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Chapter 17 of The Life of Thomas Lord Cochran, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Completing the Autobiography of a Seaman, Volume 2, by Henry Richard Foxborn and others. the life of thomas lord cochrane tenth earl of dundonald completing the autobiography of a seaman volume two by henry richard foxbourne and others by henry richard foxbourne chapter 17 1827 lord cochrane entered the aegean sea with his little schooner unicorn and the french brig salveur on the 17th of march 1827 in the afternoon he halted off the island of hydra there to leave the greek

deputy Orlando, who had accompanied him from Maasai. I was surprised, he said, to observe that, except the open batteries near the town of Hydra, the whole coast of the island remained unprotected, although in a smooth sea a landing might be affected in almost every part of its circumference. The town of Hydra is built in an irregular manner on the fall of the mountain about the port, and presents a clean appearance, the houses being all whitewashed. There is not a tree on the island,

though there are a few straggling bushes there is scarcely any land capable of cultivation but there are some vineyards on the south side and a few small gardens near the town the port is small the water deep and vessels made fast by horses to the shore it is evident that if greece obtains its independence this island to which the inhabitants fled to enjoy that species of precarious liberty that depends on eluding the view of tyranny must be abandoned even water is

only to be had from tanks which are filled by the winter's rain from hydra lord cochrane proceeded to agena making a circuit in order that he might have a view of athen the acropolis he wrote with the whole scenery at sunset was beautiful alas what a change what melancholy recollections crowd on the mind there was the seat of science of literature and the arts at this instant the barbarian turk is actually demolishing by the shells that are now flying through the air the scanty remains of the

once-magnificent temples in the Acropolis. He called it to Gina on the 18th in order to dispatch letters announcing his arrival to the Governing Commission, as it was called, then located in the island before proceeding to Poros, where he anchored on the evening of the 19th. The main entrance, we further read in his journal, is scarcely wide enough to work a ship in if the wind is from the land. The water, however, is sufficiently deep close to the shore, and the port, when you have

entered through this narrow channel, is one of the finest in the world. There is another entrance toward the south but it is shallow and crooked and consequently only used by small vessels the town of poros consists of a number of irregularly built houses on the side of a hill and merits the appellation of picturesque there are remains of temples on the island and the stone is yet to be seen on which demosthenes is said to have been sitting when he was recalled by antipater to

athens and in consequence of which recall he took poison and died no sooner was the joyful intelligence conveyed to the inhabitants that lord cochrane the long-expected deliverer of greece had actually arrived then all the leading men who happened to be in poros at the time hurried on board the unicorn to welcome their champion and to give personal assurance of their devotion to him the first to arrive was giacomaki tombazes who was now acting with dr goss as superintendent of

marine affairs having surrendered the chief command of the fleet into the hands of andrius Mialis. Mialis himself soon followed, and with him Alexander Mavrocodatos and many others. Prince Mavrocodatos, wrote Lord Cochrane's secretary, Mr. George Cochrane, was a short, stout, well-built man of very dark complexion, with black eyes, an oval face expressing great intelligence, and his hair very long, hanging upon his shoulders. He was dressed in the European

style, and wore on his head a little cloth cap. He also habitually wore spectacles. His manners indicated a man perfectly accustomed to the society of persons of rank. He immediately entered into familiar conversation with Lord Cochrane in the French language. He carried his pipe with him, which he continually smoked. Mialis was dressed in the hydriot fashion, but of course, as became a primate of the island, his attire was of a description much

superior to that of his poorer fellow-countrymen. His countenance was open and dignified and so calm that it appeared like a rock which nothing could move, not that it had any character of sternness in it on the contrary it possessed a placidity blended with a firmness which was anything but forbidding the moment miaulis came on deck he cordially shook hands with lord cochrane and a broken conversation commenced between them in spanish miaulis speaking that language but

