Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil, eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 306 pages of information about Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil,.

Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil, eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 306 pages of information about Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil,.
As I have before endeavoured, by anticipating evils, to prevent their occurrence, so in the present instance, I feel it my duty to His Imperial Majesty to place you, as Minister of Marine, on your guard against countenancing any such measure in regard either to the vessels captured in the blockade of Bahia, or to those taken in the colonial possessions, and under the forts and batteries of the enemy—­and also in the case—­if such there should be—­of vessels captured on the shores of Portugal.
It is quite clear that these cases of capture are distinct from those in which protection is afforded by independent states to belligerents approaching within a certain distance of neutral shores.  But you must be perfectly aware that, if enemy’s ships are not to be prize—­if captured navigating near the shore no blockade can be effective, as there will be no right to disturb them; besides which the mass of the people engaged in a naval service will certainly not encounter toil and hazard without remuneration of any kind beyond their ordinary pay.
Should such a decree be really in contemplation, there is nothing to hope from the naval service useful or creditable to the state; and this opinion is founded on more than thirty years’ unremitting experience of seamen—­that where there is no premium there is no permanent zeal or exertion.

   (Signed) COCHRANE & MARANHAO.

On the 10th of January, I communicated to the Government the contents of another despatch from Captain Haydon, at Pernambuco, reporting that the new Junta there had seized the Imperial ship of war, Independencia ou morte, and had removed the officer in command, at the same time threatening to treat Captain Haydon as a pirate.

The revolt was now becoming serious, and His Majesty—­anxious to expedite the equipment of the squadron—­on the 12th of February, 1824, sent for me to consult on the subject.  Having told His Majesty the course which had been pursued by the prize tribunal, he said he would see justice done in spite of faction, and asked me to make a moderate valuation of the prize property taken in the late campaign, ascertaining, at the same time, if the seamen were willing to accept a specific sum in compensation of their claims?  On asking His Majesty what assurance could be given that the administration would carry out such an arrangement, he replied that he would give me his own assurance, and ordering me to sit down beside him, wrote with his own hand the following proposal—­now in my possession:—­

The Government is ready to pay to the squadron, the value of the prizes which have been, or may be judged bad, the value thereof being settled by arbitrators jointly chosen, and to pay the proprietors their losses and damages; that in the number of the said prizes, the frigate Imperatrice is not included, but the Government, as a remuneration for her capture, will immediately
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Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil, from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.