SOUTH AMERICA. 



251 



The siege was carried on with success; the Buenos 

 Ayreans having become possessed of the mines of Po- 

 tosi, were enabled to make a considerable effort. They 

 fitted out a squadron under the command of an En- 

 glishman of the name of Brown^ and sent consider- 

 able reinforcements to Alvear. Brown, after a well- 

 fought action, captured the Spanish squadron before 

 Monte Video; which place, being closely invested by 

 land and water, surrendered to Alvear, in June, 1814, 

 Thus, after a continued siege of two years, at the ex- 

 pense of many millions of dollars, Buenos Ay res suc- 

 ceeded in capturing this important city, with four 

 thousand Spanish troops, and an immense quantity of 

 arms and munitions of war. The inhabitants were 

 called upon to establish a junta and government, si- 

 milar to that of the other provinces. The achieve- 

 ment, or rather the good fortune of Alvear, raised him 

 at once to the pinnacle of fame, with his countrymen; 

 and with that extravagance which seems to be pecu- 

 liar to republics, they set no bounds to their favor 

 and admiration. On his return to Buenos Ayres, he 

 was appointed to take the command of the army in 

 Peru; but this army, not being carried away by the 

 popular delirium, was unwilling to exchange a chief 

 in whom they had confidence, for one, for whose abil- 

 ities, they entertained no great respect. Rondeau, 

 I himself, offered to submit, but his officers and troops 

 refused. In consequence of this, Alvear was elevated 

 to the directorship, Posadas having formally re- 

 signed in January, 1815.* After the capture of 



* It has been stated that he was turned out. He may have 

 heen forced to resign; but according to the printed proceedings 

 on the occasion, in the gazette of Buenos Ayres, (in the file which 