imperfectly at the period in question he commanded the hellas frigate he knew perfectly well that lord cochrane's arrival would take the command out of his hands nevertheless he evinced not the least jealousy but was one of the first to offer his services under lord cochrane i know my countrymen he said and that i can be of service to your lordship on board the frigate i will therefore sail under your command such an offer was not to be refused and he was requested to remain on board

miaoulis informed lord cochrane that the hope of greece rested in the hellas and in the quondam merchant brigs belonging to private individuals in the islands of hydra spetsas poros and agina amounting to about 250 these vessels had been armed as men of war some had been turned into fire ships and it was the latter that struck so much terror into the turks several turkish vessels of the line and frigates having been destroyed under the guidance of the brave canaris a native

of the ill-fated island of sarah the compliments and congratulations offered in person to lord cochrane immediately after his anchoring off porus were followed by compliments and congratulations yet more profuse, conveyed to him in writing by all classes and from all quarters. One of the first and most important communications was addressed to him on the 18th of March in the name of the National Assembly, as it styled itself, met at Kastri by its president, Georgios

Sassanis. Greece, he said, rejoices at your appearance in her seas. The aspirations of the Greeks are realized. Their hopes in the success of their sacred struggle revive. The Greek nation, assembled here in a third national assembly, desires to see you and invites you here, sending to you, with that object, the General-in-Chief of the Armies of the Peloponnesus, Theodore Calicotronis, Messrs Canaris, Bortazes and Bulgaris, General Zavella, and Count Metaxas, who will tender to

you the thanks of all for your zeal on behalf of their cause. The government is seized with unutterable joy at your auspicious arrival wrote the members of the rival assembly at agina on the same day the government wishes you happy success in all your enterprises and soon hopes to find you a triumphant conqueror for a long while past wrote the governors of hydra our brave mariners have centered all their hopes on your arrival you can understand then the joy that we felt when we

saw your brig and schooner and when we knew that you had actually arrived we hasten to tender to you the homage of our island and to express to you our impatience to see our little navy placed under your orders and guided by you to new victories by which the safety and independence of greece may be secured your arrival in our beloved country wrote the primates of spetsas has filled the soul of every inhabitant of our island with joy and everyone presents his thanks

to heaven for having at last sent such in one to fight with us and to protect our fatherland you have come to greece wrote konduriatos at a moment when this unfortunate country most needs all that it can hope from the wisdom and courage of so great a defender the announcement of your arrival will form an epoch in the history of our revolution and dare i to hope in that of our moral regeneration but moral regeneration was needed lord cochrane already well knew and he

had not been a day in greece before the knowledge was forced upon him afresh the unworthy disposition of most of the men in power had never been more plainly shown nor threatened more imminent danger to the independence of greece than at the time of lord cochrane's arrival with a few notable exceptions of whom miaoulis was perhaps the chief the greek leaders had forgotten all their national duty in personal ambition and jealousy if they united in parties it was only because each one

hoped that as soon as his own party was triumphant he himself would be able to obtain the mastery over all his associates. Two factions especially prevailed in Greece at this time, which, partly from the circumstance that they were supported by unwise Philhellenes of the two nations, partly because their native members looked for their chief support to those nations, were known as the French and English parties. Among Philhellenes, the leading promoter of the

French party was Colonel Fabvia, who was now with some of the troops whom he commanded defending the Acropolis, from the siege of the Turks. He was an officer of considerable merit, with the interests of the Greeks at heart, but of surpassing vanity and ambition. His hope was to become the Napoleon of the East, to convert the whole male population of Greece into a huge army with himself at its head. With him sympathised most of the military leaders, who, originally little better

than brigands, found everything to gratify their present tastes and their future hopes, in a scheme which would give them endless employment in lawless warfare and martial dominion these coming chiefly from the maria caused the faction also to be known as the moriot party more forbidable was the english party with little that was english about it but the name its ambition was not military but diplomatic the possession of place and power in such ways as were then possible its real if

not avowed leader was prince maverick and ortos with an able abetter in his brother-in-law mr Aspiriad and Trokoupes. All through the previous year, Mavro Kordatos and his friends had sought zealously to win for Greece the protection of England. They had corresponded to that end with Mr Stratford Canning, the British ambassador at Constantinople, with Captain Hamilton, who was then stationed in Greek waters to watch the interests of English shipping, and with others.

