Embark on a thrilling journey through the life of Lord Cochrane, a legendary Napoleonic-era sea captain. This volume brings to life his daring exploits as he aids the Chilean navy in defeating Spain and takes command of Brazils fleet. Cochranes extraordinary journey doesnt end there - he sails to Greece, joining the fight for their liberation from the Ottoman Empire. This is not just a biography, its an unfinished autobiography completed by his son and a renowned naval historian.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fourteen of the Life of Thomas Lord Cochrane, tenth
Earl of dun Donald, completing the Autobiography of a Seaman,
Volume one. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Timothy Ferguson eighteen
(00:21):
twenty five to eighteen twenty six. The letter from Mavroco
Datus quoted in the last chapter was only part of
a series of negotiations that had been long pending. Lord Cochrane,
as we have seen, had arrived at Portsmouth on the
twenty sixth of June eighteen twenty five, in the command
of a Brazilian warship and still holding the office as
(00:41):
First Admiral of the Empire of Brazil. His intention in
visiting England had been only to effect the necessary repairs
in his ship before going back to Rio de Janeio.
He had no sooner arrived, however, than it was clear
to him from the vague and insolent language of the
Brazilian envoy in London, that it was designed and by
that official, if not by the authorities in Rio de
(01:03):
Janeiro to oust him from his command. During four months,
he remained in uncertainty, determined not willingly to retire from
his Brazilian service, but gradually convinced by the increasing insolence
of the envoys treatment of him, that it would be
inexpedient for him to hastily return to Brazil, where before
his departure he had experienced the grossest ingratitude for his
(01:27):
brilliant achievements, and neglect and abuse of all sorts. At
length in November, upon learning that his captain and crew
had been formally instructed to cast off all subordination to him,
he deemed that he had no alternative but to consider
himself dismissed from Brazilian employment and free to enter upon
a new engagement. That engagement had been urged upon him
(01:48):
even while he was in South America by his friends
in England, who were also devoted friends to the cause
of Greek independence, and the proposal had been renewed very
soon after his arrival at Port Wortsmouth. It was so
freely talked of among all classes of the English public,
and so openly discussed in the newspapers before the middle
of August that by it Lord Cochrane's last relations with
(02:12):
the Brazilian envoy were seriously complicated. Quote Lord Cochrane is
looking very well after eight years of harassing and ungrateful service,
wrote Sir Francis Burdett on the twentieth of August, and
I trust will be the liberator of Greece. What a
glorious title. It is needless to say that Sir Francis Burdett,
(02:32):
always the noble and disinterested champion of the oppressed, and
the far seeing and fearless advocate of liberty both at
home and abroad, was a leading member of the Greek
Committee in London. This committee was counterpart, though composed of
more illustrious members than any of the others of phil
Hellenic associations that had been organized in nearly every capital
(02:52):
of Europe and in the chief towns of the United States.
Everywhere a keen sympathy was aroused on behalf of the
downtrodden Greeks, and the sympathy only showed itself more zealously
when it appeared that the Greeks were still burdened with
the moral degradation of their long centuries of slavery and
needed the guidance and support of men more fortunately trained
(03:13):
than they had been in the ways of freedom. Such
a man, and foremost among such men, always generous, wise
and earnest, was Sir Francis Berdair To Lord Cochrane's oldest
and best political friend, his readiest adviser and stoutest defender
all through the weary time of his subjection to unmerited
disgrace and heartless con tumny. Another leading member of the
Greek Committee was mister John cam Hobhouse, afterwards Lord Broughton,
(03:37):
Lord Byron's friend and fellow traveler, now Sir Francis Burdett's
colleague in the representation of Westminster, a successor to Lord Cochrane.
Another of high note was mister Edward Ellis, eminent alike
as a merchant and as a statesman. Another no less
eminent was Joseph Hume. Another was mister afterwards Sir John Bowring,
Secretary to the Greek Committee. By them and many others,
(04:00):
the progress of the Greek Revolution was carefully watched, and
its best interests were strenuously advocated. And by all the
return of Lord Cochrane to England, and the prospect of
his enlistment in the phil Hellenic enterprise afforded highly satisfaction
to them. The real liberty of Greece was a cherished object,
and one and all united in welcoming the great promoter
(04:20):
of Chilean and Brazilian independence as the liberator of Greece.
Other honest friends of Greece will as sanguine and more
disposed to urge caution upon Lord Cochrane quote my very
dear friend, wrote one of them, doctor William Porter, from Bristol,
on the twenty fifth of August. I will not suffer
you to be longer in England without welcoming you. For
your health, happiness, and fame are all dear to me.
(04:42):
I have followed you in your transatlantic career with deep
feelings of anxiety for your life, but none for your glory.
I know you too well to entertain a fear for that.
I had hoped that you would repose on your laurels
and enjoy the evening of life in peace. But am
told that your are about to launch a thunderbolt against
the Grand Seigneur on behalf of Greece. I wish to
(05:05):
see Greece free, but could also wish you to rest
from your labors for a sexagenarian to command fleet in
ordinary war is an easy task, and even three score
and ten might do it. But fifty years are too
many to conduct a naval war for a people whose
pretensions to nautical skill you will find on a thousand
occasions to give rise to jealousies against you. You will
also find that on some important day they will withhold
(05:27):
their cooperation in order to rebew of your glory. The
cause of Greece is nevertheless a glorious cause. Our remembrance
of what their ancestors did at Salamas, at Marathon, at
Thermopolae gives an additional interest to all that concerns them.
But to say the truth of them, they are a
race of tigers, and their ancestors were the same. I
(05:47):
shall be glad to see you fall upon their aggretted
keeper and his pashas. But confound them, I would not
answer for their destroying the man that would break their
fetters and set them loose in all the power of
recognized freees freedom. There was much truth in those opinions,
and Lord Cochrane was not blind to it that he,
though now in his fiftieth year, was too old for
(06:09):
any difficult seamanship or daring warfare that came in his way,
he certainly was not inclined to admit. But he was
not quite as enthusiastic as Sir Francis Burdett and many
of his other friends regarding the immediate purposes and the
ultimate issue of the Greek Revolution. He was now as
hearty a lover of liberty, and as willing to employ
all his great experience and excellent ability in its service
(06:33):
as he had been eight years before when he went
to aid the cause of South American independence. But in
both Chile and Brazil he had suffered much himself, and
what was yet more galling to one of his generous disposition,
had seen how grievously his disinterested efforts for the benefit
of others had been solified by the selfishness and imprudence,
(06:54):
the meanness and treachery of those whom he had done
his utmost to direct in a sure and rapid way
of freedom. He feared, and had good reason for fearing,
like disappointments in any relations into which he might enter
with Greece. Therefore, though he readily consented to work for
the Hellenic revolutionists as he had worked for the Chilians
(07:16):
and Brazilians. He did so with something of a forlorn hope,
with a fear which in the end was fully justified,
that thereby his own troubles might only be augmented, and
that his philanthropic plans might in great measure be frustrated.
Coming newly to England, where the real state of affairs
in Greece, the selfishness of the leaders, the want of
discipline among the masses, and the consequent weakness and embarrassment
(07:40):
to the revolutionary cause were not thoroughly understood, and where
this understanding was especially difficult for him without previous acquaintance.
