Copy of my answer to Gameiro's proposals, sent in Portuguese, and translated by Mr. March:—

MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

In answer to the wishes of your Excellency to place myself under your immediate orders, I have to acquaint you that I have this morning had a letter from Lord Cochrane, stating that he had received letters from your Excellency of such a nature as to require his immediate presence in town, where he intends to be on Monday next. This alone—you must be aware—will entirely preclude the possibility of putting into execution the arrangements which you wished; the celerity of the Admiral's movements being such as to preclude all hope of effecting them.

I am sorry to add, that all our men have this morning left the ship in a complete state of mutiny, occasioned by their not having received their last two months' pay, and I much fear that it will be now more difficult than ever to get her manned—as, from their having been so long kept in arrears, and leaving their ship without being paid, has irritated their feelings to such a degree, that I have no hesitation whatever in saying that they will do all in their power to prevent others from joining her.

I have the honour to remain Your obedient humble Servant,

JAMES SHEPHERD.

To His Excellency MANOEL RODRIGUEZ GAMEIRO PESSOA.

On the 29th of October, I received from the Brazilian Legation in London, further orders from the Imperial Government, dated August 25th, 1825, to return with the Piranga to Rio de Janeiro—and with these I made preparations to comply, notifying to Gameiro my readiness to sail—by the following letter:—

London, Nov. 3, 1825. MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

Having informed your Excellency on the 1st of October, that previous to quitting Maranham I had anticipated the Imperial resolutions, and having in my letter of the 24th further made known to your Excellency that the Piranga should sail for Brazil on or as soon after the 10th of this month as the wind would permit, your Excellency will perceive that there is nothing remaining of the Imperial decree to be executed, unless the Piranga (which I much doubt) should be enabled to put to sea before the early day which I have fixed for departure.

(Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHAO. His Excellency MANOEL RODRIGUEZ GAMEIRO PESSOA.

This declaration of my readiness to comply with His Imperial Majesty's orders did not, however, suit the Envoy, nor did it fall in with his instructions from the Brazilian Ministry, which, no doubt were, as soon as peace was proclaimed, to get rid of me without satisfying my claims—this course being, indeed, apparent from what the Envoy, as just shewn, had communicated to Lieutenant Shepherd. (See page 260.) On the 3rd of November, peace between Portugal and Brazil was announced, and the independence of the Empire acknowledged; Gameiro being, on the occasion, created Baron Itabayana, whilst I—to whose instrumentality the peace—as a consequence of the consolidation of the Empire had been mainly owing, was to be ignominiously dismissed the service!

On the 7th of November—four days only after the announcement of peace—Gameiro took upon himself the execution of the spurious ministerial decree issued by Barbosa on the 27th of February, 1824, which had been abrogated by the Emperor, through the same minister, in the July following, as a prelude to my employment in the tranquillisation of the Northern provinces. Gameiro did not venture previously to apprise me of the act lest I should resist it—but insultingly sent an order to the officers of the Piranga to "disengage themselves from all obedience to my command." (Se desligao de toda subordinacao a o Ex'mo S'r Marquez do Maranhao), thus unjustifiably terminating my services—as I was on the point of returning, in obedience to the order of the Emperor. The subjoined is the order alluded to:—

To Captain SHEPHERD, commanding the Piranga, still refusing supplies whilst I held the command.

Having received the two letters which you addressed to me on the 4th of this month, enclosing three demands for various articles for the use of the frigate, I have to reply that I persist in my resolution not to furnish anything to the frigate unless she is placed under the immediate orders of this Legation, which I shall only consider accomplished when I shall receive a reply signed by yourself, and by all the other officers, declaring that—in compliance with the orders of His Imperial Majesty, contained in the two portarias of 37th of June and 20th of August last—you all place yourselves under the orders of this Legation, and cast off all subordination to the Marquis of Maranhao!

Dated London, 7th November, 1825.

(Signed) GAMEIRO.

As this was done without the slightest motive existing or assigned, there was no doubt in my mind but that Barbosa and his colleagues in the ministry had instructed Gameiro to dismiss me from the service whenever peace was effected; indeed, he had so informed Lieutenant Shepherd by the letter before quoted. To resist a measure—though thus insultingly resorted to—in the face of the Imperial order to return, was out of the question, as the instant consequence would have been a disgraceful outbreak between the Brazilian and Portuguese seamen of the Piranga, in the principal war port of England, to my own scandal, no less than to that of the Imperial government. I had, therefore, no alternative to avert this outrage but by submitting to the forcible deposition from my authority as Commander-in-Chief.

This act of the Envoy—based upon the deliberate falsehood that His Imperial Majesty had ordered the officers not to obey me, no such order existing in either of the Portarias mentioned—precluded my obedience to the Imperial command to return to Rio de Janeiro, for being no longer acknowledged as "First Admiral of Brazil, and Commander-in-Chief of the National Armada," I could only have accompanied the Piranga as a passenger, or rather quasi prisoner; and to this, in either capacity, it was impossible, without degradation, to submit. I had no inclination to place myself at the mercy of men who had taken advantage of a spurious decree to dismiss me—now that—in spite of their opposition—the destiny of the Empire had been irrevocably decided by my having counteracted their anti-national views whilst carrying out the intentions of His Imperial Majesty.

As will presently be seen, it was falsely represented by Gameiro, to the Imperial Government, that I had voluntarily abandoned the service! though, from the letter just quoted—ordering the officers to "disengage themselves from all subordination to me," this subterfuge of my having dismissed myself is obviously false. I will not, therefore, trespass on the patience of the reader by dilating upon the subject; suffice it to say that, not choosing to return to Rio de Janeiro as a passenger, I had no dignified alternative but to give up the frigate to the command of the senior officer, Captain Shepherd; confiding to him all accounts of monies distributed for the Imperial service, with the vouchers for the same—taking the precaution to send however the duplicate receipts given by the officers on account of the monies paid by the Junta of Maranham—and retaining the originals in my possession, where they now remain, and will be adduced in the statement of account forming the concluding chapter of this volume.

For these accounts—which the Brazilian ministers deny ever to have received—Captain Shepherd gave me, under his own signature, the following acknowledgment—now in my possession; a photograph of which, together with photographs of other important documents has long since been sent to the Brazilian Government:—

Received from Lord Cochrane, Marquess of Maranhao, the key of the iron chest, in which the prize lists and receipts for the disbursement of public monies have been kept during His Excellency's command; which key and chest I engage faithfully to deliver to the accountant-general of His Imperial Majesty's navy, or to the proper authority at Rio de Janeiro, taking his receipt for the same.

On board H.I.M.'s ship Piranga, November 12th, 1825,

JA's SHEPHERD.

The denial by the Brazilian Administration—of the accounts and receipts thus acknowledged by Captain Shepherd, and the absence of any ministerial communication on the subject, forms an unworthy imputation on the memory of a gallant officer, who a short time afterwards nobly died in action in the cause of Brazil. It was utterly impossible that Captain Shepherd should have done otherwise than have delivered them, for he was a man upon whose honour no reproach could be cast. There are only two ways to account for their not having been delivered, if such be the case. 1st, that Gameiro on the delivery of the frigate to the legation obtained possession of the chest in which they were deposited, and withheld them to justify my dismissal by casting the reproach upon me of having appropriated the amount—an act of which the Brazilian Government may judge whether he was capable; or, 2ndly, that from the same reason they were purposely withheld or destroyed by the ministers who had been so inimical to me. The present Brazilian Administration is happily composed of men of a different stamp, and it becomes them, for the sake of the national reputation, to institute the strictest search for the documentary evidence adduced, as no man will believe that I withheld documents which could alone justify my acts.

