"On the following morning, August 4th, Lord Cochrane, uninformed
of the change which had taken place in the title of San
Martin, visited the palace, and began to beg of the General in
Chief to propose some means for the payment of the foreign seamen,
who had served their time and fulfilled their contract. To this,
San Martin answered, that 'he would never pay the Chilian
squadron unless it was sold to Peru, and then the payment should
be considered part of the purchase money!' To this Lord Cochrane
replied, that 'by such a transaction the squadron of Chili
would be transferred to Peru by merely paying what was due to the
officers and crews for services done to that state.' San Martin knit
his brows, and turning to his two ministers, Garcia and Monteagudo,
ordered them to retire, to which his Lordship objected, stating that
'as he was not master of the Spanish language, he wished them to
remain as interpreters, fearful that some expression, not rightly
understood, might be considered offensive.' San Martin now turned
round to the Admiral, and said--'Are you aware, my Lord, that I
am Protector of Peru?'--'No,'--said his Lordship, 'I ordered my
secretaries to inform you of it,' returned San Martin. 'That is
now unnecessary, for you have personally informed me,' said his
Lordship; 'I hope that the friendship which has existed between
San Martin and myself will continue to exist between the Protector
of Peru and myself.' San Martin then--rubbing his hands--said,
'I have only to say, that I am Protector of Peru!'"

"The manner in which this last sentence was expressed, roused
the Admiral, who, advancing, said--'Then it becomes me, as
senior officer of Chili, and consequently the representative of the