Argentina claims the Falkland Islands (1820)

In 1820, Colonel David Jewett, acting for the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, raised the flag at Puerto Soledad to claim the Falkland Islands. This action followed a difficult voyage marked by mutiny and disease. The claim was based on Buenos Aires' 1816 assertion of Spanish territories, though documentary evidence for a specific order remains debated.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. David Jewett was an American-born naval officer who offered services to the United Provinces. He was licensed as a privateer to seize Spanish ships but faced accusations of piracy for attacking American and Portuguese vessels. In January 1820, he was appointed Colonel in the Argentine Navy, setting the stage for his voyage to the Falklands.

Voyage and Claim. Jewett departed in March 1820 on a voyage plagued by mutiny, scurvy, and piracy. By October 27, 1820, he arrived at Puerto Soledad with only a fraction of his crew remaining. On November 6, 1820, he raised the flag of the United Provinces and claimed possession of the islands, informing anchored ships of Buenos Aires' 1816 claim.

Controversy and Aftermath. Researchers debate whether Jewett was ordered to claim the islands or acted independently. The claim was not gazed in Buenos Aires, and 1820 was a highly anarchical year. The declaration was reported as foreign news in 1821, suggesting a lack of immediate official recognition in Argentina.

People involved

Sources

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