Spain and Britain, recently at war with…
1726 CE
Spain and Britain, recently at war with each other during the War of the Quadruple Alliance, come into conflict during the 1720s over a number of issues.
Disputes over trade are a major cause of aggravation to Anglo-Spanish relations, combined with a fear in Britain that Spain has made an alliance with Austria as the precursor to declaring war on Britain and its ally France.
The British have decided to try to weaken Spain and discourage them from pursuing the Austrian alliance by denying the Spanish the treasure fleets on which metropolitan Spain has become dependent.
An expedition had been sent in March 1726 to the Spanish West Indies, under Rear-Admiral Francis Hosier, for the purpose of blocking up the Spanish galleons or seizing them should they venture out.
The former privateer and governor of the Bahamas, Woodes Rogers, who is in London at the time, is consulted by the Government as to the probable means and route the Spaniards will adopt to get their treasure home.
From past experience, Rogers probably knows more than any other person then in England of the difficulties of the voyage, and in conjunction with Capt. Jonathan Denniss, he delivers a report dated November 10, 1726 to Viscount Townshend, Secretary of State, to prepare Hosier for his task.
Hosier's fleet appears on June 16, 1726, off Bastimentos Island, to the west of Porto Bello.
Following orders, ultimately from Walpole, to blockade Porto Bello but not to take it, Hosier remains before it, allowing no ships to go in or come out without strict examination.
On first arrival of the squadron, several Spanish ships are captured.