Ministry of Marine,
Santiago de Chili, 19th June, 1822.
Most Excellent Sir,

His Excellency the Supreme Director being desirous
of making a public demonstration of the high services that the
squadron has rendered to the nation, has resolved that a medal be
struck for the officers and crews of the squadron, with an inscription
expressive of the national gratitude towards the worthy supporters
of its maritime power.

I have the honour to communicate this to your Excellency by
supreme command, and to offer you my highest respects.

JOAQUIM DE ECHEVERRIA.

His Excellency the Rt. Hon. Lord Cochrane,
Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c.

It is here observable, that whereas San Martin, on the occupation of
Lima, had caused a medal to be struck, arrogating the success of the
expedition entirely to the army, which had done little or nothing
towards it--leaving out all mention of the services of the squadron; the
Chilian Government gave the credit, as was deserved, to the
squadron--omitting all mention of the army, which remained under the
standard of the Protector. Nothing can be more conclusive as to the
opinions of the Chilian Government on the subject.

Chili had indeed reason to be grateful, no less for the management than
the achievements of the squadron. I had now been in command something
more than two years and a half, during which we either took, destroyed,
or forced to surrender, every Spanish ship of war in the Pacific; the
whole of the west coast was cleared of pirates, which before abounded;
we had reduced unaided the most important fortresses of the enemy,
either by storm or blockade; the commerce both of Chili and neutral
powers had been protected; and the cause of independence placed on a
basis so firm, that nothing but folly or corruption could shake it.

For these most important results, Chili had been at no cost whatever
beyond the original ineffective equipment of the ships. With the
exception of three or four cargoes of provisions sent to Callao, I had,
by my own exertions, for the whole period, provided for the maintenance
and subsistence of the squadron, its repairs, equipment, stores,
provisions, and pay, as far as the men had been paid; not a dollar
having been expended for these purposes by the Chilian Government, which
trusted--but in vain--to Peru. To have been ungrateful--as far as the
public expression of gratitude went, for other reward th