And here I must be permitted to remark, that the documentary evidence adduced in this volume proves the history, and not the history the documents. If any question be made as to their validity or fidelity, I hereby call upon the Brazilian Government to appoint a Commission, or authorise their Embassy to compare the extracts with the originals in my possession, so that no manner of doubt or question shall attach to them. My object in now producing them is, that I will not voluntarily go to my grave with obloquy, cast on me by men, who, at the outset of Brazilian independence, were a misfortune to the Empire no less than to myself; men who not only pursued this shameful line of conduct towards me who was unable to resist it,—but towards His Imperial Majesty,—who, by similar practices, was eventually disgusted into AN ABDICATION OF HIS THRONE AND AN ABANDONMENT OF THE COUNTRY—to which he had given one of the freest Constitutions in existence—achieved under the Imperial watchword, "Independencia ou morte."



CHAPTER XIII.

I AM DISMISSED THE SERVICE BY THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT—WITHOUT ANY ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MY SERVICES—INCONSISTENCY OF THIS WITH FORMER THANKS—THOUGH DISMISSED I AM TRIED AS A DESERTER—AND AM REFUSED ALL COMPENSATION—REPORT OF RECENT COMMISSION ON THE SUBJECT—FALSE REPRESENTATIONS—BUT PARTIALLY TRUE CONCLUSIONS—MY ORIGINAL PATENTS NEVER SET ASIDE—UNTRUE ASSUMPTIONS AS TO MY DISMISSAL—MY CLAIMS FOUNDED ON THE ORIGINAL PATENTS—LESS THAN HALF THE INTEREST DUE PAID—OPINIONS OF EMINENT BRAZILIANS THEREON—MY SERVICES TARDILY ACKNOWLEDGED—NO ACT OF MINE HAD ANNULLED THEM—THE ESTATE CONFERRED, NOT CONFIRMED—PROMISES ON ACCOUNT OF CHILI UNFULFILLED—THE WHOLE STILL MY RIGHT.

Having been thus unceremoniously dismissed from the Imperial service—without doubt, by order of the Brazilian Ministry to their Envoy in London, I was some months afterwards surprised by the receipt of a letter from the Imperial Government, dated December 21st, 1825, and signed "Visconde de Paranagua," informing me that His Imperial Majesty had ordered all my pay and other claims to be suspended till I should return to Rio de Janeiro to justify myself and give an account of my commission—this being now out of my power, as I had been deprived of command, and the frigate in which I came to England had returned, by order of the Envoy, to Rio de Janeiro.

Without, however, giving me time to do this, I received another letter from the same authority, dated Dec. 30, containing my formal dismission from the service—this shewing that Gameiro had previous instructions to act in the way narrated in the last chapter.

The following is the official letter dismissing me from the command of the Navy, and from the post of First Admiral:—

His Majesty the Emperor, informed of that which your Excellency has set forth in your letter No. 300, dated the 5th of November last, has been pleased to determine that your Excellency shall fulfil the orders already several times transmitted to you, and further in compliance with the order of the 20th inst., a copy of which I inclose, you are to return to this Court, where it is necessary you shall give an account of the Commission with which you were entrusted. His Majesty is much surprised that, after having taken the frigate Piranga to a foreign port, and having there remained in despite of the Baron Itabayana, you should have adopted the extraordinary resolution, not only to abandon that frigate, but also to retire from the service of the Emperor, without having returned to give an account of your proceedings previous to your dismissal from the command of the naval forces, and from the post of First Admiral of the National and Imperial Armada. All which I communicate for the information and execution of your Excellency.

God preserve your Excellency.

Palace of Rio de Janeiro, Dec. 30th, 1825.

(Signed) VISCONDE DE PARANAGUA.

To the Marquis of Maranhao.

From this extraordinary document it is plain that Gameiro had written to the Imperial Government the same falsehood, as he had used when endeavouring to seduce Lieut. Shepherd from his duty to me as his Commander-in-Chief; viz. that I had voluntarily retired from the service, because the Admiralty Court having condemned me in L.60,000 damages, I durst not return to Rio de Janeiro! though I announced to him my readiness to sail in the frigate. The Jesuitical nature of the preceding letter amply proves its object and motive. It does not dismiss me—but it calls on me to come and be dismissed! carefully addressing me, however, as "Marquis of Maranhao," and not as First Admiral, thereby intimating that I was already dismissed! As there can be no mistake about the meaning of the document, it is not worth while to discuss it—the reason why it is adduced being to shew that I was not only dismissed by the Envoy Gameiro, but in a little more than a month afterwards by the Imperial Government itself; which for thirty years reiterated in reply to my often pressed claims—that I dismissed myself by abandoning the service of my own accord!

Not a word of acknowledgment was ever given for having a second time saved the Empire from dismemberment, though this service was entirely extra-official, it being no part of my contract with the Brazilian Government to put down revolution, nor to take upon myself the responsibility and difficult labour of reducing half the Empire to the allegiance which it had perhaps not without cause repudiated—at the same time, of necessity, taking the management of the whole upon myself. This had been done at the pressing personal request of His Imperial Majesty, in face of the decree of the Court of Admiralty that no prizes should be made within a certain distance of the shore; so that no benefit, public or private—arising from the operations of war—could result from blockade; yet I had a right to expect even greater thanks and a more liberal amount of compensation in case of success, than from the first expedition. Not a word of acknowledgment nor a shilling of remuneration for that service has ever been awarded to this day; though such treatment stands out in glaring inconsistency with the Imperial thanks and honours—the thanks of the Administration—and the vote of the General Assembly, for expelling on the first expedition enemies not half so formidable as were the revolutionary factions with which I had to contend in the Northern provinces.

Neither in Brazil nor in England had I done anything to forfeit my right to the fulfilment of the explicit stipulations set forth in the Imperial patents of March 26th, and November 25th, 1823. His Imperial Majesty had all along marked his approbation of my zealous exertions for the interests of the empire—designating them "altos e extraordinarios servicios."—and desired that I should have the most ample remuneration; having, in addition to every honour in his power to confer, granted me an estate, which grant was by the Portuguese faction strenuously and successfully opposed, and not this only, but every other recompence proposed by His Majesty as a remuneration for my services. The object being to subvert whatever had been effected by my exertions, though, but for these the inevitable consequence would have been the establishment of insignificant local governments in perpetual turmoil and revolution, in place of an entire empire in the enjoyment of uninterrupted repose. Had I connived at the views of the Anti-Imperial faction—even by avoiding the performance of extra-official services—I might, without dereliction of my duty as an officer, have amply shared in their favours; but for my adherence to the Emperor against their machinations, that influence was successfully used to deprive me even of the ordinary reward of my labours in the cause of independence.

