1805 - Treaty between France and Spain


 
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Naval History of Great Britain - Vol III
1805 Treaty between France and Spain 297

The prize and casualty lists for the year 1804 will furnish the names and other particulars of the ships respectively contained in the fourth column of the " Increase," and first of the " Decrease " compartments of the Abstract. *

The number of commissioned officers and masters, belonging to the British navy at the commencement of the year 1805, was,

Admirals     50
Vice-admirals     36
Rear-admirals     63
Rear-admirals Superannuated 22  
Post-captains     639
Post-captains Superannuated 25  
Commanders, or Sloop-captains   422
Commanders, or Sloop-captains Superannuated 45  
Lieutenants     2472
Masters     556

And the number of seamen and marines, voted for the service of the same year, was 120,000. �

Scarcely had Spain issued her declaration of war against England, � than France began to put in requisition the fleets and armies of her new ally. On the 4th of January, three days actually before the Spanish declaration reached London, a secret treaty between the two courts was signed at Paris, by Vice-admiral Decrès on the part of France, and Vice-admiral Don Frederico Gravina on the part of Spain. The first article contains a display of the force by sea and land at the French emperor's disposal. At the Texel are 30,000 men, with the necessary transports. At Ostende, Dunkerque, Calais, Boulogne, and Hâvre, respectively, are flotillas, capable of embarking altogether, 120,000 men and 25,000 horses ; at Brest, a fleet of 21 sail of the line, � besides frigates and transports, with 25,000 men ready for embarkation ; at Rochefort, a squadron of six sail of the line (including the Achille 74, nearly ready for launching) and four frigates, having on board 4000 men ; and at Toulon, a fleet of 11 sail of the line, eight frigates, and sundry transports, having on board 9000 ; total 188,000 men.

By the second, third, and fourth articles, the King of Spain engages to arm, and supply with six months' provisions and four months' water, from 25 to 29 sail of the line, and to have them ready, with from 4000 to 5000 Spanish troops (in conjunction with 20,000 French to embark from Cadiz), by the 20th, or at furthest, the 30th of March. Of those 25 or 29 sail of the line, Ferrol is to furnish from seven to eight, and which are to

* See Appendix, Nos. 29.

* See Appendix, Nos. 30.

* See Appendix, Nos. 31.

� See Appendix, No. 32.

� It bore date at Madrid, December 12, 1804. See p. 283.

� The Océan three-decker is here meant to be excluded, and probably some other ship equally in an unseaworthy state. See p. 217, where 23 sail of the line are mentioned as in the port.

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