James Madison Papers

To James Madison from John Gavino, 10 May 1804 (Abstract)

§ From John Gavino

10 May 1804, Gibraltar. No. 149. “Without the honor of any of your favours since my last No. 148 [24 Apr. 1804] I have only time to forward you Via Cadiz the annexd Copy of a Letter just received from our Comercial Agent Stepn: Cathalan Junr: Esqr. at Marseilles1 with the Disagreeable News of Tunis having declared Warr against the U. S.

“None of our State Vessels in this Neighbourhood.”

Adds in a postscript dated 11 May: “Nothing further New, yet I am very apprehen[sive] some of the Tunis or Tripoly Cruisers may get past this to Cruise to the Westward, as all our forces are now above and not Sufficient to Blocade the Different Ports and am of opinion when forces come out that a frigate should be stationd here to Guard the Gutt.”

RC and enclosure (DNA: RG 59, CD, Gibraltar, vol. 2). RC 1 p.; marked “(Duplicate)”; docketed by Wagner as received 28 July. For enclosure, see n. 1.

1Gavino enclosed a copy of Cathalan’s 17 Apr. 1804 letter to him (1 p.) forwarding fourth-hand reports that Tunis had declared war on the U.S. and notifying him that three twenty-gun Tunisian ships were currently at Malta.

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