in case of his death, being extended
to his wife.

Francisco Villela Barbosa, of my Council of State, Minister and
Secretary of Marine, is hereby commanded to promulgate the same,
and execute the necessary despatches.

Given in the palace of Rio de Janeiro, the 27th of July, 1824,
and the third of independence and the empire.

With the _Rubrica_ of His Imperial Majesty.

(Signed) FRANCISCO VILLELA BARBOSA.

This decree nullified the unjustifiable _portaria_ issued by Barbosa,
limiting my services to the period of the war, which, in reality, had
been ended by my expulsion of the Portuguese from Bahia and Maranham. It
recognised and established the validity of the Emperor's original
patents, of which, by the minister's own explanation, it was a
continuation, with an extension to Lady Cochrane; a boon spontaneously
granted by the Emperor, as a mark of gratitude for services rendered in
the preceding year. It was, moreover, clearly left to my own option to
continue in the service or to quit it on half-pay, on the termination of
the war of independence.

If there was any faith to be placed in princes or ministers, nothing
could be more definite or satisfactory than the preceding document, with
the exception of the phrase, "_in the event of his not choosing to
continue therein_," which evidently contained an _arriere pensee_,
implying, as was afterwards proved, that when I could be got rid of it
would be easy to _compel me_ to retire from the service; but even this
alternative was subsequently disregarded--though His Imperial Majesty,
on my thanking him for having so far done me justice against the
attempts of his Ministers--remarked, "_never mind their injustice--they
can't deprive you of that"_--alluding to the stipulations contained in
the Imperial patents, and this renewed confirmation thereof.

The concession of 200,000 dollars, as a portion of the prize money so
long due to the officers and crews, was actually made to suffice, in
place of an advance of wages usually given on the departure of a naval
expedition; so that, in fact, the squadron was manned at its own
expense! no other payment being accorded by the _Government_. As His
Majesty had requested that the men should not receive their money before
going to sea, _the squadron_, with the exception of the flagship, was
despatched on its voyage, the crews being satisfied--now that the money
was on board--with my promise of payment when t