CIO DE ANDRADA E SILVA.

The Junta continuing its unreasonable demand, the moveable property
captured was embarked on board the _Pombinho_, and another vessel--both
prizes--for the purpose of being sent to Rio de Janeiro for
adjudication. I then directed the Provisional Government to furnish me
with an account of all money found in the treasury, customs, military
chest, and other departments; also of all military stores in the various
forts and magazines and of government property of every description,
such property having been wholly awarded to the captors by Imperial
decree of the 11th of December, 1822, issued to induce foreign seamen to
enter the service.

On the 20th of August the Portuguese troops were ordered to depart for
Lisbon--Maranham being thus entirely freed from the presence of the
armaments upon which the mother country had relied for the maintenance
of her Northern provinces; this result, wholly unexpected by the
Imperial Government or the nation, having been accomplished within the
space of a few months, by measures adopted on my own responsibility.

Still numerous vessels and much perishable property taken from the
enemy, remained on hand--with which it was difficult to deal. From
having manned the captured brig-of-war, _Don Miguel_--as well as the
prize vessel, _Pombinho_, from the crew of the flagship, it was not
expedient further to reduce her efficiency; so that there were no means
of forwarding the other prizes and property to Rio de Janeiro for
adjudication. I therefore apprised the Minister of Marine, that the only
course circumstances would permit me to pursue--though not perfectly
regular--would be to dispose of them and remit to the Government in
specie the amount realised; as, in case of my departure from Maranham,
they were certain to be improperly appropriated. Accordingly, an offer
was again made to the merchants, to accept two-thirds of their value in
specie, and to submit the amount to the further decision of the Court of
Admiralty, I little anticipating at the time the anti-Imperial
predilections of the members composing the prize tribunal at Rio de
Janeiro.

The amount of the seizures effected by the squadron was very
considerable, comprising upwards of a hundred and twenty vessels, some
of which contained important cargoes. The aggregate amount of
these--together with merchandise found in the Custom-house--Government
and other public property and stores--was several millions of