Description
The War of Jenkin’s Ear, Admiral Vernon and the Capture of Portobello, 1739, Greetings Card,
The capture of Porto Bello was part of a campaign known as ‘The War of Jenkins’ Ear’, which was fought against Spain in the West Indian colonies. When Robert Jenkins, a merchant sea captain, had his ear cut off by a Spanish officer at Havana in 1731 it led to calls in Parliament for war with Spain. During a House of Commons debate in the summer of 1739, Captain Edward Vernon claimed he could take the Spanish town of Porto Bello – a source of Spanish depredation on British shipping on the north side of the Isthmus of Darien between Columbia and Panama – with only six ships of the line. He was promoted to vice-admiral and given the six ships so that he could carry out his promise.
125 x 125 mm, contained in cellophane wrapper with fitted envelope.