Artificers for on year.
|
No. of Men and Stores | Probable Cost | ||
|
£ | s. | d. | |
Fire-master and constructor
|
1 | 250 | 0 | 0 |
Clerk
|
1 | 250 | 0 | 0 |
Foreman of cartridge-makers
|
1 | 200 | 0 | 0 |
Founder and vice-man
|
1 | 105 | 0 | 0 |
Tinman
|
1 | 105 | 0 | 0 |
Smith
|
1 | 105 | 0 | 0 |
Turner of wood and metal
|
1 | 105 | 0 | 0 |
Wheelwright and carriage maker
|
1 | 105 | 0 | 0 |
Carpenter
|
1 | 105 | 0 | 0 |
|
||||
Artillery.
These were given by Mr. Gordon.
|
||||
Howitzer, brass, 4⅖ inch, with carriage and limber
complete
|
1 | |||
Gun, ditto, long three-pounder,
with carriage complete
|
1 | |||
Forge-cart. with tools complete
|
1 | |||
Munition, &c. for ten Mountain Guns.
|
||||
Gunpowder, whole barrels of 100lbs. each, L.G, and S.G,
Tower proof
|
61 | 220 | 0 | 0 |
Portfires(dozens)
|
20 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Tubes (quill)
|
6,000 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
322 | APPENDIX |
|
No. of Men and Stores | Probable Cost | ||
|
£ | s. | d. | |
Slow match (lbs)
|
40 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
Cartridges(flanner serge)
|
4,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Shot, round(three-pounder)
|
4,000 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
Bottoms of wood for three-pounder round
shot (strapped) |
4,000 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Pickers for vents
|
12 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Spikes for ditto
|
20 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
Drills, new pattern, for ditto
|
2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
Lint-stocks
|
2 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
Thumb-stalls
|
20 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Tube boxes with straps
|
12 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Grease(Firkins)
|
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Cartouches of leather
|
10 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Measures, copper, for powder(8 oz.)
|
10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Aprons of lead
|
10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Tampions with collars
|
10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Punches for vents
|
20 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Barrels, Budge
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Head spong (spare)
|
40 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Hammers claw
|
20 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
Powder horns, NP(with straps)
|
10 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Tarpaulins, gun
|
10 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Funnels, copper
|
10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Wheels, spare, for three-pounder mountain
guns (pairs) |
6 | 36 | 0 | 0 |
|
||||
Laboratory and Carriage Manufactory, &c. on a
small scale.
|
||||
Furnace, blast, with moulds for casting shot and shells,
and every other article required for laboratory purposes
|
1 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Lathe, common, with tools complete
|
1 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Ditto ditto small ditto ditto
|
1 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
Forge, with tools complete
|
1 | 70 | 0 | 0 |
APPENDIX | 323 |
|
No. of Men and Stores | Probable Cost | ||
|
£ | s. | d. | |
Smith’s bench, with vices and tools, complete
|
1 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
Copper-smith, and tinman’s forge, with tools,
complete
|
1 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
Brass moulds for driving portfires, fuses, signal rockets,
lead balls, and other laboratory purposes
|
0 | 70 | 0 | 0 |
Iron bar Round (tons)
|
2 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
Flat (do.)
|
2 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
Ditto, plated sheet(do.)
|
2 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
CompositionSaltpetre, ground in
barrels of
100lbs. each |
8 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Sulphur, ditto, ditto, ditto
|
4 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Charcoal, ditto, ditto, ditto
|
6 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
Rosin(cwt.)
|
10 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Pitch(do.)
|
10 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Tallow, Russia(do.)
|
10 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
Spirits of wine(gal.)
|
20 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Oil, sweet(do.)
|
10 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Flannel serge(yds.)
|
200 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
PaperFine, for small arms
cartridges(rms.)
|
40 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Coarse, for packing(do.)
|
30 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
For cannon cartridge(do.)
|
30 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Instruments, gauges, provette plates, and other articles
too numerous to mention, but indispensably necessary for laboratory and
artillery purposes
|
0 | 300 | 0 | 0 |
Tin sheet, and copper sheet, and other articles
|
0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Case-shot, musquet-ball, three-pounder, ready for immediate
service
|
0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
324 | APPENDIX |
1st.—I will engage to establish a laboratory, and instruct the Greeks in every part of that multifarious business.
