Senor Alvez Bhanco E Hollanda declared that “as a commemoration of the benefits which Brazil had derived from Lord Cochrane, there was no other conclusion than that he ought to be paid the whole sum which he claimed, for which the ’Assemblea Geral’ should ask a credit.”

Senor Hollanda Cavalcante, in taking into account the requisition of Lord Cochrane, was “altogether of the opinion expressed by Senor Alvez Branco—­that his Lordship as well as others should have the whole amount claimed.”

Viscount Olinda, in the Council of State, gave his opinion that “Lord Cochrane shall be paid the various demands he has made.  He repeated his opinion that this course alone was consistent with the dignity of the Government, or the services of the Admiral.  He (Viscount Olinda) well remembered the great services of Lord Cochrane, and these ought not to be depreciated by paltry imputed omissions.  It appeared to him little conformable to the dignity of Brazil, to enter, at this distance of time, into questions of money with one to whom they owed so much.”

Viscount Parana “was of opinion that no responsibility for captures rested on the officers who had made them, they acting under the orders of the Government, which took the responsibility on itself.  Justice demanded this view of the matter, and even the acquittal of many of the prizes might be attributed to a change of Ministerial policy.”

Senor Aranjo Vicuna.  “There is no necessity for continuing the suspension of Lord Cochrane’s pay.  It ought to be paid as remuneration for important services, the benefits whereof were not diminished by any subsequent conduct on the part of His Lordship.”

“It was the opinion of the Council that Lord Cochrane’s pension ought to be paid, notwithstanding any question as to the limitation of prizes, or any defects in the prize accounts.”—­Correio Mercantil, Aug. 29, 1854.

Yet notwithstanding these expressions of opinion, less than half the interest of even the limited sum admitted to be due to me was awarded.

The Commissioners admit in the preceding Report that my speedy annexation of the Portuguese provinces was unexpected, and this alone should have made them pause ere they awarded me less than half the interest of my own money, withheld for 30 years—­themselves retaining the principal—­the amount received, being, in reality, insufficient to liquidate the engagements which I had of necessity incurred during the thirty years of neglect to satisfy my claims—­now admitted to be beyond dispute.  Their admission involves the fact that the “unexpected” expulsion of the Portuguese fleet and army saved Brazil millions of dollars in military and naval expeditions against an organised European power, which only required time to set at complete defiance any efforts which