complete failure in the object of the expedition. It was impossible to
blame the Spanish prisoners in the Chilian arsenal for their loyalty,
but to me their ingenuity was a bitter ground for disappointment, as
with useless rockets we were no better off than in the first expedition;
nor indeed so well off, for in the interval the Spaniards had so
strengthened their booms at the anchorage, as to render it impossible
for the ships to get at them--whilst, by constant practice, their fire
had acquired a precision which our crews could not equal.

The only damage effected was by Major Miller's mortar, the shells
sinking a gun-boat, and doing some execution in the forts and amongst
the shipping. As daylight appeared, I ordered the whole of the rafts to
be towed off, there being no further use in their remaining exposed to
the heavy fire of the batteries. As it was, our loss was trifling, only
about twenty being killed and wounded; but amongst these I had to regret
the death of a promising young officer, Lieut. Bealey, who was cut in
two by a round shot.

The failure of the rockets was very unfairly attributed by the Chilian
Government to Mr. Goldsack, whereas the fault lay in itself for having
neither supplied him with proper workmen nor materials. From the
scarcity and high, price of spelter, he had also been compelled to make
use of an inferior solder for the tubes, and thus the saving of a few
hundred dollars frustrated the success of a great object. The
consequence to poor Goldsack was utter ruin, though of his capability
there could be no question, he having for many years been one of the
principal assistants of Sir W. Congreve at Woolwich.

By the 5th, one of the explosion vessels was completed, and I resolved
to try her effect on the booms and shipping, for which purpose she was