Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2- Appendix): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

160 APPENDIX. The Lords of the Admiralty to the Earl of Rochford. " Admiralty Office, I5th February 1772. " Having received by the Florida store-ship, lately arrived at Spit- head, a letter from Captain Burr, of his Majesty's sloop the Hound, dated at Port Egmont, in Falkland's Islands, the 10th of November last, giving an account that, in the preceding month, tvi^o Spanish vessels had arrived there with the artillery, provisions, and stores, which had been taken frpm thence by the Spaniards, and that he had received the same from a commissary appointed by Don Philip Ruiz Puente, to deliver them up to him ; we send your lordship herewith a copy of Captain Burr's said letter, together with a copy of the inventory of the artillerjs provisions, and stores, w^hich he had received as aforesaid, for his Majesty's information." The Earl of Rochford to Lord Grantham. " St. James's, 6th March 1772. " It may be of use to inform your Excellency, that his Majesty has determined to reduce the force employed at Falkland's Island to a small sloop with about fifty men, and twenty-five marines on shore, which will answer the end of keeping the possession : and, at the same time, ought to make the court of Spain very easy as to our having any intention of making it a settlement of annoyance to them." The Earl of Rochford to Lord Grantham. " St. James's, February 11th, 1774. " I think it proper to acquaint your Excellency that Lord North, in a speech some days ago in the House of Commons, on the sub- ject of the Naval EstabUshment for this year, mentioned the inten- tion of reducing the naval forces in the East Indies, as a material object of diminishing the number of seamen ; and at the same time hinted, as a matter of small consequence, that, in order to avoid the expense of keeping any seamen or marines at Falkland's Island, they would be brought away, after leaving there the proper marks or signals of possession, and of its belonging to the Crown of Great Britain. As this measure was publicly declared in Parliament, it wiR naturally be reported to the Court of Spain ; and though there is no necessity of your Excellency's communicating this notice offi-