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89-418: Named "Puerto del Desengano", Spanish for "bay of disenchantment", by Alessandro Malaspina in 1792, upon finding that the bay was not the entrance to the legendary Northwest Passage . He sailed up the bay as far as Haenke Island , before discovering the passage blocked by ice. During the earthquake of September 10, 1899, parts of Disenchantment Bay were raised 47 feet 4 inches (14.43 metres). This

178-882: A Réaumur scale thermometer. After departing Nootka Sound the two ships sailed south, stopping at the Spanish settlement and mission at Monterey, California , before returning to Mexico. In 1792, back in Mexico, Malaspina dispatched two schooners (or "goletas") to conduct more detailed explorations of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia . These were Sutíl , commanded by Dionisio Alcalá Galiano , and Mexicana , under Cayetano Valdés y Flores . Both were officers subordinate to Malaspina. The ships were to have been commanded by two pilots of San Blas, Mexico, but Malaspina arranged for his own officers to replace them. In 1792, Malaspina's expedition sailed from Mexico across

267-1063: A quarantine between the Napoleonic Italian Republic and the Kingdom of Etruria during a yellow fever epidemic in Livorno . In 1805 he received the title of Advising Auditor of the Council of State of the Kingdom of Italy. The Queen of Etruria received him at court in December 1806. Shortly afterwards he was admitted to the Columban Society in Florence with the title of Addomesticato. The first appearance of an incurable illness occurred in 1807. Alessandro Malaspina died in Pontremoli on April 9, 1810, at

356-497: A battle lasting over an hour. She was broadsided in passing by HMS  Montagu and HMS  Prince George , and Lángara was wounded in the battle. The Real Fénix finally surrendered to HMS  Bienfaisant , which arrived late in the battle and shot away her mainmast. Real Fénix 's takeover was complicated by an outbreak of smallpox aboard Bienfaisant . Captain John MacBride , rather than sending over

445-616: A fortnight at Nootka Sound. While at Nootka, the expedition's scientists made a study of the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka peoples). The relationship between the Spanish and the Nootkas was at its lowest point when Malaspina arrived. Malaspina and his crew were able greatly to improve the relationship, which was one of their objectives and reasons for stopping in the first place. Owing in part to Malaspina's ability to bequeath generous gifts from his well-supplied ships about to return to Mexico,

534-466: A perfunctory exchange of fire. Guipuzcoana was staffed with a small prize crew and renamed HMS  Prince William , in honour of Prince William , the third son of the King, who was serving as midshipman in the fleet. Rodney then detached HMS  America and the frigate HMS  Pearl to escort most of the captured ships back to England; Prince William was added to his fleet, as were some of

623-400: A possibly infected prize crew, apprised Lángara of the situation and put him and his crew on parole. At 9:15 Montagu engaged Diligente , which struck after her maintopmast was shot away. Around 11:00 pm San Eugenio surrendered after having all of her masts shot away by HMS  Cumberland , but the difficult seas made it impossible to board a prize crew until morning. That duel

712-498: A precision never before achieved. He measured the height of Mount Saint Elias in Alaska and explored gigantic glaciers, including Malaspina Glacier , later named after him. He demonstrated the feasibility of a possible Panama Canal and outlined plans for its construction. In addition, Malaspina's expedition was the first major long distance sea voyage that experienced virtually no scurvy . Malaspina's medical officer, Pedro González,

801-502: A running battle that lasted from mid-afternoon until after midnight, the British captured four Spanish ships, including Lángara's flagship Real Fénix (often just called "Fenix"). Two other ships were also captured, but they were retaken by their Spanish crews, although Rodney's report claimed the ships were grounded and destroyed; in fact one went aground and was destroyed, while the other safely returned to Cadiz and resumed service with

890-498: A secure navigation, could bring to our defenceless coasts two or three thousand castaway bandits to serve interpolated with an excellent body of regular troops. It would not be surprising that in this case—the women also sharing the risks as well as the sensual pleasures of the men—the history of the invasions of the Huns and Alans in the most fertile provinces of Europe would be revived in our surprised colonies....The pen trembles to record

