r M. de Vidal, a
faithful and exact account of every thing that has taken place in this
important business.

Now as to what you ask of me with respect to answering the official
note you sent to me by the French Minister, I agree with you
perfectly, that Her Majesty's Government would not make a second offer
of its mediation, without being resolved to support it, more
especially since you say that Lord Aberdeen has declared to M.
Ellauri, that he will put a stop to the war.

But this assurance on the part of Lord Aberdeen does not give me the
power either to take measures for carrying this declaration into
effect, or to make such a declaration to General Rosas. I _must wait_
for instructions from my Government _before_ I inform the Buenos
Ayrean Government what they will direct shall be done, as it is not
for me to say in what manner the war shall be put a stop to.

M. de Lurde, when I spoke to him about the purport of the official
note to me from you, of which he was the bearer, told me that he had
simply acknowledged the receipt of it, because he could give no other
answer, and I feel that I am in exactly a similar position.

You are now, as you have always been, in possession of my public and
private sentiments upon this most important question, the mediation,
and you may be most confident that my conduct upon it, whilst it is
pending, will be as satisfactory to your Government as to yourself.

Believe me, my dear M. de Vidal, always your faithful and sincere
friend,

J. H. MANDEVILLE.

_To his Excellency Don Jose Antonino Vidal, &c. &c. &c._

* * * * *

(PRIVATE.)

_Buenos Ayres, December 23rd, 1842._

MY DEAR M. DE VIDAL,--I received this morning your private letter
of the 20th,--after thanking you for it, I have little to add,
except that Count de Lurde and I have received an answer to our note,
demanding an armistice, stating that a demand of this nature, menacing
as it does the Argentine Confederation, requires time for
consideration before a reply can be given.

In the meantime, I trust that the step which I and the French Minister
have taken will in no manner weaken, but, on the contrary, hasten and
encourage the zealous efforts of your Government to resist invasion,
because, where winds and waves are concerned, no man can say, when he
leaves Europe, i