On this date (April 9) in 1731, the good ship HMS Rebecca commanded by Robert Jenkins was stopped by the Spanish in the West Indies for suspicion of smuggling. The Spanish commander became upset with Jenkins and sliced of his ear. It was the news of the day. Benjamin Franklin wrote about it in the Pennsylvania Gazette. It led to the War of Jenkins Ear between Britain and Spain. Georgia invaded Florida and besieged St. Augustine. Then Florida invaded George but was pushed back. In the end, Spain managed to stop British smuggling.
If I were a professional historian, I’d write a series of books about the colonial period and call it, “When We Were British”.
They were interesting times.