Captain Parry’s plan for placing the fortress of Missolonghi and the harbour in a state of efficient defence.—To effect this object, Captain Parry requires that the Prince Mavrocordato shall place 1,000 dollars at his disposal, also a sufficient quantity of wood.

Artificers.—Captain Parry will then take into pay a corps of Sappers, Miners and Cannoniers; this shall consist of a quarter-master, four overseers or sergeants,

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and fifty workmen, chiefly sailors, and these men shall be employed in the laboratory and constructing the fortifications, &c. The quarter-masters to receive five dollars, the sergeants four dollars, and the men three dollars each per month, with rations.

Fortifications.—Captain Parry will place the fortifications in a state of defence. He will make a traverse on every battery, and will place an ammunition-chest under each of them, which shall contain 100 rounds of powder in cartridges for each gun, wads, &c. He will put all the guns and platforms in repair, and furnish rammers, head-spunges, wood-hooks, and muzzle-caps for the guns.

Gun-boats.—Captain Parry will fit up four gun-boats, the materials being furnished. He will make carronade slides on them, arrange them for oars, and make a grate in one of them for heating shot.

Laboratory.—Captain Parry will also complete the Laboratory, and render it fit for manufacturing the ammunitions and materials of war.

Powder-magazine.—Wood being found, Captain Parry will construct a safe powder-magazine.

All these measures, Captain Parry undertakes to effect at the trifling expense of 1,000 dollars.

Memorandum.—Lord Noel Byron was to pay the extra expense, could the government have come forward; the extra expense would have been about 3,000 dollars.

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The following was the reply to the offer.

Missolonghi, 4-16 Février, 1824.

Barques Canonieres.—Le gouvernement désire con-

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naitre la quantite et la qualite du bois necessaire pour la construction de ces barques. En attendant, il peut mettre a la disposition de Monsieur le Capitaine Parry le corps d’un trabacle, et de quelque autres barques, si Monsieur le Capitaine Parry croit pouvoir en tirer quelque parti.

Reply to the plan presented this day by Captain Parry, relative to the fortification of the town and harbour of Missolonghi.

The sum of 1000 dollars shall be given to Captain Parry, one-third part of it to be paid to him on the day he fixes for commencing the work, which must be at the latest four days from this date. The other two-thirds shall be paid to him, one on the fourteenth, and the other on the twenty-first day from this date.

As to the wood necessary for the work, Captain Parry should give in an estimate of the quantity and quality of the wood he will require. In the mean time, as there are some large oak trees at a small distance from the town, Captain Parry may make what use of them he thinks proper.

Workmen.—Captain Parry may form a company of sappers, miners, and gunners, by making such a choice as he thinks fit; but as the government supposes the persons composing this company may demand larger pay than that mentioned in the plan, it promises to pay them.

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Fortifications.—The government consents to every thing stated in the plan of Captain Parry as to the fortifications. It confides in his talents for the execution and solidity of the work.

Gun-boats.—The government wishes to know what quantity and quality of wood are necessary to construct gun-boats. In the mean time, it can place at Captain Parry’s disposal, the hull of a Trabacle and of some other boats, if Captain Parry supposes he can make any use of them.

Laboratory and Magazine.—On these two points also, the government consents fully to Captain Parry’s proposals.

1st. His Lordship would pay every expense of his artillery corps, and raise his brigade up to 500 effective

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men, exclusive of officers, commissary and laboratory corps.

5th. That in consideration of such assistance, the Greek government to attach 1,500 effective men and officers to Lord Byron’s brigade, the expense to be paid by the Greek government; which would raise his Lordship’s force to 2,000 effective men, exclusive of officers, commissary and laboratory corps, and crews of the fire-vessels; and that the brigade, with every material of war, should be ready to march by the 7th day of May for a particular service.

To carry this plan into execution, the following sums were to be placed at my disposal, subject to Lord Byron’s inspection, which he thought would be sufficient to pay the expense of the brigade the ensuing campaign; viz.:—

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You will find enclosed extracts from an intercepted letter of Yousouf Pacha, and from another which General Scaltza has just addressed to me. You will there see the imminence of the danger if the plan of the enemy is not paralyzed, and I see no other expedient than the fitting out our fleet as speedily as possible to meet that of Egypt, which may be attacked with so much the more advantage, as it will have to protect more than two hundred transports. The naval expedition once paralyzed, there will be no longer any thing to fear from the land-expeditions, and the whole of the enemy’s plan for the campaign will be overthrown. But to fit out the fleet, money will be wanting: will it be granted? Let it be reserved for a better occasion. General Scaltza asks assistance: how is it to be sent him? Can I determine the Suliots? Ah! could I have done so, they should not now have been in these unfortunate towns, exacting what we cannot procure them, and threatening the little that remains of Western Greece with total destruction. But what matters it to me whether these two towns, which

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have already twice served as bulwarks to the Peloponnessus, and even to the whole of Greece, fall under the vengeance of the Suliotes or of the Pacha of Scoudra? It is all one.

