now that you say that, there is a pesky nagging thought at the back of my mind that I have read somewhere that the British did at one point reject a request for vessels - but I can't recall whether that was 'up front', so to speak - i.e. before the Spanish decided on the Cabrera solution - or at some point after the decision was made but before it was implemented. This would throw a different light on the later (or earlier?) offer of vessels that was rejected by the Spanish. The trouble with my notes on the Andalusia campaign is that they are utterly disorganized, so it will take me some time to find the appropriate entries - but that's what holidays are for, in my book!

Watch this space...

Tim