They had sent in a regular deputation to treat with the British government, and had used all the means in their power, so far as foreign intervention was concerned, for the establishment of a smaller but more organized greek nation than that which their rivals desired had that end been worthily sought they would have deserved universal sympathy but they showed by their conduct that they cared little for good government or for the real interests of the community they exercised their

abilities and squandered their resources in schemes for selfish aggrandizement and the possession of authority which was to benefit none but themselves many of their prominent members having studied statecraft before the time of the revolution as christian officials in the employment of turkey to whose name the fanariat was given from the christian quarter of constantinople the whole party acquired the name of fanariat this latter party had all along hoped to make

lord cochran its tool it was maverick condatos who first invited him to enter the service of the greeks and when that service was agreed upon no effort was spared to attach him to the group of partisans among whom maverick condatos was chief lord cochran steadily refusing this soon incurred their opposition, and to this opposition is to be attributed some of the unreasonable blame which was afterwards brought upon him. Much further opposition to him, moreover,

was soon aroused by his in like manner, refusing to become the creature of the other leading faction. He wisely resolved from the first, and maintained his resolution throughout, to belong to no party, but having devoted himself to the cause of the Greek nation as a whole, to seek only those objects which were for the good of all that resolution was soon put to the test immediately after his arrival on the 19th of march great efforts were made to implicate him in the schemes

of the governing commission as it was called which having outrun the time appointed to its duration was continuing to assert its authority in agena and to use that authority in the interests of the fanariate party two days after that his partisanship was sought for the morriot faction which had set up a rival government styled the national assembly at hermione under the joint leadership of colicotrones, condoriotes and colotes. On the 20th he was waited upon by the deputation named

in the congratulatory letter which has already been quoted from. With his whole party, said Lord Cochrane's secretary reporting this interview, colicotrones rowed down to the beach opposite the ship and sent off to say he would there wait until a boat should be sent for him and his followers, the whole being about a hundred men armed according to the custom of the country with pistols or daggers stuck in the left side of a sash or belt the two boats sent being insufficient

not more than 20 came on board with the general colicotronas was the spokesman and there appeared to be great energy in his gesticulations which did not correspond with the translation by count metaxas who from the smile on his countenance seemed to hold in no great respect the mental acquirements of kolokotrones greece said the latter required the government to bring order out of chaos the functions of the commission appointed by the last legislative assembly

ought to have ceased its continuance in power was not legal and consequently the members of the national assembly had met at hermione to name their successors to which place it was requested that lord cochrane would proceed in order to be present at their deliberation a letter to this effect signed by the president of the assembly was then put in lord cochrane's hands lord cochrane made answer verbally through count metaxas to the deputies that he held in due estimation the

honor they had done him by personally delivering the communication as well as by the very flattering terms used towards him by the members assembled at hermione he regretted the decision that had taken place and recommending reconciliation urged the necessity of prompt exertion and the little good that the wisest legislative enactments could effect whilst the turks overran their country whilst they possessed three-fourths of its strongholds and whilst the enemy besieged the

capital of the state which was in danger of falling into their power his lordship expressed regret that so many able and brave military officers as those he saw before him should occupy themselves with civil discussions in the present state of their country upon this being interpreted to colocotronas he became exceedingly warm and urged the duty he was now occupied with was more essential than any other he however cooled on seeing as we presume that no one seconded his

opinion which he evidently expected by his glances towards his companions calicotrones remained some time without saying a word then rising took lord cochrane by the hand and assured him he would do his utmost to produce a reconciliation of parties lord cochrane urged that the termination of differences between the parties should be within the space of three days calicotrones requested five but afterwards caused his interpreter count metaxas to say that possibly an answer might be