Ammunition is demanded on all sides, and I have not even a thousand pounds of lead. We owe you an infinite deal of gratitude for the powder which you have procured for us by means of your guarantee. Without that, we should have been equally in want of it also. I know not what difficulties it has been wished even now to raise, with respect to the employment of the money destined for the repairs of the fortifications, and placed by Count Gamba in the charge of a commission. This money, they say, belongs to the committee, and, in pursuance of an order of Colonel Stanhope, cannot be made use of until the arrival of Mr. Gordon. I have not yet had time to inform myself well upon the subject; but this would be very extraordinary, as I think I am sure that this money belongs to his Lordship, and that it was by himself that it was destined to that purpose. Moreover, the Colonel says nothing to me about it in his letter, of which I send you a copy, and on which you will undoubtedly permit me to make some observations to you, which I reserve to myself to make also to him, in an answer which will be addressed to him in London, as I am assured that he was to quit Zante the day before yesterday.

The Colonel desires me to deliver to Mr. Trelawny three cannons and a howitzer, the only one in the place, together with the necessary ammunition, for General Ulysses. I foresee that I shall meet with many difficulties on the part of the people, who, seeing this town threatened by land and sea, and knowing the great need

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that there is of cannon, and the almost total want of ammunition, will not undoubtedly see with indifference all these objects carried away from hence, while it was already in agitation to place these cannon at Procopanistos, and on the batteries of the wings. I will, nevertheless, do all in my power to prevent a tumult on their part; but Mr. Trelawny has also wished to carry off, in the first place, the whole brigade of artillery, by engaging the officers and soldiers belonging to it unknown to me; which, having obliged me to recal these brave men to their duty, he has since come to ask my permission to take with him a part of the brigade. This would be uselessly to divide a corps, which, instead of being thus weakened, ought, on the contrary, to be increased, in order to fulfil the object for which it was created.

I pass on to the last paragraph, the principal object, as I believe, of the letter of the Colonel; I have nothing to appropriate to myself of all that he writes. If he is attached to our constitution, I think that he, whose boast it is to have contributed to its formation, ought to be much more so than any other. I know (and I have even all the documents in my hands) that M. Negri addressed, more than eighteen months ago, circulars in favour of a monarchical government, of which the ex-King of Westphalia, Jerome, was to be the head, and I also know that I was the first to combat his opinion. Should this M. Negri be the bad man of Colonel Stanhope? I know positively also, that under the shadow of the constitution, several Captains do that which the greatest despots in the world would not, perhaps, do; that they break legs and arms, and leave in this state of the most dreadful torture, innocent men to perish; that they kill, that they hang, that they destroy men without previous trial; that

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they allow themselves all sorts of vexations; that they revolt; that they even betray their country. Should these be the Colonel’s good men*? These latter I have always opposed, even at the peril of my life; but I have always respected and maintained the constitution, the constitution in its strength and activity, and the Colonel appears only to be running after its shadow. All that I say to you, my dear friend, I will not hesitate to say before the whole world.

Mr. Trelawny thinks it necessary that you should go to Hydra, and I think it more necessary to send money thither, that the fleet may be immediately fitted out. My opinion is, that you should either remain at Zante until the arrival of Mr. Gordon, or come hither and proceed to the seat of government. I have just learned that Mr. Trelawny is quite enraged against me, perhaps on account of the brigade. I laugh at his rage. This conduct, on the part of these gentlemen, is well worthy of the love of liberty of which they wish to make their boast. Can there be a more cruel despotism than that of a foreigner, who, without any right whatever, wishes to command, without the least regard to the existing laws? My God! does the first comer think then that he can tread us under his feet, or are we thought capable of being led by the nose by the first intriguer? Have we shaken off the Ottoman yoke, only to fall beneath another? Oh, no! It has been said that I have sold Greece

* In another place, Zaime, a great primate, tells Colonel Stanhope, “that the Captains had driven the people mad;” and yet, these are the men Colonel Stanhope and the Greek committee support. The Colonel even said, “that robbery and murder in war were considered justifiable, and that it was by these means the Captains had kept up a marshal spirit in the nation,” p. 203.

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to England. Greece still exists, and those who were the bearers of my letters to England know well what they contained, and whether I have sold my country. I believe that I have been of service to her; it was my duty. It is now said that I wish for a despot; no, it is just because I do not want one that I am accused. I wish that the laws may reign, and that they may not be at the discretion of a hundred despots who trample them under foot. I have always given, and I am still the first to give, an example of obedience; but if Greece is fated to fall at the feet of a military despotism, of a hydra, not with seven, but with a hundred heads, I will neither be the blind instrument, nor the very humble servant of these new tyrants. Adieu, my dear friend; I hope soon to see you; do all that you can to assist my unhappy country in this critical moment; provide for the fitting out of the fleet, and, if possible, make useful the corps of Suliotes, who are not only useless here, but who even menace us with an intestine war. Accept the assurance of my devotion. You may make whatever use you may think proper of my letter.