Even with all the details that were known and apprehended
by his friends, he yet were enough to lead him
to the belief that the work they wished him to
do in Greece would be harder and more thankless than
they supposed. This must be remembered as an answer to
(08:02):
the first of the misstatements, misstatements that will have to
be controverted at every stage of the issuing narrative, which
were carefully disseminated and have been persistently recorded by political
opponents and jealous rivals of Lord Cochrane. It has been
alleged that he was induced by mercenary motives and by
them alone, to enter the service of the Greeks. His
sole inducements were a desired to do his best on
(08:24):
all occasions towards the punishment of oppressors and the relief
of the oppressed, and a desire hardly less strong to
seek relief in the naval enterprise that was always very
dear to him from the oppression under which he himself
suffered so heavily. The ingratitude that he had lately experienced
in Chile and Brazil, however, bringing upon him much present
embarrassment in lawsuits and other troubles, led him to use
(08:46):
what was only common prudence in his negotiations with the
Greek Committee and with the Greek deputies John Orlando and
Andreas Leriotus, who were in London at the time, and
on whom devolved the formal arrangements for employing him and
providing him with suitable equipments for his work. These were
done with the help of a second grig loan contracted
in London in eighteen twenty five for two million pounds.
(09:09):
Out of this sum, it was agreed that Lord Cochrane
would receive thirty seven thousand pounds at starting, and a
further sum of twenty thousand pounds on the completion of
his services, and that he was to be provided with
the suitable squadron, for which purpose one hundred and fifty
thousand pounds were to be expended in the construction of
six steamships in England, and alike sum on the building
and fitting out of two sixty gun frigates in the
(09:31):
United States. With the disappointments that he had experienced in
Chile and Brazil fresh in his mind, he refused to
enter on this new engagement without a formidable little fleet,
manned by English and American seamen and under his exclusive direction.
And he further stipulated that the entire Greek fleet should
be at his sole command, and that he should have
the full power to carry out his views independently of
(09:53):
the Greek government. These arrangements were completed on the sixteenth
of August, except that Lord Cochrane, not having yet been
actually dismissed by the Brazilian envoy, refused formerly to pledge
himself to his new employers. In conjunction with Sir Francis Burdett,
Mister Hobhouse, mister Ellis and the Ricardos as contractors. However,
he made all the preliminary arrangements, and before the end
(10:14):
of August he went for a two months visit to
his native country in other parts of Scotland, from which
he had been absent more than twenty years. One incident
in that visit was noteworthy. On the third of October,
Lord and Lady Cochrane, being in Edinburgh, went to the theatre,
where an eager crowd assembled to do them honor. Into
the after piece, an allusion to South America was specially introduced.
(10:35):
Upon that, the whole audience rose, and, turning to the
seats occupied by the visitors, showed their admiration with plaughed
it so long and so vehement that Lady Cochrane, overpowered
by her feelings, burst into tears. Thereupon, Sir Walter Scott,
who was in the theater, wrote the following verses. I
knew thee lady by that glorious eye, by that pure brow,
and those dark locks of thine. I knew THEE for
(10:58):
a soldier's bride, and high my full heart bounded for
the golden mine of heavenly thought kindled its sight of THEE,
radiant with all the stars of memory. I knew THEE,
and albeit myself unknown, I call'd on Heaven to bless THEE.
For thy love, the strength, the constancy. Thou long hast
shown each selfish aim, each womanish fear above, and Lady
(11:22):
Heaven is with THEE. Thou art blest, blest in whatever
thy immortal soul loves best Thy name, ask Brazil, for
she knows it well. It is a name a hero
gave to THEE. In every letter lurks there not a spell,
the mighty spell of immortality. Ye sail together down Time's
glittering stream around your heads, too, glittering haloes gleam even
(11:46):
now as through the air the plaudits wrung. I mark
the smiles that in her features came. She caught the
word that fell from every tongue, and her I brightened
at her Cochrane's name, and brighter yet became her bright
eye blaze. It was his country, and she felt the
praise I, even as a woman and his bride should feel.
(12:07):
With all the warmth of an o'er flowing soul. Unshaken,
she had seen THEE and sanguine steel unshaken. She had
heard war's thunder's roll, but now her noble heart could
find relief in tears alone, though not the tears of grief.
May the Gods guard thee Lady, whereesoever thou wanderest in
thy love and loveliness for thee. May every scene and
(12:29):
sky be fair, each our instinct with more than happiness.
May all thou valuest be good and great, and be
thy wishes thy own future fate. Those aspirations were very
far from realized. Even during his brief holiday in Scotland,
Lord Cochrane was troubled by the news that mister Galway,
the engineer to whom he entrusted the chief work in
(12:50):
constructing steam boilers for the Greek vessels, was proceeding very
slowly with his task. Quote My conviction is, wrote mister Ellis,
that Galway, in undertakes so much, has promised what he
can never perform, and that it will be Christmas, if
not later, before the whole work is completed. No engines
to be got, either in Glasgow or Liverpool. You know
I am not sanguine, and the sooner you are here
(13:11):
to judge for yourself, the better. There has been no
hesitation about the means from the beginning, but the money
will not produce steam engines and vessels in these times.
In consequence of that letter, Lord Cochrane hurried up to
London at once, intending personally to superintend and hasten on
the work. He arrived on the third of November, but
only to find that fresh troubles were in store for him.
(13:33):
Had already been exposed to vexatious litigation arising out of
groundless and malicious prosecutions with reference to his Brazilian enterprise,
he was now informed that a more serious prosecution was
being initiated. The Foreign Enlistment Act, passed shortly after his
acceptance of service under the Chilean Republic and at the
special instigation of the Spanish government, had made his work
(13:54):
in South America an indubtable offense, but it was supposed
that no action would be taken against him now that
he had returned to England. As soon as it was
publicly known, however, that he was about to embark on
a new enterprise on behalf of Greece, steps were taken
to restrain him by means of an indictment on the
score of his former employment quote there is a most
unchristian league against us, he wrote to his secretary, and
(14:16):
fearful odds too. To be prosecuted at home and not
permitted to go abroad is the devil? How can I
be prosecuted for fighting in Brazil? For the heir apparent
to the throne, who, whilst his father was held in
restraint by the rebellious courts, contended for the legitimate rights
of the Royal House of Braganza, then the Ally of England,
who had, during the contest, by the presence of the
(14:37):
consuls and other official agents, sanctioned the acts of the
Prince Regent of Brazil. It soon became clear, however, that
the government had found some justification of its conduct, and
that active measures were being adopted for Lord Cochrane's punishment.
He was warned by mister Brahm that if he stayed
many days longer in England, he would be arrested and
(14:58):
so prevented not only from facil illitating the construction of
the Greek vessels, but even from going to Greece at all. Therefore,
at the earnest advice of his friends, he left a
Calais on the ninth of November, soon to proceed to Bolong,
where he was joined by his family, and where he
waited for six weeks, vainly hoping that in his absence
the contractors in their overseers would see that the ship
building was promptly and properly executed while in Bolan. For
(15:21):
seeing the troubles that would ensue from these new difficulties,
he was half inclined to abandon his Greek engagement, and
in that temper he wrote to Sir Francis Burdett for advice. Quote.
