'officers,-I refer you to a passage in Prince Mavro'cordato's recent letter, a copy of which is enclosed in my packet sent to the Deputies. It is my intention 'to proceed by sea to Napoli di Romania as soon as I 'have arranged this business for the Greeks themselves-I mean the advance of two hundred thousand piastres for their fleet. My time here has not been entirely lost,—as you will perceive by some former documents that any ' advantage from my then proceeding to the Morea was doubtful. We have at last moved the Deputies, ́ and I have made a strong remonstrance on their divi'sions to Mavrocordato, which, I understand, was for'warded by the Legislative to the Prince. With a loan they may do much, which is all that I, for parti'cular reasons, can say on the subject. I regret to hear from Colonel Stanhope that the 'Committee have exhausted their funds. Is it sup'posed that a brigade can be formed without them? for that three thousand pounds would be sufficient? It is true that money will go farther in Greece than in most countries; but the regular force must be ren'dered a national concern, and paid from a national 'fund; and neither individuals nor committees, at 'least with the usual means of such as now exist, will find the experiment practicable. 'I beg once more to recommend my friend, Mr. 'Hamilton Browne, to whom I have also personal obligations for his exertions in the common cause, and ' have the honour to be Yours very truly.'. His remonstrance to Prince Mavrocordato, here mentioned, was accompanied by another, addressed to the existing Government; and Colonel Stanhope, who was about to proceed to Napoli and Argos, was made the bearer of both. The wise and noble spirit that pervades these two papers must, of itself, without any further comment, be appreciated by all readers*. LETTER 526. TO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT OF GREECE. 'Cephalonia, November 30th, 1823. The affair of the Loan, the expectations so long ' and vainly indulged of the arrival of the Greek fleet, and the danger to which Missolonghi is still exposed, 'have detained me here, and will still detain me till 'some of them are removed. But when the money 'shall be advanced for the fleet, I will start for the 'Morea, not knowing, however, of what use my presence can be in the present state of things. We have heard some rumours of new dissensions, nay, of 'the existence of a civil war. With all my heart I pray that these reports may be false or exaggerated, 'for I can imagine no calamity more serious than this; and I must frankly confess, that unless union ' and order are established, all hopes of a Loan will be 'vain; and all the assistance which the Greeks could expect from abroad-an assistance neither trifling nor worthless-will be suspended or destroyed; and, 'what is worse, the great powers of Europe, of whom no one was an enemy to Greece, but seemed to 'favour her establishment of an independent power, will be persuaded that the Grecks are unable to ⚫ govern themselves, and will, perhaps, themselves ' undertake to settle your disorders in such a way as *The originals of both are in Italian. 'to blast the brightest hopes of yourselves and of your 'friends. 'Allow me to add, once for all,-I desire the well'being of Greece, and nothing else; I will do all I can 'to secure it; but I cannot consent, I never will consent, that the English public, or English individuals, 'should be deceived as to the real state of Greek ' affairs. The rest, Gentlemen, depends on you. You have fought gloriously;-act honourably to'wards your fellow-citizens and the world, and it will then no more be said, as has been repeated for two 'thousand years with the Roman historians, that Philopomen was the last of the Grecians. Let not calumny itself (and it is difficult, I own, to guard against it in so arduous a struggle) compare the patriot Greek, when resting from his labours, to the Turkish pacha, whom his victories have exterminated. 'I pray you to accept to accept these my sentiments as a sincere proof of my attachment to your real interests, ' and to believe that I am, and always shall be, 6 'Yours, &c.' LETTER 527. TO PRINCE MAVROCORDATO. • Prince, · Cephalonia, 2d Dec. 1823. The present will be put into your hands by 'Colonel Stanhope, son of Major-General the Earl of Harrington, &c. &c. He has arrived from London in fifty days, after having visited all the Committees ' of Germany. He is charged by our Committee to act in concert with me for the liberation of Greece; 'I conceive that his name and his mission will be a 'sufficient recommendation, without the necessity of any other from a foreigner, although one who, in 'common with all Europe, respects and admires the courage, the talents, and, above all, the probity of 'Prince Mavrocordato. I am very uneasy at hearing that the dissensions ' of Greece still continue, and at a moment when she might triumph over everything in general, as she as already triumphed in part. Greece is, at present, 'placed between three measures: either to reconquer her liberty, to become a dependence of the sove' reigns of Europe, or to return to a Turkish province. 'She has the choice only of these three alternatives. 'Civil war is but a road which leads to the two latter. 'If she is desirous of the fate of Walachia and the Crimea, she may obtain it to-morrow; if of that of Italy, the day after; but if she wishes to become 'truly Greece, free and independent, she must resolve 'to-day, or she will never again have the opportunity. I am, with all respect, 'Your Highness's obedient servant, 'N. B. 'P.S. Your Highness will already have known that 'I have sought to fulfil the wishes of the Greek government, as much as it lay in my power to do so: 'but I should wish that the fleet so long and so vainly 'expected were arrived, or, at least, that it were on 'the way; and especially that your Highness should approach these parts, either on board the fleet, with a public mission, or in some other manner.' LETTER 528. TO MR. BOWRING. 10bre 7th, 1823. I confirm the above*; it is certainly my opinion * He here alludes to a letter, forwarded with his own, from Mr. Millingen, who was about to join, in his medical capacity, the Suliotes, near 'that Mr. Millingen is entitled to the same salary ، with Mr. Tindall, and his service is likely to be ' harder. 'I have written to you (as to Mr. Hobhouse for your perusal) by various opportunities, mostly private; also by the Deputies, and by Mr. Hamilton ، Browne. ، ، The public success of the Greeks has been considerable,-Corinth taken, Missolonghi nearly safe, and some ships in the Archipelago taken from the Turks; but there is not only dissension in the Morea, but civil war, by the latest accounts*; to what extent we do not yet know, but hope trifling. For six weeks I have been expecting the fleet, 'which has not arrived, though I have, at the request ' of the Greek Government, advanced-that is, prepared, and have in hand two hundred thousand piastres (deducting the commission and bankers' charges) of my own monies to forward their projects. The Suliotes (now in Acarnania) are very anxious that I should take them under my directions, and go ، over and put things to rights in the Morea, which, Patras, and requested of the Committee an increase of pay. This gentleman, having mentioned in his letter 'that the retreat of the Turks from before Missolonghi had rendered unnecessary the appearance of the 'Greek fleet, Lord Byron, in a note on this passage, says, By the special providence of the Deity, the Mussulmans were seized with a panic, ، and fled; but no thanks to the fleet, which ought to have been here ، months ago, and has no excuse to the contrary, lately-at least since I ، had the money ready to pay.' . On another passage, in which Mr. Millingen complains that his hope of any remuneration from the Greeks has turned out perfectly chimerical,' Lord Byron remarks, in a note, and will do so, till they obtain a Loan. They have not a rap, nor credit (in the islands) to raise one. ، A medical man may succeed better than others; but all these penni'less officers had better have stayed at home. Much money may not be required, but some must.' *The Legislative and Executive bodies having been for some time at variance, the latter had at length resorted to violence, and some skirmishes had already taken place between the factions. |