A mon arrivée d’Anatolico hier, Mr. Basili m’a remis la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire en date du 7. J’espere que celle que je vous ai addressé, il y a trois jours d’Anatolico, vous est ex-

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actement parvenue, et que vous y avez vû tout ce que je dois souffrir ici. Vous savez tres bien M. Le Comte, quelle etoit notre situation plusieurs jours même avant la mort de My Lord, avec quelles conditions nous avions pris des provisions de plusieurs sujets Ioniennes, et quel etoit mon embarras lorsque je me suis vû oblgé de refuser les payements à l’échéance des termes. Depuis lors je ne fais que recevoir protestations sur protestations de la part de ceux dout nous avons enlevé la propriété, et d’une autre coté je suis obligé de me procurer continuellement les vivres necessaires, et payer journellement les rations des Suliotes sans avoir un seul sou a ma disposition. Si du moins l’affaire des Suliotes étoit arrangé le mal n’auroit pas encore étoit si insupportable; mais chaque jour de leur presence devient pour nous une augmentation de fardeau, et notre situation est devenue non seulement critique mais irremediable. Vous verrez dans l’extrait d’une lettre du gouvernement, combien on y etoit impatient de voir arriver M. le Colonel Stanhope. Je ne saurai vous dire quel effet y aura produit la nouvelle de son depart pour Zante; mais je n’ai aucune difficulté a le prevoir. Le decouragement et l’inaction sont tout ce que l’on a à craindre de moins, et c’est cependant dans un moment ou l’ennemi paroit agir avec la plus grande energie, independemment de l’arrivèe de sa flotte a Negropont, d’ou elle pourra se promener sans obstacle partout ou elle voudra, puisque la notre n’est pas encore sortie. Nous savons positivement que l’expedition de l’Egypte est poussèe avec la plus grande activitè, et nous avons vu hier sortir du Golphe de Lepante toute la flotte qui s’y trouvoit, et qui, d’après le rapport d’un bateau arrivé ce soir des chateaux, doit se rendre à Alexandrie pour revenir en compagnie de la même ex-

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pedition. Des lettres de Palamos nous apprennent aussi qu’Omer Pacha est arrivé a Jannina, et que le Pacha de Scoudra traversoit l’Albanie pour se rendre a Berat, d’ou immediatement après les fêtes du Bairam, il devoit se diriger sur l’Acarnanie et l’Œtolie. Supposez donc quel est mon embarras n’ayant pas les moyens de faire ce que je dois pour assurer la defense du pays qui manque en même tems de provisions et de munitions de guerre. Nous n’avons surtout presque point de plomb et tres peu de poudre. Je fais continuer les reparations des fortifications de cette ville avec la plus grande activité possible, les cent tallaris que My Lord a destiné à la fortification d’Anatolico y sont egalement employé; mais les deux chateaux si nécessaires a la defense de cette ville ne peuvent pas même etre entamés, et elle sera de nouveau exposée si l’ennemi arrive jusque’ à non portes: telle est notre situation. En attendant, l’argent qui vient d’arriver n’est pas encore mis à la disposition du Gouvernement; je vois des entraves ou des projets d’entraves partout, tandis qu’il etoit non seulement necessaire, mais urgent, d’utilizer cet argent le plutot possible, en le partageant entre les depenses de la flotte et celle des armées qui marcheroient en avant du coté de terre, aprés en avoir destiné une partie pour l’achât des provisions et des munitions nécessaires, et une autre pour la reparation des fortifications d’Athênes, de Missolonghi et d’Anatolico. Je n’attribue le retard de la ratification de l’emprunt, qu’ à l’espoir que le gouvernement avoit de voir bientot près de lui M. le Colonel Stanhope, qui aurait bien mieux fait de prendre cette direction, que de se rendre a Zante, où se trouvant separé de M. Condurriotti, il ne peut que rester inactif dans des momens si critiques. Tout affligé que je suis de cet ètát de

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choses, je ne manquerai pas de faire mon devoir autant qu’ il m’est permis de le faire; mais si les Souliotes, désesperant d’avoir leux solde, entreprennent de faire ce qu’ avec la plus grande peine du monde nous avons pu empecher jusque’ à present, alors, je vous le declare franchement, mon cher M. le Comte, il ne me reste ni espoir ni moyen de faire mon devoir. N’etant pas en etat d’empecher le mal et n’ayant pas pu le prevenir ma conscience sera toujours libre; mais le mal se fera, et il sera irrémédiable. Si vous etes en etat de contribuer à ce que nous prevenions ce danger, faites tout ce qu’il dependra de vous; je vous prie surtout de vouloir bien donner communication de la présente a M. Blaquiere, à qui jen’ai que le tems d’ecrire deux mots, la barque devant partir immediatement. Si on peut obtenir quelques secours pour les fortifications, je trouve absolument necessaire la presence de M. Parry. Il ne sera pas moins necessaire de garder, d’agumenter même s’il est possible, la brigade d’artillerie; mais avec quels moyens, mon Dieu, pourrons nous le faire? nous manquons absolument de tout. Faites agreer mes respects a tous nos amis, et agreez pour vous l’assurance de mon estime et de ma consideration distinguée,