I have taken four and twenty hours, wrote his good
friend in answer, on the eighteenth of November, to consider
your last letter, and have not one moment varied in
my first opinion as to the propriety of your persevering
(15:43):
in your glorious career. According to Brahms's opinion, you cannot
be put in a worse situation, that is, more in
peril of government here by continuing foreign service in the
Greek cause than you already stand in having served the
Emperor of the Brazils. In my opinion, your bee in
a great deal less. For the greater your renown, the
less power will your enemies have, whatever may be their
(16:06):
inclination to meddle with you. Perhaps they only at present
desist to look out for a better opportunity regular poor muxetur,
like the tiger. I don't mean to accuse them of
this baseness, but should it be the case, the less
you do, the more power they will have to injure you.
If so inclined, were they to prosecute you for having
(16:26):
to served the Brazilian emperor, it would call forth no
public sympathy or but slight in your favor. The case
would be thought very hard, to be sure, but that
would be all. Not so should you triumph in the
Greek cause, transcendent glory would not only crown but protect you.
No minister would dear wager, finger, no nor even crown,
(16:48):
lawyer or tongue against you. And if they did, the
feeling of the whole English public would surround you with
an impenetrable shield. Fines would be paid, imprisonment protested and
petitioned against. In short, I am convinced that the nation
would be enough flame, and you in far less danger
of any attempt to your injury than at present. This
Mighty Lord Cochrane, is my firm conviction, encouraged by that letter,
(17:13):
and other like expressions of opinion from his English friends.
Lord Cochrane determined to persevere in the Greek enterprise and
to reside in Bolong until the fleet that was being
prepared for him was ready for service. He had to wait, however,
very much longer than had been anticipated, and he was
unable to wait all the time. In Bologne, there also
prosecution threatened him. About the middle of December, he heard
(17:34):
that proceedings were about to be instituted against him to
his detention while in the Pacific of a French brig
named La Gazelle, the real inducement there too being in
the fact as it was reported that the French government
had espoused the cause of the Bacheor of Egypt, and
so was averse to such a plan for destroying the
Egyptian fleet under Ibrahim as Lord Cochrane was concocting. Therefore,
(17:56):
he didn't it expedient to quit French territory, and accordingly
he left Boulogne the twenty third December and took up
his residence at Brussels with his family on the twenty
eighth of the same month. Through four weary months and more,
he was waiting at Brussels, harassed by the prosecutions arising
out of the law suits that had already been alluded to,
in reference to which he said in one letter quote,
(18:18):
I think I must make up my mind, though it
is a hard task to quit England forever, harassed even
more by the knowledge that the building and fitting out
of the vessels for his Greek expedition were being delayed
on frivolous pretexts and for selfish ends, which his presence
in London, if that had been possible, might to a
great extent, have averted. Quote. The welfare of Greece at
(18:39):
this moment rests much on your lordship, wrote Orlando, the
Chief Deputy in London, and I dare hope that you
will hasten her triumph. Yet Orlando and his fellows were
idly in London, profiting by delays that increased their opportunities
of peculation, and doing nothing to quicken the construction of
the fleet. Galway, the engineer, wrote again and again to
promise that his work should be done in three weeks,
(19:00):
was always three weeks. Hence, yet he was well informed
that Goalway was wilfully negligent, though he did not know
till afterwards that Goalway, having private connections with the Pasha
of Egypt, never intended to do the work which he
was employed to do. Lord Cochrane had good friends at
home in Sir Francis Burdett, mister Hobhouse and others, but
they were not competent to take personal supervision of the details.
(19:21):
He had an experienced deputy in Captain Abney Hastings, who
had come from Greece some time before, and who was
now to return as Loud Cochran's second in command. But
Captain Hastings single handed could not exert much influence upon
the rogues with whom he had to deal. Quote the perseverance,
he wrote of the largest of the ships, which was
to be ready first on the tenth of December, may
(19:42):
perhaps be ready to sail in six weeks. Mister Gorway
has said three weeks for the last month. But to
his professions I do not, and have not, for a
length of time, paid the slightest attention. I believe he
does all he can do. All I object against him
is that he promises more than he can perform, and
promises with the determination of not performing it. The perseverance
(20:02):
is a fine vessel her power of two forty horses,
will however, be feeble. I suspect you are not quite
aware of the delay which will take place. Quote. Lord
Cochrane soon became quite aware of the delay, but was
unable to prevent it, and the next few months will
pass by him in tedious anxiety and ceaseless chagrin. There
was one desperate mode of listening the delay, for Lord
(20:25):
Cochrane to go out in the Perseverance as soon as
it was ready to start, leaving the other vessels to
follow as soon as they were ready. Captain Abney Hastings
went to Brussels on purpose to urge him to that course,
and mister Hobouse also recommended it. Quote. There are two points,
he wrote on the twenty third of December, to which
your attention will probably be chiefly directed by Captain Hastings.
(20:46):
These are the expediency of your guying with the Perseverance
instead of waiting for the other boats, and the propriety
of immediately disposing of the two frigates in America quote,
about which frequent reports had arrived, showing that their preparation
was in even worse hands than was that of the
London vessels. Quote to the highest bidder. As to the first,
I am confident that although it would have been desirable
(21:07):
to have got together the whole force in the first instance, Yet,
as the salvation of Greece is a question of time only,
and as it will probably be either as late as
May or June next before the two large boats can
leave the river, it would be in every way inexpedient
for you to wait until you could have the whole
armament under your orders. Be assured your presence in Greece
would do more than the activity of any man living.
(21:30):
And as far as anything can be done in pushing
forward the business at home, neither time nor pains shall
be spared. I wish, indeed you could have the whole
of the boats once, but gorway has been determined otherwise,
and we must do the next best thing. Captain Hastings
will tell you how much may be done even by
one steam vessel commanded by you and directing the operations
(21:50):
of the fire vessels. On such a topic, I should
not have the presumption to enlarge to you. As to
the American frigates. It is mister Ellis's decided to beinion
as well as my own, that you should have the
money instead of the frigates. First and last, the frigates
never will be finished. The rogues in New York demand
sixty thousand pounds above one hundred and fifty seven thousand,
(22:11):
which they have already received, and protest that they will
not complete their work without the additional sum. Now, seventy
thousand pounds in your hands will be better than hopes,
and they will be nothing but hopes of having the frigates.