received from hermione even before the shortest period fixed count metaxas was the last who left the cabin and as soon as the others had gone he turned to lord cochrane and assured him that his utmost endeavors should not be wanting to accomplish so desirable an object the count had evidently the management of colicotrones to whom he probably adheres in order to arrive at real power under the sanction of an individual on whose shoulders may be heaped all the evil measures to

be anticipated in acquiring or upholding any authority over a multitude of rival chiefs and their rude followers. Kolokotrones and his party then left the schooner, having first directed one of their soldiers to await Lord Cochrane's reply to the communication of the assembly. A deputation from Hydra and a crowd of other visitors, however, precluded Lord Cochrane's dispatching the courier until the following morning the reply dated the 21st of march was

wise and bold i have the honor wrote lord cochrane to receive the dispatches which you have addressed to me and i cannot but be flattered by the sentiments they convey this satisfaction is the more lively because i have had the opportunity of becoming personally acquainted with his excellency general calicotrones and the officers who accompanied him but i freely acknowledge that it is blended with a feeling of regret in that it appears to me that the bravest and most renowned

officers of greece are devoting all their energies to the formation of a civil government and wasting their times in discussions as to the place in which they shall affect a reunion while the enemy is overrunning the country without resistance already he possesses three-fourths of the fortresses of greece and is besieging the capital of the republic athens is on the point of falling into the power of the ottoman forces the brave fabvia and a few heroes full of enthusiasm are

engaged in aiding the valiant defenders of that city and meanwhile the officers of greece but take themselves again and again to frivolous discussions on civil affairs if the shade of demosthenes could again animate the ashes of this great man which are here entombed he would changing only the names of persons and places address to you his first philipic and you would hear from the lips of a compatriot profoundly versed in history and in the knowledge of mankind what

ought to be your manner of acting i recommend you read his discourse in full assembly and i especially recommend the citizens charged with presiding over the destinies of greece to follow his counsels point by point with an authority so applicable to the existing circumstances it would be unpardonable presumption in me to address you in other than his own words if athenians you will now though you did not before adopt the principle of every man being

ready when he can and ought to give his service to the state to give it without excuse the wealthy to contribute the able-bodied to enlist in a word plainly if you will become your own masters and cease each expecting to do nothing while his neighbor does everything for him you will then with god's permission get back your own and recover what has been lost and punish your enemy to the same effect were lord cochrane's answers to the congratulatory letters sent to him by other

leading persons and parties in greece it may be well to notice he wrote on the same day to the government at a gina that in the conversation which i had with your deputation from hermione i respectfully suggested that as laws cannot be promulgated with advantage whilst the mass of the country is under the iron yoke of turkish despotism nor executed whilst the lives and properties of all continue insecure the national assembly might be adjourned with advantage until the capital is

free and thus we should avoid debating whilst we should be acting and check those animosities and divisions which naturally arise from difference of sentiment under the peculiar conditions of modern greece the time now draws near he wrote to the government of hydra when the approach of a large force may be reasonably anticipated and when consequently the means that the greeks possess of contending with their enemies will be comparatively diminished i have therefore

in the name of all europe by whose people i may in truth say i have been sent here called upon the executive government and upon all those connected with public affairs to act with union and promptitude and i have informed them that without harmony and exertion among the chiefs the slender beans place at my disposal and any services which i personally could render will prove of no avail the people are split into factions and operations are paralyzed

by the conflicting personal interests of chiefs who perceive not that the prize about which they are contending will fall to the share of others i have as yet taken no authority upon me in naval affairs because if union do not prevail i shall deceive greece and deceive the world by inducing a belief that i could assist you while waiting however for the rivalries of the greek leaders to be removed or at any rate set aside for a time lord cochrane was not idle he had frequent

interviews not only with admiral miaoulis and the other native seamen of ability but also with dr goss and with captain abney hastings who joined him on the 22nd and provided him with much precise information as to the naval strength of greece the character of the officers and crews and the best methods of attacking the turks with advantage information as precise about the land forces was derived from other philhellenes among whom colonel heideck and colonel gordon were perhaps