979-422: A variety of essays on topics such as aesthetics, economics, and literary criticism. Francesco Melzi d'Eril and later, through him, Napoleon campaigned for Malaspina's release. He was finally freed at the end of 1802 but was exiled from Spain. He left for his hometown of Mulazzo via the port of Genoa, and settled in nearby Pontremoli . Because of Spain's conflict with revolutionary France, there were no funds in

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1068-424: Is credited in some accounts with pushing Rodney to do so, Gilbert Blane , the fleet physician, reported it as a decision of the council. The chase continued into the dark, squally night, leading to it later being known as the "Moonlight Battle", since it was uncommon at the time for naval battles to continue after sunset. At 7:30 pm, HMS  Defence came upon Lángara's flagship Fenix , engaging her in

1157-577: Is exceedingly favourable to the commercial balance of our Colonies," and it would have the advantage of calming and tranquilizing "a lively, turbulent and even insolent neighbour....not with sacrifices on our part but rather with many and very considerable profits." Returning east across the Pacific Ocean the expedition spent a month at Vava'u , the northern archipelago of Tonga . From there they sailed to Callao, Peru, then Talcahuanco, Chile. The fjords of southern Chile were carefully mapped before

1246-545: Is listed by Beatson at 28 guns, although she was actually 26 guns. The identify of the second Spanish frigate is different in the two listings. Beatson records her as Santa Gertrudis , 26 guns, with captain Don Annibal Cassoni, while Duro's listing describes her as Santa Cecilia , 34, captain Don Domingo Pérez de Grandallana; Spanish archives confirm the latter. Both frigates did not participate in

1335-473: Is necessary to establish it, and when they have it ready formed they will be able to invade our nearby possessions   ..." In the confidential report he wrote following his visit, Malaspina echoed the warning from Muñoz, writing of the "terrible" future danger for Spain from the English colony at Port Jackson, from whence with the greatest ease a crossing of two or three months through healthy climates, and

1424-459: Is the greatest recorded vertical displacement by an earthquake. 59°57′43″N 139°34′12″W  /  59.96194°N 139.57000°W  / 59.96194; -139.57000 This article about a location in the City and Borough of Yakutat, Alaska is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Alessandro Malaspina Alejandro Malaspina (November 5, 1754 – April 9, 1810)

1513-526: Is without doubt most bitter for those who witnessed the end from close by and who, moreover, had to admire his fortitude in suffering patiently to the very last the most severe pains of a long intestinal illness. Malaspina University-College and Malaspina International High School in the Canadian city of Nanaimo, British Columbia took their names indirectly from the explorer (although these names have been recently changed to Vancouver Island University and

1602-546: The Alaskan coast west to Prince William Sound . At Yakutat Bay, the expedition made contact with the Tlingit . Spanish scholars made a study of the tribe, recording information on social mores, language, economy, warfare methods, and burial practices. Artists with the expedition, Tomas de Suria and José Cardero , produced portraits of tribal members and scenes of Tlingit daily life. A glacier between Yakutat Bay and Icy Bay

1691-609: The American Revolutionary War . A British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney defeated a Spanish squadron under Don Juan de Lángara . The battle is sometimes referred to as the Moonlight Battle ( batalla a la luz de la luna ) because it was unusual for naval battles in the Age of Sail to take place at night. It was also the first major naval victory for the British over their European enemies in

1780-740: The Astrea called at Concepción in Chile, whose military governor, the Irish-born Ambrosio O'Higgins , had six months before recommended that Spain organize an expedition to the Pacific similar to those led by Lapérouse and Cook. O'Higgins had made this recommendation following the visit of the Lapérouse expedition to Concepción in March 1786, and presumably discussed it with Malaspina while

1869-470: The Astrea was at Concepción. Following the Astrea' s return to Spain, Malaspina, in partnership with José de Bustamante and advised by Francisco Muñoz y San Clemente, produced a proposal for an expedition along the lines set out in OHiggins's memorandum. A short time later, on 14 October 1788, Malaspina was informed of the government's acceptance of his plan. José de Espinoza y Tello, one of the officers of

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1958-728: The Electorate of Hanover . The siege formally began in June 1779, with the Spanish establishing a land blockade around the Rock of Gibraltar . The matching naval blockade was comparatively weak, however, and the British discovered that small fast ships could evade the blockaders, while slower and larger supply ships generally could not. By late 1779, however, supplies in Gibraltar had become seriously depleted, and its commander, General George Eliott , appealed to London for relief. A supply convoy