If you agree in this view, perhaps you will be
so good as to state it in writing, which may
remove mister Ricardo's objections. End quote. Lord Cochrane was tempted
(22:34):
to follow Captain Hastings and mister Hobhouse's advice, but he, first,
as was his wont sought Sir Francis Burdette's opinion, and
Sir Francis dissuaded him for the time at any rate. Quote,
I would by no means have you proceeded with the
first vessel, nor at all without adequate means, he wrote
on the fifteenth of January eighteen twenty six. For besides
(22:55):
thinking of the Greeks, for whom I am I own
greatly interested, I must think and certainly not with less
interest of you. And I may add in some degree
of myself too, for I am placed under much responsibility,
and I don't mean to be a party to making
shipwreck of you and your great naval reputation. Nor will
I ever consent to your going upon a forlorn and
(23:17):
desperate attempt, that is, without the means necessary for the
fair chance of success, in other words, adequate means. Although
you have worked miracles, we can never be justified in
expecting them, and still less in requiring them. Following that
sound advice, Lord Cochrane resolved to wait until, at any
rate a good part of his fleet was ready. He
(23:38):
wrote to that effect, and in as good spirits as
he could, muster to mister Hobhouse, who, in the answer
which he dispatched on the fifth of February, acknowledged the
wisdom of the decision. Quote. I am very glad to perceive,
he said in his answer, that you have good heart
and hope for the great cause. I assure you we
have been doing all we can to induce the parties
concerned to second your wishes in every respect, And I
(24:01):
now learn from mister Hastings, who is our sheet anchor,
that matters gone pretty well. I hope you write every
now and then to Galloway, in whose hands is the
fate of Greece. The worse our luck, for he is
the great cause of our sad delay. Quote you see,
our house is opened, said mister Hobhouse in the same letter.
Not a word of Greece in the speech. And I
(24:22):
spoke to Hume and Wilson and beg them not to
touch upon the subject. It is much better to keep
it all quiet in order to prevent angry words from
the ministers, who, if nothing is said, well, I think
shut their eyes at what we are doing. There is
a very prevalent notion here that the Holy Alliance have
resolved to recommend something to Turkey in favor of the Greeks.
(24:42):
Whether this is true or not signifies nothing. The Turks
will promise anything and just do what suits them. They
have always lost in war for more than a hundred years,
and have uniformly gained by diplomacy. They will never abandon
the hope of reconquering Greece until driven out of Europe themselves,
which they ought to be. By the way way, the
Greeks really appear to have been doing a little better lately,
(25:03):
but I still fear these disciplined Arabians. I have written
a very strong letter to Prince Mavrocordatos, telling them to
hold out no surrender on any terms. I have not
mentioned your name, but I have stated vaguely that they
may expect the promised assistance early in the spring. It
would indeed be a fine thing if you could commence
operations during the Ramadan, but I fear that is impossible
(25:25):
any time, however, will do against the stupid besotted Turks.
Were they not led by Frenchmen, even the Greeks would
beat them of the leisure forced upon him. Lord Cochrane
made good use in studying for himself the character of
the quote stupid besotted Turks end quote and the nature
of the war that was being waged against them by
the Greeks, and he asked mister Hobhouse to procure for
him all the books published on the subject or in
(25:47):
any way related to it, of which he was not
already a master quote. With respect to books, wrote mister
Hobhouse in reply to this request, there are very few
that are not what you have found. Those you have
read to be, namely romances. But I will take care
to send out with you such as are the best,
together with the most useful map that can be got.
(26:08):
More than fifty volumes were thus collected for Lord Cochrane's
use from Captain Adney Hastings. Moreover, he obtained precise information
about Greek waters, forts and armaments, as well as quote.
A list of the names of the principal persons in
Greece with their characters in this list is showing the
opinions of an intelligent Englishman based on personal knowledge as
to the parties and persons with whom Lord Cochrane was
(26:29):
soon to deal. Is worth quoting entire especially as it
was the chief basis of Lord Cochrane's own judgment during
this time of study and preparation. One are contes or
men influential by their riches. Durieu Lazaross condouriotes a Hydriot merchant,
the elder of two brothers who are the most wealthy
men in that island and even in all Greece. This one,
(26:52):
by intrigue by distributing his money adroitly in Hydra and
keeping in pay the most dissolute and unruly of the sailors,
and protecting them in the commission of their crimes, has
acquired almost unlimited power. At Hydra. He asserts democracy, appealing
on all occasions to the people who are his creatures.
The other primates hate him, of course. Lazarus has the
(27:13):
reputation of being clever. He never quits Hydra for an instant,
for fear of finding himself supplanted on his return. George Condouriotes,
brother of the former, and like him, a Hydriot merchant,
an ignorant, weak man said to be vindictive, espouses the
party of his brother at Hydra, by which means he
has obtained the presidency of Greece. He made the land
captains his enemies, and had not good men enough to
(27:35):
form an army of his own viz. Regular troops. His
penetration went no further than bribing one captain to destroy another,
which had for effect merely the changing the names of chiefs,
without diminishing the power. I understand he has lately retired
to Hydra and takes no active part in affairs. Emmanuel
Tombazes a Hydriot merchant and captain. There are two brothers
(27:59):
at the head of the party. He opposed to Conduryates.
This man was the first who ventured on the voyage
from the Black Sea to Marseilles in a lantine rigged vessel.
This traffic, afterwards gave birth to the colossal fortunes in Hydra.
These men are the most enlightened in Hydra. This one
is dignified, energetic and a good sailor. However, he lost
in Candia much of the reputation he had previously acquired,
(28:20):
But with all the errors committed there, the loss of
that island is not attributable to him. Twould have been
lost under similar circumstances had Caesar commanded there. Conduryates and
his adherents hate him, of course, and did all they
could to paralyze his operations. In crete or considered, this
man is more capable of introducing order and regularity into
the ships than any other Greek. Jocomaki Tombazes a Hydriot,
(28:45):
merchant and captain, brother of the former. He commanded the
fleet the first year of the revolution, and to him
is due the introduction of fire vessels, by which he
destroyed the first Turkish line of battleship at Mytellini. He
is perhaps the best informed Hydriot, but he wants decision
and demands the everybody at the moment when he should
be acting. This man takes little part in politics and
(29:05):
follows his mercantile pursuits his hobby horse's ship building, in
which art he is such a proficient as to be
quite the seppings of Hydra. As to the rest, he
is a very worthy, warm hearted man, but excessively phlegmatic. Meolis,
a Hydriot merchant and captain who obtained command of the
Hydriot fleet after Jacomaki resigned. He is a very dignified,
(29:26):
worthy old man, possesses personal courage and decision, and is
less intriguing than any Greek I know. Suctures, a Hydriot captain.
He has risen from a sailor and is considered by
the arcontes rather in the light of a parvenu. He
is courageous and enterprising, but a bit of a pirate.
Bondemis Sir Maarthoff, Geeka Orlando, Hydriot merchants without anything but
(29:49):
their money to recommend them. Peppinos, a Hydriot sailor of
the clan of Tombazes, who distinguished himself frequently in fire ships. Canaris,
a Sarian sailor, the most distinguished the commanders of fire vessels. Buttazes,
a Spezziat merchant, the most influential person in his island.
But the Hydriot merchants possess so much property in Spezzia
(30:10):
at vessels that in some measure they rule that island.
Petro Bay or Petros, the principal arconte of Maina was
governor of that province under the Turks. A fat, stupid,
worthy man is sincere in the cause in which he
has lost two, if not three sons. Delianes, a moriot
arconte and one of the most intriguing and ambitious, was
(30:30):
formerly the sworn enemy to Colocatrones and the captains, but
having betrothed his daughter to Colocatrona's son, they have become allies.
