APPENDIX IV. 



EXTRACTS 



FROM THE 



Cotrespondence printed in the Government Gazette of Chile, Feb. 2Mh, 1821, 



BETWEEN 



THE BRITISH COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, AND ZENTENO, THE CHILIAN 



MINISTER OF MARINE, 



ON THE SUBJECT OF THE BLOCKADE OF THE PORTS OF PERU. 



* 



Ihe British Commander's letter is dated Buenos Ayres, September 7 th, 1820. 

 // begins by mentioning the news of blockade transmitted by Captain Searle. 

 It goes on to say — 



" The British government knows very well that a blockade is not illegal on 

 account of its mere extension ; but the illegality depends, according to the 

 law of nations, on the adequacy of the blockading force to maintain the 

 ports and coasts it pretends to blockade in so constant a state of blockade, 

 that no ship may enter or sail without eminent peril of being detained ; that 

 if the force be inadequate to maintain the blockade generally, that is to say, 

 in all its parts, it becomes null and of no effect ; and the blockading ships may 

 not form it partially where they may chance to find themselves, as I have 

 pointed out in the instructions given to Captain Searle, and of which a copy 

 was sent to Your Excellency. 



" In consequence of the neutrality which His Britannic Majesty wishes to 

 observe between the contending parties in South America, His Majesty's 

 subjects have been allowed to establish friendly correspondences with the 

 people of Chile : nor can I resist the right which the government of Chile 

 has to establish and maintain blockades, on the footing that other belligerents 

 establish and maintain them consistently with the principles acknowledged 

 by the law of nations. But it is clear, that if the state of Chile claims the 

 exercise of this right, it must submit to exercise it within the limits, and 

 subject to the restrictions, imposed by political rights. 



