April laft, the faid floop, Morning Star, was laying at anchor, near the bar of Black river, on the Mufquito fhore: And this deponent further faith, that two guarda-coftas, belonging to his moft Catholic Majefty, the Pacifico of fourteen guns, commanded by Don Juan Caftello, and the Recurfo of twelve guns, commanded by Antonio Yepe, under Dutch colours, bore down upon the faid floop, while at anchor as aforefaid, (fhe having English colours hoifted) whereupon the faid guarda-coftas, hauled down the Dutch colours, and the Pacifico hailed the faid floop, Morning Star, and afked, "From whence came ye?" and being answered, "From London and Jamaica," the again afked, "Have you any flour or other provifions?" and was anfwered, "Only for our own ufe." And after fo hailing the faid floop, they, the faid Don Juan Caftello, and Antonio Yepe, came on board the said floop, and the faid Don Juan Caftello afked, "Who the veffel belonged to?" he was answered, "To Meffrs. Irving and Blair ;" and also asked, "What is the mafter's name? and he was answered, "David Miller, who is on shore." And this deponent further faith, that as foon as they, the said Don Juan Caftello and Antonio Yepe came on board the floop Morning Star, they ordered the English colours to be hauled down, which was accordingly down, and then asked if there were any ammunition on board, when they were answered only fome powder and musquets for our own ufe; and they alfo afked," Have you fent any powder on fhore?" and they were answered, "Some to the fuperintendant at Black River." And this deponent further faith, that after their faid questions were answered, the faid Don Juan Caftello ordered fome armed men to come on board, who by his command, tied the floop's crew, two by two, (except David Robinson the boatfwain, who continued on board the faid floop fome days after) and put them on board the Pacifico, while the Spaniards took poffeffion of the faid floop, Morning Star, and proceeded to Port Bello, and from thence to Carthagena, from which last mentioned place this deponent made his escape. his Sworn before me this 20th day of Sept. 1776. FREDRICK X SUND. T. FRENCH, cuftos, &c. Kingfton. mark. Copy of a letter to Lord Weymouth. I PRESENTED a memorial to Lord George Germaine, three months ago, complaining of the illegal capture of the floop Morning Star, belonging to Doctor Charles Irving and myfelf, by two Spanish armed floops, on the Mufquito fhore, a copy of which is here inclofed. Having received a circumstantial account of the capture by an affidavit of Frederick Sund, one of the failors, taken before Thomas French, cuftos and chief justice of the court of common pleas of Kingston, in Jamaica; I wrote the inclosed letter to Lord George Germaine, on the 17th inftant, and in a converfation with his Lordship on the 19th, refpecting this letter, I was told that the papers relative to this outrage, would be tranfmitted to your Lordship's office, which I can by no means lament, confidering what has paffed, and believing from your manly character, that there will be now no longer any delay in procuring fatisfaction for our loffes, and vindicating the national honour. It never was my wish to hurry administration into a difcuffion with the court of Spain, at an improper season; I delayed from preffing my bufinefs, in deference to their fituation, although I had croffed the Atlantic for redress; now I am transferred to another office, and my conduct in this respect, treated as weakness, I beg it may be understood, that any delay in demanding from the crown of Spain, that fatisaction, which the cafe requires, is not with my confent. It must be evident to your Lordship, that until redress is fully obtained, in this cafe, the inhabitants of that country, can have no fecurity for their property, and are thereby deterred from engaging with any degree of fpirit, in the cultivation of many commodities, which the colony is very happily fituated for producing; commodities effentially necessary to the manufactures of Great Britain, but which are at prefent principally furnished by the colonies of France and Spain, our Weft India Islands being prevented by the scarcity of land, and other local disadvantages, from engaging in the culture of them, to any extent. It was alledged by Lord George Germaine, in the last converfation I had the honour to hold with his Lordfhip, that the Spaniardss had never acquiefced in our title, to the Mufquito fhore; but I muft beg leave to observe, that there are no veftiges of their having ever poffeffed that part of the country country where the English are fettled, and which was voluntarily ceded to King William, * by the unconquered natives; that the English have ever fince retained poffeffion; and as his Majefty has lately been gracioufly pleased to establish a legislative council, for the better governing of the colony, it would be a deception of his fubjects, and a national difgrace, to permit their property to be feized, under these circumftances by any power whatever. I fhall be ready at any time to wait on your Lordship, to give every information, in my power, concerning this unprecedented act of violence, and to explain the commercial advantages, that may be derived from the colony. I am, with the greatest refpect, and moft humble fervant, London, Dec. 23d, 1776. I lodge at Mr. Holland's Oxendon street. ALEX. BLAIR. Copy of a letter to Lord Weymouth. MY LORD, I-CALLED on your Lordship yefterday morning, to have had the honour of fome converfation respecting the floop Morning Star: Sir Stanier Porten told me, it would be proper to put my business in writing, which I now do. I am informed, my Lord, that the governor of Jamaica, Sir Bafil Keith, has tranfmitted to Lord George Germaine, a copy of his letter to the governor