As soon as the compulsory deprivation of my command, by the Envoy Gameiro, became known in Rio de Janeiro—where, doubtless, it was expected—a great outcry was raised against me, as though my non-return had been my own act. The press was set in motion, and every effort was used to traduce me in the eyes of the Brazilian people, from whom the truth of the matter was carefully withheld; the whole, eventually, terminating with a mock trial in my absence, when it had been placed out of my power to defend myself. At this trial I was accused of contumacy—stigmatised as a deserter, though, as has just been seen, formally dismissed by the government, in confirmation of my dismissal by the Envoy in England—and not only this, but I was declared by the creatures of the administration in the National Assembly, to merit punishment as a deserter! Such was my reward for first consolidating and afterwards preserving the Empire of Brazil.

Never dreaming of the advantage which might thus be taken by the Administration of the act of their envoy—on the 10th of February, 1826, I drew a bill upon the Brazilian Government for the remainder of my pay up to the period of my dismissal by Itabayana. This was refused and protested, as was also another afterwards drawn.

This course clearly indicated the intention of the Administration not to pay me anything, now that they had dismissed me from the service. To have returned then to prosecute my claims against such judges, would have been an act of folly, if not of insanity; my only alternative being to memorialize the Emperor, which for many successive years I did without effect—the execution of the Imperial will unhappily depending on the decision of his ministers, who, little more than five years afterwards, partly forced, and partly disgusted His Majesty into an abdication in favour of his infant son, Don Pedro de Alcantara, now Emperor of Brazil; committing the guardianship of his family to Jose Bonifacio de Andrada, who, like myself, had been forced into exile from the hatred of the very men who had so bitterly persecuted me, but had been permitted to return to Brazil from which he never ought to have been exiled.

For more than twenty years did I unceasingly memorialize successive Brazilian governments, but without effect. At length the Administration which had so bitterly visited its hatred on me passed away, and it became evident to His present Imperial Majesty, and the Brazilian people, that I had been most shamefully treated. Nearly at the same time I had fortunately succeeded in convincing the British Government that the obloquy for so many years heaped upon me was unmerited; and Lord Clarendon warmly espoused my cause, as did the Hon. Mr. Scarlett, the British Minister at Rio de Janeiro; these excellent personages taking the trouble to investigate the matter, a boon which I had in vain solicited from any of their predecessors; though, had the favour previously been granted, it would have had the effect of explaining my conduct in Brazil as satisfactorily as, I trust, this volume has done to the reader.

The result of this was a commission, appointed by the Brazilian Government, to inquire into the case of the squadron generally. The following is an extract from their report, so far as regards myself:—

LORD COCHRANE.

The first in rank and title assuredly is Lord Cochrane, Earl of Dundonald, and Marquis of Maranhao, First Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the National Armada during the War of Independence.

The fame of the services rendered by Lord Cochrane in Chili, as Commander-in-Chief of the squadron of that republic induced the Imperial Government to invite him to accept a similar command in Brazil, so long as the War of Independence should last, with the promise of the same advantages which he there enjoyed.

Accepting the invitation, he was appointed by the decree of the 21st of March, 1823, with the pay of 11.520 milreis, being the same as he had in Chili, conferring upon him, by communication of the same date, the command of the squadron which was being equipped in the port of this city; and by decree of the 23rd of February, 1824, the command-in-chief of the naval forces of the Empire during the War of Independence.

It was afterwards decreed, on the 27th of July, 1824, that he should enjoy the said pay in full, so long as he continued in the service of the Empire; and in case of his not desiring to continue therein after the War of Independence, one half of the said pay as a pension, which, in the event of his decease, should revert to Lady Cochrane.

Lastly, by a portaria of the 20th of December, 1825, it was decreed that all his muniments and rights should be suspended, and he was dismissed by a decree of the 10th April, 1827.

Justice demands that we shall acknowledge (says the Commission) that the services of Lord Cochrane in the command of the squadron, put an end to the war more speedily than had been expected; but if his services were great, it is impossible to conceal that unqualified and arbitrary acts of the most audacious daring were committed by him and by the ships under his command, occasioning to the National Treasury enormous losses, particularly by the heavy indemnification of an infinite number of bad prizes, which it was obliged to satisfy; and truth demands that we should declare that if the pretended claims are suspended, the fault was entirely his own, from having disobeyed the repeated orders of the Imperial Government, which commanded his return to this Court to give account of his commission, aggravated by the crime of having withdrawn himself from the Empire for England with the frigate Piranga, and there remaining with that frigate, notwithstanding the reiterated orders of the Imperial Government, for more than two years, pretending that he had not received the said orders, which at last were ordered to be communicated to him through the Brazilian Minister resident in London.

All this is amply proved by different official documents, some of which documents are from the claimant himself, this justifying the suspension of the payment of his claims, no less than the crime of his obstinate disobedience; and, indeed more by the indispensable obligation by which he was bound to give accounts of the sums which he received on account of prizes to distribute to the squadron under his command, which distribution he himself acknowledged in his letter of the 5th of November, 1825, wherein he says, "I shall forward to the Imperial Government an account of the money received from His Imperial Majesty for distribution to the seamen, as well as other sums to the account of the captors."

Having traced this outline relative to the services and excesses of Lord Cochrane, the Commission now proceeds to discuss his claims.

First,—His annual pay is 11.520 milreis, which was owing to him from the 1st of August to the 10th of November 1825, when he left the service of the Empire. The claimant founds his demand on the decree of the 21st of March 1823, added to and confirmed on the 27th of July, 1824.

The second decree says,—"I deem fit, by the advice of my Council of State, to determine that the said Marquis of Maranhao shall receive, so long as he is in the service of the Empire, the pay of his patent (11.520 milreis), and in case of his not choosing to continue therein after the termination of the present war, the half of the said pay, as a pension, the same being extended, in case of his death, to Lady Cochrane." The said enactment being so positive that at the sight thereof, the Commission declares, that it cannot do otherwise than confirm the right of the claimant to the prompt payment of the pension due to him.

In this report there are many inaccuracies. It is stated that when in Chili I accepted "the Brazilian command during the war of Independence" only.—"Viesse occupar igual commando no Brazil emquanto durasse Guerra da Independencia." This is contrary to fact, as will be seen in the first chapter of this volume, where both the invitation to accept the command, and my conditional acceptance thereof are given. To repeat the actual words of the invitation, "Abandonnez-nous, Milord, a la reconnaissance Bresilienne—a la munificence du Prince—a la probite sans tache de l'actuel Gouvernement—on vous fera justice" &c. &c. It was neither "princely munificence"—"ministerial probity"—nor "common justice," to dismiss me from the service without my professional and stipulated emoluments, or even the arrears of my pay, the very moment tranquillity had been established as a consequence of my exertions, and so far the Commission decided; though they ought to have added, as was well known, that my command in Chili had been without limitation of time, and therefore my Brazilian command, as expressed in the Imperial patents, was not accepted under other conditions. The above opinion, expressed by the Commission, could only have been given to justify the spurious decree of Barbosa, in virtue of which, though set aside by His Imperial Majesty, I was dismissed by Gameiro, that decree—under the hypocritical pretence of conferring upon me a boon—limiting my services to the war, after the war had been terminated by my exertions; the object being to get rid of me, and thus to avoid condemning the prizes captured by the squadron. Nevertheless, the promises held out to me in Chili, were most honourably admitted by His Imperial Majesty and his first Ministry—and were moreover twice confirmed by Imperial patent, counter-signed by the Ministers, and registered in the National Archives. These patents have never been set aside by any act of mine, yet to this day their solemn stipulations remain unfulfilled.

