trying circumstance" alluded to by those officers,
was that, when compelled by actual pecuniary necessity, in consequence
of the deprivation of his rank and pay, and the demands of increasing
family, to accept service under a foreign state as his only means of
subsistence, he lay before the castles of Callao, into which had been
removed for security the whole wealth of the rich capital of Peru,
including bullion and plate, estimated at upwards of a million
sterling, he preserved his war secret, though strongly urged to put
it in execution. Had he listened to the temptation, in six hours
the whole of that wealth must have been in his possession. For not
listening to it, he incurred the enmity of his employers, who urged
that they were entitled to all his professional skill and knowledge,
as a part of his bargain with them; and his non-compliance with their
wishes is doubtless amongst the chief reasons why they have not, to
this day, satisfied their own offered stipulations for his services.
Yet, at the very moment when he was displaying this self-sacrificing
patriotism, lest his country might suffer from his secret being
divulged, the Government of Great Britain had, at the suggestion of
the Spanish Government, passed a "Foreign Enlistment Act," with the
express intention of enveloping him in its meshes.[A]

[Footnote A: On Lord Cochrane's return from Brazil, having occasion
to go before the Attorney-General, on the subject of a patent, that
learned functionary rudely asked him, "_Whether he was not afraid to
appear in his presence?_" Lord Cochrane's reply was, "_No, nor in
the presence of any man living_." Evidence exists that the
Attorney-General asked the Ministry if he should prosecute Lord
Cochrane under the Foreign Enlistment Act, the reply being in the
negative.]

II.

(Page 23.)

As a striking instance of Lord Cochrane's method of exposing naval
abuses, part of a speech delivered by him in the House of Commons, on
the 11th of May, 1809, is here copied from his "Autobiography," vol.
ii. pp. 142-144.

An admiral, worn out in the service, is superannuated at
410_l._. a year, a captain at 210_l._., a clerk of the ticket office
retires on 700_l._. a year! The widow of Admiral Sir Andrew
Mitchell has one third of the allowance given to the widow of
a Commissioner of the Navy.

I will give the House another instance. Four daughters of the
gallant Captain Courtenay have 12l. 1