e
enormous price in money for their neutrality, which France had demanded,
the views of Napoleon were better answered than they could have been by
the possession of all their territory and all their colonies. But the
moment in which they should become unable or unwilling to pay that
price, would of course be that of aggression and invasion. So early as
1796, Mr. Pitt had contemplated the advantages that must arise to
Britain from the possession of a port in South America, and particularly
in the Rio de la Plata, nor did he ever afterwards lose sight of it.
Some circumstances occurred in December, 1804, to draw his attention,
particularly towards the subject, inasmuch as he had intelligence that
France was about to attempt to seize on one of the Spanish settlements
on the first opportunity. But we were then at peace with Spain, and
however willing to prevent such an aggression on the part of France, and
to assist General Miranda in his intended expedition to South America,
it was impossible to co-operate with him, as he earnestly pressed the
ministry to do, although the advantage to England of securing such a
market for her manufactures was clearly perceived. Among the officers
who had been most confidentially consulted by Mr. Pitt, on the
practicability of obtaining a settlement on the La Plata, was Sir Home
Popham; and it was probably his knowledge of the views so long
entertained by that minister, that induced him to take the hazardous
step, of leaving the Cape of Good Hope so soon after it had been
occupied by the English forces, in 1806, and taking Buenos Ayres without
orders to that effect. His immediate motive was, the intelligence he had
procured, that the squadron of the French admiral, Guillaumez, had
intentions of touching on the coast of Brazil, entering the La Plata,
and, if possible, seizing, or forming a settlement there; and some North
Americans whom he had met, encouraged the undertaking, by observing,
that to throw open the ports of South America would be a common benefit
to all commercial nations, but particularly to England.[19]

[Note 19: For the political and commercial views entertained with
regard to the assisting Miranda, or obtaining for England a port in
South America, see Lord Melville's evidence on the court martial on Sir
Home Popham.]

In 1806, the demonstrations of hostilities against Portugal on the part
of France were so evident, that Lord Rosslyn was despatched thither on a
special mi