The Commission complains that the Treasury was caused to sustain "enormous losses by the indemnification of an infinite number of bad prizes, which it was obliged to satisfy." I deny that there was one bad prize, all, without exception, being captured in violation of blockade, or having Portuguese registers, crews, and owners. But even if they had been bad—His Majesty's stipulation, in his own handwriting (see page 118), provided that they should be paid by the state. The fact was, as proved in these pages beyond contradiction, that they were given back by the Portuguese members of the Prize Tribunal to their own friends and relations—this alone constituting the illegality of the captures. Some—as in the case of the Pombinho's cargo—were given up to persons who had not the shadow of a claim upon them. The squadron never received a shilling on their account.

Again, the Commission declares that I was dismissed the service on the 10th of April, 1827; whereas I have given the letter of Gameiro, dismissing me, on the 7th of November, 1825, and the portaria of the Imperial Government, dismissing me, on the 30th of December, in the same year! This renewed dismissal was only a repetition of the former unjustifiable dismissals, adding nothing to their force, and in no way alleviating their injustice.

The imputation of "the crime of obstinate disobedience" has been so fully refuted in this volume, that it is unnecessary to offer another word of explanation.

Finally, the Commission decided that the "Imperial act of July 27, 1824, is so positive that, at the sight thereof, the Commission declares it cannot do otherwise than confirm the right of the claimant to the prompt payment of the pension due to him." But if the Commissioners had examined this act of His Imperial Majesty more closely, together with the explanatory letter of Barbosa, accompanying it, they would have seen that the decree of July 27th, 1824, was not only additive to the Imperial patents, but admitted to be confirmatory of them, by Barbosa himself, notwithstanding his own spurious decree, nullified by His Imperial Majesty, but afterwards unjustifiably acted upon. (See page 150.)

If I have any claim at all for the numerous and important services which I rendered to Brazil, it is founded on the original patents granted to me by His Imperial Majesty, without limitation as to time, which I solemnly declare was not even mentioned—much less stipulated—as the patents themselves prove. The decree awarding me half pay as a pension, "in case I did not choose to continue in the service," has no reference to me. I never left the service, but—as even admitted by Gameiro, in his negotiations with Lieutenant Shepherd—was most unjustifiably, and by wilful falsehood, turned out of it, in order to rid the administration of my claims on a hundred and twenty ships, and a vast amount of valuable property captured in lawful warfare, under the express directions of His Imperial Majesty.

Why also is no compensation awarded to me for my extra-official services in putting down revolution in the Northern provinces—an act, or series of acts—in my estimation, of far greater importance and difficulty than the expulsion of the Portuguese fleet and army? Every historian of Brazil has spoken in high praise of my execution of this almost impracticable task—but coupled with the infamous lie derived from the Government that, for my own personal benefit, I robbed the Treasury at Maranham of 106,000 dollars; though in the concluding chapter I will print in full the receipt of every officer under my command for his share of the money returned by the Junta, the original receipts being now in my possession for the inspection of the Brazilian Government, or of any commission or persons it may choose to appoint for that purpose. Were these services nothing, just as half the Empire had declared itself Republican? Was my refusal to accept a bribe of 400,000 dollars from the revolutionary president of Pernambuco the act of a man who would afterwards conduct himself as has been falsely imputed to me? The Brazilian Government cannot refuse to inspect or authorise the inspection of the originals of documents contained in this narrative, and if they consent, I have no fear but that the national honour will yet do me justice.

It is not justice to have awarded to me the above-named pension merely—even on the assumption of the Commissioners that I did leave the service of my own accord—for that sum is less than one half the simple interest of the amount of which for thirty years I was, even by their own admission, unjustly deprived. This may be a cheap way of liquidating obligations, but it is not consistent with the honour of a nation thus to delay its pecuniary obligations, and then pay the principal with less than half the interest! I feel certain that when making an award—which they admit could not be avoided—the Commissioners inadvertently lost sight of this obvious truth.

Let me refer the Brazilian Government to the officially recorded opinions of honourable men on the Commission, or "Seccoes," when commenting upon this very inadequate reward about to be given after the lapse of thirty years of unmerited obloquy, which would have sunk any man unsupported by the consciousness of rectitude to a premature grave.

Senor Alvez Bhanco E Hollanda declared that "as a commemoration of the benefits which Brazil had derived from Lord Cochrane, there was no other conclusion than that he ought to be paid the whole sum which he claimed, for which the 'Assemblea Geral' should ask a credit."

Senor Hollanda Cavalcante, in taking into account the requisition of Lord Cochrane, was "altogether of the opinion expressed by Senor Alvez Branco—that his Lordship as well as others should have the whole amount claimed."

Viscount Olinda, in the Council of State, gave his opinion that "Lord Cochrane shall be paid the various demands he has made. He repeated his opinion that this course alone was consistent with the dignity of the Government, or the services of the Admiral. He (Viscount Olinda) well remembered the great services of Lord Cochrane, and these ought not to be depreciated by paltry imputed omissions. It appeared to him little conformable to the dignity of Brazil, to enter, at this distance of time, into questions of money with one to whom they owed so much."

Viscount Parana "was of opinion that no responsibility for captures rested on the officers who had made them, they acting under the orders of the Government, which took the responsibility on itself. Justice demanded this view of the matter, and even the acquittal of many of the prizes might be attributed to a change of Ministerial policy."

Senor Aranjo Vicuna. "There is no necessity for continuing the suspension of Lord Cochrane's pay. It ought to be paid as remuneration for important services, the benefits whereof were not diminished by any subsequent conduct on the part of His Lordship."

"It was the opinion of the Council that Lord Cochrane's pension ought to be paid, notwithstanding any question as to the limitation of prizes, or any defects in the prize accounts."—Correio Mercantil, Aug. 29, 1854.

Yet notwithstanding these expressions of opinion, less than half the interest of even the limited sum admitted to be due to me was awarded.

The Commissioners admit in the preceding Report that my speedy annexation of the Portuguese provinces was unexpected, and this alone should have made them pause ere they awarded me less than half the interest of my own money, withheld for 30 years—themselves retaining the principal—the amount received, being, in reality, insufficient to liquidate the engagements which I had of necessity incurred during the thirty years of neglect to satisfy my claims—now admitted to be beyond dispute. Their admission involves the fact that the "unexpected" expulsion of the Portuguese fleet and army saved Brazil millions of dollars in military and naval expeditions against an organised European power, which only required time to set at complete defiance any efforts which Brazil herself was in a condition to make. It was, in fact, a question of "speedy" annexation, or no annexation at all, and it was this consideration which impelled me to the extraordinary measures adopted for the intimidation of the enemy, in the absence of means for their forcible expulsion. But is it generous to reward a service of such admitted importance, by giving me less than half the interest of a sum—acknowledged as a right which could no longer be withheld?