of Carthagena, demanding reftitution, and fatisfaction, to the owners (being Doctor Irving and myfelf) of the floop Morning Star, which was taken by two Spanish guarda-coftas, commanded by Don Juan Caftello, and Antonio Yepe, as fhe lay at anchor, in fight of the King's house, at Black river, on the Musquito fhore, as also the Spanish governor's answer, acknowledging the capture, by veffels commiffioned by the King of Spain, but declaring that he could not order reftitution. My firft anxiety is, to know if these letters have been tranfmitted to your Lordship, who I am perfuaded, notwithftanding the delays that have hitherto taken place, in this bufinefs, will lofe no time, in vindicating the honour of the na tion, * Mr. Blair has fince discovered, that what he confidered as the original ceffion of the Mufquito fhore, was only a confirmation of the original ceffion which was made in the reign of King Charles the Firft. tion, and doing juftice to every particular member, of the community. If it should be deemed impolitic, as I am given to underftand at another place, to prefs the Spanish court for redress, at the prefent moment, I hope your Lordship will confider, the great hardfhip upon Doctor Irving and myfelf, from fuch a proceeding, who embarked the greatest part of our property in this adventure, under the fanction and encouragement of government, under the faith of protection, where his Majefty had established a legislative council, and displayed his colours, and where no one improper act on our part, or our agents, can be alledged, as the caufe of the capture; and therefore your Lordfhip muft fee, that the point in issue, in this business, is the right of the nation, to the fettlement on the Musquito fhore, which Great Britain has fo long maintained, and lately fettled, under a more regular form of government, as fet forth, in my former memorials; and therefore I expect, if the fyftem of procraftination fhould be adopted, that your Lordfhip will give me explicit affurances, in writing, that the public will in the mean time, pay the lofs fuftained by Doctor Irving and myfelf, according to the account I have rendered, otherwife, after waiting fo long, I fhall think it my duty, to prefer a petition to Parliament; and although there may be little hopes of fuccefs, through that channel, where the King's minifters do not approve, yet it is a duty I owe to my abfent friend, Doctor Irving, to use every means for redrefs, the conftitution has given to an injured fubject, conscious of the juftness of my claim, whatever be the event. I am, with the greatest respect to your Lordship, your obedient and moft humble fervant, Oxendon Street, ALEX. BLAIR. Jan. 31, 1777. All which your petitioner humbly fubmits to this honourable House, and prays fuch relief as they in their wisdom shall think fit. February 24th 1777. ALEXANDER BLAIR. Copy of the protest of David Miller, late mafter of the floop Morning Star. Great Black River,}ss. Mufquito fhore. BY this public inftrument of proteft, be it known and manifeft to all whom it may concern, that on the first day of May, May, in the year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred and feventy-fix, David Miller, late mafter of the floop or veffel called the Morning Star, burthen one hundred and thirty tons, or thereabouts, plantation built, and British property, perfonally appeared before me John Bourke, Efquire, one of his Majesty's juftices, and cuftos rotulorum on the Mufquito fhore, in North America (no notary public being then on the Mufquito fhore); and the faid appearer, David Miller, did then folemnly intimate, declare, teftify, protest and say, that the aforefaid floop or veffel, called the Morning Star, cleared out at the cuftom-houfe in London, for Jamaica and the Mufquito fhore, at the latter of which places the faid vessel arrived about the middle of February laft paft; Alexander Blair and Charles Irvine then being paffengers on board of her, and the faid veffel continued at different parts of the faid Mufquito fhore, until about noon on Tuesday the thirtieth day of April laft paft; that about the hour of eleven in the forenoon of the faid Tuesday, the faid veffel was lying at anchor off Great Black River (the chief British fettlement) on the Mufquito fhore aforefaid, with British colours flying, when two armed floops or veffels came in from fea, with Dutch jacks at their topmaft heads, and anchored at a very fmall diftance from the aforefaid veffel called the Morning Star, and foon after their anchoring, as aforefaid, they (the faid armed veffels) fent two boats or launches, with a great many men, on board of the faid veffel called the Morning Star, and according to the beft of the aforefaid appearer's knowledge and belief, took poffeffion of her, at the fame time ftriking the British colours, and putting the said veffel (called the Morning Star) under fail, the fame armed veffels also getting under fail, when all the aforefaid three floops or veffels ftood out to fea, and were seemingly clofe hauled to the wind; and the aforefaid appearer further faith, he hath been affured that the aforefaid two armed floops or veffels ftruck their Dutch jacks, nearly at the fame time with the ftriking of the British colours which were on board of the aforefaid veffel called the Morning Star; but the faid appearer cannot say whether the said Dutch jacks were hauled down before or after the aforefaid boats or launches got on board the said vesfel called the Morning Star; and the aforefaid appearer further faith, that during the fhort time the faid two armed veffels continued at their anchors as aforefaid, the said appearer heard three guns fired, but did not at that time certainly know by whom the fame were fired, though he hath fince been affured 3 that |