The Sun.
London, England, 1825-03-14 00:00:00

OFFM'IAL REPORT ON THE STATE OF GREECE.

( Continued from our Paper of Friday last.)
I t may he asked how the Greeks, so strong in
the defence of their own territory when attacked by the enemy,
have not yet undertaken to invade that of the Turks? The
reason why they do not is simple,—they hive hitherto wanted
pecuniary 'means, the principal support of an offensive war. It
was only in the month of August last that the Greek Goierh,
ment received the first instalment of the loan contracted for. at
London: The Greeks of Macedonia, Paramythia, and of Chi-
Mara, in Epirus, have already several. times applied 'to "the Go-
vernment of Greece, only begging for arms and-provisions to rise
againat the Turks. The fine island of Cyprus has also begged
lot a squadron to cruise on their coasts, in order to facilitate the
imrnediate erection of the standard of independence. Besides, it
ought not to be lost sight of, that the policy of the Greek Go-:
*ern:nett is principally turned towards maritime affairs, always
.follawing the plan of. Themistocles, in preference to that' of the
Spartan warrior. In consequence, their progress on land is
-slow. In addition to the solidity which this. slow 'but sure
suarch will give to its progress and its plans, the sea promises
Greece advantages' infinitely more numerous, more profitable,
and more fruitful in happy results; not only will it decide
the fate of Greece, as it has at all times, but it will be the cir-
cumstance which will open to it the navigation and
_commerce of
Asia, A frica,•and the West of Europe—a commerce which that
:country commands in some sort by its situation. A perfect
maritime superiority would of itself place in the hands of the
Greeks the peaceable possession of the important islands of
Candia, Cyprus, and Rhodes. and several others, which, in
the golden ages of ancient Greece, formed of themselves
fleurishing states; it will give them, besides, the means of
easily starving Constantinople, and of aiding, by the help of
their light and swift sailing vessels, sudden debarkations on
the coasts of Asia and Europe, which ever spread terror
throughout the Turkish Empire. A number of other advan;
tages, which induce the Greeks to turn their attention principally
to the cultivation of their navy, I pass over in silence. Had it
not been for the perthry of their finances, they would,ere now
have substituted; in place of their trading vessels, a really war-
like navy. It is that poverty which has been the principal
obstacle to the reduction of- Patras, Coron, Modon, in the Pe.
leponnessus ; of Lepanto, in Western Greece; and of Negro-
and Carystos, in the Isle of Eubcea. The siege of these
places was the more difficult to the Greeks, that it was neces-
sary to blockade them by sea and land, which occasioned them
a data& mpence.. Sincethe Government.has bad the disposal
of.-part of its loan, ithas turned all its attention to those plates
• -which it closely blockades. Their evacuation *otild reduce the
naval forces of Turkey to 'a state, of inactibn. The Pacha of
Egypt himself, if he were -willing again to -attempt any thing.
for the Porte, could no longer undertake any serious enterprise.
It would even he a powerful motive to detach himself entirely
from the Government Of .Constantinople.
me geographical sithation.of Greece is one of the 'and
most advantageous that could-be pointed out. Nature has not
favoured in so eminent a degree any other country of the• same
extent; whether with "respect to its fertility, its navigation,. or,
its commerce. The mildness of its climate, the
.nuiltitude of
rivulets with which the country is watered, and mapy other ex.
--talent qualities. The plants which grow between the Tropicsl
flourish in its plains and valleys : and those of the northern it,
gions become 'naturalized oh its mountains. The form of lie
. country, bounded on- three sides by seas. and its- coasts indented
in all parts, aboUnding, in havens and: ports, are extremely
favourable to navigation and commerce'. These advantages.
render -it unnecessary for Greece to. make canals, roads;
Placed between two seas, its inhabitants have always -a few
paces from them a neighbouring port, from which their produce
may be carried to other countries. It was these advantages that
anciently made even single towns, as Corinth and Rhodes,
mistress of the then-known seas and' commerce. It was- the
possession of Candia, Cyprus, and other islands, which was the
cause of Venetian grandeur. The cause of its decline was the
loss- of those important islands.
The Greek population, exclusive.of the Albanians, Servians,
&c. with whom they have been sometimes confounded, amounts
to between seven and eight millions. T....v0 of these are spread
over Asia Minor, and another part occupy the countries still
subject to the Turks, suet as Macedonia and Thrace. The
union of these, when Greece shall have established her inde-
pendence, will, with her commercial enterprise, form a State
much more important than is thought for. It is not numbers,
but the activity generatedby commerce, that forms the strength
of such States. When the United States of America began
their political career their population only amounted to three