This man, if not the richest arconte in Moria, is
the one who affected the most pomp in the time
of the Turks, and he cannot now easily brook his
diminished influence. He is reported clever and unprincipled. Not Abas,
(30:53):
a moriat arconte, considered the most ancient of the noble
families in the Maria, is a well meaning old blockhead
has a arm, a good looking youth who commanded the
government forces against the captains in eighteen twenty four, is
said to be an egregious coward. Londos a moriat Arconte
was much flattered by the government, but afterwards leagued against them.
He is a drunkard and a man of no consideration
(31:14):
but for his wealth. Rider's note footnote Lord Byron used
to describe an evening past in the company of Londos
at Vostitza, when both were young men. After supper, Londos,
who had the face and figure of a chimpanzee, sprang
upon the table and commenced singing through his nose, riggers
him to liberty. A new Cardi, passing near the house
(31:35):
inquired the cause of the discordant hubbub. A native Mussulman replied,
it is only the young primate Londos, who is drunk,
who is singing hymns to the new fromageer of the Greeks,
whom they call el A Thiria. Footnote ends. Zemez A
moriat Arconte said to possess considerable talent, and he exercises
a very considerable influence. His brother was formerly a deputy
(31:56):
in England. Cisenees A moriat Arconte was formerly a do
doctor at Patras has Risen into wealth and consequence since
the revolution, has great talent and is a great rogue.
Satire Zaralambi, a moriat arconte of influence. I do not
know his character. Spiliotopoulos, a moriat arconte whose name would
never have been heard by a foreigner if he had
(32:17):
not been made a member of the executive body, a
stupid old man, possessing little influence of any kind. Kaleites,
a romeliate, was formerly a doctor to Ali Pashah. Possesses
some talent, has held various situations in the ministry. Is detested.
Yet I know not why. I never could ascertain any
act of his that had merited the dislike he has
(32:39):
inspired a large party with I fancy'tis alone attributable to jealousy,
the peculiar feature of the Greek character. It must nevertheless
be acknowledged that he has sometimes made himself ridiculous by
assuming the sword, for which profession he is totally incapacitated
by want of courage. He is, however, poor, although in
employment since the commencement of the revolution. The cupez and
(33:01):
Arcomte of miss Longhi of some importance from the English
education he has received from Lord Guildford, a worthy man,
possessed of instruction, but I think not genius. He has
married mavro Godottus's sister two Fanaeots. Demetrius Hypsilantes is of
a funariat family, was a Russian officer. Although young is
(33:22):
bald and feeble, his appearance and voice are much against him.
He does not so much want talent as ferocity. He
possesses personal courage and probity, and may be said to
be the only honest man that has figured upon the
stage of their revolution. He does not favor, but has
never openly opposed the party of the captains. He felt
he had not the power to do it with success,
and therefore showed his good sense in refraining the arcomtes,
(33:45):
fearing the influence he might acquire would destroy. Theirs have
uniformly opposed him, secretly and openly, and they hate one
another so cordially that it is impossible they should ever unite. Mavrocodatus,
of a Fernariate family, came under the auspices of hisplattes
and then tried to supplant him. And to do this
he made himself the tool of the hydriots, who, as
(34:05):
soon as they had obtained all power in their hands,
endeavored to kick down the stepping stool by which they
had mounted. Perceiving this, he entered into negotiations with the
captains and frightened the Hydriots into an acknowledgment of some
power for himself. He possesses quickness and intrigue, but I
doubt he has solid talent, and it is reported that
he is particularly careful not to cook danger three captains
(34:27):
or land chieftains. Coloquotrones, a captain of the Maria and
the most powerful one in all Greece. He owes this
partly to the numerous ramifications of his family, partly to
his reputation as a hereditary rubber, and also to the
wealth he has amassed in his vocation. He is a fine,
decided looking man, and knows perfectly all the localities of
the country for carrying on mountain warfare, and he knows
(34:49):
also better than any other how to manage the Greek mountaineers.
He is, however, entirely ignorant of any other species of warfare,
and is not sufficiently civilized to look forward for any
other their advantage to himself or his country than that
of possessing the mountains and keeping the Turks at bay.
He proposed destroying all the fortresses Exceptnplia. Twas an error
of Mavro Goodatos to have made this man an open
(35:11):
enemy to himself and to organization. Had he been allowed
to have profited by order, he would have espoused it.
At present he may be considered irreconcilably opposed to order
and the Hydriot Party. Nakitas. There are two of this name,
but the only one that merits notice is the Mriat Captain,
a relation of Kolokrotnez. He is as ignorant and dirty
(35:32):
as the rest of his brethren, but he bears the
reputation of being disinterested and courageous. He is always poor.
All the chieftains are good bottle men, but this one
excels them so much that tis confidently asserted that he
drinks three bottles of rum per day. Stekos a Moriat
captain who took part early with the Hydriot Party from
jealousy of Colocatrones. When that party gained the ascendency, not
(35:54):
finding himself sufficiently rewarded, he joined the captains Momginos and
may not chieftain. A rival of Petro bay is undistinguished
except for his colossal stature and ferocious countenance. Goura, a
Romeiliate captain, was a soldier of Odysseus and employed by
him in various assassinations, and thus rose to preferment and
supplanted his protector and at length assassinated him. This man
(36:15):
possesses courage and extreme ferocity, but is remarkably ignorant. In
the hands of a similar master, he would have been
a perfect tristram lehomite to supplant Odysseus. He was obliged
to range himself with the Hydriot party. Constantine B. Czarez
Assuliate captain, nephew to the celebrated Macris, who, from all
accounts was a phenomenon among the captains. This man bears
a good character. Carraskakez Rango, Caltas, Zavella, et cetera, et cetera.
(36:41):
Romeliat captains all more or less opposed to order according
as they see it suits their immediate interest. Reader's note
list ends that estimate of the Greek heroes in the
main wonderfully accurate, was certainly not encouraging to Lord Cochrane.
He determined, however, to go on with the work that
he had entered upon, and in doing his duty to
the Greeks to try try and bring into healthy play
the real patriotism that was being perverted by such unworthy leaders.
(37:05):
Great benefit was conferred upon the Greeks by his entering
into their service from its very beginning, in spite of
the obstacles which were thrown in his way at starting,
and which materially damaged all his subsequent work on their behalf.
No sooner was it known than he was coming to
aid them with his unsurpassed bravery and his unrivaled genius,
than they took heart and held out against the Turkish
and Egyptian foes to whom they had just before been
(37:26):
inclined to yield. And his enlistment in their cause had
another effect of which they themselves were ignorant, the mere
announcement that he intended to fight and win for them,
as he had fought and won for Chile, for Peru,
and for Brazil. While it caused both England and France
to do their utmost in hindering him from achieving an
end which was more thorough than they desired, forced both
(37:48):
England and France to shake off the listlessness with which
they had regarded the contest during nearly five years, and
initiate the temporizing action by which Greece was prevented from
becoming as great and independent as state as it might
have been, yet by which a smaller independence was secured
for it. Hardly had Lord Cochrane consented to serve as
admiral of the Greeks than the Duke of Wellington was
(38:10):
dispatched in the beginning of eighteen twenty six on a
mission to Russia, which issued in the Protocol of April
eighteen twenty six and the Treaty of July eighteen twenty seven,
both having for their avowed object the pacification of Greece,
and in the Battle of Navarino by which that pacification
was secured. The Duke of Wellington passed through Brussels on
his way to Saint Petersburg in March eighteen twenty six.
