HMS Santa Teresa had been captured from Spain in February 1799, although the ship's surviving description and illustrations proved difficult to trace. John Markham's earlier account of blockade duty under St Vincent supplies a more detailed example of British dealings with Spain. Spanish intermediaries arranged for officers' linen to be washed in the town they were blockading. Officers also received fresh beef, mutton, fowl, eggs, and vegetables from Portugal and Tangier through these contacts. Formal hostility therefore coexisted with local exchange that helped sustain the blockading fleet.
Notable Point · 41:46-43:16
Santa Teresa and the informal economy of blockade
Santa Teresa's capture in February 1799 and Markham's account of Spanish supply contacts show different ways Britain benefited from its opponent's resources.