The Sun.
London, England, 1823-05-15 00:00:00

THE GREEK COMMITTEE.

At this monment, when the public meeting an-
nounced for this day, by the Greek Committee,
will, we trust, by calling forth the deep though
dormant feelings of the English public on the
sacred struggle of Greece, remove the obloquy
which foreigners have invidiously cast upon an
apathy, which we are convinced is but apparent,
we devote with pleasure an unusually large
space in our columns to the publication of the
following long letter from an intelligent Greek.
It contains so masterly an exposition of what the
Greeks have already done, and so irresistible an
appeal to our national generosity for that pe-
cuniary aid, which double the velocity of their
progress towards independence, that we feel we
should wrong both the cause and the writer, we
were to present it otherwise than at full lengt
to our readers :

4‘ Leghorn, Feb. 22, 1823.

" I have not answered your letter of the 6th of December,
that I might give you a detailed account of the events which
have occurred in our country during the year (1822) which has
just closed ; a narration which will at once satisfy your cu-
riosity, and enable gold to instruct those who arc anxious about
our affairs.

" After the tragical fate of the famous Ali Pasha of Yanina,
a part of his treasures and the other resources which he had left
were employed against the Greek& Chourschid Pasha, by the
advice of some strangers, wished first to make himself master
of Suli with the force which he had at Yanina, and with the as.
sistance of the neighbouring Tzanic, in order to leave his rear
unmolested. The Suliotes were at that time about 4,000 in
number, including. the neighbouring Christians in their alli-
ance. Their enemies amounted to about 211,000. Several com-
bats were fought at different points, always to the disadvantage
of the Turks, of whom a third Tian left their bones on the field.
But the want of provisions and of ammunition forced the Su-
liotes to advise their allies to make some agreement with Chours-
chid Pasha, and return to their homes. This was done, and the
Suliotes remained alone besieged in the fortress of Kiapha, where
Mavrocordato, at the head of the troops of the Western Greece,
endeavoured to succour them, and raise the siege, but from the
attempt not being judiciously made, failed, with some loss. Atlength, destitute of all resources, the Suliotes yielded to neces-
sity and agreed on honourable terms to retire into Cefallonia.—
Whs ile these things were passing at Suli, the Governors and
Pashas of Rumelia were assembling with their troops at La-
rissa, and as the besieged Suliotes could no longer oppose the
movements of the Turks, Chourschid Pasha thought the mo.
ment favourable for advancing to Larissa, where, on his arri-
val, he ordered the following disposition of troops : 32,000 men,
mostly cavalry, and well appointed, set out for the Pei°.
ponnesus, under the command of three Paellas with the title
of Viziers; and finding no resistance in Eastern Greece on
account of the misunderstanding between Ulysses and the
Senate, nor on the Isthmus, where there was but a small
garrison, they entered the Morea without • difficulty, and so
rapidly as to occupy Corinth before their approach was even
known in the country. After possessing themselves of Acro
('orinthus which the garrison had abandoned, either from
terror at the vast number of the assailants, or because the for-
tress was unprovided with the necessary means of sustaining
a siege, a large part of the cavalry set off for Napoli di Roma-
nia, with provisions, and under the command of a Pasha, who
entered it at the head of 300 horsemen, with a view merely to
supply the wants of the garrison ; which rescued the place then
on the point of surrendering. The rest of the army remained.
at Argos, where, on being attacked by the Greeks, it com-
menced a disastrous retreat, leaving on the road Topal, Ali Pasha
its:General, and the whole of its baggage, and bringing back
to Corinth but a small number of soldiers in a most wretched
condition. Meanwhile the Greeks, in order to intercept all
other succours, had occupied the Isthmus, and the neighbour.
ing points, and were besieging Corinth, in which one-fourth of
this Turkish army is still inclosed, the rest having perished
from sickness, or in partial engagements.
In the mean time, Chourschid Pasha sent another Pasha,
.with 7,000 men by Agrapha to Acarnania, with orders to suc-
