The latter measure would certainly have been attended with additional loss, and the wounded and prisoners of the late affair, as well as the 71st regiment, in all 4000 men, lost for ever to Great Britain. In return for which I should have possessed but a nominal command at _Monte Video_, a post which can never be considered of any advantage whilst the capital of the province and the great entrepôt of commerce remained in the hands of the enemy. I determined, therefore, to accede to this treaty, by which I shall be enabled to bring off my own army almost entire, and recover the 71st regiment, a point which my instructions has taught me to consider as of the first importance; and I shall evacuate a province which the force I was authorised to calculate upon could never maintain, and which, from the very hostile disposition of its inhabitants, was in truth not worth maintaining. I shall dispose of the army in the manner pointed out in my instructions, the particulars of which I shall detail to you from _Monte Video_, by another man-of-war that will sail from thence with duplicates of these despatches. Trusting that the conduct I have pursued in this difficult situation may meet with the gracious approval of his Majesty,--I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) JOHN WHITELOCKE, Lieutenant-General. This will be delivered to you by Lieutenant-Colonel Bourke, to whom, as well as Sir Samuel Achmuty, I refer you for further particulars. (A true copy) E. COOKE. Right Honourable William Windham, &c. &c. &c. TREATY. A Definitive Treaty between the Generals in Chief of his Brittanic Majesty and of his Catholic Majesty, as per the following articles: 1st. There shall be, from this time, a cessation of hostilities on both sides of the river _Plate_. 2d. The troops of his Brittanic Majesty shall retain, for the period of two months, the fortress and place of _Monte Video_; and, as a neutral country: there shall be considered a line drawn from _San Carlos_ on the west, to _Pando_ on the east, and there shall not be on any part of that line hostilities committed on any side, the neutrality being understood, only that the individuals of both nations may live freely under their respective laws--the Spanish subjects being judged by theirs, as the English by those of their nation. 3d. There shall be on both sides a mutual restitution of prisoners, including not only those which have been taken since the arrival of the troops under Lieutenant-General Whitelocke, but also all those his Britannic Majesty’s subjects captured in South America since the commencement of the war.