Is it not ungenerous to exclude me from my share of the prize-money taken in the first expedition, though a prize tribunal is at this moment sitting in Rio de Janeiro to consider the claims of officers and men, nine-tenths of whom are dead? Is it not ungenerous to have engaged me in the extra-professional service of putting down revolution and anarchy in the Northern provinces, and when the mission was successfully accomplished, to have dismissed me from the Imperial service without one expression of acknowledgment or the slightest reward?

But to put generosity out of the question—is it wise so to do? That, says Burke—"can never be politically right which is morally wrong." Brazil, doubtless, expects other nations to keep faith with her, and it is not wise on her part to afford a precedent for breaking national faith. The Amazon is a rich prize, and may one day be contested. What reply would Brazil give to a power which might attempt to seize it, under the argument that she broke faith with those who gave her the title to this, the most magnificent river on the face of the earth, and that therefore it was not necessary to preserve faith with her? It would puzzle Brazilian diplomatists to answer such a question.

From what has been adduced in this volume, it must be clear to all who have perused it with ordinary attention that Brazil is to this day in honour bound to fulfil the original stipulations solemnly entered into with me, and twice guaranteed under the Imperial sign manual, with all the official ratifications and formalities usual amongst civilized states. This I claim individually; and further—conjointly with the squadron—my share of the prize-money conceded to the captors by Imperial decree, without which customary incentive neither myself, nor any other foreign officer or seaman, would have been likely to enter the service. My individual claim, viz. the pay stipulated in the Imperial patents, was agreed upon without limitation as to time, as is clear from the expression that I should receive it whether "afloat or ashore," "tanto em terra como no mar," i.e. whether "actively engaged or not"—whether "in war or peace." I have committed no act whereby this right could be cancelled, but was fraudulently driven from the Imperial service, as the shortest way of getting rid of me and my claims together. These are no assertions of mine, but are the only possible deductions from documents which have one meaning, and that incontestible.

I claim, moreover, the estate awarded to me by His Imperial Majesty, with the double purpose of conferring a mark of national approbation of my services, and of supporting the high dignities to which—with the full concurrence of the Brazilian people and legislature—I was raised as a reward for those services, the magnitude and importance of which were on all hands admitted. To have withheld that estate, after the reasons assigned by His Imperial Majesty for conferring it, was a national error which Brazil should not have committed, and which it should, even now, be careful to efface; for by approving the dignities conferred, and withholding the means of supporting them, it has pronounced its highest honours to be worthless, empty sounding titles, lightly esteemed by the givers, and of no value to the recipient. Had this estate cost anything to the Brazilian nation, a miserable economy might have been pleaded as a reason for withholding it; but even this excuse is wanting. Any territorial grant to myself could only have been an imperceptible fraction of the vast regions, which, together with an annual revenue of many millions of dollars—my own exertions, without cost to the Empire, had added to its dominions "unexpectedly" as the Commission appointed to investigate my claim felt bound to admit. If Brazil value its national honour, that blot upon it should not be suffered to remain.

With regard to the sum owing to me by Chili, for which, in the event of its non-payment, both His Imperial Majesty Don Pedro I. and his Minister Jose Bonifacio de Andrada made the Brazilian nation responsible. The discussion in the National Assembly testifies to the validity of the claim, which therefore rests upon the generosity no less than the good faith of Brazil, for whose interests, in accordance with the most flattering promises, I was induced to quit Chili. To this day, Chili has not fulfilled her obligations to me; the miserable pittance of L.6000, which—by some process I do not now care to inquire into, she has fixed upon as ample remuneration for one who consolidated her liberties and those of Peru, supporting her navy at its own expense during the operation—constituted no part of my admitted claim for the capture of Valdivia and other previous services, involving no dispute. Payment of this sum (67,000 dollars) was promised at the earliest possible period by the then Supreme Director of the Republic—but to this day the promise has never been redeemed by succeeding Chilian Governments. With regard to this claim, founded on the concessions of His late Imperial Majesty and his Minister, I am content, as before said, to leave the matter to the generosity of the Brazilian nation. The other, and more important claims, I demand as a right which has never been cancelled, and which a strict sense of national honour ought not longer to evade. If it be evaded, the documentary history of the whole matter is now before the world—and let the world judge between us. I have no fears as to its decision.



CHAPTER XIV.

PROCLAMATION FOR PAYMENT OF OFFICERS AND MEN—LOG EXTRACTS IN PROOF THEREOF—THE SUM GIVEN UP TO THE SQUADRON DISBURSED—DENIAL THEREOF BY THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT—THOUGH MADE TO SERVE AS ADVANCE OF WAGES—THE AMOUNT RECEIVED AT MARANHAM FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR—BY THE RECEIPTS OF THE OFFICERS—OFFICERS' RECEIPTS—EXTRACTS FROM LOG IN FURTHER CORROBORATION—UP TO MY ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND—ALL OUR PRIZES MONOPOLIZED BY BRAZIL—THE CONDUCT OF THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT UNJUSTIFIABLE.

The whole dispute raised by the Brazilian Administration as a pretext for evading my claims, has been—as the reader is now aware—about the sum of 200,000 dollars, given out of the proceeds of our own captures, which cost nothing to the Government; but were made to serve as a substitute for the usual advance of wages! Also about 40,000 dollars ordered by His Imperial Majesty as compensation for the Imperatrice frigate, captured by Captain Grenfell at Para—but never paid, and therefore never accounted for. Finally, with regard to 106,000 dollars reimbursed by the authorities of Maranham, as a compromise for four times the amount generously surrendered by the squadron to the necessities of the province in 1823—on promise of repayment. As regards the whole of the sums, it is alleged that I never furnished accounts of their expenditure, and therefore they are charged against me, as though not expended at all.

For the disbursement of the first item of 200,000 dollars, I have already stated sufficient to satisfy any reasonable person. The accounts set forth at page 169, shews that a balance remained in hand from the 200,000 dollars put on board at Rio de Janeiro, of 39,538 dollars. I shall now state what became of this sum. And first let me adduce the following proclamation:—

By His Excellency the Marquis of Maranhao, First Admiral, &c. &c.

WHEREAS, many officers and seamen are here employed who were not present, last year, at the capitulation of the hostile authorities, and seizure of Portuguese funds and property at Maranhao;

And whereas it is condusive to the interests of His Imperial Majesty, that all those officers and seamen who have now contributed to the restoration of tranquillity, good order, and obedience to His Imperial Majesty, shall receive encouragement and reward;

It is hereby directed that three months additional pay shall, without deduction, be distributed as a gratuity to the said officers and men.

Given under my hand, this 8th day of February, 1825,

COCHRANE AND MARANHAO.

