In addition to the above acknowledgment of our services, a decree was issued commanding a medal to be struck in commemoration thereof.

   Ministry of Marine,
   Santiago de Chili, 19th June, 1822. 
   Most Excellent Sir,

His Excellency the Supreme Director being desirous of making a public demonstration of the high services that the squadron has rendered to the nation, has resolved that a medal be struck for the officers and crews of the squadron, with an inscription expressive of the national gratitude towards the worthy supporters of its maritime power.

   I have the honour to communicate this to your Excellency by
   supreme command, and to offer you my highest respects.

   JOAQUIM DE ECHEVERRIA.

   His Excellency the Rt.  Hon. Lord Cochrane,
   Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c.

It is here observable, that whereas San Martin, on the occupation of Lima, had caused a medal to be struck, arrogating the success of the expedition entirely to the army, which had done little or nothing towards it—­leaving out all mention of the services of the squadron; the Chilian Government gave the credit, as was deserved, to the squadron—­omitting all mention of the army, which remained under the standard of the Protector.  Nothing can be more conclusive as to the opinions of the Chilian Government on the subject.

Chili had indeed reason to be grateful, no less for the management than the achievements of the squadron.  I had now been in command something more than two years and a half, during which we either took, destroyed, or forced to surrender, every Spanish ship of war in the Pacific; the whole of the west coast was cleared of pirates, which before abounded; we had reduced unaided the most important fortresses of the enemy, either by storm or blockade; the commerce both of Chili and neutral powers had been protected; and the cause of independence placed on a basis so firm, that nothing but folly or corruption could shake it.

For these most important results, Chili had been at no cost whatever beyond the original ineffective equipment of the ships.  With the exception of three or four cargoes of provisions sent to Callao, I had, by my own exertions, for the whole period, provided for the maintenance and subsistence of the squadron, its repairs, equipment, stores, provisions, and pay, as far as the men had been paid; not a dollar having been expended for these purposes by the Chilian Government, which trusted—­but in vain—­to Peru.  To have been ungrateful—­as far as the public expression of gratitude went, for other reward there was none—­would have been a national crime.

As one of my modes of providing for the necessities of the squadron has not been mentioned, it must be here given.

Under the Spanish regime, no foreign vessel could trade at their ports in the Pacific.  But, for the sake of revenue as well as to obtain supplies, it had become the practice of the Viceroy to sell licences, enabling British merchants to employ British vessels in the Spanish Colonial trade.  These had to load in some port in Spain, and were there furnished with legalized Spanish papers.