cour the troops atArta and Prevesa. This manoeuvre was punc-
tually executed, but the Greeks attacked and dispersed all the
three bodies. Chourschid Pasha having learned the bad suc-
cess of the expedition against the I'eloponnesus, endeavoured
to send thither some other reinforcements., and marched three
corps d'arrrice successively; but Ulysses did not,like Achilles be-
fore Troy, remain this time inactive ; but attacked and routed
all the three bodies. The Turkish ,fleet .received orders to
leave Scio, and to enter the Gulf of Lepanto, in order to assist
the operations by land ; and it came accordingly, composed of '
Turkish, African, and Egyptian ships. It made several un-
successful debarkations on the Acarnanian anti Etolian coasts,
but succeeded in throwing into Corinth some provisions and
soldiers, which it had brought from Patras. Nothing having
been effectect in the Gulf of Lepanto, and the winter approach-
ing, it received on board the new Capitan Pasha, who was then
at nitres, and sailed for Nauplia with a reinforcement of pro.
visions and troops. There the Spezzio Hydriotes,,were on the
watch, with the double object of protecting their islands, and
of preventing any succours being thrown into Napliau ; and in
this they completely succeeded ; for the enemy, in three at-
tempts to approach Nauplia, was thrice attacked and repulsed
with loss. The Spezziotes passed over to Hydra, their own
island being too weak to resist, while Hydra being well forti-
fied, the enemy durst not approach it, but was forced to ac-
knowledge his weakness, and after doing nothing, retreat.—
On his passage he attempted a descent on the Isle of Myconos,
but four hundred men, who garrisoned the island, attacked
the vessels as they approached, from behind the rocks, and
forced them to retire with loss. The Psariots were moored
before their own island, which, like Hydra, is well fortified,
and this prevented the enemy from approaching it. At length
the Turkish fleet cast anchor In the port of 'Penedos to await
the Sultan's orders for entering the Dardanelles ; but the
Psariots, who had taken no part in the engagements in the
Argolis Gulf, unwilling to appear inferior to their brethren in
arms, prepared two fire-ships, and sent them, accompanied by
three other ships of war, in the hope of blowing up the new
Admiral, and thus preventing the return of the enemy's fleet
to Constaninoplc unpunished. The boldness of this idea was re-
fwr ia rg
ad teeds bye became the
maosptrleiyaptpa y
theres
flames,ul ts. Tha en
aAt
hdemr i rwaal 'as sphairpdaalnldy tdwao.
mated, the rest slipped their cables and escapeed in the midst of
a violent storm, by which some were wrecked, and some dis-
persed, while the few which were saved entered the Dardanelles
in a wretched condition ; to remedy which, as far as possible,
workmen andall other necessaries were sent from Constantinople,
after which the Africans and Egyptians set sail for their own
country, and the Turks for the capital.
" 'While the Greeks were triumphing so completely by sea,
and though the Moreotes had frustrated all the enemy's move-
ments, 'Western Greece was so weakened by the fall of Suli, as
almost to succumb, and to let the enemy re-establish himself in
the territory of Missolonghi and •Anatolicon. Omer Pasha .
Brione, a skilful General and a good soldier—his troops all
chosen Albanians—the English consul at Preveso, Mr. Meyer,
devoted to the Turks, all these unfavourable circumstances were
combined against Greece. Mr. Meyer, after materially contri-
buting to the fall of Sull, succeeded in drawing over to the
Turkish party the Chiefs Varnakiota, Karaisco, and several
others ; so that treachery was all-powerful where force had
hitherto failed. But the brave Bozzaris and the wise Mayrocor-
dato shut themselves up in Missolonghi with 400 soldiers, and
prolonged th eirres Wan ce till they received succours from the Pe.
loponnesus, and then repulsed the enemy with great loss, as we
know by letters froin the spot itself. They were, moreover, in
hopes of pursuing him, and not only of driving him out of Etolia
and Acarnania, but of even entering Arta, if they received the ne-
cessary warlike supplies, without which they could not advance.
God grant that the conduct of Mr. Meyer may have resulted sole-
ly from the instructions of the late minister, and that the policy
of England may now be changed ! for hitherto it has done great
harm to the Greeks. _

