a French frigate coming from Rochefort with on board a detachment of 280 petty officers and soldiers. The convoy, which was expected from Havana, appeared yesterday. The French commanding officer send the convoy immediately towards the hospital of Mahon. There wasn’t even an opportunity to get the merchant trade papers. Yesterday departed a small Spanish division of 3 brigs towards the Strait.

Paris, 30 august. According to a telegraphic message dated 29 August 15.30 o’clock from the commanding officer at Brest arrived the frigate la Circé which departed St. Domingo 20 July with 3 representatives on board.

Intelligence news dealing with the Spanish navy from by J. Duff, British consul at Cadiz, for the month November 1803

Thanks to the by T.C. Hansard published The Parliamentary Debates from the year 1803 with the discussed papers, it’s possible to get an impression on what’s going in the Spanish navy at that moment an ally of the French empire and an enemy of the British empire.

P. 232: “In the Carraca, the fitting out of the 6 ships is going on. The America of 66 guns, is the only one of them which is completed, and is gone out of the arsenal; as to the others, 3 of them (one of which is the Trinidad) are in port; some time will elapse before they come out of it, and can be equipped as well as the others. At Ferrol they are occupied in the armament of the 5 ships to be fitted out there, the Neptune, Don. A. Valds, Monorca, Don A. Argomosa, S. Augustin, Don A. Pareja, S. Fulgencio, Don J. Rivera, Principe, Don C. Charruca; these ships, as fitted, are expected to come here. Of the 4 ships fitted out at Carthagena, the Argonaut, 84 guns, brig. Don de One, and the Bahama, 74 guns, capt. Don L. Truxillo, have been some time arrived here; the 2 remaining S. Carlos, 112 guns, brig. Don L. Musias, and Reyna Luisa, 112 guns, brih. Don A. Pastigo, were prepared to follow. The ships Paula, San Pablo, Sau Joaquim and Guererro have been masted at the same place, but no order had

p.233: been received for fitting them out. The frigate Santa Rufina, which arrived here from Carthagena, about 10 days ago, is under orders to get ready for America, supposed to be for Lima. The king’s storeship, Santa Justa, sailed for the 26th ult. for a port in Galicia, with a cargo of salt for the king’s account. The new frigate Vengeance, built at Mahon, and arrived latterly from Carthagena, is to be attached to the squadron; she appears to be a fine frigate, and can mount 40 guns. Of the 2 frigates which sailed from Ferrol last Feb. for Lima, the Santa Clara arrived at the Callac the 22d June; the other, the Mercedes, has punt into Rio Janeyro, leaky. The brig Argo, and schooner Telosa, under teh orders of the brig, Don A de Feguerora, are intended to sail in the present month, as guarda costas for the Caracas. The lugger Experiment, which went with surgeons and priests to Malagam and is lately returned, remains in thus bay performing quarantaine. The brig Penelope remains equipped in this bay, and without any destination being given her”.

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. 232-233. Digitized by Google.com.

Spanish packet El Galgo captured by British Port Mahon 30 September 1805

According to a letter dated 30 September 1805, published in the Naval Chronicle the British sloop Port Mahon captured the El Galgo near Trinidad de Cuba. A letter written by the commanding officer of the Port Mahon, namely captains Sam. Chambers, dated 30 September at Trinidad de Cuba, North East by North, gives more information:

"Her Majesty's sloop Port Mahon, under my command, this morning crossed upon a schooner, lying to, but on our approach, made sail from us. I have the honour of informing you, she was captured after a chase of two hours, and proves His Catholic Majesty's packet el Galgo, commanded by Lieutenant Ignacio Guosqucz, with thirty men, pierced for fourteen guns, but only four brass swivels mounted. She is a very fine vessel, coppered and copper-fastened, well found, and sails fast; left Cadiz on the 9th of August, had delivered dispatches at Camana, and was bound, with others to Trinidad de Cuba and Vera Cruz, which were thrown overboard".

The brig sloop Port Mahon was originally captured while on stocks at Port Mahon 1798, became in 1817 a police hulk and was sold in 1837. Her dimensions were 91½ x 25, armed with 18 guns and of 277 tons builders measurement.

Sources
The Naval Chronicle for 1806. January-June.
J.J. Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. An Historical Index, 2 vols. David&Charles, Newton Abbot, 1969.

Dutch bomb corvette Zr.Ms. Hekla arrived at Vlissingen, Netehrlands returning from Mahon according to the Dutch newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated 17 December 1829

Rijksmusem Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

An item dated Vlissingen, Netherlands the 12th reported the arrival of the Dutch corvette Zr.Ms. Hekla captain lieutenant A. Sluyter coming from Mahon, Menorca.

Note
1. Bomb corvette, on stocks at Rotterdam, Netherlands January 1819, launched October 1821, stricken 1830, 20 guns.

The Dutch navy in the Mediterranean according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 6 December 1824

Brussels, 4 December. The newspaper Journal de Bruxelles published a news item dated Brussels 3 December according to which lieutenant Clifford Kocq van Breugel adjutant of admiral Wolterbeek who commanded the Dutch squadron in the Mediterranean arrived yesterday morning from Port Mahoun. He brought whit him the news that the Dey of Algiers with draws his demands and again accepted the terms of the treaty of 1816. Consul Fraissiniet and Lieutenant Van den Bosch commanding officer of the brig Pelikaan  (1) had informed the Dey that the Dutch government refused to admit the demands and threatened with war.

Note
1. Department Amsterdam, on stocks at naval yard at Amsterdam, Netherlands August 1819, launched January 1821, sold 1845, 8 guns.

Rumours dealing with Spanish privateers being fitted out at Mahon according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 7 May 1823

London, 2 May. According to tidings from the agent of Lloyds at Genoa dated 19 April were there rumours that around 20 privateers were fitted out at Mahon.