(38:31):
Halting there, he informed the hotel keeper that he could
see no one except Lord Cochrane, which was as distinct
an intimation that he desired an interview as in accordance
with the rules of etiquette he could make. The hotel keeper, however,
was too dull to take the hint he did not
acquaint Lord Cochrane of the indirect message intended for him
until the Duke of Wellington had proceeded on his journey.
(38:51):
Thus was prevented a meeting between one of England's greatest
soldiers and one of her greatest sailors, which could not
but have been very memorable in itself, and which might
have been far more memorable in its political consequences. The
meeting was hindered, and without listening either to the personal
courtesies or to the diplomatic arguments of the Duke of Wellington,
Lord Cochrane continued his preparations for active service in Greek waters.
(39:15):
The details of these preparations and their practical execution, as
has been shown, he was forced to leave in other
and less competent hands, and their actual supervision was still
impossible to him. Gradually, the irritating and wasteful obstacles for
which mister Galloway was chiefly responsible induced him to resolve
upon following the advice tended in December by mister Hobhouse
(39:35):
and Captain Hastings, that is, to go to Greece with
a small portion only of the naval armament for which
he had stipulated, and which his most cautious friends deemed
necessary to the enterprise. To this, he was driven not
only by a desire to do something worthy of his
great name and something really helpful to the cause which
he had espoused, but also by the knowledge that the
tedious delays that arose were squandering all the money with
(39:58):
which he had counted upon rendering his lia work efficient
when he could get to Greece. Of this he received
frequent and clear intimation from all his friends in London,
though from none so emphatically as from the Greek deputies
Orlando and Loriotus, who, being themselves grievously to blame for
their peculations in their bad management, threw all blame on
mister Galloway and the other defaulters. Finding that the proceeds
(40:19):
of the Second Greek Loan were being rapidly exhausted by
their own and others wrongdoing, they were even audacious enough
to propose to Lord Cochrane that, not abandoning his Greek engagement,
but rather continuing it under conditions involving much greater risk
and anxiety than had been anticipated, he should return the
thirty seven thousand pounds which had been handed over to
Sir Francis Berdott on his account, and take as sole
(40:39):
security for his ultimate recompense. The two frigates half built
in America, acknowledged to be of so little value that
no purchaser could be found for them. Our only desire,
they said, is to rescue the millions of souls that
are praying with a thousand supplications that they may not fill,
victim to the despair which is only averted by the
hope of your lordship's arrival. Quo that preposterous request, Lord Cochrane's,
(41:02):
and a very temperate letter quote. I have perused your
letter of the eighteenth, he wrote on the twenty eighth
of February, with the utmost attention, and have since considered
its contents with the most anxious desire to promote the
objects you have in view in all ways in my power,
But I have not been able to convince myself that
under existing circumstances there is any means by which Greece
can be so readily saved as by the steady perseverance
(41:25):
in equipping the steam vessels, which are so admirably calculated
to cut off the enemy's communication with Alexandria and Constantinople,
and for towing fire vessels and explosion vessels by night
into ports and places where the hostile squadrons anchor on
the shores of Greece, with steam vessels constructed for such purposes,
and a few gun boats carrying heavy cannon. I have
no doubt but that Maria might in a few weeks
(41:48):
be cleared of the enemy's naval force. I wish I
could give you, without writing a volume, a clear view
of the numerous reasons derived from thirty five years experience
which induced me to prefer a force that can move
in all directions in the obscurity of night, through narrow
channels in shoal water, and with silence and celerity, over
a naval armament of the usual kind, though of far
(42:09):
superior force. You would then perceive with what efficacy the
Council of Demosthenes to your countrymen might have been carried
into effect by desultry attacks on the enemy. And in
fact you would perceive that steam vessels, whenever they shall
be brought into warf hostile purposes, will prove the most
formidable means that ever has been employed in naval warfare. Indeed,
(42:29):
it is my opinion that twenty four vessels moved by steam,
such as the largest constructed for your service, could commence
at Saint Petersburg and finish at Constantinople the destruction of
every ship of war in the European ports. I therefore
hold that you ought to strain every nerve to get
the steam vessels equipped for on these next to the
valor of the Greeks themselves, depends the fate of Greece,
(42:52):
and not on large, unwieldy ships, immovable in calms and
ill calculated for nocturnal operations on the shores of the
Maria and adjacent islands. Having thus repeated to you my opinions,
I have only to add that if you judge that
you can better follow a course, I release you from
the engagement you entered into with me, and I am
ready to return you the thirty seven thousand pounds on
receiving as part thereof seventy two thousand, five hundred Greeks
(43:14):
scrip at the price I gave for it on the
day following my engagement under the faith of the stipulations
then entered into as a further stimulus to my exertion
by casting my property as well as my life into
the scale with Greece. This release I am willing to
make it once, but I cannot consent to accept our
security for the fruits of seven years toil vessels manned
(43:35):
by Americans, whose pay and provisions I see no adequate
or regular means of providing. But should the hundred and
fifty thousand pounds I placed at the disposal of the
committee not prove sufficient for the objects I have required,
I will advance the thirty seven thousand pounds for the
pay and provisions necessary for the steamboats on the security
of the boats themselves. Thus you have the option of
releasing me from the service, or of continuing my engagement,
(43:58):
although I shall lose severely by my temporary acceptance of
your offer. In that letter, Lord Cochrane conceded more than
ought to have been expected of him. In a supplementary
letter written the same day, he added, I again assure
you that I am ready to do whatever is reasonable
for the interest of Greece. But I cannot be expected
that for such interest I ought to sacrifice totally those
(44:19):
of my family and myself, as would be the case
were I to give up both the means I possess
to obtain justice in South America and min indemnification on
so slender a security as that offered to me. Believe me,
I should have tendered the thirty seven thousand pounds without
reticence to the Greek scrip I had purchased, had it
not been evident to me under such circumstances, that the
(44:40):
security of your public funds would be dependent on chances
which I cannot foresee, and over which I should have
no control. Thus temperately rebuked, the Greek deputies did not
urge their proposal any further. They only wrote to promise
all possible expedition in completing the steam vessels. Lord Cochrane, however,
voluntarily acceded to war one of their wishes. Hearing that
(45:01):
the largest of the steamers, the Perseverance, was nearly ready
for sea, and that mister Galloway had again solemnly pledged
himself to complete the others in a short time, he
determined not to wait for the whole force, but to
start at once for the Mediterranean. It had all along
been decided that the Perseverance should be placed under Captain
Hastings command, and it was now arranged that he should
take her to Greece as soon as she was ready,
(45:23):
and that Lord Cochrane should follow in a schooner, the Unicorn,
of one hundred and fifty eight tons. It was not intended,
of course, that with that boat alone he should go
all the way to Greece. But it was considered, perhaps
not very wisely, that if he were actually on his
way to Grease, the completion of the other five steamships
would be proceeded with more rapidly. And he agreed that
as soon as he was joined in the Mediterranean by
(45:44):
the first two of these, the Enterprise and the Irresistible,
he would hasten to the archipelago and there make the
best of the small force at his disposal. Not only
was it supposed that mister Galloway and the other agents
would thus be induced to more vigorous action, it was
also deemed that the effect of this step upon the
Hellenic nation would be very beneficial. Quote as soon as
(46:05):
the Greek government know that your lordship is on your
way to Greece, wrote the London Deputies on the thirteenth
of April, their courage will be animated and their confidence renewed.
