No. 26.

Earl Granville to Mr. Macdonell.

Sir, Foreign Office, August 4, 1873. I HAVE to state to you that I approve the Circular addressed by you on the 29th ultimo to Her Majesty's Consuls in Spain, a copy of which was inclosed in your despatch of the same date, instructing them as to their conduct in the present disturbed state of Spain.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

GRANVILLE,

No. 27.

Earl Granville to Mr. Macdonell.

Sir,

Foreign Office, August 5, 1873,

I HAVE received your despatches to that of the 31st ultimo inclusive; and I have satisfaction in acquainting you that the manner in which you are conducting the affairs of the Mission under circumstances of no ordinary difficulty is entirely approved by Her Majesty's Government.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

GRANVILLE.

No. 28.

My Lord,

Earl Granville to Lord Lyons.

Foreign Office, August 7, 1873.

THE French Ambassador having inquired of me in conversation whether it was true that the German and English naval Commanders had seized two Spanish rebel vessels, I answered that news had arrived by the telegraph of the seizure by the Commanders of a German and an English ship of war of the two Spanish vessels in question. These vessels had been taken into Carthagena and held there, until instructions could be received from Her Majesty's Government.

I said we had since received an application from the de facto Spanish Government to deliver up to them the crews of the captured vessels, or, if there were any difficulty in doing so, in consequence of the non-recognition by us of the Spanish Government, then they requested us to land them in a port in possession of the Spanish Government, giving them due notice.

To this application I had by telegraph declined to accede.

I had received a further telegram from the British Admiral in command in those waters, stating that, by the capture of the rebel vessels, the bombardment of Malaga had been averted.

I had this afternoon telegraphed to the German Government informing them of the news and of the application which I had received, and also of the course which I had adopted. I had told the German Government that I was not acquainted with the circumstances in which the vessels were captured, and I had asked the opinion of that Government whether it would not be desirable to release the crews and to hand over the vessels only to the de facto Government of Spain upon their formal demand.

I am, &c.

No. 29.

Mr. Hammond to the Secretary to the Admiralty.

Sir, Foreign Office, August 8, 1873. 1 AM directed by Earl Granville to request that you will acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that Her Majesty's Government understand that the German Government concur with them in opinion that all prisoners on board captured Spanish vessels should be released unarmed; but, it appears that the German Government has doubts as to giving up the vessels to the de facto Government of Spain. Her Majesty's Government are, however, of opinion that this capture of the vessels implies some intervention on the part of the captors, and that the surrender of the vessels on demand to the de facto Government, which alone represents Spain at present, is the most simple conclusion. But Her Majesty's Government are also desirous of acting completely with the German Government in this matter, and think that British naval authorities should do nothing in that respect until the demand for the surrender of the vessels is made, and, when it is made, refer home for instructions.

I am accordingly to request that instructions to the above effect may at once be sent to the Commanders of British vessels on the Coast of Spain. &c.

I am,

(Signed)

E. HAMMOND.

No. 30.

Earl Granville to Mr. Macdonell.

Foreign Office, August 8, 1873.

Sir, I TRANSMIT to you herewith, for your information, a copy of a letter which I have caused to be addressed to the Admiralty, containing instructions as to the treatment of the revolted Spanish ships.*

The substance of this instruction has been sent by telegraph to Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Berlin.

No. 31.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

GRANVILLE.

My Lord,

Consul Wilkinson to Earl Granville.—(Received August 9.)

Malaga, August 1, 1873.

I HAVE the honour to inclose herewith a copy of a despatch, dated yesterday, which I received this morning from Mr. Vice-Consul Barron, relating to the bombardment of Almeria by the insurgent frigates "Vittoria " and " Almansa," under the command of General Contreras. These ships, after leaving Almeria, proceeded to Motril, where they arrived yesterday, and, under threat of a bombardment, they exacted and obtained a sum of 16,000 dollars. The ships then separated, the " Vittoria" steering south, whilst the "Almansa" took a westerly direction, the latter evidently bound for this port. Fortunately for the town of Malaga the "Friedrich Carl," a German iron-clad, under the command of Commodore Werner, and Her Majesty's ship "Swiftsure," Captain Ward, were lying at anchor off this port, and at daybreak this morning they got under weigh and proceeded in quest of the Spanish ships. At a distance of a few miles they fell in with the frigate "Almansa," which vessel they seized without resistance; and an hour or so later they came up with the iron-clad "Vittoria," which likewise surrendered to the German and British frigates, in whose custody the insurgent vessels are now being reconveyed to Carthagena, under the obligation not to proceed to sea again in the service of the rebels; and to guarantee the security of the German Consul at Carthagena, General Contreras is detained on board of the "Friedrich Carl" as a hostage.

