1780 January 16. Sunday. Reposed and wrote.
[To the President of Congress]
[dateline] Bilbao January 16. 1780.
[salute] Sir
I have the honour to inform Congress, that last night
1 I arrived in this place.
At Ferrol and Corunna, I was advised by all the Friends of America to undertake a
Journey by Land. The Consul of France, and Mr. Lagoenere, a Gentleman who has acted
for some time as an American Agent at Corunna, very obligingly offered me all the
Assistance in their Power, and accordingly used their utmost dilligence to procure
me the necessary Mules and Carriages, for the transportation of the small Number of
Persons in company with me, and the small quantity of Baggage, which We found it indispensibly
necessary to take with Us, having left more than two thirds of what We had with Us
to take
{ 231 } the chance of a Passage by Sea, to France. From the Eighth day of December, when
We arrived at Ferrol, to the twenty sixth of the same month, when We sat off, from
Corunna, We were detained by the violent Rains, and the impossibility of getting Accommodations
for travelling.... All our Beds and Provisions We were obliged to carry with Us.—We
travelled through the ancient Kingdoms of Gallicia, Leon, The Old Castile and Biscay,
and although We made the best of our Way, without loss of time, We found it impossible
to go more than eight Leagues a day, and sometimes not more than four. The Roads and
Inns are inconvenient to a degree that I should blush to describe, and the Pains We
suffered for want of Fire, in a cold Season of the Year, in a country where there
are no Chimnies, gave Us all such violent Colds, that I was under great Apprehensions
of our being seized with Fevers.
As We were so near Madrid, within about forty Leagues, I ballanced some time in my
own mind, whether to go to that fine City. But considering that this would lengthen
our Journey near an hundred Leagues; the severe Season of the Year, and above all
the political Situation that I might be in, my Country not being yet acknowledged
as a Sovereign State, by any formal Act of that court; and it being known that another
Gentleman had a Commission to that Court, and expected soon to arrive, I thought it,
upon the whole, the least hazardous to the Public Interest, to avoid that Route.
It may be of some Use to my Countrymen to transmit a few Observations upon the Country
I have passed through, because it appears to me, that a Commerce extreamly advantageous
to both Countries may be opened between Us and Spain as soon as our Independence shall
be acknowledged by that Power, at least as soon as We shall obtain the great Object
of all our Wishes, Peace.
The Province of Gallicia is one of the largest in Spain, and said to be one of the
best peopled. Corunna is in effect the Principal City; although St. Iago, in respect
to its Patron Saint, or more probably to the Archbishop, who resides there, is, in
name, The Capital. This Province, one of those of which the antient Crown of Castile
was formed, is washed by the Ocean for more than seventy Leagues, from Ribadeo on
the Frontiers of Asturias, to the mouth of the River Minho, which seperates it from
Portugal. This Coast, which is divided by Cape Finisterre, is provided on both Sides
of the Cape, with Ports equally safe and convenient, which Nature seems to have prepared,
around this Cape, an Object oftentimes so necessary to be made by Navigators, both
at their departure from Europe and at their return, as
{ 232 } so many Assylums both from the Apprehensions and the Consequences of Storms. The most
known of these Ports are Ribadeo, Ferrol, Corunna and Camarinas, to the Eastward of
Cape Finisterre: Corcubion, Muros, Pontevedra, Vigo, to the Westward, all proper to
receive Vessels of the first rate, especially Ferrol and Vigo. The first, the most
considerable Department of the Marine of Spain, is embellished with every Thing, that
Art, and the Treasures profusely spent upon it for thirty Years past, could add to
its happy Situation. Vigo, represented to be one of the most beautifull Ports in the
World, is another Department of the Marine, more extensive and proper for such an
Establishment than Ferrol itself. Besides these Ports, there is a Multitude of Harbours
and Bays round Cape Finisterre, which afford a safe and convenient Shelter to Merchant
Vessells.
With all these Advantages for foreign Commerce, this Province has but very little,
but what is passive. It receives from abroad some Objects of daily Consumption, some
of Luxury, some of convenience, and some even of the first necessity. At present it
offers little for exportation to foreign Countries. The Sardine of its coast, the
famous fish which it furnishes to all Spain; the Cattle which it fattens for the provision
of Madrid; a few coarse linnens, which are its only Manufacture, and are well esteemed,
are the Objects of its active Commerce, and form its ballance with the other Provinces.
