Isturiz to Earl Russell - (Received December 23) Spanish Legation, London, December 22, 1861 My Lord, When the Convention of the 31st October was concluded for determining the joint action of England, Spain, and France in the Republic of Mexico, I had the honour to acquaint your Excellency that if the orders which were to be transmitted to the Captain-General of Cuba should not reach him in time, it was possible that the Spanish expedition might leave the port of Havana without waiting for the arrival of the other squadrons. I have now to inform your Excellency, by order of the Government of the Queen my august Sovereign, that the last intelligence from Cuba received in Madrid, reaching to the 26th November, shows this event to be still more likely, It appears, in fact, that the Spanish expedition had been for some time prepared at the Havana, and was ready to put to sea, as it was unknown there whether or not the Convention between England, Spain, and France, had been signed, and it was therefore unknown what place would be fixed upon for the meeting of the three squadrons; and as the indefinite procrastination of so considerable a military expedition would occasion enormous expense, the Captain-General of Cuba, moved by these weighty considerations, was hastening, at that date the immediate departure of the Spanish forces to Vera Cruz. In making known these facts to your Excellency, I need scarcely add that if this should have really taken place, the Commandant of the Spanish expedition will have had orders to put himself, in everything, in accordance with the forces of the two friendly and allied Powers, which may be in the waters of Mexico, and, at all events, supposing that the Spanish Commander has commenced hostilities and taken possession of Vera Cruz and the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa, this possession will be understood as taken in the name of the Allied Powers, until the squadrons of England and France shall arrive, and the most advisable action shall be determined by common accord. (signed) XAVIER E. ISTURIZ 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