d
till they became useless to the original owners, the Government, or the
captors.

Thus, of this vast amount of property taken in the campaign, not a
_milrea_ was suffered to find its way into the pockets of the officers
and men, and the squadron would have been wholly defrauded of its
reward, had I not refused to give up to the prize tribunal the
comparatively trifling sums received in redemption of the seizures at
Maranham; these being retained on board the flagship in consequence of
the unjustifiable course which the tribunal was pursuing. A plot was,
however, formed to seize it by force, but this was met by such measures
as were calculated to prevent a renewal of the attempt.

The prize tribunal being thus determined to deprive the squadron of the
whole of its emoluments, proceeded to condemn the ships of war taken as
being _droits_ to the crown, without compensation of any kind,
notwithstanding that the before-mentioned Imperial decree of the 11th of
December, 1822, awarded all prizes wholly to the captors. The tribunal
then issued a decree, that vessels taken within a certain distance from
the shore--where alone a blockade could be effective--were not lawful
seizures; the effect being that, as the squadron was about to blockade
Pernambuco it could have no opportunity of falling in with enemy's
vessels at sea, and therefore _could not make captures at all!_ Thus
enemy's ships would be permitted to carry on their revolutionary
occupations unmolested; which was, no doubt, the intention of those who
framed the resolution, as wishing to defeat the blockade for their own
purposes.

CHAPTER VI.

REMONSTRANCE AGAINST DECREE OF PRIZE TRIBUNAL--SETTLEMENT OF PRIZE
QUESTION BY THE EMPEROR--HIS MINISTERS REFUSE TO CONFORM TO
IT--OBSTACLES THROWN IN THE WAY OF EQUIPMENT--MY SERVICES LIMITED TO THE
DURATION OF WAR--MY REMONSTRANCE ON THIS BREACH OF FAITH--MINISTERS
REFUSE TO PAY THE SQUADRON ANYTHING--A FRESH INSULT OFFERED TO ME--OFFER
TO RESIGN THE COMMAND--MY RESIGNATION EVADED--LETTER TO THE PRIME
MINISTER--LETTER TO THE MINISTER OF MARINE.

On the 1st of January, 1824, I communicated to the Minister of Marine
the contents of a despatch received from Captain Haydon at Pernambuco,
in which he apprised me of a plot on the part of the revolutionary
Government to seize his person and take possession of the Imperial brig
of war which he commanded; the latter intention having been openly
advocated in the Assembly.