Great Britain (UK) With Six Ships Only, Vernon Takes Porto Bello 1739 

• 1739 
• Commemorative tokens 
• United Kingdom 
• Bronze 

5215371

Tokens / Medals

Great Britain (UK) With Six Ships Only, Vernon Takes Porto Bello 1739

1739

WITH * SIX * SHIPS * ONLY NOV 22, 1739

ADMIRAL * VERNON * TOOK * PORTO * BELLO

37

Mass: 18 grams The Battle of Porto Bello, or the Battle of Portobello, was a 1739 battle between a British naval force aiming to capture the settlement of Portobello in Panama, and its Spanish defenders. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, in the early stages of the war sometimes known as the War of Jenkins' Ear. It resulted in a popularly acclaimed British victory. The settlement of Portobello was an important port on the Spanish Main. Following the failure of an earlier British naval blockade to prevent a fully laden treasure fleet sailing to Spain from Porto Bello in 1727, an action in which he had taken part, the then Vice Admiral Edward Vernon repeatedly claimed he could capture it with just six ships.[4] Following his appointment to command the Jamaica Station, Vernon organised an expedition with just six ships, despite criticism that this was far too few. Vernon was a strong advocate of using small squadrons of powerfully armed warships hitting hard and moving fast.