We may with truth assert that your Lordship is regarded
by all classes of our countrymen as a messiah who
is to come to their deliverance. And from the enthusiasm
which will prevail amongst the people, we will venture to
(46:26):
predict that your Lordship's valor and success at sea will
give energy and victory to their arms on land. With
the new arrangements necessitated by this change of plans, the
last two or three weeks of April and the first
of May were occupied. Lord Cochrane put to sea on
the eighth of May. Quote as a Greek citizen, one
of the deputies in London, Andreas Luriotis, had written on
(46:47):
the seventeenth of April, I cannot refrain from expressing my
sincere gratitude towards your Lordship for the resolution which you
have taken to depart almost immediately for Greece. This generous determination,
at a moment where my country is really in want
of every assistance, cannot be regarded with indifference by my countrymen,
who already look upon your lordship as a messiah. Your
(47:08):
talents and intrepidity cannot allow for us a moment to
doubt of success. My countrymen will afford you every assistance
and confer on you all the powers necessary for your undertaking.
Although your Lordship must be aware that Greece, after five
years struggle, cannot be expected to present a very favorable
aspect to a stranger. Your Lordship will, however, find men
full of devotion and courage, men who have founded their
(47:30):
best hopes on you, and from whom under such a leader,
everything may be expected. Your Lordship's previous exploits encourage me
to hope that Greece will not be less successful than
the Brazils, since the materials she offers for cultivation are superior.
With patience and perseverance in the outset, all difficulties will
soon vanish, and the course will be direct and unimpeded.
(47:52):
The resources of Greece are not to be despised, and
if successful, she will find ample means to reward those
who will have devoted themselves to her service and to
the cause of liberty. End of Chapter fourteen. Recording by
Timothy ferguson Gold Coast, Australia,
Chapter fourteen of the Life of Thomas Lord Cochrane, tenth
Earl of dun Donald, completing the Autobiography of a Seaman,
Volume one. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Timothy Ferguson eighteen
(00:21):
twenty five to eighteen twenty six. The letter from Mavroco
Datus quoted in the last chapter was only part of
a series of negotiations that had been long pending. Lord Cochrane,
as we have seen, had arrived at Portsmouth on the
twenty sixth of June eighteen twenty five, in the command
of a Brazilian warship and still holding the office as
(00:41):
First Admiral of the Empire of Brazil. His intention in
visiting England had been only to effect the necessary repairs
in his ship before going back to Rio de Janeio.
He had no sooner arrived, however, than it was clear
to him from the vague and insolent language of the
Brazilian envoy in London, that it was designed and by
that official, if not by the authorities in Rio de
(01:03):
Janeiro to oust him from his command. During four months,
he remained in uncertainty, determined not willingly to retire from
his Brazilian service, but gradually convinced by the increasing insolence
of the envoys treatment of him, that it would be
inexpedient for him to hastily return to Brazil, where before
his departure he had experienced the grossest ingratitude for his
(01:27):
brilliant achievements, and neglect and abuse of all sorts. At
length in November, upon learning that his captain and crew
had been formally instructed to cast off all subordination to him,
he deemed that he had no alternative but to consider
himself dismissed from Brazilian employment and free to enter upon
a new engagement. That engagement had been urged upon him
(01:48):
even while he was in South America by his friends
in England, who were also devoted friends to the cause
of Greek independence, and the proposal had been renewed very
soon after his arrival at Port Wortsmouth. It was so
freely talked of among all classes of the English public,
and so openly discussed in the newspapers before the middle
of August that by it Lord Cochrane's last relations with
(02:12):
the Brazilian envoy were seriously complicated. Quote Lord Cochrane is
looking very well after eight years of harassing and ungrateful service,
wrote Sir Francis Burdett on the twentieth of August, and
I trust will be the liberator of Greece. What a
glorious title. It is needless to say that Sir Francis Burdett,
(02:32):
always the noble and disinterested champion of the oppressed, and
the far seeing and fearless advocate of liberty both at
home and abroad, was a leading member of the Greek
Committee in London. This committee was counterpart, though composed of
more illustrious members than any of the others of phil
Hellenic associations that had been organized in nearly every capital
(02:52):
of Europe and in the chief towns of the United States.
Everywhere a keen sympathy was aroused on behalf of the
downtrodden Greeks, and the sympathy only showed itself more zealously
when it appeared that the Greeks were still burdened with
the moral degradation of their long centuries of slavery and
needed the guidance and support of men more fortunately trained
(03:13):
than they had been in the ways of freedom. Such
a man, and foremost among such men, always generous, wise
and earnest, was Sir Francis Berdair To Lord Cochrane's oldest
and best political friend, his readiest adviser and stoutest defender
all through the weary time of his subjection to unmerited
disgrace and heartless con tumny. Another leading member of the
Greek Committee was mister John cam Hobhouse, afterwards Lord Broughton,
(03:37):
Lord Byron's friend and fellow traveler, now Sir Francis Burdett's
colleague in the representation of Westminster, a successor to Lord Cochrane.
Another of high note was mister Edward Ellis, eminent alike
as a merchant and as a statesman. Another no less
eminent was Joseph Hume. Another was mister afterwards Sir John Bowring,
Secretary to the Greek Committee. By them and many others,
(04:00):
the progress of the Greek Revolution was carefully watched, and
its best interests were strenuously advocated. And by all the
return of Lord Cochrane to England, and the prospect of
his enlistment in the phil Hellenic enterprise afforded highly satisfaction
to them. The real liberty of Greece was a cherished object,
and one and all united in welcoming the great promoter
(04:20):
of Chilean and Brazilian independence as the liberator of Greece.
Other honest friends of Greece will as sanguine and more
disposed to urge caution upon Lord Cochrane quote my very
dear friend, wrote one of them, doctor William Porter, from Bristol,
on the twenty fifth of August. I will not suffer
you to be longer in England without welcoming you. For
your health, happiness, and fame are all dear to me.
(04:42):
I have followed you in your transatlantic career with deep
feelings of anxiety for your life, but none for your glory.
I know you too well to entertain a fear for that.
I had hoped that you would repose on your laurels
and enjoy the evening of life in peace. But am
told that your are about to launch a thunderbolt against
the Grand Seigneur on behalf of Greece. I wish to
(05:05):
see Greece free, but could also wish you to rest
from your labors for a sexagenarian to command fleet in
ordinary war is an easy task, and even three score
and ten might do it. But fifty years are too
many to conduct a naval war for a people whose
pretensions to nautical skill you will find on a thousand
occasions to give rise to jealousies against you. You will
also find that on some important day they will withhold
(05:27):
their cooperation in order to rebew of your glory. The
cause of Greece is nevertheless a glorious cause. Our remembrance
of what their ancestors did at Salamas, at Marathon, at
Thermopolae gives an additional interest to all that concerns them.
