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 Miranda and tlic British Admiralty 509 of 1780, and, according to John Adams,' in the Crisc dc I' Europe of 1783. Indeed, our readers may remember that it was intcHi- gently expounded in a private memorial as early as June, 1741.- It was a thought to kindle the imagination, especially in times when the wealth of Spanish America was greatly exaggerated, and when the North American Revolution was fresh in mind. Miranda laid it before Pitt in 1790, at the time of the Nootka Sound difficult) . In 1804 it was definitely resolved upon, and Sir Home Popham was selected to command an expedition intended to execute it.'' Mel- ville, who had already examined the subject closely in 1796, con- ferred with Miranda. In October, Popham, in private conference with Pitt and Melville at Wimbledon, " remained the whole evening explaining all General Miranda's views," and was charged to see him again and "to draw up a specific memorial on that subject, and to explain the readiest way of embracing all the views which Gen- eral Miranda had from time to time submitted to the government." * The memorial thus prepared is that now printed. When Popham, having in 1806 conquered the Cape of Good Hope and ultimately failed at Buenos Ayres, was tried in 1807 by a naval court-martial for having attempted the latter expedition without orders, he laid this memoir before the court for inspection as a part of the evidence in his justification, but on grounds of public policy submitted that it should not be read ; and it was neither read aloud nor printed.'' I. Memorandum by Captain Sir Home Popham.' Sunday Oct 14'!' 1804 After the conference at Wimbledon ' on Friday Night on the subject of South America, and the desire of Lord Melville * to have an interview with General Miranda on Tuesday, I thought it right to see the General for the purpose of obtaining such information as would enable me to state, in the concisest terms possible, the birth and education of General Mi- randa and his pursuits subsequent to his quiting the Spanish service, with ' Diplomalu Correspondence of 1783-1781}, V. 1 23. 2 American Historical Review, IV. 325-328. = Report of his trial, p. 36. 'Testimony of Melville, ibid., pp. 154-157. ^ /bid., pp. ny, 219. .See also Theal's Records of Cape Colony, V. 389-397. 'Admirals' Despatches, Cape of Good Hope, Vol. 5. Enclosure in Popham's de- spatch of April 30, 1806, from St. Helena to the Secretary of the Admiralty, which is printed in the Report of the Trial of Sir Home Popham, Ixjndon, 1807, Appendix, Note B. Home Popham (i 762-1820), afterward rear-admiral, was at this time commanding the Antelope, 50, on the Downs station. 'Conference with Pitt and Dundas. The latter's country residence was at Wimble- don, and near the house on Putney Heath which Pitt at this time occupied. ' Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville, first lord of the admiralty and an intimate friend of Pitt.