THE CARLIST QUESTION
[Sidenote: 1835. Aug. 30.]
Ran into Quarantine Harbour, Malta; completed stores, provisions, etc.
[Sidenote: Sept. 1.]
Left Malta, and on the 12th came up with _Malabar_ and _Endymion_,
standing out of the straits.
[Sidenote: Sept. 14.]
Joined company; with them came to in Cadiz Harbour. Found _Harlequin_,
Lord Vernon’s beautiful yacht, built by Symonds.
The wife of our senior officer, Sir William Montague, had a house in
Cadiz, where parties were given by this charming lady. She also got up
picnics, and other amusements.
We visited Xeres, from whence our “sherry,” and saw barefooted natives,
cigarette in mouth, treading out the juice of the grape. My interest
was cut short by _Childers_ being ordered to Lisbon, under command of
Sir William Gage. Before, however, reaching that distinguished officer
I met _Endymion_, and was ordered back to the Mediterranean.
[Sidenote: Oct. 11.]
Came to inside the Mole at Gibraltar. From the Captain of the _Tribune_
received orders to visit Consuls and obtain information at the ports
along the south coast of Spain.
[Sidenote: Oct. 14.]
Stood over to Algeciras for a clean bill of health, otherwise we
should have been subject to seven days’ quarantine, although Malaga
is in daily communication by land. The health officer, to show his
knowledge of the English language, had our bill of health made for “Los
Niños, Bergantine Inglese,” which answered our purpose as well.
[Sidenote: Oct. 16.]
Arrived at Malaga. A few words are necessary to explain the political
situation.
The late King, Ferdinand VII., died in 1833, having married in 1829
Doña Christina of Naples. A Princess, Isabella, was born in 1830, when
Ferdinand, by “pragmatic sanction,” abolished the Salic Law in Spain,
and appointed the Infanta Isabella heir to the throne. This act was
disputed by his brothers, Dons Carlos and Francisco.
On the death of Ferdinand, 1833, the small Isabella was proclaimed
Queen, her mother Christina being appointed Queen-Regent. Don Carlos at
once asserted his right to maintain the Salic Law, and was supported
by some of the old nobility. The peasantry were led by the clergy, who
followed Don Carlos.
Lord Palmerston was Prime Minister, and carried the quadruple alliance
with him. His orders to the Admiral in the Mediterranean were explicit
and to the point. Subjects of Queen Isabella requiring help could claim
it from the English ships. This was denied to the followers of Don
Carlos, who was carrying on war against the Christina party with some
success in the northern provinces.
In the south, the so-called “Patriots” were endeavouring to revert
to the Constitution of 1812, when the Salic Law had first been
established, and by provisional Juntas superseded Doña Isabella’s
authority.
The Government at Madrid was now in the hands of Queen Christina’s
party.
[Sidenote: Malaga.]
The Governor of Malaga, as well as in other large towns, had been
appointed by the Carlist Party. Until of late the Constitution of
1812 had been popular. In August last, the same day on which the
insurrection at Barcelona broke out, a Junta was formed here. There
were not more than seventy of the regular troops, who were quartered in
a convent.
The National Guard, 15,000 strong, were well equipped, and supplied
with arms and ammunition from the Government stores. The batteries
mounted 27 guns, of which 15 were serviceable.
There were no Spanish vessels of war at Malaga; only an armed revenue
squadron, consisting of two schooners of 12 guns each, with crews
of sixty and seventy men, three lateen-rigged boats, 1 gun and two
carronades, from thirty to fifty men, and other small craft which were
occasionally troublesome to our Gibraltar smugglers.
With plenty to occupy our attention, and a kind Consul, who had a wife
and four charming daughters, we were loth to leave.
The Junta was not of long duration. They had expressed their intention
to disarm a portion of the urban militia, in order to equip a regiment
formed of convicts. The urbans encamped themselves outside the town,
and declared the Junta dissolved.
