The Sun.
London, England, 1821-10-02 00:00:00

IDer of smaller oneg, are divided inio four nearly equal fleets, of
which the first is stationed before the Dardanelles, the second
in the Cyclades, and latterly, the blockade of Thessalonica.
The third protects the three islands which command the sea,
and observes the movements of the Barbary vessels, and the
fourth is employed in the lonian Sea against the remains of the
Turkish fleet in the harbours of Aetolia and Epinis, and in
blockading the Turkish maritime places. Smallsdivisions and
single ships keep up the communication and convoy the trans-
ports. In emergencies several of these fleets unite against a
common enemy. It seems singular that the name of an Admi-
ral is never mentioned. The reason is, that as the furnishing
of this singular fleet is in common, the command is also com-
mon, and varies with the power which each house furnishes.
Every one conceives he understauds the business, as well as an-
other, and as at Marathon with the Ten Generals, so at Mity-
lene, and latterly at Tenedos, lie is the leader on whose day of
command the battle is fought.
The intelligence of the latest events on the Continent of
Greece, connects itself with a knowledge of its internal condi-
tion and the hostilities against Ali Pascha.
When Mahornet the Second conquered Greece, he was satis-
fied with occupying the level country, the fortresses and the sea
towns. Neither he nor his followers, who pushed their con-
quests in the direction of Hungary and Poland, paid any atten-
tion to the natural fortresses of the Greek Mountains. Hence
the whole of the Greek Mountains remained at first uncon-
quered. Thither repaired the independent part of the inhabi-
tants, in order to continue on a Guerilla warfare under bold
leaders called Kaaitanys. Theta- mountains have remained in-
dependent down to our days, its'the Turks are neither inclined
nor fitted to carryon a mountain warfare. The Kapitany- usually
collects a band of from 50 to 200 vigorous youths and men, who
are devoted to him for life and death, and fall on the enemy for
the purpose of havoc and spoil, on she roads and in towns.—
Originally the unconquered nucleus of the nation, and engaged
in perpetual conflicts with the subjugation, they often fall indis-
criminately on all in the bounds of the enemy, by whom they
are called Y-XErvais as the remains of the subjugated people
who preserved their independence in the mountains, were called
Latrones by the Romans. Bands of this kind, when not sub-
ject to strict discipline, certainly degenerate into banditti, and
Greek, Albanese, and Arnaut banditti have been organised in
this manner; but the. majority of the Kapitanys distinguish
strictly between the Christian and the Mussulman, with whom
they are at war, and punish the plunder of the former, accord-
ing to old law, with death. The Patches, who are unable to
protect themselves against the bold independence and daring-
ness of the Kapitanys, generally enter into negotiation with
them, and they often, for a nominal subjection, receive pay and
provisions, and the superintendence of the district protected by
their arms. Such a district delivered over to the protection of
a Kapitany, is called his Armatolion.* The mountains of
Macedonia, Epirus, and Thessaly, are particularly covered by
these Armatolia, and the liberty of the Mainottes, Agraphes,
Suliots, Montenegrins, and Mereslitese so much dreaded by
the Turks, rests on this foundation. It will easily be per-
ceived from this, that the Greek Armatolia, as the last asy-
lums of old Grecian strength and independence, the uncon-
quered centre of the Greek nation, and are at present the
hope and the pledge of better times for Greece. When Ali
Pascha aimed at obtaining a more solid sway over Aetolia
and Epirus than was possessed by his predecessors, he
drew the Kapitanys of his province and their bands, by great
presents and still greater promises, into his service. lie then
began to destroy them singly,_ not publicly, but secretly by
means of assassins, whom he then put out of the way to prevent
suspicion attaching to himself as the originator. Thus pe-
rished among many others the father of Odysseus who is now
a leader of daring bands in Thessaly. The rest, discovering in
time the treachery, left the assassin, and withdrew into their
independent Armatolia. When last year the Porte had deter.
mined on the fall of Ali, and Ismail Paschobey advanced with
only about 5,000 Turks through Thessaly, against the four times
stronger force of Ali, he called to his assistance against the com-
mon enemy, all the Kapitanys who were incensed against him.
