116 



PERU. 



cautious and skilful general on land, and blockad- 

 ed by an enterprising commander at sea. 



To add to the unhappiness of this ill-fated city, 

 many of those men from whose steady and sincere 

 support much might have been expected, were 

 wasting their time in useless reproaches and recri- 

 minations. Two years antecedent to this period, 

 when an attack from Chili was first seriously ap- 

 prehended, it had been suggested by some clear- 

 sighted individuals, that the trade of Lima should 

 be thrown open ; whereby the treasury, filled by 

 the increased receipts of the customs, would be 

 able to meet the expences of a defensive war. As 

 these very persons were amongst the number who 

 derived the greatest benefit from the existing mo- 

 nopoly, it was much to the credit of their sagacity, 

 that they foresaw more ample personal profits from 

 a fair competition, than from their portion of mo- 

 nopoly. Simple and effectual as the above pro- 

 posal seemed, as far as the immediate security of 

 the state was concerned, the local authorities he- 

 sitated to adopt it without licence from Spain : 

 every one acquainted with the subject foresaw the 

 issue of an appeal to that quarter, on a question of 



