Report 8A from the Merchant League

Report 8A from the Merchant League - 30 June 1828

            Last night, the merchant ship Nuestra Señora del Barrio was attacked by vicious privateers off the coast of Guayaquil. After an hour of fierce fighting and chasing, the privateers, equipped with small arms and one cannon, have overwhelmed the civilians defending the merchant ship and its goods. Two sailors have managed to escape by rowboat, and it is highly suspected that the rest of the crew has perished in the conflict. May they rest in peace. The merchant ship was captured by the privateers and sailed south to the direction of Peru.

2.         The two sailors have claimed that the privateers were hired by the Peruvians to disrupt our trade. Doing so makes it more difficult to trace the attack back to Peru. We are still investigating the issue, but we also have reason to suspect the Peruvians are involved, as mere pirates cannot afford to have a cannon on-board their ship.

3.         The Merchant league pleads to the governors of Ecuador to provide protection to our merchant ships. We will not operate under this atmosphere of fear and terror. We also urge that the Peruvians be held accountable for their actions.

Signed by

Board members of the Merchant League

30 June 1828