The inhabitants of Malaga congratulate themselves upon having escaped a dreadful disaster, for it is now evident that the object of the insurgents was to attack the town by

* No. 29.

sea with their ships, and by land by means of their confederates, who, although not numerous, are sufficient to create a powerful diversion in their favour on the part of the lately vanquished followers of M. Carvajal, and the plunder and destruction of property and the loss of life would have been fearful to contemplate.

I have, &c.

ON the 29th instant I telegraphed you as at foot. As we feared, the insurgents from Carthagena on board the frigates "Almansa" and "Vittoria," commanded by General Contreras, intimated to the authorities of this place, that if the troops did not immediately leave the place to allow the people to join in his revolutionary movements, and the citizens of the town of Almeria pay a contribution of 100,000 dollars, besides the delivery of all the funds belonging to the Spanish Government, he would bombard and destroy the town. As the Commandant-General of this place had a sufficient force at his command to prevent the landing of the insurgents, he refused to quit the place, and, as regards the money demanded, it was impossible to collect it, and the authorities refused also to deliver any belonging to the Government.

The Austrian and French Vice-Consuls and myself, at the request of the authorities, accompanied them in the interviews they had with Contreras, but could obtain no concession of any kind from him, only that he would give us notice one hour before commencing firing on the town. He did nothing but threaten the whole of the 29th, and, however, requested me to order the captain of the merchant British steam-ship "Filey," moored at the mole, to go out of the port to prevent any damage. I, with my family and some British subjects, went on board of said steamer that afternoon, and moved out of the port, outside the Spanish frigates.

Yesterday morning, nothing having been accorded to Contreras by the Civil Military authorities, he gave me an official notice that he was going to fire on the town; he did so, and suspended the fire after about 20 shots; he then requested to have an interview with me, to which, and in order to prevent, if possible, the continuance of his criminal and barbarous proceedings against an open, inoffensive, and peaceful town, I acceded. He told me that it was his intention to leave in the evening, but that before he was going to fire again upon the town, not with the object of destroying it, for which he had ample means at his command, but to prove that he could do so. I remonstrated to him, and tried, in the name of the nation I represented, to dissuade him from firing any more, telling him, as it was really the case, that all the inhabitants had left the town, and that he would obtain no other result but the destruction of property. He insisted on carrying on his criminal act, and fired again on the town, causing a good deal of destruction, and amongst it, he half destroyed the house of Mr. James O'Connor, British subject, of which I only became acquainted after the departure of the frigates.

At about 6 P.M., Contreras informed me that I could return with the steamer "Filey" to the port, as he would not fire any more and would leave the Bay immediately. Mr. O'Connor is going to draw up an estimate of his losses, to make a claim, through me, on the Spanish Government.

Without time for more details, I have, &c.

(Signed)

Copy of Telegram.

PHILIP BARRON.

Contreras, with two frigates, arrived this morning. There are fears of the town being bombarded. The immediate presence here of some British man-of-war will be most convenient for protection of British interests, and British subjects will see it with pleasure.

Sir,

No. 32.

Earl Granville to Mr. Adams.

Foreign Office, August 11, 1873. COUNT MUNSTER has communicated to me the substance of a despatch and a subsequent telegram from Prince Bismarck, in which were recapitulated the events which have occurred respecting the Spanish rebel ships of war, and in which was expressed the strong wish of Prince Bismarck that the instructions of the British and German Governments should be to the same effect.

I recounted the instructions we had given or were prepared to give :

1. Not to interfere excepting for the protection of British life and property; but that, in consequence of the earnest application of the Italian Government, in the absence of any Italian ships of war on the coast of Spain, Her Majesty's ships had been authorized to extend similar protection to Italian subjects in case of need; though only against persons not acting under the authority of the de facto Government of Spain.

2. To exercise force, if necessary, for the purpose of such protection.

3. To avoid seizing vessels, unless an absolute necessity arose, for the abovementioned purpose; and in that case to set the persons in them free, but to hand over the vessels without official recognition to the de facto Government of Spain.

I observed that I believed that on all these points but one there had already been an agreement between the two Governments; and I was glad to perceive, from the despatch of which Count Münster had given me an account, that the German Government now also agreed with Her Majesty's Government respecting the surrender of the Spanish vessels.

I mentioned to Count Münster that I should make a point of communicating to the German Government any further information I received, or any fresh instructions which might appear necessary, relying on the reciprocity of the German Government.