2047-572: The French Revolution . He was accused by Prime Minister Godoy of being part of a conspiracy to overthrow him, and arrested on November 23 on charges of plotting against the state. After an inconclusive trial on April 20, 1796, Charles IV decreed that Malaspina be stripped of rank and imprisoned in the isolated fortress of San Antón in La Coruña , Galicia . Malaspina remained in the prison from 1796 to 1802. During his incarceration he wrote

2136-732: The Marquis Carlo Morello and Caterina Meli Lupi di Soragna. From 1762 to 1765, his family lived in Palermo with Alessandro's great-uncle, Giovanni Fogliani Sforza d'Aragona , the viceroy of Sicily . From 1765 to 1773 he studied at the Clementine College in Rome. In 1773 he was accepted into the Order of Malta and spent about a year living on the island of Malta where he learned the basics of sailing. Malaspina entered

2225-865: The Philippines , and stopping in New Zealand , Australia , and Tonga . Malaspina was christened Alessandro , the Italian form of Alexander . He signed his letters in Spanish Alexandro , which is usually modernized to Alejandro by scholars. Malaspina was born in Mulazzo , a small principality ruled by his family, then part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany , a fiefdom of the Holy Roman Empire . Alessandro's parents were

2314-484: The Royal Navy of Spain in 1774 and received the rank of Guardiamarina . Between 1774 and 1786 he took part in a number of naval battles and received many promotions. In January 1775, aboard the frigate Santa Teresa , Malaspina was part of the expedition to relieve Melilla , which was under siege by Moroccans . Shortly after he was promoted to frigate-ensign ( alférez de fragata ) . In July 1775 he participated

2403-637: The Spanish Inquisition , but was not apprehended. From March 1783, to July 1784, Malaspina was second-in-command of the frigate Asunción during a trip to the Philippines. As with his first trip to the Philippines the route went by the Cape of Good Hope in both directions. In 1785, back in Spain, Malaspina, on board the brigantine Vivo , took part in hydrographic surveys and mapping of parts of

2492-514: The siege of Algiers and in 1776 was promoted to ship's ensign ( alférez de navío ). From 1777 to 1779, aboard the frigate Astrea , Malaspina made a round-trip voyage to the Philippines , rounding the Cape of Good Hope in both directions. During the voyage he was promoted to frigate-lieutenant ( teniente de fragata ) . In January 1780 he was in the Battle of Cape Santa Maria and shortly thereafter

2581-474: The "chief of the expedition." The expedition sailed from Cádiz on July 30, 1789. The bohemian naturalist Thaddäus Haenke missed the boat, but joined in 1790 in Santiago de Chile after crossing South America by land from Montevideo . The expedition had explicitly scientific goals, as had the recent voyages of James Cook and Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse . Some of the leading scientists of

2670-573: The French admiral, Comte de Grasse . He was, however, criticised by Captain Young, who portrayed him as weak and indecisive in the battle with Lángara. (He was also rebuked by the admiralty for leaving a ship of the line at Gibraltar, against his express orders.) Rodney's observations on the benefits of copper sheathing in the victory were influential in British Admiralty decisions to deploy

2759-740: The High School at VIU), by way of Malaspina Strait , between Texada Island and the mainland, and the Malaspina Peninsula and adjoining Malaspina Inlet nearby, which are the location of Malaspina Provincial Park and are part of the Sunshine Coast region. Vancouver Island University is home to the Alexandro Malaspina Research Centre . There is also a Malaspina Peak and Malaspina Lake near Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island, just southeast of

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2848-555: The La Carraca shipyard. They were both 306 tons burden and 36 metres long, with a normal load displacement of 4.2 metres. They were launched together on April 8, 1789. The expedition was under the "dual command" of Malaspina and Bustamante. Although in time the expedition became known as the Malaspina's, Bustamante was never considered subordinate. Malaspina insisted on their equality, yet Bustamante early acknowledged Malaspina as

2937-666: The Malaspina expedition, subsequently confirmed the importance of the information sent by O'Higgins in stimulating the Government to initiate an extensive program of exploration in the Pacific. The prompt acceptance of Malaspina's proposal was stimulated by news that the Russian government was preparing the Mulovsky expedition to the North Pacific, which had as one objective the claiming of territory around Nootka Sound that