The peasantry entered the town this morning, demanded three prisoners,
who they declared to be Carlists, took and shot them without
opposition. The victims were, I believe, chiefs of banditti, but they
had been pardoned from Madrid.
[Sidenote: Oct. 20.]
Anchored off Almeira. A Junta had been established here. The Governor
and Commandant of the forces, and other heads of departments, had
wisely made themselves scarce on the first news of the revolution. No
blood had been shed. We went on, and arrived at Alicante on the 22nd.
There is a large English population here of well-to-do merchants, with
a zealous, active Consul, Mr. Waring, whom we saluted. The prevailing
feeling appeared to be more Carlist; the “vivas” for the Queen at the
theatre were faint.
The ex-Carlist Captain-General, Valentine Ferraz, is the guest of the
Governor, Don Diego. The gates of the town are closed at sunset.
The theatre is a small, neat building; between the acts revolutionary
songs were sung, which gave one an opportunity of observing the
political feeling of the natives.
[Sidenote: Oct. 27.]
Watered at Althea, close to the shore.
[Sidenote: Oct. 30.]
Came to off Valencia. _Tyne_ arriving same time.
While on the coast of Spain I was frequently in company with the
_Tyne_, consequently under the orders of Lord Ingestre, and enjoyed the
society of Lady Sarah and her young family.
The children had been in the habit of romping with their uncle, Lord
James Beresford, and transferred to me the name of “Jimmie,” by which
the late Lord Shrewsbury called me to the end of his life. Lady Sarah
was second to none I had ever seen. (Only lately I sat between her
grand- and great-grand-daughters at dinner, both ladies inheriting the
beauty of their ancestress.)
In the neighbourhood of the town are marshes, with wild-fowl, where
Ingestre and I had some good sport. Having been placed by the native
keepers in a commodious punt, hidden by rushes,--in the stern of which
sat Lady Sarah, with a good luncheon,--a fleet of sham ducks moored
within our reach, our sporting guides disappeared. Shortly afterwards
clouds of wild-fowl were on the wing, surveying the position of our
retreat, with the quiet traitor ducks apparently at feed. Presently,
down they dropped with a grand splash. Both our double-barrelled
muzzle-loading guns, with copper cap-locks, were emptied three times
before the fun was over. We bagged ten and a half couple.
It appears that, by some preconcerted means, August 5, the date on
which disturbances broke out at Barcelona, was the same at Malaga,
Alicante, and elsewhere. Groups of men assembled in the streets,
declaring war against the Carlists, in consequence of excessive
cruelties said to have been committed by them on the adherents of the
Queen. The Captain-General, Ferraz, accompanied by a strong escort,
endeavoured to quell this disturbance, but was unsuccessful, inasmuch
as his troops refused to act against the people. He was accordingly
deposed, and General the Comte Almadova appointed by the mob in his
stead. Almadova, in obedience to the populace, had seven of the
principal Carlists, then under the safeguard of the law, put to death,
and the remainder transported to the Philippine Islands.
General Cabrera had put to death sixty partisans at Rubielo. This
disaster arose from the circumstance of General Nogueras, who
commanded the Queen’s troops, having ordered the Governor of Tortosa
to seize Doña Cabrera, a lady seventy years of age, and put her to
death, in retaliation for the deeds of her son. The Governor refused
to obey so inhuman a command, upon which Nogueras appealed to Mina,
Captain-General of Catalonia, who directed that the order should be
carried out, and Doña Cabrera was shot in the public square of Tortosa.
Mina was remonstrated with from Madrid, and Nogueras deprived of his
command.
Cabrera, smarting at the murder of his mother, raised a following,
and thus added another insurgent force to those already harassing the
Government.
In the meantime Almadova’s influence waned. The people assembled round
his palace, threatening his life. He went into hiding. Two days later
a counter-revolution brought him back to favour. His first act was to
arrest his enemies and transport them to the Philippines.
[Sidenote: Nov. 1.]
Sailed in company with _Tyne_ for Tarragona, arriving there on the 6th.
