the Minister of Marine is in possession of duplicates of my correspondence mentioning the arrangements I had so made in anticipation of the Imperial order; and of my official communications—­also in duplicate—­transmitted on my arrival at Portsmouth, by your Excellency’s favour, with your despatches.

These will have acquainted His Imperial Majesty with the cause and necessity of our arrival at Spithead—­as well as with my intention there to wait a reasonable time before the departure of the Piranga, in order to learn the result of the negociations with Portugal.

I have only to add that, by some inadvertence, your Excellency’s secretary has sent me the copy instead of the original order addressed to me by order of His Imperial Majesty, which mistake may be remedied on my return to town.

   I am gratified to learn that there is less difficulty in procuring men
   than I had anticipated under the regulations respecting foreign seamen.

   I have the honour, &c.

   COCHRANE AND MARANHAO.

   The Chevalier GAMEIRO.

Shortly previous to this, the Chevalier Gameiro addressed a letter to Lieutenant Shepherd, under the title of “Commander of the Piranga!” unjustifiably informing him officially that "I had retired from the service of His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil!" notwithstanding my letters to him in contradiction.  Indeed, the letter just quoted is sufficient to shew that not only had I not relinquished the service, but that I refused to obey Gameiro’s order to proceed to Rio, because I knew that if the frigate returned to Brazil, the impression her presence had produced on Portugal would be altogether neutralized, and the negociations for peace might be indefinitely prolonged; so that his order to run away from the good which had been effected, was so truly absurd, that I did not choose to comply with it.  Had the negociations for peace been broken off, I had formed plans of attacking Portugal in her own waters, though with but a single frigate; and I had no reasonable doubt of producing an impression there of no less forcible a character than, with a single ship, I had, two years before, produced on the Portuguese fleet in Brazil.  The order was, therefore, one commanding me to run away from my own plans, of which the Envoy however knew nothing, as I did not feel justified in entrusting him with my intentions.

On receiving the above-mentioned intimation to proceed to Rio de Janeiro—­without my intervention, Lieutenant Shepherd very properly forwarded the Envoy’s letter to me—­when, of course, I apprised him that he was under my command, and not under that of the Chevalier Gameiro.  At the same time I wrote to the latter, that “it would be the subject of regret if anything should cause the spurious decree of the 28th of February, 1824, to be brought into operation, but that, at present, being in full possession of my office and authority, my opinion was in no way changed, that the Piranga should be first fully equipped, and then wait for a reasonable time for the decision of those important matters in discussion.”