On my arrival yesterday from Anatolica, Mr. Basili put into my hands the letter which you did me the honour to write on the 7th. I hope that the one which I sent to you three days ago from Anatolica has

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reached you; and that you will have seen by it what I have to bear here. You know very well what was our situation several days before the death of Lord Byron, under what conditions we had taken provisions from several Ionian subjects, and what was my embarrassment when I saw myself obliged to refuse the payments at the term promised. From that time I have continually received protestation after protestation from those whose property we carried away. On the other hand I have been obliged to provide the daily supplies, and to pay the Suliotes daily, without having a single sou at my disposal. If the business with the Suliotes had been arranged, the evil would not have been so insupportable, but every day while they remain is for us an augmentation of our difficulties, and our situation has become not only critical but irremediable. You will see by the extract from the letter of the government, how impatient they were for Colonel Stanhope’s arrival. I cannot describe to you what effect the news of his departure for Zante will have had there; but I have no difficulty in foreseeing it. The discouragement and inaction, are what are to be least feared, and this happens at the very moment when the enemy appears disposed to act with the greatest energy, independent of the arrival of the fleet at Negropont, whence it may go wherever it pleases, without any obstacle, for our fleet is not yet got out of harbour. We know positively that the expedition from Egypt is hurried forward with the greatest activity, and yesterday we saw the whole fleet which was in the gulf of Lepanto come out, and according to the report brought by a vessel arrived this evening, is going to Alexandria, to return with the expedition from that place. Letters from Calamos say also that Omar Pasha

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has arrived at Janina, and the Pasha of Scoudra is now traversing Albania, to reach Barat, whence he is to proceed into Arcarnania and Etolia, immediately after the feast of Bairam. You may judge, then, of my embarrassment, not having the means of doing what is necessary for the defence of the country, which is in want of both provisions and ammunition. We have no lead, and very little powder. I continue the repairs of the fortifications of this town with all the activity possible. The one hundred dollars appropriated by my Lord for the fortifications of Anatolica, are employed for that purpose; but the two castles so necessary for the defence of the town cannot be even commenced with, and we shall be again exposed if the enemy reaches our gates. Such is our situation. In the mean time the money which has arrived has not been made over to the government. I see obstacles, or plans for making obstacles everywhere, while it is not only necessary but urgent to employ the money as soon as possible, appropriating it to the pay, the expense of the fleet and of the army, which is to proceed in advance by the sea coast, after appropriating a part of it to purchase provisions and necessary ammunition, and applying a portion of it to repair the fortifications of Athens, Missolonghi, and Anatolica. I can only attribute the delay in ratifying the loan to the hope which the government has of soon seeing Colonel Stanhope, who would have done much better to have gone to its seat, than to Zante, where, being separated from M. Conduriottis, he can only remain inactive at this critical moment. Afflicted as I am at this state of things, I shall not neglect to do my duty as far as lies in my power, but if the Suliotes, despairing of obtaining their pay, undertake to do what we have hitherto prevented them from

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doing with the greatest difficulty, I declare M. le Comte, that then there will remain in my power neither hopes nor means of doing my duty. Not being able to prevent the mischief, and not having had it in my power to prevent it, my conscience will be pure, but the mischief will be accomplished, and it will be irremediable. If you have it in your power to contribute any thing to ward off the danger, do what you can, I beg of you; particularly communicate this to Mr. Blaquiere, to whom I have only time to write a single word, the boat going this instant. If any assistance can be obtained for the fortifications, the presence of Mr. Parry will be necessary. It will not be less necessary to preserve and to augment if possible the brigade of artillery; but, good God! what means have we for doing it? We are destitute of every thing. I beg my respect to all our friends, &c, &c.

I wrote a short time back, and represented the conduct of the mechanics sent out, and of the difficulties experienced in carrying on the service in this country. The state of men and things are no ways mended for the better; and however the prince who commands at this place may be competent to meet the officers at the seat of government, he is by no means sufficiently active at a place like Missolonghi; although Lord Byron

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treats him with the most marked respect and kindness, not only supporting him in every way possible, but actually supplying his private pecuniary wants. And with respect to the public service preparatory to the ensuing campaign, nothing would have been done had it not been done by the enormous sacrifice in money his Lordship has supplied; and I assure you, Sir, the support given to me by his Lordship has saved the whole of the arduous service under my direction and instruction from being put a stop to. Previous to my arrival, nothing but impositions were practised, not merely by the natives, but by foreigners of every description, for no country verifies more truly the story of the prince and the basket-maker; and my Lord Byron has timely discovered the inutility of theoretical fools and designing puppies; but under all these disappointments, he seems determined to persevere, not only with his person but his purse; and I am happy to say, he is looked up to by every practical doing man with the greatest admiration and respect. Yet with all these inestimable qualities, no openness of disposition is shewn towards him, not even a clue to the state of things, and no means are left untried to defraud him. The Greeks generally are, particularly the higher order, deceitful; the country people better than the town; the poor better than the rich; the soldiery, generally, not bad; for although generally without pay, they behave well against the enemy in that sort of warfare suitable to Greece, and I have found some very willing useful men of quick ideas, whom I now employ in the arsenal, &c., and who have very naturally represented that foreigners cannot expect to be either respected or protected by the