3026-500: The Museo Naval between 2001 and 2005. The drawings and paintings done by members of the expedition were described by Carmen Sotos Serrano in 1982. The 4,000-odd manuscripts relating to the expedition were catalogued by María Dolores Higueras Rodríguez between 1989 and 1994. In Pontremoli, which by then was part of the short-lived Kingdom of Etruria , Malaspina concerned himself with local politics. In December 1803 he organized

3115-550: The Pacific Ocean. They stopped briefly at Guam before arriving at the Philippines, where they spent several months, mostly at Manila . During this period Malaspina sent Bustamante in the Atrevida to Macau , China. After Bustamante's return the expedition left the Philippines and sailed to New Zealand . They explored Doubtful Sound at the southern end of New Zealand's South Island, mapping and carrying out gravity experiments. Then Malaspina sailed to Port Jackson ( Sydney ). on

3204-483: The Spanish Empire, approved. Two corvettes were built under Malaspina's direction specifically for the expedition: Descubierta and Atrevida (meaning "Discovery" and "Daring" or "Bold"). Malaspina commanded Descubierta and Bustamante Atrevida . The names were chosen by Malaspina to honor James Cook 's Discovery and Resolution . The two corvettes were constructed by the shipbuilder Tómas Muñoz at

3293-724: The Spanish Navy. After the battle Rodney successfully resupplied Gibraltar and Minorca before continuing on to the West Indies station. Lángara was released on parole , and was promoted to lieutenant general by King Carlos III . One of Spain 's principal goals upon its entry into the American War of Independence in 1779 was the recovery of Gibraltar , which had been lost to Great Britain in 1704 . The Spanish planned to retake Gibraltar by blockading and starving out its garrison, which included troops from Britain and

3382-429: The action. Rodney's report states that San Justo escaped but was damaged in battle, and that San Genaro escaped without damage. With the arrival of daylight, it was clear that the British fleet and their prize ships were dangerously close to a lee shore with an onshore breeze. One of the prizes, San Julián , was recorded by Rodney as too badly damaged to save, and was driven ashore. Another prize, San Eugenio ,

3471-607: The admiral receiving a promotion to lieutenant general. He continued his distinguished career, becoming Spanish Navy Minister in the French Revolutionary Wars . Admiral Rodney was lauded for his victory, the first major victory of the war by the Royal Navy over its European opponents. He distinguished himself for the remainder of the war, notably winning the 1782 Battle of the Saintes in which he captured

3560-521: The age of 55. His death was noted in the Gazzetta di Genova , 18 April 1810: Pontremoli, 9 April 1810: Today at 10 o'clock in the evening the learned and famous navigator Signore Alexandro Malaspina of Mulazzo passed from this life. Such a loss cannot fail to be felt far and wide by all those who, placing high value on the importance of the nautical and travel accounts of this most talented Italian, have known his equanimity in both good and bad fortune; it

3649-485: The baseline established by Captain Cook, allowing calibration between Spanish and British charts. Botanical studies were carried out, including an attempt to make a type of beer out of spruce needles that was hoped to have anti-scorbutic properties for combating scurvy . The expedition ships took on water and wood, and provided the Spanish outpost with many useful goods, including medicines, food, various tools and utensils, and

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3738-457: The battle as 32 killed and 102 wounded. The supply convoy sailed into Gibraltar on 19 January, driving the smaller blockading fleet to retreat to the safety of Algeciras . Rodney arrived several days later, after first stopping in Tangier . The wounded Spanish prisoners, who included Admiral Lángara, were offloaded there, and the British garrison was heartened by the arrival of the supplies and

3827-463: The coast of New South Wales Australia, which had been established by the British in 1788. During the expedition's stay at Sydney Cove, New South Wales, in March–April 1793, Thaddäus Haenke carried out observations and made collections relating to the natural history of the place, as he reported to the colony's patron, Sir Joseph Banks, saying: "I here express the public testimony of a grateful soul for

