The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-21 00:00:00

GREECE.

ATHENS, Nov. 30.—France having granted the long-
talked- of million, everything for the moment is French.
that is to say, the Government, for I believe never was
the French interest so _low throughout the country
generally as at the present moment. The French ha% e
done everything to make themselves unpopular in Greece.
M. Guizot's circular will not easily be forgiven by them,
and M. Piscatory's conduct in Greece will long be a
source of ridicule to the Greeks. The public papers
have accused France of trying to upset the present Go-
vernment in favour of the Duke de Nemours, and yet
supporting the Bavarians in Greece. They call upon
France to come forward and frankly say what she is aim-
ing at, if anything, for the happiness of Greece ; then
she may be cordially embraced as a friend, but her half-
measures will do her no good, and keep Greece conti-
nually in hot water.
The Turkish quz:stion and the threatened Turkish ex-
pedition against Greece seriously occupy the thinking
part of our community, but the Government shows the
greatest apathy about leaving them all to its friends, the
three protecting Powers. We are anxious to see whe-
ther France will play her usual noble game with Greece,
as with Mehemet Ali, Spain, Poland, Italy, &c. The
position of poor King Otho certainly seems very preca
rious, and nothing will persuade the Gieeks now that
the Powers intend any good towards him ; for England,
Russia, and Austria are by nb means friendly to his pre-
sent Government, and they strongly suspect that France
hassome arriere pensee, from her conduct towards Greece.
Our diplomatic circles have certainly taken every op-
portunity of expressing their opinion of the present
Government. The Austrian Minister gave his first soiree
for the season a few evenings ago, and he took especial
care not to invite any of his Majesty's Ministers. Their
absence was so much the more striking, as Mavrocordato
was there with a whole host of his relations, and all the
world was there, except King Otho's Ministers. M.
Catacazi, the Russian Minister, gave his first grand di-
plomatic dinner, at which none of the Ministers were to
be seen. The , other foreign Ministers keep to their
strict official communications with them, which naturally
leaves them to cut; a poor figure before the public. Of
course things cannot last long in such a state. There is
a report that Sir Stratford Canning will take Greece on
his way to Constantinople ; if so he may be of great use
to this unfortunate country ; at all events, his arrival is
anxiously desired by all parties.
The next thing of importance is the bank; there have
been two meetings held, but as yet nothing has been done.
The first meeting was taken up in choosing a provisional
committee, and the second in examining the offers, or rather
demands, for shares ; great are the intrigues for the places
of directors and members of the council. The French lega-
tion takes the lead in it for the moment, having got the Go-
vernment to name ayoung lawyer, named Petsalis,the editor
of a paper in the French interest, as Government agent, but
of course everything is provisional up to the present.
To increase French influence they are very active in
spreading the report that France will advance the re-
mainder of the third series, which, however, will not be
so much as people imagine , as, when interests &c., be
deducted, it will be under 2,000,000 f. ; and it must not
be forgotten that, on the Ist of January, 1842, Greece
has to pay 1,500,000 f., advanced by Bavaria, and on the
Ist of March, 1812; 2,000,000 f. for the interest on the
loan guaranteed by England and Russia.
Belgium has sent a lot of crosses of the order of Leo-
pold for the present and ci decant Ministers for Foreign
Affairs, Messrs. Paikos and Rizos. Coletti at Paris gets
the cross of Grand Commander, the others are for sub-
alterns in office and the Court.
The Turks have demanded the recal of the Greek con-
sul in Candle, and have obliged the Greeks to quit Ja-
nina and Prevesa, and they are performing quarantine
on the frontier. This seems a prelude to hostilities.