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good well-meaning part of the people, without they possess either property or some little practical instruction and willingness, combined with industry, to shew and direct the people which way to supply the wants of the country; and I have no doubt, should Providence permit an active, intelligent, and patriotic government to be formed, Greece would soon take its place in the scale of nations, and the Greeks be a happy people. And I must observe again, that no person should come out under pretence of assisting the Greeks, excepting gentlemen of fortune, to help them in their pecuniary difficulties and distress; and by their honourable dealings, to teach integrity to the rising generation of the other classes—Real practical men and no others. Such as the officer of the navy, who can not only build the ship, but fit her out complete, and be able to fight her afterwards, acting the part of an able seaman and bold officer; as the officer of artillery, who particularly understands and is capable of shewing and instructing in the formation of every article required, and of acting the part of an able sergeant-major; and such as the officer of engineers, who is able and willing to shew the formation of every requisite, and to work himself, and not depend upon either mathematical instruments or drawings, but to adopt every want agreeably to the powers of the country. Such men would be really useful; no other should come until this country is able to maintain privileged pretenders.

Of news:—A congress of chiefs is about to be held at Salona, if possible to arrange matters, which I most fervently hope may take place, and be of service to this unhappy, afflicted country. Lord Byron is most strenuously invited to attend the congress, and his Lordship

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means to use every endeavour to form a general coalition and unanimity among the leading characters about to be present. But I hope and trust that no sinister views are in embryo, to wring unjustly his Lordship’s property, under pretence of forwarding the Greek cause. The Greek fleet is in a state of inactivity, and not very likely to take active measures, without pecuniary means are given. The Hydriot fleet are laid up, and the Spessiots nearly in the same condition: indeed I am sorry to say that in this department there seems to be no uniformity of action, but separate interests and separate views still exist.

The army, if it may be called so, is divided into separate companies, under separate captains, and acting separately, agreeable to their own ideas and means, viz. Prince Mavrocordato at Missolonghi; Ulysses at Athens; Londa at Volitze; Zaim at Calaventa; Colocotroni at Tripolitza, acting against the existing government; Jahacus at Mistra; and M. Tombassi at Candia; and however they are disunited among themselves, they unite, although acting separately, when the common enemy appears. This, combined with the stupidity of the Turks, gives some hopes for the final emancipation of Greece. Lord Byron’s auxiliary corps, of which I have the honour of being captain and inspector, I am happy to say, goes on well, although necessity, from irregular conduct and other matters, obliged the re-organization of the corps, and will be fit for actual service by the middle of April, with 300 rounds of ammunition for guns, &c.; and his Lordship intends augmenting the corps, should any chance of success appear.

I have made up some stores, gunpowder, &c. to be

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sent to General Ulysses, and I expect two officers and twelve men, Greeks, of General Londa’s troops, to instruct in artillery practice, &c. General Londa is to have two and three-pounder mountain guns, munition, &c. attached to his brigade; and I expect other captains attached to the Greek government will require as far as our means go. Iron shot are very much required here, and should the Committee send out stores, pray forward 3-po. 4-po. 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24-po., and some new pattern grape shot. (Mr. Friend has a pattern, and can supply this article), and muskets with bayonets, cartouch boxes, prickers, brushes and worms, are much wanted, for I am actually at this time obliged to purchase of the Germans muskets, swords, &c. at his Lordship’s expense; and what is most inexplicable to me is, that the German agents of the German Committee, Messrs. Delauney and Coleby, should have power to sell the clothing, &c. which came out in the brig Ann, and which articles have been purchased to clothe and accoutre Lord Byron’s auxiliary corps. Colonel Stanhope gave 100l. towards clothing the corps. I have drawn a bill upon Sig. C. Jerostatte, to the amount of 380l., the sum the mechanics, their wives, and securities in the hands of the banker, would have amounted to, had they conducted themselves properly, and remained in Greece according to the agreement made with them one year from the time of their departure from London.

Thank God, health prevails at this present time in Continental Greece, and should success attend the ensuing campaign, the real friends of Greece may look forward with pleasure for better prospects. Messrs. Hodges and Gill behave exceeding well, and are very

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useful to the service, and I have engaged a young man, a Mr. Jervis, an American, who has shared in the toils and dangers of Greece, both by sea and land, these last three years.

P.S. Lord Byron has advanced 1600 Spanish dollars on account of the draft on Sig. C. Jerostatte, which I hope and trust will be duly honoured. W. P.