I had, it is true, no authority for making this extra payment, but at the same time, I had the authority of His Imperial Majesty to devote the 200,000 dollars to the good of the service—thus clearly leaving its disbursement to my discretion; and this appeared to me to be properly exercised in rewarding those who had been performing double duty afloat and ashore, in the arduous task of putting down, and keeping down revolt and anarchy. On this principle, I had previously doubled the pay of some of the officers, without whose incessant exertion, I could not have effected the tranquillization of the province. It is true that the principle adopted was opposed to that pursued by the Administration, viz. neither to acknowledge these extra services nor reward them; but such a course neither accorded with my judgment nor discretion. The sums paid as above were entered in the usual manner in a pay book, acknowledged by the signatures of the recipients—attested by the officers—and, as has been said, duly forwarded to the Imperial Government.

I shall now give some extracts from the log before quoted in reference to these and other transactions:—

January 5th, 1825. His Lordship left at Hesketh's his last two months' pay, received this month, and also two months' pay for Captain Crosbie. Paid other officers and men two months' pay.

6th. Employed in sorting the paper money in the small iron chest. Found its contents to be only 16,000 dollars. (This was all that now remained of the 200,000 dollars received at Rio de Janeiro.)

8th. Officers having been paid, the men received to-day two months' pay.

9th. Admiral took to Hesketh's three bags of dollars (Each containing 1000 dollars, the remainder of money which I had brought from Chili, and which therefore had nothing to do with the Brazilian Government).

February 10th. Paid third payment of prize-money to Clewley, Clare and January.

11th. Paid prize-money to March and Carter.

26th. Paid Lieutenant Shepherd 1,500 dollars.

28th. Paid Commissary, Escrivao, and Pilot.

March 1st. Paid Portuguese Doctor.

3rd. Paid Corning's account for ship provisions.

The above payments, with others disbursed in pursuance of my proclamation, were all made out of the balance of the 200,000 dollars aforesaid, and 40,000 dollars which had been in my possession ever since the capture of Maranham; the latter being the amount which I had refused to give up to the prize tribunal at Rio de Janeiro, well knowing that it would be returned to their Portuguese friends and connections. When these payments were made, a few hundred dollars alone remained. As this 200,000 dollars was the indisputable property of the squadron before it was assigned for distribution amongst those to whom it belonged—on this ground alone it scarcely became the Government to raise doubts about its proper application; for they well knew that if it were not distributed, the fact could not be concealed from the officers and men, who would not have submitted quietly to my retention of their money, as has been shamelessly imputed to me. Not only was the whole disbursed—but the accounts, as has been stated, were faithfully transmitted to the Brazilian authorities at Rio de Janeiro, as appears by Captain Shepherd's receipt, adduced in the present volume, and years ago photographed, and transmitted with a memorial to the Brazilian Government, which, nevertheless, on the 28th of April, in the present year, published in its official organ, the Correio Mercantil, a report on the prizes made during the war of independence—excluding me from a share, on the ground of not having delivered my accounts. The following is an extract:—

(After enumerating the prizes, and estimating their gross value at 521,315 dollars—not one-fourth of the real amount—the Commission goes on to say:—)

Referring to what has been stated, it appears that the First Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Squadron from its commencement to the conclusion of the war, had a right to his share of all prizes—and so the Commission has judged in regard to the total value, amounting to the said sum of 521,315 milreis up to the 12th of February, 1824. From that sum, however, must be deducted 200,000 dollars given to the Admiral on account of prize-money for distribution, which it does not appear by any document that he made. It also appears by the report of the Junta of Maranhao, of the 17th of October, 1825, that the said Admiral received the further sum of 217,659 dollars at different times, there appearing 108,736 dollars under the title of indemnification for prizes made by the squadron in the port of that city, to be divided as such. This division does not seem to have been made.

From this it appears that the said Admiral must be charged as having received the sum of 308,238 dollars on account of prizes to be divided amongst the squadron; with the addition of 40,000 dollars which he received also by decree of the 23rd of February, to be, in like manner, divided amongst those who co-operated in the annexation of the province of Maranhao, and the capture of the frigate Imperatrice—seeing that there is no evidence that such distribution took place—thus increasing the sum due to 348,238 dollars, of which the said claimant is bound to give account to the Imperial Government.

In consequence of the determination of the Regulations let this decree be printed and published.

Rio, April 21, 1858.

(Signed) JOAQUIM JOSE IGNACIO, Chefe de esquadra, President.

ANTONIO JOSE DA SILVA, Contador da Marinha.

JOSE BAPTISTA LISBOA, Auditor e Secretario.

This document, so recently promulgated, after the decision of the Seccoes in 1854, and the expression of opinion given by the most eminent men of Brazil (see page 282), that I ought to have the whole of my claims—is really wonderful. But the false assertions it contains must be met.

And first—the receipt of the 40,000 dollars for the Imperatrice, I altogether deny, and can be easily convicted of untruth if my receipt for that sum can be produced. It is worthy of note, that the date of the decree for the payment of this sum is carefully given in the preceding document, but the data of my acknowledgment of having received is annulled for the sufficient reason that no acknowledgment was ever given. The 200,000 dollars, I trust that I have sufficiently accounted for, as well as for the vouchers sent to Rio by Captain Shepherd, whose receipt I took for the chest containing them. But the 200,000 dollars with which the Government charges me—even supposing the accounts to be lost—destroyed—or purposely made away with—was not the property of the Brazilian Government, but of the squadron, who received it only as part payment of ten times the amount due to them! This sum though the property of the squadron, was made to serve as an advance of wages, no less than as prize-money; and does the Brazilian Government imagine that any squadron could be sent to sea without money? Or that any reader of common sense will acquiesce in the assertion that under such circumstances it was not properly disbursed, even though I had not shewn its precise disbursement? The Brazilian Government well knows that the men composing the squadron were of so mutinous a character, that the slightest deviation from their rights would have been met with instant insubordination. Did this ever occur, even in the slightest possible degree? It is no fault of mine, if the accounts were destroyed, as I have no doubt they were, from pure malice towards myself, in order to bring me into an amount of disrepute, which might justify the withholding of my claims according to the stipulations of the Imperial patents. By whom this infamy was perpetrated, it is impossible for me to say—but that it was perpetrated—there cannot be the smallest possible doubt.

It is altogether unnecessary to say another word about the 40,000 dollars for the Imperatrice, or the 200,000 dollars for distribution—as the evidence adduced is sufficient to satisfy any man not determined to be unconvinced.

I now come to the amount alleged to have been received from the Junta of Maranham, viz. 217,659 dollars, "at different times," which I have no doubt is perfectly correct, though that portion of it under the title of "indemnification for prizes"—is incorrect, the amount being 106,000 dollars—minus the discount, and not 108,736 dollars as represented. The difference is not, however, worth notice. Deducting this sum from the total of 217,659 dollars, would leave 108,923 dollars to be accounted for otherwise than as "indemnifieation." This also is, no doubt, correct. The inhabitants of Maranham cheerfully agreed to pay and subsist the squadron, provided it remained amongst them to preserve the order which had been restored, and the offer was accepted by me. The 108,923 dollars thus went for the pay and subsistence of the squadron during many months of disturbance; and if it prove any thing, it is the economy with which the wants of the squadron were satisfied, despite the corruption of the authorities, in paying double for provisions, because the merchants could only get paid at all, except by bribes to their debtors. Does the Brazilian Government mean to tell the world that it sent a squadron to put down revolution in a territory as large as half Europe, without receiving a penny in the shape of wages, except their own 200,000 dollars of prize-money—that it never considered it necessary to send to the squadron a single dollar of pay whilst the work was in process—and that it now considers it just to charge the whole expenses to me as Commander-in-Chief, though the expedition did not cost the Government any thing? Yet this is precisely that which the Brazilian Administration has done—with what justice let the world decide. I aver that the accounts were faithfully transmitted. The Imperial Government of the present day, says that the accounts are not in existence—not that I did not transmit them! Surely they ought to blame their predecessors, not me. Let this history decide which of the two is deserving of reprobation.

