th or torture of a political opponent matter for
congratulation." I was his political opponent, as wishing to uphold the
authority of the Supreme Director, and hence, no doubt, his enmity to
me; his influence even extending so far as to prevent the Supreme
Director from visiting me whilst in Santiago, on the ground that such a
course on his part would be undignified!

At this distance of time--now that Chili is in possession of a
Government acting on more enlightened principles--there is no necessity
for withholding these remarks, without which the subsequent acts of the
Chilian Government towards me might be liable to misconstruction as to
my representations of them. So long as Chili was in a transition state
from a corrupt and selfish Government to one acting in accordance with
the true interests of the country, I forbore to make known these and
other circumstances, which, having now become matters of history, need
not any longer be withheld.

Writing in this spirit, I may mention a reason, notorious enough at the
time, why the squadron was not paid even its wages. The Government _had_
provided the means, but those to whom the distribution was entrusted
retained the money during their pleasure, employing it for their own
advantage in trading speculations or in usury, only applying it to a
legitimate purpose when further delay became dangerous to themselves.
One great cause of the hatred displayed towards me by these people, was
my incessant demands that the claims of the squadron should be satisfied
as regarded wages. As to prize-money, not a dollar was ever conceded by
the Government either to myself, officers, or men, so long as I remained
in Chili; but I had the satisfaction to see that the constant watch
which I kept on those financial disorders, was the means of ameliorating
the system, though with the additional dislike to myself of those whose
short-sighted policy I was thwarting, and whose avaricious speculations
were thus curtailed.

In spite of his enmity, the Minister of Marine had been officially
compelled to write me the following letter:--

"My Lord,"

"If victories over an enemy are to be estimated
according to the resistance offered, or the national advantages
obtained, the conquest of Valdivia is, in both senses, inestimable;
encountering, as you did, the natural and artificial strength of that
impregnable fortress which, till now, had obstinately defended itself
by means of