s
reimbursed by the authorities of Maranham, as a compromise for four
times the amount generously surrendered by the squadron to the
necessities of the province in 1823--on promise of repayment. As regards
the whole of the sums, it is alleged that _I never furnished accounts
of their expenditure, and therefore they are charged against me, as
though not expended at all._

For the disbursement of the first item of 200,000 dollars, I have
already stated sufficient to satisfy any reasonable person. The accounts
set forth at page 169, shews that a balance remained in hand from the
200,000 dollars put on board at Rio de Janeiro, of 39,538 dollars. I
shall now state what became of this sum. And first let me adduce the
following proclamation:--

By His Excellency the Marquis of Maranhao, First Admiral, &c. &c.

WHEREAS, many officers and seamen are here employed who were
not present, last year, at the capitulation of the hostile authorities,
and seizure of Portuguese funds and property at Maranhao;

And whereas it is condusive to the interests of His Imperial
Majesty, that all those officers and seamen who have now contributed
to the restoration of tranquillity, good order, and obedience to His
Imperial Majesty, shall receive encouragement and reward;

It is hereby directed that three months additional pay shall,
without deduction, be distributed _as a gratuity_ to the said officers
and men.

Given under my hand, this 8th day
of February, 1825,

COCHRANE AND MARANHAO.

I had, it is true, no authority for making this extra payment, but at
the same time, I had the authority of His Imperial Majesty to devote the
200,000 dollars to the good of the service--thus clearly leaving its
disbursement to my discretion; and this appeared to me to be properly
exercised in rewarding those who had been performing double duty afloat
and ashore, in the arduous task of putting down, and keeping down
revolt and anarchy. On this principle, I had previously doubled the pay
of some of the officers, without whose incessant exertion, I could not
have effected the tranquillization of the province. It is true that the
principle adopted was opposed to that pursued by the Administration,
viz. neither to acknowledge these extra services nor reward them; but
such a course neither accorded with my judgment nor discretion. The sums
paid as above were entered in the usual manner in a pay book,
acknowledged by