The Wine and the Grain, the chief productions of its Lands, seldom suffice for its
consumption and never go beyond it.
The Liberty of Commerce with the Windward Islands, granted by the Court, within a
few Years, and the particular Establishment of Couriers or Packet Boats to South America,
in the Port of Corunna, have opened the Ports of that part of the new World to this
Province, and although without Manufactures herself, or any of those Productions proper
for America, she renders to foreign Hands the product of those which she receives
from them and carries thither. In this Circulation of so many Treasures, she enriches
herself with parts which she detaches from the whole.
The Civil Government of this Province is formed by a Superiour Tribunal called The
Audience; to which an Appeal lies from all the subaltern Jurisdictions, public and
private. This Court hears and determines as Souvereign and without Appeal all civil
Affairs of a less Value than a Thousand Ducats or three thousand Livres. Appeals,
in those which exceed that value are carried to the Chancery of Valladolid, or to
the Council of Castile. Although Justice is gratis, on the Part of the Judges, who
are paid by the Government, it is said to be
{ 233 } not the less costly, tedious or vexatious. It may not be useless to observe that
the Criminal Chamber, whose decrees extend to the punishment of Death and are executed
without any Application to the King, or any other Authority, is composed only of three
Judges, and these Three are the youngest of the whole Tribunal; and this order is
generally followed in Spain, in the Composition of their Criminal Tribunals, altho'
no one pretends to conjecture the Motive of so singular a Reverse of the natural order
of Things. The Administration of the Royal Police, belongs also to the Audience, and
forms the third Chamber into which this Tribunal is divided.
All the Military Authority, and the Government of the Troops in this Department, is
in the Hands of the Captain General of the Province. There is not any one under him,
who has even the Title of Commandant.... But in case of his Death or Absence, he is
succeeded by the General Officer the most ancient in the Province. To this Title of
Captain General, is added commonly that of President of the Audience, a Prerogative,
which by uniting in his hands, the civil Authority to all that of his Place, gives
him a Power the most absolute and unlimited.
The Inspection General and all the Oeconomy of the Affairs of the King in the Province,
belongs to the Intendant. The different Branches of the Public Revennue are all administered
by Officers appointed by the King, as in the rest of the Kingdom, and there are no
Farmers General as in France. Their Product is about twenty six Millions of Reals,
or six millions five hundred thousand Livres, the Expence of Collection being deducted.
The Expences of the Administration, including the Maintenance of three Regiments of
Infantry, scattered about in different Places, do not exceed two Millions five hundred
thousand Livres. The overplus goes into the Dry Docks, Arsenals, and Fortifications
of Ferrol, to the Support of which, this Sum is far from being sufficient.
Such is in general The Government, Military, Political and Civil of this Province,
and very nearly of all the others, except Biscay, Guipuscua and Alaba.
There is not in this Province any particular Jurisdiction for Commerce; but there
is a Tribunal, under the Name of The Judge Conservator of Strangers, which takes Cognizance
of all their Causes, civil and criminal, except the Case of Contraband. At this day
the Judge Conservator of Strangers is the Governor of the Province himself, and the
Appeals from his Judgment are carried directly to the Council of War, which is said
to be a prescious Priviledge, by the form
{ 234 } and Brevity of Proceedure, compared with the expensive and insupportable delays of
the ordinary Jurisdictions.
I cannot but think, that, if some measures could be taken, to convince the Court,
that it is their Interest to take off the vast duties, with which Commerce is overloaded
in this Part, fifteen per Cent being to be paid upon all Commodities exported and
2 upon all imported; and if the rigid Prohibition of Tobacco could be relaxed or repealed,
several of the Productions of America would find a good Market here, and a Commerce
opened, that would put a new Face upon this Province, and be profitable to America
too. The Conveniency of such a Number of excellent Ports would be a vast Advantage,
which Bilbao cannot have, as her Harbour is neither safe nor convenient, besides its
being so much further down the stormy, turbulent Gulph of Biscay. Yet Biscay, which
is now commonly used to comprehend Biscay proper, the principal City of which is Bilbao,
though Orduna is the Capital, Guipuscoa the Capital of which is Saint Sebastian, and
Alaba the Capital of which is Vitoria, three free Provinces whose Laws the Kings of
Spain have hitherto been sworn to observe inviolate, have attracted almost the whole
of the American Trade, because the King has no Custom House, nor Officers here, and
there are no Duties to be paid.