3916-597: The coast of Spain. During the same year he was named Lieutenant of the Company of the Guardiamarinas of Cádiz. From 15 September 1786 to 18 May 1788 Malaspina made a commercial circumnavigation of the world on behalf of the Royal Company of the Philippines . During this voyage he was in command of the frigate Astrea . His route went via Cape Horn and, returning, the Cape of Good Hope. In February 1787,

4005-475: The dangers it posed to the Spanish possessions in the Pacific in peacetime from the development of a contraband commerce and in war time as a base for British naval operations. Muñoz said: "The colonists will be able to fit out lucrative privateers so as to cut all communication between the Philippines and both Americas.... These possessions will have a navy of their own, obtaining from the Southern region whatever

4094-511: The day accompanied Malaspina. The scientific data collected during the expedition surpassed that of Cook, but due to changed political circumstances in Spain Malaspina was jailed upon return and the reports and collections locked up and banned from publication. The expedition and its findings remained obscure and nearly unstudied by historians until the late 20th century. Malaspina stopped at Montevideo and Buenos Aires , investigating

4183-524: The expedition in a two-volume work that also contained an abbreviated narrative of the voyage. This narrative was translated into Russian and published by Admiral Adam von Krusenstern in St. Petersburg in 1815. The journal of Malaspina's voyage was first published in Russian translation by Krusenstern in successive issues of the official journal of the Russian Admiralty between 1824 and 1827 (a copy of

4272-507: The expedition rounded Cape Horn. Then they surveyed the Falkland Islands ( Spanish : Islas Malvinas ) and the coast of Patagonia before stopping again at Montevideo. From Montevideo Malaspina took a long route through the central Atlantic Ocean to Spain, reaching Cádiz on September 21, 1794. He had spent 62 months at sea. During the five years of this expedition Malaspina fixed the measurements of America's western coast with

4361-419: The expedition's botanist, Luis Née, while he was at Port Jackson in 1793, were published in 1800. Dionisio Alcalá Galiano's journal of his survey of the straits between Vancouver Island and the mainland, carried out as part of the Malaspina expedition, was published in 1802 with all mention of Malaspina's name excised. In 1809, José Espinosa y Tello published the astronomical and geodesic observations made during

4450-462: The expedition, which are a valuable record of the settlement in its early years, especially as among them are the only depictions of the convict settlers from this period. The recently founded English colony had been included in the expedition's itinerary in response to a memorandum drawn up in September 1788 by one of Malaspina's fellow naval officers, Francisco Muñoz y San Clemente, who warned of

4539-429: The fleet on 13 January. Furthermore, HMS Prince William is sometimes misunderstood to have been part of the prize escort back to England, but she was present at Gibraltar after the action. Beatson also fails to list a number of frigates, including Apollo , which played a key role in the capture of Monarca . There are some discrepancies between the English and Spanish sources listing the Spanish fleet, principally in

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4628-569: The friendship between the Spanish and the Nootkas was strengthened. The gaining of the Nootka chief Maquinna's trust was particularly significant, as he was one of the most powerful chiefs of the region and had been very wary of the Spanish when Malaspina arrived. His friendship strengthened the Spanish claim to Nootka Sound, which was in question after the Nootka Crisis and resolved in the subsequent Nootka Conventions . The Spanish government

4717-413: The image, however distant, of such disorders. While recognizing the strategic threat it posed to Spain's Pacific possessions in time of war, Malaspina wrote: "It is not the concern of these paragraphs to demonstrate in detail the many schemes for these projected plunderings, so much as the easiest ways of preventing them." He preferred the peaceable approach of drawing attention to the commercial opportunity

4806-400: The key to a profitable commerce. He proposed that an agreement be signed with London for an Association of Traders, and for an agent of the colony to be resident in Chile. Conscious that the policy he was proposing was a bold and imaginative one in the face of Spain's traditional insistence on a national monopoly of trade and other relations within her empire, Malaspina declared that "this affair

4895-458: The king of Spain, ordering him to search for a Northwest Passage in the region of latitude 60 degrees N, newly thought to have been discovered many years previously. Malaspina had been planning to sail to Hawaii and Kamchatka , as well as the Pacific Northwest . Instead, he sailed from Acapulco directly to Yakutat Bay , Alaska (then known as Port Mulgrave), where the rumored passage was said to exist. Finding only an inlet, he carefully surveyed

