aims of any kind beyond the current expenses of government should
be paid, till this prior claim--in honour and justice due to the
officers and seamen, who had generously advanced their prize money to
meet state exigencies--should be liquidated; adding, that the seamen
_relied on me for justice_, and if my warning were not attended to, I
should be compelled to take such steps as the necessity of upholding the
interests of the crown and the efficiency of the naval service appeared
to demand.

In taking this step, I frankly admit that it was the only way to obtain
from the Government of Maranham even a compromise for the amount owing
by the province to the captors. I had every confidence in His Imperial
Majesty that as far as lay in _his_ power justice would be done, as
evinced by the acknowledgments given in his own handwriting in
opposition to the measures of his ministers, on whom, or the prize
tribunal, no reliance could be placed; the former having done all in
_their_ power to thwart my efforts in His Majesty's service, whilst the
tribunal, acting by the sanction or in conformity to the known wishes
of the ministry, had delayed adjudication, with the evident intention
of _evading it altogether_, except in cases which gave a colour for
condemning me in damages, in which respect--apparently their only
object--they were prompt enough.

I therefore determined that as a specific portion of the prize property
taken at Maranham in 1823, had, at its own request, been given up to the
provisional Government, upon the express understanding of repayment
--without which it could not have been thus surrendered--the Junta
should be made to preserve their own good faith, as well as mine, to the
squadron, which, relying on my promises, had been influenced temporarily
to devote to the exigencies of the State that which by imperial decree,
as well as according to the laws of all nations, was their undoubted
right.

My orders to the Junta of Fazenda not to pay any claims--with the
exception of the ordinary expenses of Government--till those of the
squadron had been satisfied, were, however, almost superogatory; for, on
a visit of inspection to the arsenal on the 2nd of February, it appeared
that they had established a system of not paying any debts, even those
incurred for the provisions of the squadron, the contract prices being
set down at _treble the market price!_ This overcharge was accounted for
by the merchants on the ground o