I now come to the 108,736 dollars—or rather 106,000 dollars received from the Junta of Maranham as "indemnification,"—respecting which the Commission unjustly asserts that "no division appears to have been made!" The untruth of this imputation, the most atrocious of all, is very easily met by the publication of every receipt connected with the matter; and to this I now proceed, requesting the reader to bear in mind that in my letter to the Minister of Marine (see page 209), I announced my intention of retaining for my own justification all original documents, sending to the Government, copies or duplicates. The whole of the subjoined receipts are now in my possession, and I demand from the Brazilian Government their verification, by its Ministerial or Consular representatives in Great Britain.

RECEIPTS OF OFFICERS,

And others for their proportion of 106,000 dollars paid by the Junta of Fazenda of Maranham in commutation of 425,000 dollars—the value of prize property left for the use of the Province on its acquisition from Portugal in 1823; the duplicates having been sent by me to the Imperial Government, the originals now remaining in my possession.

5,000 000.

Received from the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, Marquis of Maranhao, and Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Armada, the sum of five thousand milreis, being four thousand one hundred and thirty-seven, or one-third of the Admiral's share of prize-money; and eight hundred and sixty three to account of double pay for services on shore.

DAVID JOWETT,

Maranhao, 19th March, 1825. Chief of Division.

* * * * *

Received of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, Marquis of Maranhao, First Admiral of Brazil, and Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces of the Empire, the sum of five hundred milreis, as a recompence for extra services as Commandant-Interim of His Imperial Majesty's ship Piranga, during the absence of Chief of Division Jowett, on service on shore at Maranhao during four months past.

March 32nd, 1825. JAMES WALLACE.

Witness, W. JACKSON.

* * * * *

Received this 18th day of March, 1825, of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, Marquis of Maranhao, First Admiral of Brazil, and Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces of the Empire, the sum of ten thousand milreis, on account of a distribution of eighty contos of reis, being part of certain monies received from the Junta of Fazenda of Maranhao.

T. SACKVILLE CROSBIE.

Rs. 10,000 000.

* * * * *

5,000 000.

Received of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, Marquis of Maranhao, First Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces of the Empire, the sum of five thousand milreis, being the amount of additional pay to all the subordinate officers and seamen of His Imperial Majesty's ship Piranga, who have served on shore at Maranhao, between the 18th day of November, 1824, and the 14th day of March, 1825.

DAVID JOWETT,

Chief of Division, Commandant of the Piranga. Maranhao, 20th March, 1825.

* * * * *

Received this 18th day of March, 1825, of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of one thousand five hundred milreis, on account of a distribution of eighty contos of reis, being part of certain monies received from the Junta of Fazenda at Maranhao.

W. JACKSON, Rs. 1,500 000. Capt.-Lieut. and Secretary.

Received this 21st day of March, 1825, of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, Marquis of Maranhao, &c. &c. the sum of one thousand milreis, on account of an allowance of one-half per cent. for my trouble in the distribution of prize-money.

W. JACKSON, 1,000 000. Capt.-Lieut. and Secretary.

* * * * *

Received this 21st of March, 1825, of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum one thousand five hundred milreis, on account of a distribution of eighty contos of reis, being part of certain monies received from the Junta of Fazenda of Maranhao.

JA's SHEPHERD,

1,500 000. First Lieut. of Pedro Primiero.

* * * * *

Pedro Primiero, March 24, 1825.

Received from the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of one thousand milreis, on account of a distribution of eighty contos of reis, being part of certain monies received from the Junta of Fazenda of Maranhao.

1,000 000. S.E. CLEWLEY.

* * * * *

Pedro Primiero, March 24th, 1825.

Received from the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of one thousand milreis, on account of a distribution of eighty contos of reis, &c. &c.

1,000 000. FRANCIS CLARE.

* * * * *

Nao Nacional e Imperial,

Pedro Iro, March 24, 1825.

Recebei do Excellentissimo Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. a quartier de hum contos de reis, pro conta de huma divisiao de octento contos de reis, senda parte de certos dinheiros recebidos da Junta da Fazenda do Maranhao.

FRANCISCO DE PAULO DOS SANTOS GOMEZ.

1,000 000.

* * * * *

OFFICERS' RECEIPTS

Precisely similar receipts, on same date, from the following officers:

FRANCISCO ADEIAO PERA............................... 1,000 000

MANOEL S. SINTO .................................... 500 000

ALEXANDER JOSE (remainder illegible) ............... 200 000

* * * * *

Received from the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of five hundred milreis, on account of a distribution, &c. &c. 500 000. G. MARCH.

* * * * *

Maranhao, 24th March, 1825. Received from the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of five hundred milreis, on account of a distribution, &c. &c. 500 000. W. JANNARY.

* * * * *

24th March, 1825. Received from the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of five hundred milreis, on account of distribution, &c. &c. 500 000. DAVID CARTER, Second Lieut.

* * * * *

Received, April 9th, 1825, of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of one thousand four hundred and eighty milreis, being prize-money due to Capt.-Lieut. G. Manson. For CAPT.-LT. MANSON, 1,480 000. W. JANNARY.

* * * * *

Received of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of one thousand milreis, on account of a distribution of eighty contos of reis, being part of certain monies received from the Junta of Fazenda of Maranhao. 1,000 000. GEO. MANSON. April 9, 1825.

* * * * *

Received of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of four hundred and eighty milreis, on account of prize-money due to me. 480 000. GEO. MANSON. Maranhao, April 9, 1825.

Authoriso Se Jose Perea de sua Excellencia Marques do Maranhao recober e quantier de quinhentos milreis. March 9th, 1825. (Name illegible.)

500 000.

* * * * *

Maranham, March 3, 1825.

Received of Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. the sum of two thousand six hundred and five milreis, being the amount of my account for provisions supplied to the Brazilian Squadron.

2,605 000. LEONARD COMING.

* * * * *

Received, the 12th of April, 1885, of His Excellency Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. one hundred and ninety-five milreis, being additional pay for extra duty on shore for five months.

Rs. 195 000. G. MARCH.

* * * * *

Received, April 12th, 1825, of His Excellency Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. four hundred and eighty milreis, being additional pay for extra duty as Secretary to His Lordship for the period of five months.

480 000. W. JACKSON.

* * * * *

Received, April 21, 1825, of the Right. Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. thirty-nine milreis, being a month's additional pay for extra services at Maranham.

39 000. FRANCIS DRUMMOND.

* * * * *

Received, April 21, 1825, of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. sixty-nine milreis, being additional pay for sixty days' extra service at Maranham.

69 000. JOSEPH FITZCOSTEN.

