The subjoined is his letter:—
Lima, 13th of August, 1821. MY LORD,
In my official letter addressed to you on the disagreeable business of paying the squadron, which causes us so much uneasiness, I have told you that it is impossible to do as we wish. I have nothing to add, unless my previous declaration, that I shall never view with indifference any thing that interests you. I told you in Valparaiso, that "your lot should be equal to mine" and I believe myself to have proved that my intentions have not varied—nor can vary, because every day renders my actions more important.
No, my Lord, I do not view with indifference anything which concerns you, and I shall be deeply grieved, if you do not wait till I can onvince you of the truth. If, however, in despite of all this, you determine on the course, which, at our interview a few days ago, you proposed to take, it will be for me a difficulty from which I cannot extricate myself, but I hope that—conforming yourself to my wishes—you will conclude the work begun, on which our common lot depends.
Adieu, my Lord, I repeat that I am, with sincere esteem, your eternal friend,
JOSE DE SAN MARTIN.
The assertion, that he could not satisfy the seamen, was a subterfuge; he had abundance of money, derived from the wholesale spoliation of the Spaniards, to which indefensible course I had alluded in my letter of August 7th. He also hoped that "conforming to his wishes," I would accept the appointment of "First Admiral;" the consequence of which—together with the decree transferring the Chilian officers—without their consent—to the service of Peru, would have been to turn over to his Government the Chilian squadron.
CHAPTER VII.
TAMPERING WITH CHILIAN OFFICERS—THE ARCHBISHOP OF LIMA—HIS EXPULSION—NEGOCIATION FOR SURRENDER OF THE FORTS—THIS COUNTERACTED—SAN MARTIN'S BOMBASTIC PROCLAMATIONS—HIS REFUSAL TO ENCOUNTER THE ENEMY—THE SPANIARDS RELIEVE CALLAO—DELUSIVE PROCLAMATION—THE UNBLUSHING FALSEHOOD—SPANIARDS CARRY OFF THE TREASURE—DISCONTENT OF THE SQUADRON.
Finding that I was indisposed to acknowledge his self-assumed authority, and still less to contribute to measures which would, in effect, have deprived Chili of the Navy, which by her patriotic sacrifices had been created, the Protector issued a proclamation, again promising the payment of arrears to the seamen, and a pension for life to the officers, acknowledging them as officers of Peru! No inference can be drawn from this other than a direct intimation to the officers to desert from the Chilian service.