The assistance rendered to the Junta was given at the expense of the officers and seamen, to whom the money of right belonged, and who looked for its repayment as soon as circumstances would permit.  On this subject I wrote as follows to the Minister of Marine:—­

   Maranham, Aug. 26, 1833.

   MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

Since I had the honour of addressing you deputies have arrived from the troops of Ceara and Piahuy soliciting payment for their services.  The provisional Junta of Maranham have requested my assistance in this object, and as I consider the tranquillity of this province to depend in a great measure on the speedy payment of these forces, I have placed at the disposal of the Junta various funds arising from the capitulation of this place.  This will doubtless be considered by the seamen—­who are the captors—­as an unwarrantable sacrifice of their rights in favour of mutinous troops, who have effected nothing; but feeling confident of support from the Imperial Government on a matter so essential to the public interest, I have had no hesitation in assuring the seamen that they will not be losers by their captures being, in the first instance, applied to the relief of the immediate exigencies of the State.

   (Signed) COCHRANE.

On the 30th of August, I had the satisfaction to learn from Captain Grenfell that his mission to Para had been completely successful, the frigate, together with another vessel of war, having been secured, the former being, by my previous directions, named the Imperatrice, and added to the Imperial navy; several merchantmen were also taken and sent to Rio de Janeiro.

The summons despatched by Captain Grenfell was—­as has been said—­based upon the same ruse as had been so successful at Maranham.  In order to produce a more decisive effect, it had been dated off the mouth of the river, as though the squadron was there at anchor to compel submission to the Imperial Government.  The plan was so ably conducted by the talented officer to whom it was entrusted, that although his force consisted of less than a hundred men, the inhabitants of Para, without a dissentient voice—­save that of the Portuguese commandant—­pronounced their adhesion to the Government of His Imperial Majesty, and thus a province, greater in extent than France and England combined, was added to the empire, and the independence of Brazil effected to its Northern extremity.

The only blood shed in the liberation of Para, was that of Captain Grenfell, who received a severe wound, treacherously inflicted by a Portuguese who was hired to assassinate him!  This cowardly act was resorted to, on the discovery—­when too late—­that I was not in the river, as the Portuguese authorities had been led to believe.

The subjoined is Captain Grenfell’s letter announcing the success of his mission:—­

   H.I.M.B.  Maranham,

   August 12, 1833. (Off Para.)