It may seem surprising, to hear of free Provinces in Spain: But such is the Fact,
that the High and independent Spirit of the People, so essentially different from
the other Provinces, that a Traveller perceives it even in their Countenances, their
Dress, their Air, and ordinary manner of Speech, has induced the Spanish Nation and
their Kings to respect the Ancient Liberties of these People, so far that each Monarch,
at his Accession to the Throne, has taken an Oath, to observe the Laws of Biscay.
The Government here, is therefore diametrically opposite to that of Gallicia, and
the other Provinces. The King of Spain has never assumed any higher Title than that
of Lord of Biscay. He has no Troops of any Sort in the Lordship, nor is there any
standing Army; instead of which every Man is obliged to serve in the Militia. The
King has no Custom House Officers, nor other Revenue Officers, nor other Officer whatsoever
in the Lordship, except a Corregidor, and lately a Commissary of the Marine. This
last is considered as an Encroachment and a Grievance; and the Authority of the Corregidor
is very small as their lies an
{ 235 } Appeal from his Judgment to another Tribunal, that of the Two Deputy Generals, who
are biennially elected by the People. Few of the Grandees of Spain have any considerable
Estates here. The Duke de Medina Cceli and the Duke of Berwick have some Lands here,
of no great Value. The Lands generally belong to the Inhabitants and Possessors, who
hold them of no Lord, but the King of Spain who is Lord of Biscay.
There is a Board of Trade here, which is annually constituted by the Merchants of
the Place, partly by Lot and partly by Election, which decides all Controversies arising
in Trade, and all the Affairs of Strangers. They have never admitted any foreign Consul
to reside here, although it has been sollicited by Holland, England and France.
It is not at all surprizing that a Constitution, in its nature so favourable to commerce,
should have succeeded.
In travelling through the Provinces of Leon and Castile, and observing the numerous
Flocks of Sheep, with the most beautifull Fleeces of Wool in the World, I could not
but wish, that some communication might be opened, by which the United States of America
might be furnished with this necessary Article, from this Country. There are few of
our Articles of Exportation, but might be sent to the Spanish Markett to Advantage.
Rice, Pitch, Tar, Turpentine, Tobacco, Wheat, Flour, Ship timber, Masts, Yards, Bowsprits
and Salt Fish, might be supplied to Spain at an Advantage, and in return she might
furnish Us, with Wine, Oyl, Fruits, some Silks, some Linnens perhaps, and with any
quantity of Wool, which is now exported to foreign Countries for Manufacture, and
might as well be sent to Us, but above all, with Silver and Gold. It must be a work
of time, of a freer intercourse between the two Nations, and of future Negotiations
to ripen these Hints into a Plan, that may be beneficial to both. The System of Revenue,
which it is dangerous and difficult to alter in Spain as well as in all other Countries
of Europe, will be the principal Objection.
I have collected together with some difficulty a few Gazettes, which I have the honor
to transmit to Congress, from which all the News may be collected, that I have been
able to learn. Congress will easily perceive the Eagerness, with which the belligerent
Powers are bent on War, without manifesting the least disposition for Peace, and most
of all Great Britain, whose ostentatious display of trifling Successes, and weak Exultation
in them, shews that nothing can divert her from her furious course.—But she is exhausting
and sinking her Forces every day, without gaining any lasting or solid Advantage.
And she has reason to fear, from the combined Fleets of France and Spain,
{ 236 } under such enterprizing, experienced and approved Officers as D'Estaing and Duchauffault,
the entire ruin of her Commerce and Navy, in the course of a Campaign or two more.
[signed] John Adams
[addrLine] His Excellency Samuel Huntington Esq. President of Congress.3