Being the official representative of the late Lord Gordon Noel Byron, as respected his late Lordship’s public expenditure and intentions in Greece, and it appearing that the bill upon Signor E. Jerostatte, of Corfu, has not been paid into your hands, I request as a safety to the property remaining to be expended in the service of Greece, and for which I am responsible, that you will be pleased to write to Missolonghi, to the address of J. M. Hodges, and desire him to deliver what monies

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and the books of the accounts of the laboratory expenditure, &c., in his possession, and hand them over immediately to the charge of the Prince of Mavrocordato and Mr. George Jervis, whom I wish to place as my agents until I may return to Greece; having service of importance to transact, and to which Colonel L. Stanhope, the Acting Commissioner, would not pay any attention, although Colonel Stanhope knew that I had the full confidence and carried into execution the service of the late Lord Gordon N. Byron, First Commissioner and Colonel-in-Chief of the Auxiliary Brigade of Western Greece, my commanding officer.

I, therefore, Sir, trust your being his late Lordship’s agent for money-affairs at Zante, and I having no other means of guarantee for the safety of the remaining part of his late Lordship’s property to be expended in the public service in Greece until my return, beg your promptly given the afore-mentioned order, as I cannot any longer intrust a man who, I find, has been holding a secret correspondence with Colonel Stanhope, to the injury of the public service, by the attempt to bring into disrepute his superior officer, and, Sir, that officer myself, who acted immediately under the strict commands of the Lord G. N. Byron, First Commissioner and Colonel-in-Chief of the Auxiliary Brigade of Western Greece.

I very respectfully beg to acknowledge the receipt of your note, and have, in reply, to inform you that Count P. Gamba not being perfectly conversant in the English language must have misunderstood, as I believe I can place the most perfect reliance on the Count; I wish such matter to be properly understood.

The Count said, “Have you seen Colonel Stanhope?” “Yes, I have seen him, and asked him if any commands or orders: the answer was, Not any.” The Count said, “What do you mean to do without funds and a supply of materials,” which I fully expected to procure at this place, as the money appropriated for the pay of military, fortifications, &c., will be expended by the end of the month, and I have fully arranged every thing up to that time. I am placed in a very unpleasant situation, particularly from matters which I cannot, without a perfect security for myself, and an investigation of my conduct, take upon myself to act in any way: but this much, I will never permit any man, a subordinate, to hold correspondence to bring the service into contempt, and endeavour to prejudice falsely, when it is a well-known fact that no part of the public service was carried into effect without the orders of the First Commissioner and my Commanding Officer of the Auxiliary Brigade, the late Lord G. N. Byron, and to whom I had to look up to for every para for carrying on the public service, there being no other funds excepting his late Lordship’s

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private purse. The Prince Mavrocordato his late Lordship ordered me to pay every deference to, and to instantly comply, if possible, with every requisition the Prince might make for the public service; the Prince being Governor of Western Greece, and whose commands were to be strictly obeyed.

I have written over to Missolonghi for instructions, and my intentions are to have perfect security from the Greek government, and, if required, an investigation into my conduct, and I trust that T. Gordon, Esq. will arrive soon; and should matters be arranged to my satisfaction, I will immediately return to Greece, if not I shall proceed to England.

1st. In my letter to you, Sir, I have fully explained my reasons, and they are official, for my stop at Zante. I

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consider myself ill-used, particularly as Lord Byron is no more.

2d. The public service was at a stand, and Lord Byron said he would find funds out of his private purse sooner than the public service should be injured. I mentioned to him the sum the mechanics would forfeit should the Committee think proper: his Lordship said, make out the account, and I will advance it; but you may depend that the Committee will not pay the sum, therefore I will draw upon my agents at Zante; but, should the money be paid at a future time, it shall be placed in your hands, in addition to what I advance, and be expended in the further service of the country.

4th. The giving up of the stores to the general authority for security, &c., &c., taking the receipt of the Prince Mavrocordato, on account of the Greek government, that nothing should be purloined, which I was obliged to do in the instance of the mutiny of the troops, and removed the gunpowder from the Seraglio for its better security; and knowing that at the expiration of this month the corps in the pay of the late Lord Byron, who now guard the Seraglio, would cease to be such, and therefore every guard and security would lay with the

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government, and the order was given by me for the general benefit of the service and security of the property.

N.B. I have followed the instructions strictly of the late Lord N. Byron, and approved of by the Prince Mavrocordato.

I have not risked to confide much to the paper, nor can I do so before, Sir, you’ll please to honour me with your answer. Count Gamba has, before quitting the place, formed several Commissions, into whose hands the principal affairs have been confided. Those named by you, Sir, have been approved of in form; all are under the inspection of the Prince. The most exact calculations have been made by me; the sums for the several departments have been delivered to the Deposito Com-

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mission, the three members of which are Messrs. Hodges, Jarvis, and Stetzelberger.

