Why did Porter burn Hector?

Why did Porter burn the captured vessel Hector in Valparaíso?

He could not crew or remove the prize and did not want Britain or Chile to take it, although handing it to the Chilean authorities would have avoided the destructive diplomatic result.

The blockade left Porter unable to sail Hector away or spare a crew for her. Burning the vessel ensured that neither the British nor the Chileans would receive it. Transferring the prize to Chile would have been the strategically sensible alternative because Essex still depended on Chilean protection and supplies. The choice instead resembled an impulsive refusal to let anyone else possess the ship. Its diplomatic cost greatly exceeded the limited value Porter denied his enemies.