4984-495: The land they then occupied, and that they had acquired it with all due propriety. The outcome of the Nootka Convention depended in part on this pact. In addition to the expedition's work with the Nootkas, astronomical observations were made to fix the location of Nootka Sound and calibrate the expedition's chronometers. Nootka Sound was surveyed and mapped with an accuracy far greater than had previously been available. Unexplored channels were investigated. The maps were also linked to

5073-430: The line , which were to accompany the supply ships to Gibraltar. On 8 January 1780 ships from Rodney's fleet spotted a group of sails. Giving chase with their faster copper-clad ships, the British determined these to be a Spanish supply convoy that was protected by a single ship of the line and several frigates. The entire convoy was captured , with the lone ship of the line, Guipuzcoana , striking her colours after

5162-400: The line under Admiral Juan de Lángara was dispatched to intercept Rodney's convoy, and the Atlantic fleet of Admiral Luis de Córdova at Cadiz was also alerted to try to catch him. Córdova learnt of the strength of Rodney's fleet, and returned to Cadiz rather than giving chase. On 16 January the fleets of Lángara and Rodney spotted each other around 1:00 pm south of Cape St. Vincent ,

5251-425: The loss of all but one of her crew. Marlborough and Ajax then passed Princessa to engage other Spanish ships. Princessa was eventually engaged in an hour-long battle with HMS  Bedford before striking her colours at about 5:30. By 6:00 pm it was getting dark, and there was a discussion aboard HMS  Sandwich , Rodney's flagship, about whether to continue the pursuit. Although Captain Young

5340-404: The manuscript had been obtained by the Russian ambassador in Madrid in 1806). The journal of Francisco Xavier de Viana, second-in-command of the Atrevida , was published in Montevideo in 1849. Bustamante's journal was published in 1868 in the official journal of the Directorate of Hydrography. An abbreviated account of the Malaspina expedition, consisting mostly of his journal, "Diario de Viaje,"

5429-402: The mid-18th century that citrus fruit was effective, but for decades it was impractical to store fruit or fruit juice for long periods on ships without losing the necessary ascorbic acid. Spain's large empire and many ports of call made it easier to acquire fresh fruit. In December 1794 Malaspina met with King Charles IV and Prime Minister Manuel de Godoy . At first all was well and Malaspina

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5518-440: The naval budget for publishing his seven-volume account of the 1789–94 expeditions: it remained unpublished until the late 19th century (apart from a Russian translation by Adam von Krusenstern in successive issues of the official journal of the Russian Admiralty between 1824 and 1827). A large portion of the documents meant to be used as source material for the publication of Malaspina's expedition remained scattered in archives to

5607-403: The new colony offered for a trade in food and livestock from Chile and the development of a viable trade route linking that country with the Philippines. Having seen carts and even ploughs being drawn by convicts for want of draught animals in the colony, and having eaten meals with the colonists at which beef and mutton were regarded as rare luxuries, Malaspina saw the trade in Chilean livestock as

5696-413: The number of guns most of the vessels are claimed to mount. The table below lists the Spanish records describing Lángara's fleet. However, Beatson lists all of the Spanish ships of the line at 70 guns, except Real Fénix , which he correctly lists at 80 guns), and the San Julián , which he incorrectly gives as 64 guns. Spanish archives confirm this except for San Julián . One frigate, Santa Rosalia ,

5785-428: The political situation in the Spanish colonies Malaspina had decided that Spain should free its colonies and form a confederation of states bound by international trade . In September 1795 he began trying to influence the Spanish government with such proposals. Unfortunately Malaspina had lost the support he used to have at the royal court before his voyage and the political situation had changed radically, due in part to

5874-430: The political situation of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata . After rounding Cape Horn, the expedition stopped at Talcahuano , the port of Concepción in present-day Chile , and again at Valparaíso , the port of Santiago . Continuing north, Bustamante mapped the coast while Malaspina sailed to the Juan Fernández Islands in order to resolve conflicting data on their location. The two captains reunited at Callao ,

5963-410: The port of Lima . There investigations were made into the political situation of the Viceroyalty of Peru . The expedition then continued north, mapping the coast, to Acapulco , Mexico. A team of officers was sent to Mexico City to investigate the archives and political situation of the Viceroyalty of New Spain . By the time Malaspina reached Mexico it was 1791, and there he received a dispatch from

