All these things tended to prepare the mind of the English capitalist. But a further temptation was offered. The revenues of the kingdom were portrayed in glowing colors. It was said that Don Miguel could, but would not, pay the interest of the existing debt, and that Don Pedro could and would. The scheme proved thoroughly successful. The note of expectation being thus sounded, a band of men was engaged, vessels were hired, and, with the aid of English money, English men, and English ships, Oporto was taken. The public mind was now ripe for a loan. The success was magnified, the achievement enlarged on, and £800,000 were demanded on the security of some port-wine. The money was lent; Don Miguel fled to Rome; and the young queen was installed in his place. A further loan of two millions followed; the interest was difficult to pay, the dividends were capitalized, and great excitement pervaded the Stock Exchange at the rumors which were currently circulated. But another important movement was going on in connection with loans to Spain. The principal powers of Europe had agreed that Spain and Portugal should assist each other in the expulsion from their respective territories of Don Carlos and Don Miguel, and that the other courts should assist the belligerent parties. From this treaty arose an auxiliary force raised in England to assist the youthful queen of Spain, and “The British Legion” is yet named with derision. From the courts and from the alleys of St. Giles’s, from the town jail and from the rural workhouse, came half-clad, wretched, and miserable beings, who preferred being shot to being starved. Efforts to gain commissions were made by as motley a crew. Youths from the counting-house and from the shop were assiduous in endeavouring to attain them. Gentlemen with small incomes and no knowledge of war put forward their pretensions; and the officers were, in their way, a match for the men. With all these disadvantages, the legion secured the success of the cause for which it fought; and, after a series of battles, Don Carlos was compelled to fly from the territory. A loan of course became advisable; and, although the interest on the previous debt could not be paid, it was proposed to advance an additional four millions. It need scarcely be said that, to procure this, promises were as plentiful as ever. The property of the Church was to be confiscated, and the Church itself to be upset, rather than not remunerate the bondholder. By means of deferred stocks, active stocks, and passive stocks, bargains were concluded, and, for a time, all was excitement in the foreign market. Every kind of security became sought for; however worthless, it had a price; however valueless, it found a buyer; and the debts of states which had never paid one dividend, which were scarcely in existence, and which had not any revenue, advanced 100 per cent.