the best informed lord cochrane also made the acquaintance of a newcomer in greece with whom he was soon to have very intimate relations sir richard church general church had begun life as an officer in the british army he had seen various service between 1801 and 1809 and in the latter year had organized a battalion of greeks at zante with which and afterwards with another which he also formed he had played an important part in the war for the liberation of the ionian islands

on the establishment of peace he had passed into the neapolitan service many of his old greek soldiers were now leaders in the revolution and while lord cochrane was on his way to become the first admiral of the greeks general church had been invited to become generalissimo on land he arrived at porto kelly near castri or hermione on the ninth of march eight days before the appearance of lord cochrane the generals assembled at hermione came out to meet him and tender their

submission our father is at last to come said one we have only to obey him and our liberty is secured sir richard church was at once sought as a leader by the morriot faction just as lord cochrane was claimed by the Fenariots as their champion. He, however, like his new comrade, wisely resolved to avoid partisanship and to study the interests of Greece as a whole, and to him must be assigned a share of the good work of pacification in which Lord Cochrane was the prime mover.

This unhappy country, he wrote to his new friend on the 19th of March, is now divided by absurd and criminal dissensions. I hope, however, that your lordship's arrival will have a happy effect, and that they will do everything in their power to be worthy of such a leader. They did something, if not everything. It was firmly believed that party strife had reached such a point that had Lord Cochrane's arrival been delayed only a few days longer, the leaders of the National Assembly

at Hermione, turning aside from their useless discussions, would have acted upon a plot that had been in preparation for several weeks, and landing a hostile force at Agena would have violently seized the whole governing commission there established. Lord Cochrane's honest reproof subverted this and so saved Greece from the horrors of another civil war. I am happy to be able to inform you, Rhoad General Church, on the 25th of March, that things are brought to that

state that the union of the parties has, I think, now affected. The deputies from Castry came over to me yesterday morning at Damala, and there they met those of Agena. After some discussion, they have come to a conclusion, which, if ratified by the Assembly at Agena, will finally terminate the affair the affair was not terminated immediately lord cochrane had to dispatch many more letters and messages of earnest entreaty and indignant reproach to the leaders of the rival

factions atagina and hermione and to other prominent men before the good end that he and all true phil hellenes and patriots sought could be gained i have received the letter which your excellency has addressed to me wrote the worthy meoulis on the third of april in answer to a letter declining to take command of the fleet until the differences were settled and i appreciate the objections which it contains i wish with all my heart that the reasons which prevent you may not exist beyond this evening and that a general union will induce you to place yourself at the head of the greek navy before that on the twenty eighth of march lord cochrane had received a formal commission from the government at agena knowing well ran the document the valour wisdom ability and energy and all the warlike virtues which are joined in the estimable person of lord cochrane and by which he has been distinguished

in all the various services with which he has elsewhere been charged the governing commission ordains first that lord cochrane be appointed first admiral of the fleet and of all the naval forces of greece secondly that he rank above all other naval officers and enjoy all the honours privileges and rights that appertain to his office thirdly that all the admirals officers and seamen of greece recognise him as their superior and obey his orders in all that concerns the service of the nation and that all the servants of the state whether civil or military render him the honour and respect that are his due fourthly that the general secretary of the government execute this order in all respects so soon as his excellency lord cochrane shall have taken oath to perform the duties in regard of which he pledges himself to serve and to act the document was signed by andreas zames as president by tricoupes demetracoupolos blacos zamedos mavromichales anagiros monarchides and xotos and by glarachis the secretary of state

lord cochrane refused to accept the trust thus imposed upon him however until the authorities at agina had united with those at hermione and with the primates of the island in forming one true national assembly they still hesitated and objected and he still had to warn and to expostulate at length on the third of april being convinced that milder language was useless he wrote to the rival leaders informing them that as his counsels appeared to be of no avail seeing that they were addressed to persons who professing to have the interests of the nation at heart were determined to ruin those interests

