A certain Captain Jenkins, who was in command of an English merchantman, was captured by a Spanish cruiser. His ship was subjected to search, and he himself, according to his own declaration, put to the torture. The Spaniards, however, could find little or nothing of which to convict him, and, irritated at this they committed a most foolish act, a deed of childish vengeance. They cut off one of his ears and told him to take it back to England and show it to the king.
Jenkins preserved his mutilated ear in a bottle of spirits, and, in due course of time, appeared himself before the House of Commons and exhibited it to that body.
The excitement ensuing upon the proof of this outrage to a British subject beggars description.
Walpole was at that time prime minister, and, although essentially a man of peace, he found it impossible to stem the tide, and public sentiment compelled him to declare war against Spain.
This war, however, was productive of but little result one way or the other.
But before long another struggle ensued, which was far more reaching in its consequences.
In 1756, what is known in history as the Seven Years War, broke out. This seems to have been a mere struggle for territory, and, besides a duel between France and England, involved Austria, with its allies, France, Russia and the German princes against the new kingdom of Prussia.
This naturally led to an alliance between England and Prussia.
Towards the end of the war, early in 1762, hostilities were declared against Spain.
An English fleet and army, under Lord Albemarle, were sent to Cuba. The former consisted of more than two hundred vessels of all classes, and the latter of fourteen thousand and forty-one men.