nnual subsidy of 12,000,000 francs to France.
Spain also repaired French warships which took refuge at Ferrol in July
1804, and allowed reinforcements to their crews to travel thither
overland. When Pitt and Harrowby remonstrated on this conduct, Spain
armed as if for war; and in answer to inquiries from London, Godoy
alleged certain disputes with the United States as the cause of his
alarm. The arrival in London of Frere, our ambassador at Madrid, on 17th
September 1804 revealed the unreality of this excuse; for he reported
that Spain had previously decided to yield on that question. As the
Spanish fleet was evidently preparing to cooperate with that of
Napoleon, Pitt resolved to deal the blow which Chatham was not allowed
to deliver in 1761. The weak point of Spain was her treasure fleet;
there was an inner fitness in wrenching from her the gold which was soon
to go into Napoleon's coffers.

On Tuesday, 18th September, the Cabinet assembled, Eldon, Camden,
Hawkesbury, Melville, Mulgrave, and Pitt being present. In view of the
news brought by Frere, and other tidings from Rear-Admiral Cochrane off
Ferrol, Ministers decided to order Cochrane closely to blockade that
port, preventing both French and Spanish ships from sailing out. Admiral
Cornwallis, then blockading Brest, was to reinforce Cochrane, thereby
assuring the capture of the Spanish treasure ships bound from South
America to Cadiz.[695] Pitt at once reported this decision to Harrowby,
then in attendance on the King at Weymouth, and urged a speedy
ratification of it.[696] Hence without delay the order went forth which
enlarged the area of strife. The four frigates despatched for the
seizure of the treasure-ships were not so superior in force to the
convoying corvettes as to avert a conflict. One of the Spanish ships
blew up: the others surrendered (5th October 1804). Resenting this
outrage, Spain declared war on 12th December.[697] Pitt did not consider
the capture of the treasure-ships as necessarily involving war, but
rather as a sharp warning, called for by the hostile conduct of Spain;
for on 23rd September he wrote to Harrowby stating that they must wait
for the Spanish answer to our ultimatum, and in the meantime Spanish
merchantmen might leave British ports unmolested.[698]

The seizure of the Spanish treasure-ships caused resentment at St.
Petersburg until the causes of Britain's action were more fully known.
But the event did not long delay a good unde