which can promote your
interest--that mischievous delays of all kinds are opposed to the
success of an enterprise, which your Excellency is desirous of promoting
--that the expedition of 2,000 men (abundantly sufficient),
was not to be delayed on any pretence, but that it has been delayed
in order to increase it to 4,000--and that even now it is kept back,
in order to ascertain the position and force of the enemy at Callao,
of which we know just as much now as we should when the
_Montezuma_ may return, some forty days hence, after an investigation
to no purpose--in short, finding that everything stipulated and
agreed upon has been deviated from. I am desirous to give up the
command of the squadron to whoever may enjoy the confidence of
your Excellency; which act will, I hope, add to your tranquillity,
by relieving you from my opinions in regard to what ought to be
done, but has not been done--and to that which could be effected,
but has not even been attempted.

I have abstained from sending the _Montezuma_ on a meaningless
voyage of forty days to Callao, till I receive your Excellency's
definitive commands--considering that the despatch of that vessel
is not only useless, but a pretext for delay, and is calculated to
frustrate all that your Excellency has in contemplation. Would that
you could yourself note the palpable treachery which prevents anything
of importance being collected for the expedition--I say palpable
treason--as not a single article necessary has yet been procured.

Can your Excellency believe, that only one vessel is in the hands
of the contractor; and even she is not prepared for sea? Will you
believe that the only provisions that the contractor's agent has in
hand is twenty-one days' rations of bread, and six days' of salt meat,
whilst to my query whether he had any _charqui_ ready, his reply
was, "There is plenty in the country." Will your Excellence
believe that there are only 120 water casks ready for 4,000 troops
and the crews of the squadron?

Your Excellency may be assured that only your interest and that
of the State could induce me to utter these opinions; but, in order
to convince you that I have no wish to abandon the service, if my
continuance in it can be of any use--my only wish being to avoid
becoming the butt of disasters after their occurrence--I now offer
to give up the