Aliranda and the British .ld)iiiraltv VI. Rear-Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane to the Secretary.' Dolphin, Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, 12 April '06 Sir Information has arrived from Trinidad that General Miranda with an expedition fitted out in America has made a descent on the Island of Margaritta where he was joined by about 3000 men and that he was on his way to attack Cuniana and Barcelona." The report also states there was every appearance that the Insurrection would be general.' Being unacquainted with the nature of this Expedition I conceived it my duty to write him a letter of which the enclosed is a copy, and should it be the intention of Government to support him, the sooner I obtain instructions the better, as a little assistance at the beginning may render the Expedition successful. I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient humble servant Alex. Cochrane. vn. Captain Thomas John Cochrane to Rear-Admiral Cochrane.* Extract of a letter from Captain Cochrane of H. M. Ship Jason dated 23"' April 1806. " Since writing to you from Trinidad, I have received no satisfac- tory information respecting General Miranda. At Cumana they seem in a most terrible fright for fear of his landing. ° in fact Cagegal * told Lieu' Briarly the country never was in such a state before ; he also said they had intelligence of this General being at S' Domingo taking on board a number of blacks to assist him. "Whether there is any truth in it," or whether he only does it to give us a bad idea of Miranda's designs I cannot say, but a few days must bring everything to light." •Admirals' Despatches, Leeward Islands, Vol. 25. P'ndorsed as received June 2. Cochrane was commander-in-chief at the Leeward Islands, with his flag on the A'cr- thumberland. 2 This information was erroneous. Miranda's expedition had at this time just reached Aruba. Biggs, p. 55. ' Regarding this, an important point in estimating the expedition, see letter of Lieu- tenant J. Murray, November 6, 1807, in the MoutJdy Revit-w for March iSog, lA'III. 307, 308; Lieutenant Briarly's letter of May 2, 1806, No. viii.,/o,t/ ,■ and Marshall's iXaval Biography, X. 407.
- Enclosure in Kear-Admiral Cochrane's despatch of May 8 ; see No L., post. The
writer was the admiral's son.
- See the intercepted letters printed in Biggs, pp. 239-241, and in Sherman's Gfii-
eral Account of Miranda' s Expedition, p. 41 ; also Briarly's letter of .May 2, No. viiL, post. ^"Governor" (footnote in the manuscript). ' Miranda seems to have enlisted no blacks at Jacniel.
