XVI

PREFACE

o btained only f r o m Spanish sources; and this opinion i s r eenforced by the fact that the longitude i n one case i s r eckoned f r o m Cadiz. O n the whole, these d ocuments, the authenticity of w h i c h is indubitable, f o r m a s trong l ink i n the chain of evidence. T h e correspondence of A n t h o n y M e r r y , mentioned a bove, w i t h whom B u r r , w hile yet Vice-President, o pened his intrigue, has been carefully examined. I had h oped also to find i n the B r i t i s h A r c h i v e s t races o f M e r r y ' s c orrespondence w i t h B u r r i n 1808, but m y Transcripts e ndeavors and the efforts of M r . H u b e r t H a l l o f the P ublic R ecord Office w ere w ithout result. o f Y r u j o ' s correspondence w i t h his home Government c oncerning B u r r ' s disclosures to h i m h ave been deposited by M r . Adams i n the State Department A rchives at Washington, and students ought to appreciate such a display of good w i l l a nd scholarly spirit. T h e reports of M e r r y and Y r u j o reveal an astonishi n g a udacity of design on the part of the conspirators. W h i l e t hey failed i n their m a i n purpose of obtaining needed moneys from K i n g G eorge and D o n Carlos, t hey succeeded in h o o d w i n k i n g both M e r r y and Y r u j o . H ere, as indicated above, there arises between M r . A d a m s and myself a diversity of opinion w h i c h only s erves t o illustrate what different conclusions may be d rawn f r o m the same materials, taken i n conjunction w i t h a dditional facts. I n this connection it is a pleasure t o say that, while I h ave o ften had c ause t o disagree w i t h M r . A d a m s , he has been of inestimable service to