ign war being entirely brought to
a close within the short space of six months; during which period
about seventy vessels have fallen into our hands, including several
ships of war, amongst which is a beautiful new frigate of the largest
dimensions.

We have gone on here in the happy manner that I fondly
anticipated we should have done in Peru, and which would have
been the case if the expedition which was intended to be sent to the
Puertos Intermedios three years ago under your command, had not
been prevented by the intrigues of San Martin, who was jealous of
anything being done in which he was not personally engaged,
though he had neither the courage nor talent to avail himself of
circumstances when appointed to the command of the Peruvian
expedition.

I have heard that my reply to San Martin's accusations has been
published in Peru, but as it is chiefly a personal defence, it cannot
be very interesting to the public, to whom I feel a great inclination
to address a letter on the causes of the miscarriage of their _military
enterprises_, and the origin and progress of those intrigues which led
to the mismanagement of public affairs, and disappointed the hopes
and expectations of the worthy people of Chili, who conducted
themselves so long with patient submission to rulers who governed
without law, and often without justice.

In my letter to you of the 21st of June last, I mentioned at some
length my reasons for leaving Chili, but as that letter may possibly
have miscarried, I think it well to repeat here--which I do with
great truth--that it would have given me great pleasure to have
been at liberty to co-operate with you; but having, long previous to
your communications, determined from the ill-treatment I received
to quit the country, I considered that it was better in every point
of view to conform to that resolution, without mixing myself in its
internal affairs, it being my province, as a foreigner, to leave all
parties uncontrolled, and in the free exercise of their civil rights.
In adhering to this resolution, I sacrificed both my inclination to
have acted with you in overthrowing the ministers, and my own
personal interests--abandoning nearly all that I had individually
hoped to attain; but I had predetermined to do this, rather than
endure any longer the base intrigues of those men, and their packe