" Nattplia violated its conventions in the hope of receiving
succour by sea or land ; but on the 30th of November the ad-
vanced guard of the Greeks having learned that the citadel
was no longer guarded, threw into it, by means of scaling lad-
ders 200 men,. who, having seized the strong points, opened a
gate for the others.
"Thus was this formidable fortress taken without any other
effusion of blood than that caused by the resistance of some of
those who were shut in it. What was said about Tripolitza
cannot be asserted here, for all those who had laid down their
arms were spared and conducted to Smyrna or Ephesus; and
this is enough to stop any further accusation of Greece, except
from the Spectateur Oriental, which finds fault with every
thing.
" such was the end of the year 1022, and thus, I trust, will
finish, next March, the second year of the Independence of
Grcece. Already have the troops which were besieging
Nauplia, departed for Corinth and Patras, where there are 12
Greek vessels to support the operations by land; and it is pro-'
htbble that these fortresses will experience the fete of Nauplia,
Unless they yield upon terms. The caues of Greece would have
prospered still more, if Europe was not against her, and if cer-
tain
small agents had been contented With 'executing their
Ministers' orders, and had not, of their own heads, done many

thins which it was impossible for any Christian Government
to foresee, but which are not unusual among men of little
minds, and who, unfortunately, feel a personal enmity towards
a whole nation.

