The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-09 00:00:00

GREEK CAUSE AND LOANS.

In the forthcoming number of the Westminster Review,
there is an exculpatory article on the Greek Committee,
apparently written by one who is conversant with all the
intricacies of Grecian affairs. IVe present the following
()Marts, illustrative of the efforts made by the Committee
for the freedom of Greece.
Soon after the formation of the Committee, Lord Byron. one
doe members, spontaneously offered his services to proceed as the
representative of the Goinmittee to Greece, and to devote his time,
his talents. and his fortune. to a cause which he had, in truth.
weaderfolly assisted by the enthusiasm of his genius, and
„earn' to his own Immortal verse. In the difficult circum-
stances in which he was frequi ntly placed, he bore himself with
great generosity and discretion. If in any thing he erred, it was
that his affection for Alavrocordato induced him to attach himself
mdividany ot' uath e lly to hint, and to remain at Mapolonghl, detached from
influential chiefs of Greece, whom he might undoitht-
edly have controlled, and have subdued their factious difference.% to
the common cause. If bent Byron, instead of continuing at 3lin.
frolonghi had withdrawn to See eta, or Areal,. and there gathered
around him the aristonacv of the country, the military leaders, and
the principal island chiefs, we think his master mind would have
subdued. or at all events have diverted into a less pernicious course,
those dissensions which have so often wasted the energies and de-
stroyed the fen proepects of Greece. The death of bord Byron was
an awful calamity, both for the Greek people, and for the English
Committee; since the influence of his name, and of his mind, was
not only ementiaily important to the Greeks, but of singular value
in all their negotiations with their enemies. On more than one
the gArrison of Patma, the strongest and most important
ho▪
ld of the Turks, would have surrendered, could security have
been obtained for the proper fulfilment of the terms of the capitu-
lation. Jest hcb‘re Lord Byron's death, propositions were re-
newal. and we keow that the Turkish and Albanian forces offered
to abandon the citadel, on bird Hymn's individual guarantee for
their safety. The negotiations were frnetrated by his illness and
death. let, notwithstanding his ton short career, the services he
rendered to the Greeks were incalculable. It was with money fur-
nished by the English Committee, and appropriated by Lord By.
son, that the walls of 3lissolonghi were prepared for that heroic
defence, which binms, ptrhaps, the noblest page in the recorded
the Grecian struggle.
" The agent of the Greek Committee, who was appointed to eo-
operate with Lord Byron, was the lion. Leicester Stanhope; and
it would be difficult to find a man inure richly endowed with eery
quality which could recommend him to the approval of the friends
of Greece. A straightfOrward sincerity of purpose, a singular
love and constant advocacy of truth and publicity, a elear.sighted-
Dna which enabled him to weigh the merits and louse the influence
of the different parties in Greece; an unwcarietl activity of hotly
and mind; in a word, every moral and intellectual quality whieh
became his situa.ion. distinguished his career in Greece. His work
on Greece, notwithstanding its literary defects, will remain a per-
manent monument to his sagacity, wisdom, and virtue. While
'mindful of die political interests, and keenly alive to the military
defence of Greece, he was busily engaged in every project which
could advance the civilization and the happiness of that country;
and when Greece shall be rescued (if ever) from Egyptian bondage,
anti enter upon her new career of improvement, the seed which
Colonel ?genitive scattered will assuredly grow up. He caused
schools to be established, hospitals to be organized, printing presser
to lie set in motion, internal communications to be provided for;
and he gave an impulse to every species of improvement.
0 He urged the imineff.... despatch of the battering trains and
artillery corps which had beets recommended: by the military Sub-
Committee; and the immediate creation of a national fleet to be at
the disposal of the Greek flovernment instead of the private pro-
priety of the island merchants anti adventurers. As a last hope,
two young and enthusiastic members of the Committee volunteered
their services to proceed ti Gre„:ce in the character of agents. They
took wish them, in serereigns, WOW/. of the loan, anti were in.
fractal urendeavour to obtain from the executive government tingle
mantles ter the payment of the future interest, and some pledge
fee the tit appropriation of the proceeds of the loan. The govern-
ment kept them for some time at bey, until they determined to sail
away with the money. On their carrying this intention into effect,
a yawl was sent after them with the assurance that the wishes of
the Committee should be instantly complied with ; hut they had
mareely returead men the port of Nattplia, ere the yellow fever at-
tacked the crew, and in a helpless and a dying state they were con-
veyed to the Asiatic coast. It is needless to add, that their exer-
tions proved fruitless. The money was taken puesession of by the

