of the war were--according to the engagements under which the
expedition proceeded--to be the reward of the captors in return for
the benefits derived by the empire for their exertions.

Judge then, Sir, of the astonishment of the officers and seamen
at finding on their return to this port eight months afterwards, that
the Court of Admiralty (chiefly composed of natives of Portugal)
pretended to be ignorant whether the nation was at war or peace!
Under this plea they have avoided the adjudication of the
prizes--have
thrown every impediment in the way of the captors--by giving
sentences equally contrary to law, common sense and justice.

Great quantities of goods in the captured ships have decayed or
wholly perished from lapse of time--great quantities more have
been stolen--whilst whole cargoes, by the arbitrary authority of an
auditor, have been given up without trial, to pretended owners,
without even the decency of communication to the captors or their
agents. In short, nothing has been done in furtherance of the
gracious directions of His Majesty, given on the 12th ultimo, that
the prize affairs should be instantly adjusted.

It is certainly a hardship to the Portuguese gentlemen in the
Court of Admiralty, to be under the necessity of condemning
property that belonged to their countrymen, friends, and relations;
but if they have undertaken the duties of such an office, they ought
not to be permitted to weigh their private feelings against their
public duty--nor to bring upon the whole Government that character
of bad faith, which has been so disgraceful, and has proved so
injurious to all the Governments which have hitherto been
established in South America.

Even the payment of wages was not made to the _Pedro Primiero_
till nearly three months after her return, when the seamen--
irritated by the evasion of their dues--had nearly all abandoned the
ship; and if the crews of the _Nitherohy_ and _Carolina_ did not follow
their example on their return to port, it was entirely owing to my
perseverance before their arrival in procuring this tardy justice.

It was a maxim of the Emperor Napoleon, that "no events are
trifling with regard to nations and sovereigns, their destinies
being controlled by the most inconsiderable circumstances,"--
though circumstances which have the effect of causing the Imperial