The War of Jenkins' Ear

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I love British history and enjoy looking around for more bizarre stories. I can remember hearing about the War of Jenkins' Ear several years ago but had forgotten about it. It really is odd what relatively trivial events can end up a little over the top. Back in the days of George II Jenkins set sail for the Spanish West Indies to do a bit of trading. The Spanish didn't like the Brits very much but they did allow us a few items. However, some British sailors were smuggling things in and out which rather got up the noses of the Spanish. It was because of this that the Spanish set up coast guards who had the right to board British ships and check for any contraband. Poor old Jenkins, despite me an upright and honest man, had his ship boarded and nothing was found but the Spanish thought they'd make an example of him so they tied him to the mast and cut off one of his ears. They told him to go back and report to King George that they would do the same to any British sailors that were caught smuggling. Jenkins pickled his ear and carried it all the way back to England. He went to parliament but they weren't interested. They had more important things to deal with. But seven years later when Robert Walpole was Prime Minister, the opposition party were fed up with him evading the Spanish treating the British like saps and wanted war. It was then that some clever MP remembered Jenkins. The government got in touch with Jenkins and he appeared before parliament with his pickled ear. This Spanish assault on an Englishman just 'wasn't cricket' and Robert Walpole declared war on Spain. The war went on for several years but then it somehow got melded into the War of the Austrian Succession.