184 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DOM PEDRO II. 



an act of mere caprice, withdrew bis representative at London ; which 

 determined the recall of Mr. Christie. Diplomatic relations were not 

 restored between Brazil and England until three years later, and then 

 through the intervention of the King of Portugal. 



It is a common saying ^^tJiat evil ahcays has its good side.^^ The conflict 

 with England was not without advantage to Brazil, in that it manifested 

 the weakness of the country as compared with the great maritime pow- 

 ers, and showed the Brazilians that they should not confine their atten- 

 tion exclusively to interior prosperity, but should also acquire the means 

 of responding suitably to any exterior insult. 



A number of respectable citizens then conceived the happy idea of 

 raising a permanent national subscription for the purchase of modern 

 cannon and iron-clad vessels. This was met with enthusiasm by the 

 nation ; donations were received from all sides ; the Emperor subscribed 

 the ^/if/i j;ar^ of his civil list ; the empress and the princess followed his 

 example, the public functionaries and the officers of the army gave 5 

 per cent, of their salaries ; the rich land-holders promised large amounts ; 

 the poor also, to the extent of their ability, manifested their patriotism. 

 The subscription amounted in a few months only, to a sum of several 

 millions. Large orders were then sent to Europe for all kinds of war- 

 engines, while the armories of the country worked with an activity be- 

 fore unknown. The Emperor himself manifested indefatigable energy; 

 he visited every day arsenals, workshops, dock-yards, fortresses, war- 

 vessels, military schools, and everywhere exhibited knowledge which 

 astonished even specialists. All these efforts were crowned with bril- 

 liant success, as we shall see. But first we would mention that about 

 the middle of 1863 the conservative party was obliged to give way be- 

 fore the liberal party, which came into power by the elections following 

 the dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies, in which the conservative 

 majority had become doubtful. , 



VIIL 



In April, 1863, occurred in the republic of Uruguay, adjoining Brazil, 

 a revolution, at the head of which was General Flores. The govern- 

 ment of Uruguay could not subdue the insurgents for want of men and 

 money, and had, like its predecessors, recourse to violent incursions 

 upon the property of the Brazilians living on the frontiers of the re- 

 public, taking from them especially their herds of sheep and cattle. 

 Under these circumstances many subjects of the empire were maltreated 

 and even forced to enroll under the flag of the republic. 



The government of the Emperor remonstrated with the government 

 of Uruguay, but the President of the republic, (Aguirre,) while feigning 

 a desire to do justice to the complaints of the empire, for which he held 

 his subaltern agents responsible, in reality endeavored to supi)ort the 

 republic of Paraguay. 



This republic was at that time governed by Lopez II, who was a re* 



