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entering immediately on a£tion; and therefore as that place was
in a very defencelefs ftate, its cannon incapable of fervice, and its
garrifon in great meafure unarmed, it was impoflible that.it could
have oppofed our force, or that its half-ftarved inhabitants, moft of
whom are convidts baniflied thither from other parts, could have
had any other thoughts than that of fubmitting. This would have
been a very important acquifition ; fince when Baldivia, which is
an excellent port, had been once in our poffeffion, we (hould immediately
have been terrible to the whole kingdom of Chili, and
fhould doubtlefs have awed the moft diftant parts of the Spanijh
Empire in America. Indeed, it is far from improbable, that, by a
prudent ufe of this place, aided by our other advantages, we might
have given a violent (hock to the authority of Spain on that whole
Continent; and might have rendered fome, at lead, of her provinces
independent. This would certainly have turned the wholè attention
of the Spanijh miniftry to that part of the world, where
the danger would have been fo prefling : And thence G'reat-Bri-
tain, and her Allies, might have been rid of the numerous difficulties,
which the wealth o f the Spanijh Indies, operatmg-in-con-
juniftion with the Gallick intrigues,' have conftantly thrown in
their way.
But that I may not be thought to over-rate the force of this fqua-
dron, by afcribing to it a power of overturning the Spanijh Government
in America, it is neceffary to enter into a more particular
difcuffion, and to premife a few obfervations on the condition of the
provinces bordering near the South-Seas, and on the difpofitiön o f
the inhabitants, both Spaniards and Indians, at that time. Foe-'
hence it will appear that the conjuncture was the moft favourable
we could have defired : Since we (hall find that the Creolian fub-
jedts were difaffedted, and their Governors at variance ; that the
country was wretchedly provided with arms and (tores, and they
had fallen into a totrl negledt of all military regulations in their
garrifons ; and that the Indians on their frontier, were univerfally
difeontented, and feemed to be watching with impatience the favourable
vourable moment, when they might take a fevere revenge for the
barbarities they had groaned under during more thin two ages ;
fo that every circumftance concurred to facilitate the enterprifes of
our fquadron.' O f all thefe articles we were amply informed by the
Tetters we took on board our prizes.} none of thefe veffels, as I
remember, having had the precaution to throw their papers overboard.
The ill blood' amongft the Governors was greatly augmented
by their apprehenfions of our fquadron ; for every one being willing
to have it believed, that the bad condition of his Government
was not the-e(Fed! of negligence, there were continual demands and
remonftrances amongft: them,, in order to throw the blame upon
each other. Thus, for inftance, the Prefident of St. Jago in Chût,
the Prefident of Panama, and many other Governors, and military
officers, were perpetually foliciting the Viceroy o f Peru to furniffi
them with the neceffary films of money for putting their provinces
and places in a proper ftate of defence to oppofe our defigns.:-
But-the cuftomary anfwer of the Viceroy to thefe reprefentations
was,- that he was unable to comply with their requeft ; urging
thé’emptinefs of the royal cheft at Lima, and the difficulties he
was under to fupport the expencés of his own Government) he
in one of his letters, which we intercepted, mentioning his apprehenfions
that he might foon be neceffitated to (top the pay of
the troops and even of the garrifon of Callao, the key of the whole
kingdom of Peru. Indeed he did at times remit to thefe Governors
I fome' part of their demands ; but as what he fént them was greatly
ftiort of their wants, thefe partial fupplies rather tended to the raif-
ing jealoufies and heartburnings amongft them, than contributed
to the purpofes, for which they had at firft been defired.
Befides thefe mutual janglings amongft the Governors, the
whole body of the people were extremely diffatisfied ; they being
fully perfuaded that the affairs of .Spain for many years before had
been managed by the influence of a particular foreign intereft,
which was altogether detached from the advantage of the Spanijh
O o nation •