Earl Russell to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty Foreign Office, October 31, 1861 My Lords, I have the honour to acquaint your Lordships that I have this day signed, on behalf of Her Majesty, with the Plenipotentiaries of France and Spain a Convention, having for its object the adoption of measures of coercion against Mexico for the protection of the persons and properties of the subjects of the respective States, and for securing a fulfilment of the obligations contracted by the Republic of Mexico towards the Sovereigns of Great Britain, France and Spain. In pursuance of the provisions of this Convention the Contracting Powers propose to employ on the coast of Mexico a sufficient naval and military force, and I am accordingly to signify to your Lordships Her Majesty's pleasure that a force consisting of two line of battle ships, four frigates and an adequate number of smaller vessels, should be sent to Vera Cruz, and that a body of supernumerary Marines to the amount of 700 men should be embarked on board those ships, with a view to being landed and employed on shore if circumstances should require it. I am further to signify to your Lordships Her Majesty's pleasure that the Admiral or other senior officer in command of this force should be instructed to place himself in communication with the officers commanding the French and Spanish forces, and in concert with them to demand:- Full satisfaction and reparation for the wrongs suffered by the three nations; and That the forts of Vera Cruz should be at once delivered up to the forces of the three nations as a guarantee for the performance of such conditions as may be agreed upon. I have further to state to your Lordships that it is the intention of the three Powers severally to name a Commissioner to frame, in concert with the officer commanding the naval forces of the three Powers, the Articles an assent to which will be demanded of the Mexican Government, or of the persons exercising authority in Mexico: and that Sir Charles Wyke, Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, will be empowered to act as Commissioner on behalf of Her Majesty, and with that in view he will be instructed to embark on board the ship of the British Admiral, or of the officer in command of Her Majesty's forces. The troops and marines of the combined forces will remain in possession of the forts of Vera Cruz and other forts, if taken, until further order. Her Majesty has been pleased likewise to signify her pleasure that Rear-Admiral Maitland should be instructed to possess himself of the harbour of Acapulco, or any other port on the Pacific coast of Mexico, with the exception of Mazatlan, which he may consider it necessary to occupy with a view to secure the objects of the Convention; but Mazatlan is not to be occupied without special orders. I inclose, for your Lordships' information, a copy of the Convention under which these operations are to be carried out, although some days must elapse before the ratification's of it can be exchanged. (signed) RUSSELL Back to Table of Contents: Booklet No. 8, Mexico 1861-67 Back to El Dorado List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by The South and Central Military Historians Society This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com