" You understand better than we can the affairs of Europe;
we know nothing but that the Congress of Verona has renewed
the anathema it launched against us last year, that the Northern
Powers views us as rebels, and are determined never to listen
to our justification ; the Turk used to be always considered as
an unlawful usurper, and such was he declared to be by the
Christian Powers as often as they declared war against him and
his Christian subjects were called warms to expel their oppressor.
—Now the Turk is become the most legitimate monarch in
Europe, and the Christians are rebels ! And by whom are they
called so ? By the Holy Alliance ! a tribunal which is the
mighty and venerable representative of Christianity, and of.
European civilization ! AVithout presuming to examine the
justice of its resolves, the Greeks are thankful that there still
remains in Europe, one Christian Power unshackled by these
holy bonds. It is to the approval of the British public that they
look for justification during ages to come. Should they be bf
all others condemned and abandoned--should they be divined
to fail, and fall to a man—they trust that their memory at least
will be consecrated by the suffrage of England. They do not
pretend to advance any ' claim to her protection.--
When they were persecu by her at the commencement of the
struggle, on the mere ground of one common religion, they had
a right to complain ; but now they feel towards her a gratitude
without bounds, and from England, they deem the mere ab. '
sence of that prosecution, which assails them from every quer•
ter, a sort of protection.
" Russia, by her last year's proclamation of Laybach, pars.
lysed the operationslf 1 psilanti in Wallachia, and nearly pro-
duced the same effect throughout Greece. If the Greeks hare
Turks only to deal with, and can but borrow some money, they
will not only maintain the ground they hare gained, but ad.
vance ; for it is not courage they want.
" The weakness of the Greek government does not proceed
from idefective organization, or from a deficiency of soldiene
but from the want of money ; and till that is procured the
Greek government cannot be strengthened.
" Our communications and our correspondence with Greece
are not yet well established, which delays the arrival of news.
Only the news of the taking of Nauplia reached us in time,
from the vessel which brought it accidentally making a quicker
passage into our port. All commerce is carried on under the
Austrian flag, and the Captains of Austrian vessels will neither
carry letters nor repeat news.
were conveyed
otooo to T
" Nauplia was taken by assault ; yet, though the besieged
Turks had twice broken their compact, none were killed but
those who resisted with arms in their hands : all who were un-
armed, or who laid down their arms, were, as I said before,
spared. Four hundred and fifty old men, women, and children,
Smyrna,
Yrnia'soolndih°er:rd we an
ves-
sels to Scala Nova. These are undeniable facts ; and the Sive!:
tateur Oriental, contrary to his custom, and in spite of himself,
admits it, while he, at the same time, announces the massacre
of four Greeks by the Turks, at the very moment that they We
their countrymen arriving from Nauplia unhurt. rest
" Speaking of the war which threatens Spain, You exPr
re Englishearried in corvette;cirecian and
upwardsar
some apprehension of the projects of Russia against Twig'.
What is it you fear ? Do you think Russia could so easti_lly
seize on our country ? IV ll hia and Moldavia, once )_.e..
magazines of the Russians, now furnish nothing; the
ww.r,,
tresses on the Danube are well provided and fortified, and
when i'
not fall in a hurry, for the Turks can fight well
,i
they are sheltered by ramparts. Mount hermits is not eto1y.
crossed, and, suppose it were crossed, where will be thFpro,
visions ? Besides, the Russians have never shown quite;
owing to their want of means, and they have fewer _ is
throughout Europe, war is not thus essily.lnade ;
now than they had even before. In short, supposinAVNer
desirous of making war, which is, you tell me, the gel admit
but ,____.
that there will be a war, if Turkey persists in her Itniesanun
Otherwise, Russia is now gaining by lter ancient treoa_,..,_Er;
will, up to a certain time, monopolize the commerce 3of Turkey
(which will be confined to provisions, for the Turks
no more money to make the same purchases
without diffi-
When the Ottoman Empire expires, Russia will,
her heir;
culty, and in spite of all the other Powers, becometco
navy to
so that you see even the ruin of the Greeks is p
in
what to
the interest of Russia, and hence springs
her extend ever
what is passing in Greece. But if England would
will have a
so little a helping hand to the Greeks, no Russian
I enforce
world he easl Y f
right to set his foot upon Greece, nor wou
and troopso
such a claim, for our country is by nature strong,
the line can hardly advance without roads. .i.ev, ,„, the
d wish for
" It remains for me to notice the commonheildi _1•11"
Greeks Irish for the Russians ; It is true
that
t d become a nor
them once, but now that they can be free,
fa.nsh for the
Rio-
with as before).
t°
broken every bond
*lens? The present conduct ofl ttssia has
tion, what earthly reason can thef have 1
that not only
.I,lu they
unlit!
Greek people or the Greek clergy. ' which gi% es eq
cept the fourth article of the Constitution, of affection, and so little bigotry is there atn_oug,.. e, ite
acthe-
what neither
by acclamation. Since the Greeks then have
of' rights in Greece to all a ho are Christiana, dhountethey
ithout the slighest
the Spaniards nor the Portuguese did, and w
o le, the dine is
appearance of discontent in either clergy or
people,
oPindependence
far distant when they will prefer any thing
t it is indifferent
and liberty. As to their system of Governmen IL__ ‘,.,,i, shell
to them ; the Greeks will accept any system, wnok'''' ""'
be independence. '• ir
this is our vie
" This, my friend, is all that we know, and
v. . -ge We
of the state of things here ; and from our ("In
kn° reek
say that such are the predominent feelings of the Gre_ .
__.,_
May Heaven assist them, till they cease to be the onl,. Re°..4;
voted t
on earth who cannot boast of a country ! Otherwise, tu" .a
9 w rowed
been a little softened down by their indolence, ere u°risieaabli
again into fury, and will be more cruel, amiss irre
falls, she will be changed into Africa ; for the Turk who he-
barbarous in their morals and policy as before. A„it, !MP
" I think it right to inclose you a copy of the news L"'„, place
which we shortly expect o receive, and which
colon hi ; it is official, and you may without hesitau°:ll;,ere,
a perfect reliance ppon it.. This glorious intelligence, s° stall
which be 011 • I
brilliant, inspires us with the conviction that our of es
assume a m cheerful appearance in S 'n The reeks
now g' d haw
now know why they are fighting, and have learned 110
they should fight. But they are in the utmost distress forre,
ney, and this distress rrevents the display of th, eairilumPeatki°llg
zeal, and retards the progress which they would be - ent
if th -sr had but the means. Bitterly do we feel In our Pres
condition the truth of Caesar's remark, `Even soldiers 111,1tooboe
tress of the Greeks, these supplies created by money.' Letters from Zante assert, that '•ltteas
muskets, a great number of cannons, and plenty of prey'
~_.
resent CDS
and ammunition, were found in Nauplia. In the Pr i. you
tell me that the subscription of the Society of Friends, h
t”an
captive and the fugitive Greeks, already amounts ta,,..ltrein te
1.0001. sterling. It is a noble act, and worthy of 11411"1
pplies will be most usefu
for the

