from raids upon the
Spanish possessions and in the year 1719 had to address the same warning
to the French. For the rupture of diplomatic relations between France
and Spain had once more increased the insecurity of the Spanish-American
coasts. The privateers fitted out by the Cuban government and authorized
to retaliate upon the French and British vessels they would meet, were
under the command of men of tried valor, like Gonzalez, Mendreta,
Cornego and others. They succeeded in capturing a number of bilanders
(small one-mast vessels), which carried cargoes of over one hundred
thousand pesos in value. On one of these expeditions the soldiers and
sailors attempted to revolt against the customary discipline, but Count
Bayona suppressed the incipient mutiny before it had the time to
develop.

As soon as war had been declared between France and Spain the promoters
of the French colonization schemes that had modestly begun to
materialize along southern coast of the American continent, embraced
this opportunity to attack the Spanish settlements in Florida. On the
fourteenth of May, 1718, Bienville, the brother and successor of the
famous d'Iberville, arrived at Pensacola and in the name of the French
king demanded the capitulation of the town. Unprepared for such an
eventuality and unable to resist superior forces, D. Juan Pedro
Metamores, the governor of Pensacola, surrendered and the garrison left
with all honors of war. They were transported in French vessels to
Havana. But already on this involuntary voyage Metamores was considering
measures of retaliation. When the French vessels _Toulouse_ and
_Mareschal de Villars_ reached Cuba and landed the prisoners, they were
seized by the Governor of Havana, who on learning of the disaster at
Pensacola decided upon its recapture. A fleet consisting of one Spanish
warship, nine brigantines and the two French vessels was quickly made
ready and Metamores with his captured troops embarked for Pensacola. On
the sixth of August he entered the harbor with the French vessels flying
the French colors as decoys. The French commander refused to surrender
and a cannonade began. Then the French demanded an armistice which was
followed by the exchange of more shots and finally the garrison of one
hundred men marched out, also with honors of war, under the command of
Chateaugue. They were sent to Havana and were to be transported to
Spain, but in the meantime were imprisoned in Morro castle. Me