Cabinda Expedition

The Cabinda Expedition was a Portuguese military expedition launched in 1723 to capture the British Royal African Company (RAC) slave fort in Cabinda. Although Portugal and Great Britain were longstanding allies, the Portuguese viewed the RAC’s presence as an infringement on their territorial claims and ordered an attack on the fort. A Portuguese ship of the line discovered the British fort in September 1723 and demanded it to surrender. When this was refused, the Portuguese began an exchange of fire with the fort on 23 September. The fort's defenders surrendered two days later and were allowed to return to Europe, with the Portuguese assuming control of the fort. Despite the expedition occurring in peacetime, neither the RAC nor the British government lodged diplomatic protests.