Found _Tribune_, from whom I got orders to return to Gibraltar to meet
the mail. Like the latter places we had visited, things were quiet. The
Junta had been dissolved, and the Queen’s Government become popular.
Here the news of the outbreak at Barcelona had caused disturbances.
A battalion of the National Guard marched from the town of Reuss to
assist those at Tarragona, and was received with acclamations. The
braves of Tarragona sacrificed to their fury the Lieutenant-Governor
and the Town Major, who were thought to be Carlists; General Conti,
Governor of Tarragona, absconded the day before the news of the
Revolution was generally known.
Brigadier Lescanca, who had been appointed by the people to this chief
command, endeavoured to save the lives of the Lieutenant-Governor
and Town Major. During the night, when the people were exasperated,
it was thought possible to save them by conveying them to one of the
vessels in the harbour. However, before they got to the boat they were
observed, and murdered on the pier. The Governor was stoned to death,
and his fellow-victim shot. A Junta, similar to the others, was formed,
and tranquillity restored.
[Sidenote: Nov. 16.]
We sailed. _Clio_, in co., 16, with my old Lieutenant, F. Scott, on
board; we meet her again! Anchored at Gibraltar in time to catch the up
and down mails. The Gibraltar merchants had prosperous times, as, since
this Revolution, the men employed on the coastguard had been sent to
join the army in the north. At the present time their storehouses are
empty.
[Sidenote: Nov. 17.]
After supplying the Calpe Hunt with the bread-dust I had collected, we
sailed.
[Sidenote: Nov. 18.]
Came to inside the mole at Malaga. The Juntas had been dissolved; the
Queen’s Government apparently popular. An active subscription was going
on to support the Queen’s army employed in the North. I met a man going
about the street with “true and correct lists” for sale, in Spanish, of
those who have not subscribed.
My _Childers_ touched a shoal off the end of the mole. We were not
inconvenienced more than a few minutes, owing to the prompt assistance
from the American corvette _John Adams_. At 9 A.M. saluted the Spanish
flag with 21 guns, not having done so on my first visit, owing to there
being no Government, except that appointed by the Junta in opposition
to that of the Queen.
[Sidenote: Nov. 19.]
Being the birthday of the Queen of Spain, remained just long enough to
fire a royal salute, with yards manned.
[Sidenote: Nov. 21.]
Sailed in commencement of a Levanti.
[Sidenote: Nov. 24.]
Visited Alicante; everything quiet. Subscriptions were being raised in
support of the Queen’s army. In the North 3,000,000 reals had been
subscribed, about £30,000.
A great many men were daily arriving from the country, being part of
the 100,000 required. Valencia had to supply 10,000. Any person could
be exempted on paying 200 dollars, or 100 dollars and a horse.
[Sidenote: Nov. 29.]
Moored inside the mole at Barcelona. An important person at Barcelona
was Mr. James Annesley, lately attached to the German Embassy, and with
the prospect of a peerage; he married Clementina, the handsome daughter
of Baron von Brockhausen, and had a promising young family. They lived
in a large house on a grand promenade called the Rambla. He was a good
man of business, and entertained liberally. I frequently afterwards met
the boys, grown into men.
[Sidenote: Dec. 1.]
_Clio_ arrived.
[Sidenote: Dec. 20.]
After partial refit and preparing to paint, the carpenter, much to my
horror, discovered a spring in our foremast. Lost no time stripping
ship, and through our active Consul obtained permission to place the
brig under the dockyard sheers; got mast out preparatory to repairing
damages.
[Sidenote: Dec. 26.]
The _Rodney_, 92, arrived, Captain Hyde Parker, one of the smartest and
best officers in the service.
Although I could not report _Childers_ ready, it was a satisfaction to
feel I was under a good and permanent Chief, however strict.
Through the Captain of _Tribune_ stating the length of time _Childers_
had been inside the mole, I had but a cool reception from my Chief, and
was directed to report myself again, when ready for sea. The fact was
that, although the hoops had been driven on hot over the scarfing, the
sharp frosts at night caused them to burst.