2dly.—I will engage to construct a gunpowder manufactory, and carry it forward in all its branches, in the most economical manner.
3dly.—I will, if required, join the army and the navy, to act and to give every information in my power with respect to bringing into practice field and battering artillery, and the use of spherical case-shot rockets, and every other matter, as far as my practical knowledge extends.
4thly.—I will, if required, construct and fit fire-rockets and bomb-ships, gun-boats, and every other thing connected with a navy, as far as my knowledge extends.
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,
APPENDIX. | 325 |
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.
Ammunition.—Captain P. will furnish 100 rounds of powder in cartridges for each gun on the fortress, also 50,000 rounds of ball-cartridges for small arms. When the furnace and forges are up, he will run the old iron into shot and make grape-shot. These articles are worth 2,000 dollars.
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.
326 | APPENDIX. |
Réponse au projet présenté aujourd’hui par Mons. le Capitaine Parry, rélativement à la fortification de la ville et du port de Missolonghi
La somme de mille talaris sera remise à Monsieur le Capitaine Parry: un tiers de cette somme lui sera compté le jour même qu’il fixera pour le commencement du travail, ce qui doit être à quatre jours d’aujourd’hui au plus tard; les deux autres tiers lui seront remis à quatorze et à vingt-un jour d’aujourd’hui.
Quant au bois nécessaire, Mons. le Capitaine Parry doit pràsenter une liste approximative de la quantità et de la qualité du bois dont il aura besoin. En attendant, comme il se trouve quelques gros arbres de chêne à une petite distance de la ville, Monsieur le Capitaine Parry pourra disposer de ce bois, s’il le juge à-propos.
Ouvrier.—Mons. le Capitaine Parry pourra former la compagnie de sapeurs, mineurs, et canoniers, en faisant le choix qui lui convient le plus; mais comme le gouvernement suppose que les personnes composant cette compagnie pourront exiger la ration au dessus de la solde indiquée dans le projet, il promet de la fournir.
Fortifications.—Le gouvernement est d’accord sur tout ce qui est rapporté dans le projet de Monsieur le Capitaine Parry rélativement aux fortifications: il se rêmet à ses talents pour l’amélioration et la sûreté du travail.
Munitions.—Le gouvernement est également parfaitement d’accord sur cet article.
Barques Canonieres.—Le gouvernement
désire con-
APPENDIX. | 327 |
Laboratoire et Magasin a Poudre.—On est encore parfaitement d’accord sur ces deux articles.
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.
328 | APPENDIX. |
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.
Munitions.—The government also perfectly agrees with the plan in this article.
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. To call out the fleet immediately for service.
2nd. To call out the army.
3rd. To repair the fortifications.
4th. To appropriate a sum for the immediate purchase of shot, shell, gunpowder, and other materials of war, being very much wanted.
1st. His Lordship would pay every expense of his artillery
corps, and raise his brigade up to 500 effective
APPENDIX. | 329 |
2nd. His Lordship to purchase two vessels to be fitted for fire-vessels, agreeably to a plan submitted and approved of, the crews to be paid and victualled at his Lordship’s expense.
3rd. His Lordship would detach six 3-pounder mountain guns wherever the government should think proper for the defence of the passes, with 350 rounds of ammunition per gun, and every other material requisite.
4th. That four 3-pounders, short, and one 3-pounder, long, mountain guns, and the 4 2/5-howitzer, should be exclusively attached to his Lordship’s brigade, with 350 rounds per gun, and every other material requisite.
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.:—
11,000 dollars at Missolonghi.
10,000 dollars in the hands of the agents in the islands.