In a short time they brought to him 10,000 fighting men, and
he opened the campaign with an army of 15,000 men. Ali oc-
cupied the mountain passes which lead over Kalarites, and more
to the north over Mezovo from Thessaly to Epirus. The Kapi-
tanys found means of passing the mountains, by ways known
only to themselves. Attacked every where in front and rear,
and cut off from all resources, 'Ali, without striking a blow,
retreated into Joannina. The army dispersed, and with the
chosen bands of his old friends and associates, mostly Kepi-
tanys, who had remained true to him, he threw himself into
the richly supplied fortress of his capital. From hence he set
fire to the town, and compelled the Paschobey, who was not
prepared for a siege, to remain inactive beside the ruins of Joan-
nina. This made him an object of suspicion to the Porte. As
he had called the Qhristians to arms, and remained idle before
Joannina, the Divan thought Ismail Paschobey had it in view
to establish an independent dominion in Epirus, and appointed
the powerful Kavanosoglu, the Itumli Basili, as his successor.
When Paschobey presented the Greek Kapitanys to him as the
men who had brought the Turkish army before Joannina, he
dismissed them with harsh words and even with menaces. A
Pascha of his retinue, Omar, recognised among the Kapitanys,
Diamanty, the enemy of his house. He called hint back. " 1
know-thee," said he to him, " thou art Diamanty, who slew
my brother and took from him 20,000 piastres." "I am Dia-
manty," he answered; " I did slay thy brother and take from
him his money, but lie was my enemy, and we met each other
in honourable combat ; now we are brothers and friends ; old
times must not be spoken of." " Thou art mistaken, Gauer,"
was the answer ; "we never make friends of dogs. Thou
shalt make no doubt satisfaction, and remain in my hands as
murderer of my brother." When the Kapitanys heard that
Diamanty was retained, they determined at first to free him by
force; but one of them, Tzonko, from Thessaly, admitted into
the Iletwria, prevailed on them to be more moderate for the
moment. It N not now the time to enter unprepared into a
useless, perhaps ruinous war, with an enemy prepared for your
destruction. Soon will begin a nobler conflict for the freedom
of all Greece ; for this, spare yourselves and your arms. -The
Kapitanys purchased the freedom .of Diamanty, withdrew,
though not without fighting, their bands front the Turkish,
and retired for a second time to their mountains., On this Ali
Pascha entered again into negotiation with them, and offered
them arms and treasures for their assistance. They availed
themselves of the means of the -perfidious old man, and ad-
vanced against the Turks before Joannina. This is the com-
mencement of a war which has since spread over the whole
of European Turkey, and- has nearly brought Europe to
a general political catastrophe. For Kavanosoghte, left to
his own means, was disturbed by the bands of- the Kapitanys,
and as powerless against Joannina as Paschobey. Ile soon re-
ceived a successor in Beba Pascha, who had displayed great
military skill in the campaigns against Russia, and was held in
great estimation. However, Beba did not even reach the place
of his destination, having died suddenly, it is believed, from
poison. Chorsetachmet, Pascha of the Mona, on whom, as
one of the most savage barbarians, the curse of the Greeks rests,
was now commissioned to punish the infamous rebel. Chorset-
' achmet left tile Peloponnesus with his army, which, on its way
through Thessaly, was increased to 12,000 men, and appeared
before Joanniva, where his best strength was consumed in use-
less storming of this strong fortress, and in repelling the sallies
of Ali, and the attacks of the Kapitanys, now joined by the
Agraphes and Suliotes. The Iletwria, winch, as is well known,
is a Union or Association founded for the liberation of Greece,
and is particularly spread over the islands and maritime places, JJ
considered this moment, when by the most wonderful concate-
nation of circumstances, the Peloponnesus was free !iota its
dreaded tyrants and from the Turkish main force; Thessaly was
Slightly protected, and Aetolia and Epirus were every wit ere
the theatre of war, as particularly favourable for rising against
their subjugators, though they were only in part prepared, and
there was still particularly a want of arms. Their fleets assem-
bled and rushed out to support the movements which broke out
last spring in every part of Greece. After hard battles, the
Turks were driven into the fortresses, which have partly been
surrendered, and partly are invested; The struggle was most
obstinate in Epirus, where the Turkish population capable of
bearing arms had strengthened the army before Joaunina.
But here, after numerous battles, the Turks have been mas-
tered and compelled at length to retire. With about3ooo men,
Paschobey, who remained with the army, strengthened the gar-
rison of Arta. With the rest of the army, about 8009 man,
Chorsetachmet retreated to the• passes of alezovo, pretending

" From zep,arcz, arms, formal from Ca: Latin arena.