government.
The Committee lilted out an expedition at an expense of be-
tween stitaff. and tiddii/.; which conveyed every species of machi-
ea). instruments, tools, and appropriate workmen, to enable the
Greeks to establish en arsenal, and to manufacture their own 3111.
munition tied weapons of war. Nearly a dozen mechanics. each ,
one of a diffreent profession, carefully selected and thoroughly ex•
alibied, aces mpanied the expedition. Any one ot these men might
Lave been of incalculable use to a scini.eivilited nation. unac.
tosinted with the arts he was enabled to teach; but a sad fatality
attended an expedition whose preparation and details had cost so
much 'about and ar May. The laboratories were hardly esta. ,
Malted. ere petty jealousies interfered with the labours of the work.
tnen. They were more than once heed upon by the undisciplined
soldiery ; the government gave them no protection, and with the
emporia of an amiable and intelligent chemist, who died in
fame in a i•tate of great misery, the others fled from a country
which had disappointed all their expectations, and to which,
after mob experience, it was not likely they should accommodate
Maturities.
•• Aiming the earliest contributions to the well-bring of Greece,
from the Committee, were several printing and lithographic presses,
several founts of types, and all the materials necessary fur the im-
mediate production of a newspaper; and it is something for
English complacency to dwell on, that the lint newspaper ever
printed in Greece, issued from the presses and types sent thither by
the Greek Clominiitee. Political Journals were established at 3liii-
solanght, Athens, and elsewhere, and a curious and touching spec.
tale of human mutability was exhibi•ed. The ancient and vene-
rable shrines of learning, which hail fallen into barbarism and
deny, again received the most important instrument of knowledge
and civilization from a country unknown in the days of Grecian
glory, or, if known, known only as the abode of naked savages.
Toe existence of the press in Greece may hereafter give some secu-
rity for good government, and open a course for acquiring genuine
information as to what is passing there. A quantity of maps and
matte neural i strument* were also sent to the Morea.
-"the Amphitrite, the first vessel which had ever hoisted the
Weil: flag of indipentiehce in an English port, arrived in the
Thames in October, 11124. She brought ten boys, who, in corm-
quence of the recommendations of 3lr. Blaquiere, were consigned
to England for education at the expense of the Committee. 7 here
youths were selected from the different provinces and islands of
Greece, and have been for some time at the Borou;;Ii-road school.
bliouldGrace struggle saftlyshrough her present perils, they trust
have a permanently happy influence upon her future condition.
But it is a melancholy fact, and a fact little creditable to British
sympathy, that it has been impossible to raise funds in order to
co:lmlay Mar education in au hppropiiate manner, so much has the
interest in the well-being of Greece slackened in this country.

"Of the enormous sum. raised in this country in the shape of
loans for the assistance of the Greeks, it may be instructive to give
11001 e account. We are not of opinion that a greater portion of
fraud ant mismanagement attaches to the disposal of the Greek
Inane than to meth others, .rich have been less the object of pub-
lic attention, and farther removed from public scrutiny ; but as we
believe and know that a feeling of sympathy for the tfreely and a
desire to assist their cause, did, in many instances, supersede the
gramr and more canonon motive of pecuniary interest, so we think
that a valUable lesson may be learned for the future out of the dis-
Challrell of the past which have taken place. We shall give, in
gross numbers, the particulars of three towns, es far as we have been
able to collect hem ; and we think the conviction will be forced on
every man's bosom, that the ill-appropriation of the first (if ill-ap-
Omit) must attach to the arrangements made for its expenditure in
Greece, to waich so large a portion of it was directly remitted. The
misttianagem nt of the second belongs to England, and we appre-
hted the details of its expenditure will give no satisfaction to
any one.
" The first loan for 800,0001. produced to the Greeks the net
sum of 431.7110/.
" Out of this loan they paid 80,0001. for interest, and 16.0601.
towards the sinking fund. The amount remitted to Greece in
specie was 2418,700/. ; in stores and aminimition, 9,9001.; payments
made in Greece for the relief cf 11issolongbi, 2,4001.; 5,0011. for
1 the expenses of the deputation for 12 months; paid to one of the
depu'in (Orlando) on his private account, 5,9001.; repayment of a
loan made by Lord Byron to the Greeks, 4,00o1.; sundry expenses,
teltoi/.; and a sum of 27,500!. was paid over to the account of the
new loan as the balance of the old.
The second loan, for two millions, was contracted without the
slightest refTrence to the Greek Committee, to whom we have
reason to believe the whole affair was a secret. And this was rather
extraordinary, because, whatever opinion might have been formed of
the Committee, they could not but possess a pelt number of im-
portant facts, of which a contractor would have done well to possess
himself, alike for his own security and the security of those who
relied on his judgment.
" The net produce of the second loan for f! 000,000/.wa51.046,0001.
add to which the sum of 39,11004 wis received from the former loan,
front interest of bonds, and 1,2001. of the Calcutta subscription.
The amount reserved for interest was 200,0001. and for the sinking
fund 20,000!. The sum remitted to Greece in bullion appears to
have been, in round numbers, 182,4001. ; and 68,200/. was etn.
ployed in the purchase of military stores. It sum of 212,2001. !vas
been spent to buying up bonds. To the steam-vessel expedition
160,000/. has been appropriated; and the sum of 135.0001. has
been spent at New York. being part of the cost of two frigates.
The Greek Government have drawn for 33,7001. ; 3.3001. was re-
mitted to the relief of Alissolonghi ; 15.10 W. has been appropri-
ated to the formation of a body of regular troops. The Deputies
wellies are 6,6001. and 12,4001. seems to have been employed to
discharge minor demos. It is neatly impossible to verify these
statement. in detail, but they present a melancholy outline, which
will be filled up according to the temper or the knowledge of the
inquirer.
" Among the largest items by which the exnentliture of the
-teed loan is accounted for is the sum of 1.51,060/. employed in
infatuation,

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