The following orders were then communicated to me, and were of the usual
kind, viz. "to capture or destroy all enemy's ships and property,
whereever found:"--

His Imperial Majesty, through the Secretary of State for the
Marine, commands that the First Admiral, Lord Cochrane,
Commander-in-Chief of the Squadron, shall, to-morrow morning,
proceed from this port with such vessels as he shall judge proper
to the port of Bahia, to institute a rigorous blockade, destroying
or capturing whatever Portuguese force he may fall in with--doing
all possible damage to the enemies of this Empire, it being left to
the discretion of the said Admiral to act as he shall deem
advantageous, in order to save that city from the thraldom to which
it is reduced by the enemies of the cause of Brazil; for this
purpose consulting with Gen. Labatu, commanding the Army, in order
to the general good of the service, and glory of the national and
Imperial arms.

Palace of Rio Janeiro, March 30, 1823.

LUIZ DA CUNHA MOREIRA.

To the Brazilian party and the mass of the people generally, the
approaching departure of the squadron was a matter for congratulation,
but to the Portuguese faction it presented a cause for fear, as tending
to destroy their hopes of re-establishing the authority of the mother
country. Their influence, as has before been said, was as great, if not
greater, than that of the patriots, and being more systematic, it had
been effectually employed to increase the disaffection which existed in
the Northern provinces to the--as yet--but partially established