should be equal to mine" and I believe myself to have proved that my
intentions have not varied--nor can vary, because every day renders my
actions more important.

No, my Lord, I do not view with indifference anything which concerns
you, and I shall be deeply grieved, if you do not wait till I can
onvince you of the truth. If, however, in despite of all this, you
determine on the course, which, at our interview a few days ago, you
proposed to take, it will be for me a difficulty from which I cannot
extricate myself, but I hope that--_conforming yourself to my
wishes_--you will conclude the work begun, on which our common lot
depends.

Adieu, my Lord, I repeat that I am, with sincere esteem, your eternal
friend,

JOSE DE SAN MARTIN.

The assertion, that he could not satisfy the seamen, was a subterfuge;
he had abundance of money, derived from the wholesale spoliation of the
Spaniards, to which indefensible course I had alluded in my letter of
August 7th. He also hoped that "_conforming to his wishes_," I would
accept the appointment of "First Admiral;" the consequence of
which--together with the decree transferring the Chilian
officers--without their consent--to the service of Peru, would have been
to turn over to his Government the Chilian squadron.