Sir Thomas Hardy’s view was this, that if the blockading power was not in a position to render the blockade efficient over the whole coast, it was not recognisable anywhere by the law of nations; but, whilst expressing this erroneous view of blockade, he added, “nor can I resist the right which the Government of Chili has to establish and maintain blockade on the same footing as other belligerents.”

But even in the extreme views of Sir Thomas Hardy, we were competent to establish and maintain a blockade in its widest extent, and the best proof of the fact is, that the blockade was established.  Even Zenteno, the Minister of Marine, pointed out to Sir Thomas Hardy, the ability of the squadron to maintain the blockade which he recognised.

“Our naval forces, perhaps diminished in apparent magnitude by distance, was not believed sufficient to maintain the blockade in all its extent, yet it has had the glory of setting at liberty, and of placing in the hands of the American Independents, all the ports and coasts of Peru, excepting only the port of Callao.  Moreover, from the very centre even of that port, and from under the fire of the batteries, the Spanish ship of war, Esmeralda, has been cut out by our naval forces, and our strength thereby augmented, whilst that of the enemy is reduced to nothing.”

   (Signed) “JOSE IGNACIO ZENTENO.”

So that, in face of this declaration by the Chilian Minister himself, as to the naval supremacy of the squadron on the coast of Peru, and its consequent right of seizure, the Admiralty Court, for its own sinister purposes, chose to decide that I was liable for seizures of neutral vessels made by my captains, without my knowledge—­condemning me in costs and damages for their acts; the result being that I was mulcted in this, and every other charge it saw fit to make in my absence.  The injustice of this was the more striking, as San Martin was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the squadron as well as the army, so that, even supposing the decisions of the Admiralty Court to be right, the onus lay upon him, not me.  Yet he was rewarded, and I was compelled to pay for acts executed under his authority.

In the year 1845, twenty-three years after the liberation of Peru, and the annihilation of the Spanish power in the Pacific, the Chilian Government deducted all charges thus unjustly placed to my account, and awarded me the balance of 30,000 dollars (L.6000) for all the services rendered to the country.  I have before mentioned that, from the consequence of litigation proceeding from obedience to the orders of the Chilian Government, I was subjected to a loss in England of nearly L.25,000; so that in place of my reaping any reward whatever for my services to Chili and Peru, the liberation of the latter and the completion of independence of the former cost me L.19,000 out of my own pocket!