by their obstinate selfishness he should quit greece at once unless before the close of the day they agreed to lay aside their differences. That wise threat was successful, the factions coalesced and decided to meet in joint assembly at Damala, also known by its ancient name of Trozenae. On the 4th of April, Lord Cochrane was able to write to them in a different tone. Having come to Greece, he said, with a firm determination to have nothing to do with party

rivalries, except so far as to seek to conciliate them for the public good, and not to trouble myself about civil affairs beyond assuring myself of the legality of my functions as admiral of greece and having resolved to do all in my power to obtain its deliverance from the mohammetean yoke as well as from all foreign domination i am well pleased at the reunion of all your members in a single national assembly and congratulate you on the restoration of harmony allow me at

the same time to offer my prayers for the unanimity of the members of the government and for the prompt completion of the business of the National Assembly in order that its members may depart to their respective provinces and use their great influence to impress upon their compatriots the imminent danger of the state

and induce them to rush to arms and, by one simultaneous effort, expel the oppressors of Greece. After that, the Legislative Assembly will have leisure and the requisite security to deliberate upon the Constitution, the laws and the arrangements necessary to establish,

upon a permanent footing the happiness and the prosperity of their fellow citizens having thus done so much for greece lord cochrane was asked to do more the deputies whom you did me the honor to send he wrote on the following day having informed me of the difficulties which you find informing a government with the necessary promptitude because of the jealousy shown in choosing citizens to fill situations of authority permit me to advise that each member should write

down the name of the person of his choice and place it in an urn, and that he who obtains the highest number of votes should be president, the second vice-president, and the others ranged in order until the number of functionaries is complete. In this way you will avoid discussions, animosities, and the loss of time, which is so precious in the present circumstances of Greece. At present, naval and military operations alike are all suspended, while the enemy is preparing

to put an end at once to the question which engrosses your attention and to the independence and liberty of greece that sensible advice was not taken but the first difficulties in the way of administrative reform were overcome on the 7th of april the national assembly met at damala on the coast opposite to poros and halfway between hermione and aegina the meeting place for want of a building large enough to hold the 200 members being a lemon grove watered by the

classical fountain of hippocrene. Its first business, attended by turmoil which threatened to bring the whole proceeding to a violent close, was the election of Count Cappadistrius as president for seven years of the Greek nation. Cappadistrius was a favourite of the Morriot party, but disliked by the Fenariots, and hated by the island primates. The two latter would have prevented the election, but for the support given to it by Lord Cochrane, who on this account has

been frequently and seriously blamed. There can be no doubt, however, that whatever may have been the subsequent shortcomings of Cappodistrius, he was greatly superior to any of the other and native candidates for the office. None of these candidates had given any proof of statesmanlike powers or disinterested regard for the welfare of Greece. Lord Cochrane judged with good reason that that welfare could only be promoted by placing at the head of affairs a man who had

hitherto, had no share in party strife, who had proved himself to be possessed of great abilities and of generous love for the nation of which, as a native of Corfu, he was, in some sort, a citizen. Unfortunately, though for this Lord Cochrane was in no way responsible, the management of affairs during the time that must elapse before Cappadostrius, if he accepted the office tendered to him, could enter upon it, was entrusted to a vice-governing

Commission, composed of three inefficient men, Giorgius Mavra Michales, Miliates of Sarah, and Nekos of Livedia. The most important business, done by the Trozine Assembly, was the installation of Lord Cochrane as the First Admiral of Greece. This was done on the 18th of April. Landing for the first time on the continent, Lord Cochrane proceeded, in state, on horseback, for the distance of a mile and a half that was between the shore and the Lemon Grove.

