Folio 209: Thomas Leffever to Lord Dartmouth. Safe arrival of a very richly laden...

Folio 209: Thomas Leffever to Lord Dartmouth. Safe arrival of a very richly laden Brazil Fleet worth at least 35 million cruzados. The three British warships convoying it have gone north to fetch the trade from Oporto and Viana. Lord Galway left in the homeward-bound convoy from the Straits. Stanhope's plea that Portuguese army should join him at Madrid and Toledo ignored by the King and Court. Reasons why they do so explained by the pro-French Duke of Cadaval. Portuguese are only waging a `sham war' on the frontier. Alternatives before King Charles. Thinks that Portuguese could still be induced to act effectively if Queen Anne peremptorily insists, since they are utterly dependent on the English alliance and on imports of corn and cloth from England. Complaints of English Factories at Lisbon and Oporto are justified, but redress would be easier to obtain if the smuggling now widely practised by the Falmouth packets and the Royal Navy storeships were stopped or checked. Capture of Sir Robert Rich and other officers by French privateers, with former being released on parole. See f. 270.

Date and place: 1710 Oct 13/24 Lisbon.