330 | APPENDIX. |
4.00l. to be drawn on Ransom and Co., Bankers, London.
20,000 dollars lent, which will be paid back from the loan.
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
APPENDIX. | 331 |
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
332 | APPENDIX. |
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
APPENDIX. | 333 |
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. |
334 | APPENDIX. |
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-
APPENDIX. | 335 |
336 | APPENDIX. |
APPENDIX. | 337 |
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
338 | APPENDIX |
APPENDIX. | 339 |
340 | APPENDIX. |
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
APPENDIX. | 341 |
342 | APPENDIX. |
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
APPENDIX. | 343 |
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
344 | APPENDIX. |
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
APPENDIX. | 345 |
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.
Mem. ’Tis utterly impossible to draw a bill at this place, or indeed in any other part of Continental Greece, and it has actually cost his Lordship nearly 1000 dollars to provide money and other supplies from the Ionian Islands since his arrival at Missolonghi. 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
346 | APPENDIX. |
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.
APPENDIX. | 347 |
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
348 | APPENDIX. |
I now, Honourable Sir, cannot suppose in what way I have acted improperly; and, with respect to yourself, Honourable Sir, I ever have considered your private and public character to be held in the highest respect and veneration.
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.
In answer to your questions, I give the following replies:—
1st. In my letter to you, Sir, I have fully explained my
reasons, and they are official, for my stop at Zante. I
APPENDIX. | 349 |
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.
3d. The five hundred dollars issued from the funds of the Laboratory Department was ordered on account of the extreme urgency of the service, and knowing his late Lordship’s mind, and considering that his Lordship would be at the expense of the Laboratory Department, &c., ultimately, and that money was placed at my disposal by his Lordship, I therefore, for the benefit of the public service, directed that sum to be added to five hundred dollars of his Lordship’s other funds, which I had power to do, and no further.
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
350 | APPENDIX. |
N.B. I have followed the instructions strictly of the late Lord N. Byron, and approved of by the Prince Mavrocordato.
It is the fourth of mine which I now have the pleasure to address to you. Since so long a period as your separation, not a single line has reached us, nor have we had any news whatsoever from that quarter. The present I confide to the hands of our friend, the harbour-master of this town, Captain Sidero, and who is to deliver it into your own bands, and will receive your answer.
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-
APPENDIX. | 351 |
The Department of the Brigade has been left to me.
The Department of the Fortifications has been left to me, in company with the Engineer Cochini, and the Commissary of War.
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 Orders to the Brigade are given to me by the Prince, and I, as General-Adjutant, deliver them to the Commanding Captain.
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
352 | APPENDIX. |
APPENDIX. | 353 |
I hear of projects of establishing a navy! When I see continually new comers arrive, and all such great men! that don’t deign to draw information from the old sufferers here, much less to take their advice, they then must try their own hand, and see what they can do. We have had men here of all descriptions, generals, of cavalry and infantry, companies of German and English workmen and mechanics, bakers and butchers have been sent out too, lawyers, diplomates, and officers of the horse, and naval men made their appearance. We have seen three years pass on, and now, as the staff of life has arrived, we shall see what more will be done. With regard to the naval affairs, I flatter myself, by having been in all their expeditions, and having witnessed their consultations, to have known their wants as well as their inclinations and power; if now it may be expected that any navy can be this moment established, at the same time the war carried on without very considerable funds, at least more than the whole loan amounts to, I must be very much mistaken. However, this experience too must (as they think) be tried again.
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
354 | APPENDIX. |
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,
APPENDIX. | 355 |
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.
356 | APPENDIX. |
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
APPENDIX. | 357 |
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
358 | APPENDIX. |
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
APPENDIX. | 359 |
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
860 | APPENDIX. |
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.
Let me recommend you most sincerely and strenuously to take no violent steps in your own justification; more particularly until you return to England, where every man’s house is his castle; whereas, on the Continent, one can neither speak, act, nor write, without the utmost circumspection of time, persons, and place.