 An expedition to the Falkland Islands was launched in late 1831 when the sloop-of-war USS "Lexington" was sent to Puerto Soledad to investigate the capture and possible armament of two American whalers.When the sailors arrived at the settlement, its Argentine population was found to be suffering from starvation so Commander Silas Duncan evacuated the colonists to the mainland.Because of this the Falklands were left unpopulated and open for British colonization a few years later.