down without uttering a word,
Fswwssmsossiss•rancis..street:ssessossasswwTothill.sehis,
I. Hlviiiiors.,NvoAfY RoßaEay.—Tuesday afeteirringoondiV:ifih:
throng-
Struttonound, a soldier, in his morning-dress, knocke .
01 his watch
taint ydßos °film'tsilver.
valuable Mr.
LARY.—Monday night, the hooso of
jewellery, trinkets, a ten
Freeman, 42, Nelson sq y d robbed of
uare, was broke penan
~ treat Van'
several ladies' dr - - and robbed bin'
ems, a gold watch chain ,c - d diet
•
property. • of
Last week, Rachael Perkins a daughter of 111 r. Perkins. _ t
the Butcher.bank, Newcastle, cork-cutter, aged about eigh
years, was unfortunately smothered by being accidentally shut
up in a press-bed. Coroner's verdict...." Accidental death'
----------
-po'und note, an 0

COAL-MARKET , MAT 14. •
Pry*
Ships at Market. Ships sold 24 thi t 9 411 od
35i Newcastle - -23 A - --„.43 ad to kb AA'
5 Sunderland - 3 - ."8„ jeld to'..."-g v".
0 Scotch Coal . . 0 - --1:,........._. '---

BIRTHS.
Oo the 13th inst., at Camberwell, Mrs. Robert Spence*
daughter. f ICC
On the 13th inst.,Cranbrook-house, in Somerset-street, the 1/101/ ° ►te ,
Hall Dare,
On Esq.,
Tuesday,of the lath inst., the wife of Mr. flacon, 01
Hare, Cambridge-heath, Hackney-road, of a
Essex, Of a daug
..ithe

31ARRIED. nside.
hter °
On Tuesday, at St. Pancras new church, John ON r
Es q., , i dau „„
thecl., f Clap tant.rise, to Harriet Pratt, fourth
square.
of Stoke Newin ' 1 Ref'
late Samuel Feyster, Esq., of Charlotte-street, ttrio,
On the 14th ins, at SL Mary's Ilington Synue est
nolds, Ea 7 gton, to lA,. „? , woo,
daughter o the late H. A-V. 31e,titner, E of "--
, sq.,
Islington. • Er belt Yrning
_..--------------"'

m2ltlbTuemigY, the 13th inst., in the 711 yea of hie. 214
ew Toptiam, Esq., of Verularn-buildinge, 61110 n
:firs. rau
At Carshakon, Surrey, tzeirb d wife of T. De
brand, Esq.
the lith first.; at the house of ber
son-
On
Great James-greet, Betiprd.row, Mary Ann Booth doh
Mr. Benjamin Booty, aged 69. Mr.burrhot

DIED.

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