Brooks: Diplomacy and the Borderlnds 125

ability, and said that he supposed that Spain must be satisfied with
only the effort to conciliate. The value of that, he noted, must de-
pend on the influence, character, and aptitude of Hyde de Neu-
ville."
 An interesting proposal appeared later in the winter, when
Pizarro wrote Fernin Nufiez to ask for further French co6pera-
tion. He relayed the opinion of Onis that Hyde de Neuville's in-
structions had not been sufficiently amplified to make him of great
use to Spain." Accordingly the ambassador was instructed to offer
to France the Spanish portion of Santo Domingo in exchange for
assistance "adequate to the great object and intentions" of Ferdi-
nand. The proposition was to be made confidentially, and as an
idea originating with Fernmn Nfiiez to which he thought his gov-
ernment might accede.
 It is hardly surprising to find that the French agent who was
 assigned to confer with Fernan Nfeiez rejected the possible acquisi-
 tion of unstable, war-torn Santo Domingo, saying that it would
 be a liability rather than an asset. He suggested an alternative,
 according to Fernfn Nfilez, who reported that
 if we could eede them Puerto Rico, the question would be aged ... and for
 that acquisition they would give us ahips of war ... and four or vie thousand
 men... to be sent with our offers wherever we wished ...

 That sly French counterplan, however, did not fit in with the
 prevailing Spanish program, which was to cede useless lands the
 better to protect other territory which was of value. Puerto Rico
 was not to be relinquished for many decades.
 Onis was growing more and more disgusted because of the lack
 of effective support from the French minister. Although Onis'
 diatribes were chiefly directed at the French government, it was
 apparent that the close understanding which had prevailed be-
 tween Onis and Hyde de Neuville was gradually disappearing. In
 1817, at least two incidents had evidenced their accord. The first
 was a complex and rather amusing debate among the diplomatic
 corps over their order of procession at Monroe's inauguration. In
 preliminary discussions Onis had claimed the right to head the
 diplomatic corps, and the French minister had argued in his favor.
 Bagot and others denied Onis' seniority on the ground that his
 residence should be counted only from his recognition as minister,