* * * * *

Received, April 3rd, of His Excellency the Marquis of Maranhao, &c. &c. twenty-three dollars for my services as prize master of the vessels Dido and Joaninho.

23 000. C. ROSE, Second Lieut.

* * * * *

Received, May 14th, 1825, of Mr. W. Jackson, two hundred and eighty-five milreis, part of prize money due to me.

285 000. JA'S SHEPHERD.

* * * * *

Piranga, Spithead, July 5, 1835.

Received of Mr. W. Jackson, Secretary to His Excellency the Marquis of Maranham, &c. &c. the sum of two hundred and thirty-five pounds sterling, in order to pay the same as prize-money to those persons, late of the Pedro Primiero, but now belonging to this frigate, to whom the sum is due. L.235 or 1,175 000.

* * * * *

There is, however, one omission. The payment of the crews is not adduced, because the pay books were sent with duplicate receipts to Rio de Janeiro by the Piranga. But as no reasonable man will imagine that I publicly paid the officers and neglected payment to the crews, the omission is of the least possible consequence. But lest the payment of the crews may be disputed, I subjoin the following extracts from the log before quoted, from the commencement of the payment, to its termination.

DATES AND PARTICULARS.

1825. March 16th. Received from the Junta of Maranham, 30 contos (L6,000) in bills, and 3 contos (L600) in money.

" 17th. Writing new book of distribution.

" 18th. Captain Crosbie brought 30 contas (L6,000). Went with him to Hesketh's, where I found that he had received 10 contos (L2,000) for himself.

" 19th. Lord Cochrane paid Jowett 5,000 dollars as prize-money and double pay.

" 20th. 5,000 dollars paid to Jowett's officers and men as double pay. Paid March his further share of prize-money, 500 dollars. Took at Admiral's desire 500 dollars for my distribution of the 100 contos in part received—from which it appears that I am to have half per cent, for distribution.

March 22nd. Received two months' pay to the 1st of February. Went on board the Piranga, and made Wallace a gratuity from the Admiral of 500 dollars.

" 24th. Paid Shepherd, Clewley, Clare, Commissary, Doctors Escrivao, Jannary, and the Pilot, a proportion of 80 contos, in course of payment by the Junta. Went on board the Piranga, and paid prize-money to Carter and a number of men.

" 26th. Paying prize-money to such of Jowett's men as were absent on shore on the 24th.

" 27th. Paying prize-money to such of the Pedro's people entitled thereto, as are to remain on board that ship.

" 30th. Making book for distribution of double pay to those who have served on shore.

April 6th. Counting out the money for double pay to the men who did shore service.

" 7th. Paid part of the men their additional pay.

" 8th. Paying the additional pay.

" 9th. Paying additional pay. Sent Capt. Manson by January 1480 dollars prize-money.

" 10th. A decree arrives by the Guarani from the Imperial Government, directing the Interim President that no money shall be paid to the squadron on account of the taking of Maranham. Admiral suspects Barros to be at the bottom of it.

" 11th. Went on shore with the Admiral, with sixteen bags of dollars, besides Clewley's bag and mine.

" 13th. Paid Inglis and his men additional pay.

" 14th. Admiral proposed to Hesketh to ship cotton to the extent of forty or sixty contos, to which Mr. Hesketh (British Consul) agreed.

" 25th. Remainder of the money from the Junta promised to-morrow.

April 26th. Captain Crosbie received 2,000 dollars as his further share. Received 285 dollars, seventy-six for distribution. More money from the Treasury.

May 5th. Wrote to the Junta, with further demand of 13,000 dollars to make up the stipulated amount.

" 11th. Paying his Lordship's bills.

" 12th. Paying his Lordship's bills.

" 17th. Received my last three months' pay to the 30th of April.

" 18th. Received the remaining money from the Treasury.

" 19th. Sailed in the Piranga.

" 20th. Sent sixty dollars by pilot to two soldiers on shore.

June 6th. Captain Crosbie appointed Captain of the Fleet, with rank of Chief of Division.

July 2nd. At Portsmouth. Agent arrived from London with two months' pay.

" 4th. Paying prize-money to men who had not been paid. Received two months' pay to the 1st instant.

" 11th. Paid John Skirr L.10 for wounds.

The amount paid by the Junta was, in fact, 105,800 dollars, partly in bills, from which a discount of 1800 dollars had to be taken. But these trifles are unworthy of notice: I have thus accounted for every shilling received from the Brazilian Government for the use of the squadron—to the satisfaction of my own conscience, and, I trust, to the satisfaction of all who may read this narrative.

From what has been herein stated, it is obvious that Brazil was, by my instrumentality—though with inadequate means—entirely freed from a foreign yoke, not only without national cost, but with positive gain, arising from the vast territories and revenues annexed—as well as from prizes, the value of which alone exceeded the cost of all naval equipments. It is true that, after a lapse of thirty-five years, a profession is made of adjudicating these prizes—but as nearly all the claimants are dead, and as an intention is manifested to retain my share, unless I produce accounts already transmitted—Brazil will have thus monopolized the fruits of our exertions in the cause of independence—achieved without trouble or thought to the Imperial Government. For, beyond the usual orders on the departure of the squadron, not a single instruction was given—all being left to my discretion, and accomplished on my sole responsibility. Even the favourable contraction of a loan in England—the acknowledgment of Brazilian independence by European states—and the establishment of permanent peace—were the direct consequences of my services, but for which Brazil might still have presented the same lamentable specimen of weakness without, and anarchy within, which forms the characteristics of other South American states.

Can any government then justify the conduct pursued towards me by Brazil? Can any government believe that the promises held out to me as an inducement to accept the command—may be optionally evaded after the more than completion of my part of the contract? The services rendered were fully acknowledged by those with whom that contract was made, and only repudiated by their factions successors, to whom Brazil owed nothing but prospective confusion. Can any one, then, judge otherwise—than that the present Brazilian Government is bound, in honour and good faith, to fulfil the national contract with me—not only on account of professional services accomplished—even beyond national expectation; but also on account of extra-official services which did not come within the scope of my professional duties, viz. the pacification of the Northern provinces? That the fulfilment of these obligations is due, I once more quote the Imperial invitation to adopt the cause of Brazil:—"Votre Grace est invitee, pour—et de part le Gouvernement du Bresil, a accepter le service de la nation Bresilienne; chez qui je suis dument autorise a vous assurer le rang et le grade nullement inferieur a celui que vous tenez de la Republique. Abandonnez-vous, Milord, a la reconnaissance Bresilienne; A LA MUNIFICENCE DU PRINCE; A LA PROBITE SANS TACHE DE L'ACTUEL GOUVERNEMENT; ON VOUS FERA JUSTICE; ON NE RABAISSERA D'UN SEUL POINT LA HAUTE CONSIDERATION—RANG—GRADE—CARACTERE—ET AVANTAGES QUI VOUS SONT DUS." "VENEZ, MILORD, L'HONNEUR VOUS INVITE—LA GLOIRE VOUS APPELLE. VENEZ, DONNER A NOS ARMES NAVALES, CET ORDRE MERVEILLEUX ET DISCIPLINE INCOMPARABLE DE PUISSANTE ALBION."

THE END