The Department of the Laboratory to Mr. Hodges.

The Committee Affairs have been consigned to Messrs. Hodges and Gill.

The Command of the Brigade left entirely to Captain Stetzelberger.

The boat goes: I shall write on the first occasion, begging only my most respectful compliments to the Count, &c. Mr. Winter, I hope, forwarded the letters to Cephalonia, to send on here Mr. Fenton’s trunk. Remaining, Sir,

I now have the pleasure of your letters of the 6th and 8th instant. I have noted whatever you mentioned, and all your orders to Messrs. Hodges and Gill, &c., I have delivered. I am exceedingly glad to see your health

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recover; and we all hope to see you here soon again. Money was, and is the great demand; without it, it cannot be expected of you, nor any man under the sun, to do any thing of real use to this country. Colonel Stanhope we know to be with you. Now I hope every thing will thus be settled to our general advantage. The Prince Mavrocordato is still at Anatolica; coming from Vrachore, where he had settled the rising and very serious disputes with Captain Staïco and others, he called at Anatolica, to influence the Suliotes to break up, and to march to the frontiers: these sons of Minerva reminded him of a promise (which it is said he gave,) to pay them their arrears on St. George’s Day; they expect large sums will be sent over for them, and, really, every single one here seems to think that the loan has been contracted for him, and himself alone. I need not mention to you, Sir, the best means of applying the money, nor the securest way; I hope government shall gain sufficient force to order, and we shall see, the money issued accordingly to the wants of the naval and land operations; but not the greatest part delivered to individuals or chiefs that set up for themselves. The character of the Greeks is but little known. The real importance of most foreigners here is small, their assuming however very great; they all mistake the Greeks, and are again despised by the latter: many ought to be on their guard what they are about, and as every one of us, more or less, have attached ourselves to some party or particular chief of this country, we consequently try to favour them and their plans, and thus may act even innocently against the governmental views! We may well say that, what at present a chief gains, the government loses. I, for my part, as you know, Sir,

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have, during my stay in Greece, spent above two years with the Hydriotes, and own I have a great attachment to them; however, I shall never contribute toward any thing that might any ways be against the plans and interest of government. I have some suspicion that there are considerable preparations made to the assistance of chiefs, and I believe Ulysses ought to be mentioned among them.

The Greeks are men of great genius, and know their wants better than any stranger; they want but three things, that is money, money, money! and then government, gaining power, will choose and employ such

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strangers as are of real use to the country! As for Anglifying Greece, it won’t do. I have been honoured by an Englishman yesterday with the title of a Greek; they meant to hurt my feelings by thinking me too much of a Greek. I have no other desire here than to pass for one, and to take all their good qualities; I am sure the Greeks shall be grateful for all the good they are to receive from England; the tender feelings they showed towards Lord Byron leave this disposition out of doubt. However, as for turning English, or being gained over to the English interest, this they will never agree to, and they will either be free Greeks, or fall with the honour of their country.

The fortifications are going on well; we are all hard at work. I intend to go with the Prince’s order to get four guns, two days’ distance from here. The Brigade is in good order, and keeps the Suliotes down, of whom the two Captains, Lambro and Luca, made me much to do; every thing is going on in regular order, and with the approbation of our Prince; I hope you will give me yours too. Mr. Trelawny questioned your right to send on the newspapers, nor has he delivered them to me, but intends to deliver them to his confidants and friends, Messrs. Hodges and Gill. I wish you good health, success, and a happy return, remaining,

Both your favours of the 12th and 16th inst. have reached me, and were sent to us by the Prince’s Secretary yesterday evening. I am less astonished at the conspiracy against you than at the harmony that seems to reign among the party concerned in this plot, and at their unanimous exertions; exertions that might, with this harmony, have been so beneficial to Greece, if led to noble and useful purposes. When did we see those Franks ever joined for our glorious cause? What do foreigners want in Greece? What intentions have they? But those who are wise, so very powerful at the same time, these great men, what have they done? These men that attack you now are the very same that looked upon you, when here, as a man of no great importance; why then, now, do they make such a serious affair of it? They thus acknowledge you to be a man of importance. You honour me, Sir, with the title of your friend, and your only friend in Greece—Your friend I was, because I regarded you a friend to Greece? Your friend I am, because you are in distress! That what I say to you I communicate to all the world, nor do I say more to you. As for the conduct of those men who thought proper to attack you, they ought to be on their guard—those here that have joined in the plot have, at all events, committed themselves, being your inferiors; and with regard to the conduct of them, in opposition to that of you and your family, it appears to me most shocking, abominable, and ungrateful.