6052-484: The presence of Prince William Henry. After also resupplying Minorca, Rodney sailed for the West Indies in February, detaching part of the fleet for service in the Channel . This homebound fleet intercepted a French fleet destined for the East Indies , capturing one warship and three supply ships . Gibraltar was resupplied twice more before the siege was lifted at the end of the war in 1783. Admiral Lángara and other Spanish officers were eventually released on parole,

6141-417: The present day. A significant number of documents are lost, and those that survive are often in a rough, semi-edited form. Alexander von Humboldt , an admirer of Malaspina, wrote, "this able navigator is more famous for his misfortunes than for his discoveries." There was some contemporary publication, but it took two hundred years for the bulk of the records of the expedition to be published. The notes made by

6230-532: The safety of a harbour, a tactic that also prevented the Spanish ships from opening their lowest gun ports. Because of their copper-sheathed hulls (which reduced marine growths and drag), the ships of the Royal Navy were faster and soon gained on the Spanish. The chase lasted for about two hours, and the battle finally began around 4:00 pm. Santo Domingo , trailing in the Spanish fleet, received broadsides from HMS  Edgar , HMS  Marlborough , and HMS  Ajax before blowing up around 4:40, with

6319-638: The scene around 2:00 am. Sandwich fired a broadside, unaware that Monarca had already hauled down her flag. The British took six ships. Four Spanish ships of the line and the fleet's two frigates escaped, although sources are unclear if two of the Spanish ships were even present with the fleet at the time of the battle. Lángara's report states that San Justo and San Genaro were not in his line of battle (although they are listed in Spanish records as part of his fleet). According to one account two of Lángara's ships (the two aforementioned) were despatched to investigate other unidentified sails sometime before

6408-452: The size of Rodney's fleet, he gave orders to make all sail for Cadiz. Around 2:00 pm, when Rodney felt certain that the ships seen were not the vanguard of a larger fleet, he issued commands for a general chase. Rodney's instructions to his fleet were to chase at their best speed, and engage the Spanish ships from the rear as they came upon them. They were also instructed to sail to the lee side to interfere with Spanish attempts to gain

6497-495: The southwestern point of Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula . The weather was hazy, with heavy swells and occasional squalls. Rodney was ill, and spent the entire action in his bunk. His flag captain , Walter Young, urged Rodney to give orders to engage when the Spanish fleet was first spotted, but Rodney only gave orders to form a line abreast. Lángara started to establish a line of battle , but when he realised

6586-417: The supply ships that carried items likely to be of use to the Gibraltar garrison. On 12 January HMS  Dublin , which had lost part of her topmast on 3 January, suffered additional damage and raised a distress flag. Assisted by HMS  Shrewsbury , she limped into Lisbon on 16 January. The Spanish had learnt of the British relief effort. From the blockading squadron a fleet comprising 11 ships of

6675-606: The technology more widely. None of the listed sources give an accurate accounting of the ships in Rodney's fleet at the time of the action. Robert Beatson lists the composition of the fleet at its departure from England, and notes which ships separated to go to the West Indies, as well as those detached to return the prizes captured on 8 January to England. He does not list two ships ( Dublin and Shrewsbury , identified in despatches reprinted by Syrett) that were separated from

6764-507: The town of Gold River ; and the well-known Malaspina Glacier in southern Alaska . In New Zealand, Malaspina Reach of Doubtful Sound in Fiordland, explored by him in 1793, has his name. English Non-English Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780) The Battle of Cape St. Vincent ( Spanish : Batalla del Cabo de San Vicente ) was a naval battle that took place off the southern coast of Portugal on 16 January 1780 during

6853-488: The very extraordinary humanity and kindness with which the English in their new Colony welcomed us wandering vagabonds, Ulysses' companions. A Nation renowned throughout the world, which has left nothing untried, will also overcome with the happiest omens, by the most assiduous labour and by its own determined spirit the great obstacles opposing it in the foundation of what may one day become another Rome." During its visit to Port Jackson, twelve drawings were done by members of

