"That our commissions shall be accompanied by a letter, expressive of our sentiments, signed by all those whose commissions are inclosed." (Signed by the same twenty-three officers as the foregoing letter.)

Although his lordship was convinced of the inability which the whole expedition would labour under should his resignation be accepted, he still left the government at liberty to act according to their own discretion. In the public duties on board the vessels of war no relaxation took place; the preparations were carried on with the same alacrity, and the unremitting attention of the commander in chief to their speedy equipment suffered no diminution; the determination of the captains and officers of the squadron was not forwarded to the government, lest the threatening danger might force them to adopt a measure contrary to their wishes; however, as some of the captains and officers had not joined the others in their resolutions, and were aware of their proceedings, the government soon became acquainted with the whole transaction, and General San Martin, on the night of the 19th, when in conversation with Lord Cochrane, expressed his astonishment and disapprobation of the proceedings of the government, and pretended to be totally ignorant of what had taken place. This assertion was entirely void of truth, as was proved on the following night, when he said, that "he only wanted to be convinced how far the supreme director would allow a party spirit to oppose the welfare of the expedition." It was moreover corroborated by the subsequent conduct of this chief. San Martin concluded on the 19th, by saying, "well, my lord, I am general of the army, and you shall be admiral of the squadron; bien, mi lord, yo soy general del exercito y V. sera almirante de la esquadra." After this expression. Lord Cochrane shewed to him the letters he had received from the captains and officers, at which San Martin was very much astonished, for he was not aware of the positive determination of those individuals not to continue their important and indispensable services, except under the command of their present admiral; a determination which was certainly as honourable to themselves, as it was fraught with danger to the government and to the state. San Martin asked Lord Cochrane if he would consent to the suspension of the arrest of Captain Guise, and delay his trial to a future and more convenient time, should such be the request of the government; to which his lordship assented, on condition that the supremacy should confess that the accusations furnished and charges exhibited were just, and that the conduct of Captain Guise was highly reprehensible, as being not only prejudicial to the necessary discipline of the squadron, but in every other point of view injurious to the general cause of America. In consequence of this agreement, the admiral received on the twentieth, the following official note from the government:

"My Lord,—At a moment when the services of the naval forces of the state are of the highest importance, and the personal services of your lordship indispensable, the supremacy with the most profound sentiments of regret has received your resignation, which, should it be admitted, would involve the future operations of the arms of liberty in the new world in certain ruin, and ultimately replace in Chile, your adopted home, that tyranny which your lordship abhors, and to the annihilation of which your heroism has so greatly contributed.

"His excellency the Supreme Director commands me to inform your lordship, which I have the honour of doing, that should you persist in resigning the command of the squadron, which has been honoured by bearing your flag, the cause of terror and dismay to our enemies, and of glory to all true Americans; or should the government unwisely admit it, this would be indeed a day of universal mourning in the new world; the government, therefore, in the name of the nation, returns you your commission, soliciting your re-acceptance of it, for the furtherance of that sacred cause to which your whole soul is devoted.

"The supremacy is convinced of the necessity which obliges your lordship to adopt the measures which placed Captain Guise of the Lautaro under an arrest, and of the justness of the charges exhibited against this officer of the state; but being desirous of preventing any delay in the important services on which the ships and vessels of war are about to proceed, it is the pleasure of his excellency the supreme director, that the arrest of Captain Guise be suspended, as well as his trial by a court-martial on the charges exhibited, which will remain in the archives of the marine department, to be postponed till the first opportunity which does not interfere with the service of the squadron, so important as at the present epoch.—(Signed) Jose Yguacio Zenteno, minister of marine. Valparaiso, July 20th, 1820."

Lord Cochrane immediately discharged Captain Guise from his arrest by the following note:

"Whereas certain charges had been exhibited by the commander in chief, touching the conduct of Martin George Guise, of the C. S. S. Lautaro; and whereas his excellency the Supreme Director has been pleased to order, that the investigation of the same by court-martial shall be suspended, in order to prevent delay in the important services on which the ships and vessels of war are about to proceed: it is the pleasure of his excellency, signified to me under his sign-manual, that the said Captain Martin George Guise shall be replaced in the command of the Lautaro, and (as in justice due) shall be deemed innocent of the said charges during the suspension of his trial.

"July 24th, 1820. (Signed) Cochrane."

On the same day his lordship returned the commissions to the different officers, with letters addressed to them, thanking them for their personal marks of esteem and support in the performance of an unpleasant public duty, and assuring them, that he was convinced that their conduct had been governed by their zeal for the true interests of the public service.

I consider any comment on these extraordinary proceedings unnecessary at present, as the spirit which dictated them will become too visible to be mistaken in the course of these pages. Had General San Martin observed a different line of conduct to that which marked his operations in Peru, when he could not shield himself by any specious pretext, importing that they were regulated by a superior authority, or that they emanated from a source over which he had no direct control, the government of Chile might have been considered the authors; whereas, they were only the agents of the machinations of the general in chief of the expedition, who foresaw, that in Lord Cochrane he should have a rival, to whose merits South America could not be blind: he also knew, that the opinions of his lordship in council would not be overawed by those of a superior, be biassed by hope or fear, nor be led away by subserviency: however, his excellency expected to be as implicitly obeyed as a Dey of Algiers, and as universally flattered as a Sultan of the East; and to those two over-ruling passions may be attributed part of the disgrace of his administration in Peru.