Count Münster gave me the same assurance.

I then mentioned to Count Münster that M. de Broglie had expressed a strong desire to Lord Lyons that, as France, Great Britain, and Germany were all desirous of avoiding interference in the internal affairs of Spain, it was certainly desirable that their respective instructions to their Consuls and Naval Officers in Spain should be the same; and that M. de Broglie had stated to Lord Lyons that M. de Philipsborn had expressed to the French Chargé d'Affaires at Berlin a wish that the Powers should take the same

course.

Count Münster said he was not aware of any such opinion having been given, but he knew how desirous Prince Bismarck was to act in unison with Her Majesty's Government.

Sir,

The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Hammond.—(Received August 11.

Admiralty, August 9. 1873. WITH reference to your letter of the 8th instant, relative to the course to be adopted by the British naval authorities with regard to the Spanish ships captured from the insurgents, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request you will inform Earl Granville that the necessary instructions have been sent to Vice-Admiral Sir Hastings Yelverton accordingly.

I am, &c. (Signed)

VERNON LUSHINGTON.

Sir,

No. 34.

Mr. Hammond to the Secretary to the Admiralty.

Foreign Office, August 11, 1873.

I HAVE laid before Earl Granville your letter of yesterday, inclosing a telegram from Vice-Admiral Sir Hastings Yelverton, dated yesterday, and stating that he was about to proceed immediately to Carthagena, and would not surrender the revolted ships until further orders.

66

The German frigate which has been acting, together with Her Majesty's ship Swiftsure," in regard to these vessels, is understood to have left Carthagena, the crews of the vessels having been previously landed unarmed, though, as far as Her Majesty's Government are informed, General Contreras was for a time still detained by the German Commander, but what has since become of him is not clear, though he would seem also to have been set at liberty.

The question, however, which presses for decision is, What shall be done with the revolted ships?

In my letter of the 8th instant the Board of Admiralty were informed that, although Her Majesty's Government considered that the ships should be delivered up, on demand, to the de facto Government at Madrid, yet, in deference to the doubt felt by the German Government as to the expediency of that course, Her Majesty's Government would only have the British Admiral instructed to report the fact of such demand having been made, and await orders from home. This Admiral Yelverton proposes to do.

In the meanwhile, the Spanish Government has pressed for the delivery up of the vessels.

In this state of things Lord Granville has had a conversation with the German Ambassador, and having gone over with his Excellency the instructions given to the British Naval Commanders, and discussed with him the course to be pursued with regard to the demand of the Spanish Government, his Lordship concluded by saying that Her Majesty's Government were of opinion that the vessels should no longer be detained, and that, supposing them to be in the sole custody of the British Naval forces, the British Admiral would receive orders, if duly applied to, to make over any vessels in his possession to the authorities duly appointed by the Spanish Government at Madrid to receive them.

Lord Granville thinks it desirable on this occasion to repeat, consecutively, the instructions which Her Majesty's Government have desired should be acted on by Her Majesty's Naval Commanders, in dealing with vessels which may have revolted from the de facto Government at Madrid.

1. July 24.-That if such vessels commit any acts of piracy affecting British subjects or British interests, they should be treated as pirates, the decree of the Spanish Government having deprived them of the protection of their flag; but if they do no such acts, they should not be interfered with.

2. July 30.-That, as in such a case as has recently occurred at Malaga, the British Naval Commander, if, and when his force is sufficient for the purpose, should require the revolted ships to refrain from bombarding a town until sufficient time had been allowed for placing British life and property in safety; to enforce his demand, if it is refused, and, if it is granted, to give effect to the measures necessary for the security of British subjects and their property.

3. August 2.-That any measures taken for the defence of the subjects of the King of Italy, under my letter of July 15, or of any other friendly power whose interests in Spain may be mixed up with those of British subjects, should be directed only against persons not acting under the authority of the de facto Government of Spain.

4. August 3.-That the Commanders of Her Majesty's Naval Forces on the coast of Spain should not sanction or permit the participation of any British officers in the surrender of any prisoners captured on board the revolted vessels to the Spanish Government, or in landing any such prisoners at a port in the hands of the Spanish Government, giving due notice to the latter.

I am, &c.

P.S.--I am to suggest that a copy of this letter should be sent forthwith to ViceAdmiral Sir H. Yelverton, for his information and guidance.

E. H.

No. 35.

Count Münster to Earl Granville.-(Received August 11.)

(Translation.) My Lord,

German Embassy, Ryde, August 9, 1873.

I HAVE had the honour, in a personal interview with your Excellency, to inform you that my Government desires to come to an understanding with that of England