ROUSSELET DE CHATEAURENAULT FRANCOIS LOUIS: (1637-1716) French Vice Admiral and Marshal of France who saw action in the Franco-Spanish War, the Nine Years´ War and the War of the Spanish Succession. An excellent A.L.S., Chateaurenault, four pages, small 4to, n.p. (Vigo Bay), n.d. (October 1702), to a gentleman, in French. The Vice Admiral commences his letter by stating ´Mr de Gastines Commissaire general ordonnateur a la suite des vaisseaux que j'ai l'honneur de commander doit avoir receu presentement les soixante mil ecus que la Reyne a ordonne pour leur subistance et je vous supplie d´en faire le versement a sa Majeste´ (Translation: ´Mr. de Gastines, Commissioner General, responsible for the ships that I have the honor of commanding, must have now received the sixty thousand crowns that the Queen ordered for their maintenance and I beg you to pay it to Her Majesty´) and continues to send news and intelligence of the current situation, ´Nous sommes icy toujours mouilles dans une tres grande inquietude de ce que les vivres que nous attendons de la Corogne ne peuvent venir icy, les vens contraires les y retenant depuis trois semaines qu´ils y sont charges. Cela est d´autant plus facheux qu´il n´y a point desperance d´avoir de pain en ce lieu ou l´annee a ete mauvaise et le pais peu abondant......Nous avons ete d´autant plus inquiets que nous avons eu l´alarme hier au soir, sur ce qu´il a paru une flote a la vue de cette terre, dans le sens qu´il nous emblait que les vens violens qui avaient regne, avoient du obliger les ennemis de depasser ce lieu quand mesme ils auroient eu dessein d´y venir. Mais apres bien de la peine que j´ai eu cette nuit et le matin, nous avons lieu de croire que c´est la flote du Bresil qu´on a vu. J´ai deux batimens dehors qui m´en doivent donner incessamment des nouvelles. Je ne sceay Monsieur si vous aurez sceu que les ennemis se sont separes sur le cap St. Vincent et que vingt cinq de leurs plus gros et meilleurs vaisseaux renforces d´equipage ont fait la route de l´Amerique, et que le reste de leur armee a fait celle du Nord-Ouest qui est vraysemblablement celle d´Angleterre. Il nous a paru que cette nouvelle nous devoit otter toute inquietude. Cependant nous n´avons rien neglige icy, et le travail des bateries a ete toujours son chemin, parce que ce devoit etre la surete du pais et des vaisseaux de la flote quand nous serons partis d´icy. Sur la nouvelle que j´ai eu qui m´a paru tres certaine que les ennemis allaient a l´Amerique, j´ai cru qu´il etoit d´un service tres important pour la France et l´Espagne que les colonies de l´Amerique des deux Royaumes en fussent avertis. Je crois Monsieur que vous scavez l´etat de nos isles, et particulierement de St Christophe qui d´elle-meme auroit bien de la peine de soutenir la superiorite ou la colonie angloise y est. Il y a mesme d´autres mesures a prendre sur les autres isles. Le gouverneur en est nomme mais il est encor en France......Cela m´a fait prendre le dessein d´envoyer une fregate fraiche carenee premierement a la Martinique pour avertir toutes les isles franciaises, et de la ranger les costes d´Espagne et de bouquer par le canal de bahama pour s´en revenir en France, pendant que l´intendant des isles enverra un peit batiment du port pour donner cette nouvelle a porter a St Dominigue. Je n´attends, pour faire partir le batiment, que les vens propres pour cela et le pain qui luy manque.......Mr Don Juan de Larea Secretaire d´estat des Indes est arrive, et nous luy avons remis Mr de Barbanson et moy tous les registres que des gens de confiance de notre part y avoient fait de tout le debarquement. La pluye qu´il fait presque toujours dehors nous a enpeche qu´on ait envoye......l´argent parce qu´elle se seroit entierement gastee. Presentement Mr de Larea est charge de tout Dieu mercy, mais il sera remarque qu´on n´avoit jamais espere une pareille exactitude. Je ne secay de quel seront les soins de Mr de Larea pour la declaration des effets des ennemis´ (Translation: ´We are still anchored here in great anxiety because the supplies we are expecting from Corunna cannot come here, as the adverse winds have kept them there for the three weeks they have been loaded. This is all the more annoying as there is no hope of having any bread in this place where the year has been bad and the land scarce........We were all the more worried because we were alarmed yesterday evening when we saw this land and it seemed to us that the violent winds that had been prevailing must have forced the enemies to leave this place even if they had intended to come here. But after all the trouble I went through last night and in the morning, we have reason to believe that it was the Brazilian fleet that we saw. I have two boats outside which should give me news shortly. I do not know, Sir, whether you will have learned that the enemies have separated at Cape St. Vincent and that twenty-five of their biggest and best ships, reinforced with crew, have sailed for America, and that the rest of their army has sailed to the north-west, which is probably that of England. It seemed to us that this news should remove all concern. However, we have not neglected anything here, and the work on the batteries has continued, because it should be the safety of the country and of the ships on the water when we leave here. On the news that I had, which seemed very certain to me, that the enemies were going to America, I thought that it would be of very important service to France and Spain if the American colonies of the two Kingdoms were warned. I believe Sir that you are aware of the state of our islands, and in particular of St Christopher, which on its own would have great difficulty in maintaining the superiority of the English colony there. There are even other measures to be taken on the other islands. The governor has been appointed but he is still in France.....This has led me to take the decision to send a freshly tinkered fregate first to Martinique to warn all the French islands, and to stow it on the Spanish coast and to sail through the Bahama channel to return to France, while the intendant of the islands will send a small vessel from the port to deliver this news to be taken to St Dominigue. All I am waiting for to get the ship underway is the necessary funds and the bread it will need.......Mr Don Juan de Larea, Secretary of State for the Indies, has arrived, and we have given him Mr de Barbanson and myself all the registers that people we trusted on our behalf had made of the entire disembarkation. The rain that is almost always falling outside prevented us from sending......the money because it would have spoiled completely. At the moment Mr de Larea is in charge of everything, thank God, but it will be noted that we never expected such accuracy. I am not sure what care Mr de Larea will take in declaring the effects of the enemies´). A rare letter of excellent content, written at the time of the Battle of Vigo Bay in the opening years of the War of the Spanish Succession. Some light age toning and wear and with a few small, neat splits to the lower edges, G