At the entrance, he was met by Calicutrones, who embraced him, saying, You are welcome, words that were repeated by many other leading Greeks who attended and conducted him into the centre of the grove. There, he was formally introduced to the delegates as the first admiral. Through an interpreter, he addressed to them a few sentences,

urging the necessity of continued harmony and over-prompt expedition against the Turks to be conducted both by sea and by land. After that, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword, he took the necessary oath i swear to shed my blood for the safety of the greeks and for the liberation of their country i swear that i will not abandon their cause so long as they do not

themselves abandon it but sustain my efforts the election of sir richard church as generalissimo of the land forces was in like manner completed on the 15th of april the essential business for which lord cochrane had desired that the united national assembly should meet at trezine being now accomplished he hoped it would speedily adjourn in order that the military leaders should be enabled to proceed at once to the work pressing urgently upon them the critical moment

said lord cochrane in a letter addressed to them on the 16th of april has arrived in which you are called upon to decide whether the population of greece shall be annihilated or enslaved your country peopled with barbarous hordes and the name of greece blotted out from the list of independent nations the national assembly however spent more than a month in idle discussions and in disputing upon matters the settlement of which ought to have been postponed to a less perilous

time again and again lord cochrane had to impress upon them the necessity in war as in council of prompting united action but with very poor result once more i address you by letter he wrote a few days later, in the hope that you may be persuaded instantly to take measures to save your country from the ruin which protracted deliberations must, at the present moment, entail, I, with as much certainty as a continuance, of those dissensions which have hitherto so unhappily prevailed.

And I follow this course more readily, in order that, as I have ever advocated liberal forms of government, my advice, that your assembly shall bring its labours to a close, shall not be misrepresented to greece and to the world first then the agitated state of the country by reason of the presence of the enemy precludes the hope of obedience in ordinary course of law which is as essential to the existence even of a shadow of republican forms as the practice of

virtue and forbearance are to their reality which in states that would be free ever must be accompanied by universal conviction in the public mind that power and wealth are not essential to the enjoyment of personal security and are desirable or useful only as they promote the common welfare or administer to the wants or comforts of individuals themselves the grecian people however good naturally cannot be expected instantly to practice virtues which are the

offspring of long established freedom greece requires not at the present moment sage deliberations regarding permanent forms of government nor permanent rulers but she requires energetic authority that she may be free at last from her foreign oppressors if without delay the military officers take the field if your labors can be brought to a close and every citizen in his respective capacity can exert himself to the utmost for the defense of his country Athens

perhaps may yet be saved although that object assuredly is rendered far more doubtful by the unfortunate delay that has already occurred in entering upon his own share of the work no time was wasted by lord cochrane he had already made himself acquainted with the naval resources of greece and done much in devising measures for augmenting them he had resolved upon the first enterprise to be entered upon and while rapidly completing his arrangements for it he did everything

in his power to quicken in the hearts of the greeks a patriotism as pure and zealous as was his own philanthropy to arms to arms he wrote in a proclamation issued at this time one simultaneous effort and greece is free discord the deadly foe you have had most to fear is conquered the task that now remains is easy the youth everywhere fly to arms the fate of the acropolis is no longer doubtful the turks surrounded their supplies cut off the passes occupied and retreat impossible

you can ensure the freedom of the classic plains of Athens, again destined to become the seat of liberty, the sciences, and the arts. Rest not content with such limited success. She's not the sword, whilst the brutal Turk, the enemy of the progress of civilization and improvement of the human mind, shall occupy one foot of that classic ground which once was yours. Let the young seamen of the islands emulate the glory that awaits the military force.

Let them hasten to join the national ships and, if denied your independence and rights, blockade the Hellespont, thus carrying the war into the enemy's country. Then the fate of the cruel Sultan, the destroyer of his subjects, the tyrant taskmaster of a Christian people, shall be sealed by the hands of the executioners who yet obey his bloody commands.

Then shall prophecy be fulfilled, and Muslim sway be overthrown by the corruptions itself has engendered. Then shall the sacred banner of the cross once more wave over the dome of Saint Sophia. Then shall the Grecian people live secure under the protection of just laws. Then shall noble cities rise from their ruins, and the splendour of future times rival the days that are past.