6942-449: The war and proved the value of copper-sheathing the hulls of warships. Admiral Rodney was escorting a fleet of supply ships to relieve the Spanish siege of Gibraltar with a fleet of about twenty ships of the line when he encountered Lángara's squadron south of Cape St. Vincent . When Lángara saw the size of the British fleet, he attempted to make for the safety of Cádiz , but the copper-sheathed British ships chased his fleet down. In

7031-653: Was a Tuscan explorer who spent most of his life as a Spanish naval officer . Under a Spanish royal commission , he undertook a voyage around the world from 1786 to 1788, then, from 1789 to 1794, a scientific expedition (the Malaspina Expedition ) throughout the Pacific Ocean , exploring and mapping much of the west coast of the Americas from Cape Horn to the Gulf of Alaska , crossing to Guam and

7120-522: Was also claimed by Spain (see Nootka Crisis and Spanish expeditions to the Pacific Northwest ). In September 1788, Alessandro Malaspina and José de Bustamante y Guerra approached the Spanish government. The explorers proposed a scientific-political expedition that would visit nearly all the Spanish possessions in America and Asia. The Spanish king, Charles III , a promoter of science in

7209-443: Was convinced that fresh oranges and lemons were essential for preventing scurvy. Only one outbreak occurred, during a 56-day trip across the open sea. Five sailors came down with symptoms, one seriously. After three days at Guam all five were healthy again. James Cook had made great progress against the disease, but other British captains, such as George Vancouver , found his accomplishment difficult to replicate. It had been known since

7298-425: Was eager for the Nootka to agree formally that the land upon which the Spanish outpost stood had been ceded freely and legally. This desire had to do with Spain's negotiations with Britain than over Nootka Sound and the Pacific Northwest. Malaspina was able to acquire exactly what the government wanted. After weeks of negotiations the principal Nootka chief, Maquinna, agreed that the Spanish would always remain owners of

7387-417: Was organized, and in late December 1779 a large fleet sailed from England under the command of Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney . Although Rodney's ultimate orders were to command the West Indies fleet, he had secret instructions to first resupply Gibraltar and Minorca . On 4 January 1780 the fleet divided, with ships headed for the West Indies sailing westward. This left Rodney in command of 19 ships of

7476-430: Was passed by HMS  Culloden and Prince George , which engaged San Julián and compelled her to surrender around 1:00 am. The last ship to surrender was Monarca . She nearly escaped, shooting away HMS  Alcide 's topmast, but was engaged in a running battle with the frigate HMS Apollo . Apollo managed to keep up the unequal engagement until about the time that Rodney's flagship Sandwich came upon

7565-521: Was promoted to ship's lieutenant ( teniente de navío ) . During the Great Siege of Gibraltar , in September 1782, Malaspina served on a "floating battery." In December of the same year, aboard the San Justo , Malaspina participated in the fighting at Cape Espartel . He was soon promoted once again, to frigate-captain ( capitán de fragata ) . In 1782 he was suspected of heresy and denounced to

7654-491: Was promoted to fleet-brigadier in March 1795. In September 1795, he sent his writings to the Spanish government, but the latter judged their publication to be inopportune in the then existing political situation. Disenchanted, Malaspina led a philosophical-literary polemic in the Madrid press on the meaning of beauty in nature, and at the same time took part in a secret conspiracy to overthrow Manuel Godoy. In his examination of

7743-559: Was published in Madrid in 1885 by Pedro de Novo y Colson. Malaspina's journal was published in another edition in Madrid in 1984. The definitive version of the expedition was finally published in Spain by the Museo Naval and Ministerio de Defensa in nine volumes from 1987 to 1999. The second volume of this series, Malaspina's journal, was published in an annotated English translation by the Hakluyt Society in association with

7832-436: Was retaken by her crew and managed to reach Cadiz; she was later restored to service within two months, and remained so until taken to pieces at Cadiz in 1804. A Spanish history claims that the prize crews of both ships appealed to their Spanish captives for help escaping the lee shore. The Spanish captains retook control of their ships, imprisoned the British crews, and sailed to Cadiz. The British reported their casualties in

7921-412: Was subsequently named after Malaspina. The botanist Luis Née also accompanied the expedition, during which he collected and described numerous new plants. Knowing that Cook had previously surveyed the coast west of Prince William Sound and found no passage, Malaspina ceased his search at that point and sailed to the Spanish outpost at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island . Malaspina's expedition spent

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