The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-15 00:00:00

GREECE.

DEPARTURE OF THE ENGLISH AND
FRENCH AMBASSADORS FROM ATHENS.
A letter from Trieste in the Augsburg Gazette,
states from Athens that the English and French
ambassadors had left that capital on the 3rd.

The 2tioniteur of yesterday (Sunday) contains
the following important article upon the position
assumed by the Government of Greece in :respect
of the Eastern question :
" At the time when the Hellenic Government is pur-
suing a course so contrary to the interests of the nation

over which it has to preside, it may not be useless to re-
call to recollection the benefits which France has so
prodigally bestowed upon Greece. No one is ignorant
of the share which our navy and army have taken in
securing the freedom of Greece. What is
.not so gene-
rally known is that the expense of our squadrons is the
Mediterranean, and the military expedition to the Morea
has increased our public debt to the extent of
100,000,000 of francs. The payment of the interest of
this sum at the present time gives a proof of the sym-
pathy of the preceding generation with the cause of the
Helienes. •

"The task of assuring the independence of Greece
having been fulfilled, it remained to establish the new
State upon a basis which would insure its future pro-
sperity. France obtained for it a great increase of tei-
ritory. She insisted that it should be created into a
kingdom. She supported with her guarantee, collec-
tively with England and Russia, a loan of 60,000,000 f.,
very difficult of realisation at the period of its negotia-
tion in 1832. The resources of the Hellenic tr,asury,
at first insufficient, and then ill employed, prevented it
from providing directly for the repayment of this loan.
The treaty of 1852 contained a clause, in virtue of
which the revenues of the Greek State were first
to be chargeable with the payment and extinction of
its external debt. Not only did France not demand
the extinction of this article of the convention of
London, but besides, in an excess of kindness and
generosity towards a country which she • considered as
one of her own creation, she ceased, in 1833, -to follow
the example of England and Russia, who issued ad-
ditional bonds on the security of those previously enterea
into, and, with the object of providing a valuable reserve
for Greece, Fiance decided upon making the requisite
payments whca due from her own resources. Those ad-
vances now exceed the sum of 13,000,000 f. Since the
adoption of this system, which soon involved us in a
responsibility beyond our first engagement, we relin-
quished our claim upon a portion of the loan of 1832,
which we had the right to consider as a security for the
repayment of our private debt, to the amount of
2,000,000 f., that amount having formed the capital for
which the Greek Government had credit in the Na-
tional Bank of Athens, an establishment of credit
organised by the assiduity of a superior clerk con-
nected with the Ministry of Finance, M. Lemaitre, and
which had an essential share in developing in Greece
industrial operations and agricultural works. In
1846 France founded at Athens a school directed by a
hi:):11 functionary of the university, where the professors
taken from our normal schools gave every encouragement
to the young men who wished to study our language and
our literature. The library of the capital of Greece was
at the same period placed upon the same footing as the
French libraries, that is to say, allowed to share in the
distribution of the works published byGolarnment. Our
officers, in the midst of a thousand difficulties, and ex-
posed to the dangers of the climate, to which three of
them fell victims, prepared a map of different parts of the
kingdom, which is considered as a masterpiece of topo-
graphical skill. To these benefits of a general character
which were advantageous to the whole Greek nation,
may be added the proofs of kindness and sympathy which
King Otho and his Government have unceasingly expe.
rienced from France.

"In 1843, when the Hellenic throne was menaced by
the faction which now dominates at Athens, our diplo-
macy gave it a powerful support during the difficult
transition from the regime of pure monarchy to a con-
stitutional form of Government. Subsequently, under
equally critical circumstances, it was the support of the
French Government and its friendly intervention which
neutralised the effects of a formidable spirit of discon-
tent. France most certainly did not deceive herself in
I regard to the real state of things in Greece. She de-
plored the faults of the Administration and the disorder
which prevailed in the finances ; but she endeavoured,
to a certain extent, to conceal evils which she hoped to
cure by care and prudence. We were desirous that the
Hellenic Government, from circumstances which we be-
lieved to be accidental, should not acquire a bad reputa-
tion. which would have been injurious to Greece her-
self, and it does not exceed the truth to say that
during 20 consecutive years not a single disagreeable
affair occurred, owing to the negligence or the fault of
the Government, when we did not take the opportunity
of calming irritation or bringing about an arrangement.
To this kindness, which was of so sympathetic a charac-
ter, which became tired of nothing and excused every-
thing—to this kindness which might be classed as weak-
ness, had it not been exhibited towards a country the
political existence of which was partly owing to us--
it is now known what requital the Greek Govern-
ment has given. Abandoning itself to chimerical
desires, yielding to suggestions from abroad, it has
become the instrument of a Power at war with France.
It has allowed upon its territory the formation of
armed bands, commanded by officers in its service,
which have spread disorder and pillage in Epirus,
Thessaly, and Macedonia. It has emptied its
arsenals, and exhausted its treasure to support an insur-
rection excited by itself, and which it still seeks to sus-
tain, notwithstanding the checks it has received. No.
where does scandal find greater impunity than at Athens.
Salaried journals circulate every morning insults against
France, against our army, and against the person of the
Emperor. Our people have been insulted in the streets,
under the eyes of an inactive police ; even the repre-
sentative of his Imperial Majesty received a warning
that his life ryas in danger !
" The majority of the Greek nation, let us hasten to
say, thoroughly disapproves of these excesses and these
follies. They are the first to suffer from them, and the
responsibility of them entirely belongs to a Government
which is so ill inspired as to risk, by ingratitude only
equalled by its blindness, the loss of the only suppA
which hitherto has never failed it."