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As for myself, I am, at least, in so far happy here, as I have nothing to do with these men, nor do I wish even to come into any relationship with them. I keep to my own room, and to my business here, which is very extensive. As soon as the fortifications are finished, and I have settled all my affairs, I may join my old friends the Hydriotes again, if there is any view of fighting going on. I assure you, Sir, I never have been sorry to have made your acquaintance here, I wish only it had not been imbittered to me by the presence of others. I have only two friends in Greece, but these are friends; I do not associate with any other Englishmen but when forced to do so; these are Mr. Hastings, R. N., a man of great honour, the friend of truth, and of a very consistent character; the other, Mr. Fenton, of Scotland, who, a gallant young officer in the Spanish wars, gave up his half pay to embrace this noble cause, is the noblest-minded Englishman I remember to have seen; he is my bosom friend, and, please God, our power, united by friendship and harmony, may be sufficient to produce some good for the country, at least I hope we shall set a good example (a matter of vast importance) to the rising Greeks! I may be able to do something even without exterior help, if not America shall assist, and my friends in Europe are powerful. You mention to me, Sir, you intend to call on my name in the newspapers in the United States, and in England—I have no objection to be a witness to your conduct, character, and the services rendered to this country; to the contrary, shall be so with all my heart, and it is moreover my duty, but I beg you, at the same time, not to make a personal affair of it with regard to me.

Mr. Tricupi left for the general government, as a member for Missolonghi and Western Greece—he will

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give in a statement of the wants of this province, and it is expected that then the necessary sums will be ordered by government to be paid out of the loan. Your things I shall demand from Hodges and Gill in a few days; pray mention too if the patent shot belongs to you. The shirts never arrived for Mr. Fouks—I shall then try to settle with him, if they don’t soon appear. The 39 dollars I sent on by Mr. Trelawny, deducting seventeen piastres twenty paras, paid for half a yard of blue cloth for you. I send it under my own responsibility. The remarks made use of in the other room &c., I take no notice of, and answered Mr. Hodges, “I hope I am not responsible to you for my doing so;” he tried to frighten me with writing to Col. Stanhope about my doing so; by G—d I wish he would, if they would bring me to the test for it! It is, however, of trifling consequence to dispute with bad men.

Just now Messrs. Hesketh and Winter arrived, and I received your kind letter of the 27th ult.

I have had no secure opportunity to forward the above lines, and now I have to state that part of the brigade, with four guns, under the command of Captain Fenton, left for Athens, &c. Trelawny left with him, and a gentleman of the name of Gill. Trelawny has great plans, and intends to manage the affairs of Greece by himself. The best thing is, the Prince takes not the least notice of what T. speaks. You will remember, Sir, the anecdote of the pearl and the sow! I have this moment a deal of trouble, because my business is very extensive here, and

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since Mr. Fenton left, I have no friends here among the Franks, i. e., I do not wish for any friendship with those here. Your certificate I shall send the first opportunity on to you—the Prince will give you a very good attest. As you seem to be not decided what to do, to come or not, I cannot say but this, that money is the only means to do it; if you do not bring that, nothing can be done—the want of money is felt here every day more and more.

Mr. Trelawny brought me no letter at all the last time he came,—how is that? pray let me know. The boat leaves now. I write in haste.

I now come to the last lines of your’s. With regard to the parties or factions formed by the Englishmen, I am sorry to hear so, as I do not think it is for the advantage of this country; however, those who prefer their own affairs to the general cause, or who wish to cool their hatred in the blood of their supposed enemies, they are sure of either negatively or positively doing injury to the cause, without even doing any good to themselves. What refers to myself, I do not intend to take notice of what any such men say against me—my enemies (if I have any in Greece) cannot be my judges. I leave the nation to judge me. I beg leave to mention, that whenever you stand in need of me I am at your service as a

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private man, and shall do whatever I can for you; but in the official office I hold, I am not at liberty to regard private affairs, nor orders given me from persons not at the spot, and not belonging to the Greek Government. I mention this to acquaint you, Sir, that Mr. Blaquiere has given orders to Hodges to inspect the fortification, books, and even to take into his hands the monies that, under the name of laboratory department, have been made over for the fortifications (say the 500 dollars.) I naturally do not take the least notice of such orders, nor will the Prince ever allow the most important works in this province to stand still at the humour of Hodges. I have mentioned to the Prince every thing you said; and shall I send your papers on to you? This moment His Excellency is much occupied.

I have the honour to enclose a few lines from Lord Charles Murray, a friend of mine and of Greece; he appears to be a most excellent young man.

According to promise, I laid before his Highness, Prince Mavrocordato, your letter, and communicated also the charges and complaints. His Highness appeared duly sensible of the cruel situation into which you have been thrown by the lamented death of the late illustrious Lord Byron, and expresses a hope to see you soon again

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in company with Colonel Gordon, whose arrival at Missolonghi is daily expected, and hourly prayed for.

Mr. Blaquiere set off in so great a hurry that I had not time to write to you by him, but I send this by a secure hand. Dr. Millingen is almost well again, I saw him this morning. Mr. Jarvis I have not yet seen.

I am sorry to find, from Mr. Jarvis, that you are still uncomfortably situated at Zante, and as you take no notice of a letter I wrote you, I am left to suppose it is in the dead letter box office of Zante still, or elsewhere.