But to say the truth of them, they are a
race of tigers, and their ancestors were the same. I
(05:47):
shall be glad to see you fall upon their aggretted
keeper and his pashas. But confound them, I would not
answer for their destroying the man that would break their
fetters and set them loose in all the power of
recognized freees freedom. There was much truth in those opinions,
and Lord Cochrane was not blind to it that he,
though now in his fiftieth year, was too old for
(06:09):
any difficult seamanship or daring warfare that came in his way,
he certainly was not inclined to admit. But he was
not quite as enthusiastic as Sir Francis Burdett and many
of his other friends regarding the immediate purposes and the
ultimate issue of the Greek Revolution. He was now as
hearty a lover of liberty, and as willing to employ
all his great experience and excellent ability in its service
(06:33):
as he had been eight years before when he went
to aid the cause of South American independence. But in
both Chile and Brazil he had suffered much himself, and
what was yet more galling to one of his generous disposition,
had seen how grievously his disinterested efforts for the benefit
of others had been solified by the selfishness and imprudence,
(06:54):
the meanness and treachery of those whom he had done
his utmost to direct in a sure and rapid way
of freedom. He feared, and had good reason for fearing,
like disappointments in any relations into which he might enter
with Greece. Therefore, though he readily consented to work for
the Hellenic revolutionists as he had worked for the Chilians
(07:16):
and Brazilians. He did so with something of a forlorn hope,
with a fear which in the end was fully justified,
that thereby his own troubles might only be augmented, and
that his philanthropic plans might in great measure be frustrated.
Coming newly to England, where the real state of affairs
in Greece, the selfishness of the leaders, the want of
discipline among the masses, and the consequent weakness and embarrassment
(07:40):
to the revolutionary cause were not thoroughly understood, and where
this understanding was especially difficult for him without previous acquaintance.
Even with all the details that were known and apprehended
by his friends, he yet were enough to lead him
to the belief that the work they wished him to
do in Greece would be harder and more thankless than
they supposed. This must be remembered as an answer to
(08:02):
the first of the misstatements, misstatements that will have to
be controverted at every stage of the issuing narrative, which
were carefully disseminated and have been persistently recorded by political
opponents and jealous rivals of Lord Cochrane. It has been
alleged that he was induced by mercenary motives and by
them alone, to enter the service of the Greeks. His
sole inducements were a desired to do his best on
(08:24):
all occasions towards the punishment of oppressors and the relief
of the oppressed, and a desire hardly less strong to
seek relief in the naval enterprise that was always very
dear to him from the oppression under which he himself
suffered so heavily. The ingratitude that he had lately experienced
in Chile and Brazil, however, bringing upon him much present
embarrassment in lawsuits and other troubles, led him to use
(08:46):
what was only common prudence in his negotiations with the
Greek Committee and with the Greek deputies John Orlando and
Andreas Leriotus, who were in London at the time, and
on whom devolved the formal arrangements for employing him and
providing him with suitable equipments for his work. These were
done with the help of a second grig loan contracted
in London in eighteen twenty five for two million pounds.
(09:09):
Out of this sum, it was agreed that Lord Cochrane
would receive thirty seven thousand pounds at starting, and a
further sum of twenty thousand pounds on the completion of
his services, and that he was to be provided with
the suitable squadron, for which purpose one hundred and fifty
thousand pounds were to be expended in the construction of
six steamships in England, and alike sum on the building
and fitting out of two sixty gun frigates in the
(09:31):
United States. With the disappointments that he had experienced in
Chile and Brazil fresh in his mind, he refused to
enter on this new engagement without a formidable little fleet,
manned by English and American seamen and under his exclusive direction.
And he further stipulated that the entire Greek fleet should
be at his sole command, and that he should have
the full power to carry out his views independently of
(09:53):
the Greek government. These arrangements were completed on the sixteenth
of August, except that Lord Cochrane, not having yet been
actually dismissed by the Brazilian envoy, refused formerly to pledge
himself to his new employers. In conjunction with Sir Francis Burdett,
Mister Hobhouse, mister Ellis and the Ricardos as contractors. However,
he made all the preliminary arrangements, and before the end
(10:14):
of August he went for a two months visit to
his native country in other parts of Scotland, from which
he had been absent more than twenty years. One incident
in that visit was noteworthy. On the third of October,
Lord and Lady Cochrane, being in Edinburgh, went to the theatre,
where an eager crowd assembled to do them honor. Into
the after piece, an allusion to South America was specially introduced.
(10:35):
Upon that, the whole audience rose, and, turning to the
seats occupied by the visitors, showed their admiration with plaughed
it so long and so vehement that Lady Cochrane, overpowered
by her feelings, burst into tears. Thereupon, Sir Walter Scott,
who was in the theater, wrote the following verses. I
knew thee lady by that glorious eye, by that pure brow,
and those dark locks of thine. I knew THEE for
(10:58):
a soldier's bride, and high my full heart bounded for
the golden mine of heavenly thought kindled its sight of THEE,
radiant with all the stars of memory. I knew THEE,
and albeit myself unknown, I call'd on Heaven to bless THEE.
For thy love, the strength, the constancy. Thou long hast
shown each selfish aim, each womanish fear above, and Lady
(11:22):
Heaven is with THEE. Thou art blest, blest in whatever
thy immortal soul loves best Thy name, ask Brazil, for
she knows it well. It is a name a hero
gave to THEE. In every letter lurks there not a spell,
the mighty spell of immortality. Ye sail together down Time's
glittering stream around your heads, too, glittering haloes gleam even
(11:46):
now as through the air the plaudits wrung. I mark
the smiles that in her features came. She caught the
word that fell from every tongue, and her I brightened
at her Cochrane's name, and brighter yet became her bright
eye blaze. It was his country, and she felt the
praise I, even as a woman and his bride should feel.
(12:07):
With all the warmth of an o'er flowing soul. Unshaken,
she had seen THEE and sanguine steel unshaken. She had
heard war's thunder's roll, but now her noble heart could
find relief in tears alone, though not the tears of grief.
May the Gods guard thee Lady, whereesoever thou wanderest in
thy love and loveliness for thee. May every scene and
(12:29):
sky be fair, each our instinct with more than happiness.
May all thou valuest be good and great, and be
thy wishes thy own future fate. Those aspirations were very
far from realized. Even during his brief holiday in Scotland,
Lord Cochrane was troubled by the news that mister Galway,
the engineer to whom he entrusted the chief work in
(12:50):
constructing steam boilers for the Greek vessels, was proceeding very
slowly with his task. Quote My conviction is, wrote mister Ellis,
that Galway, in undertakes so much, has promised what he
can never perform, and that it will be Christmas, if
not later, before the whole work is completed. No engines
to be got, either in Glasgow or Liverpool. You know
I am not sanguine, and the sooner you are here
(13:11):
to judge for yourself, the better. There has been no
hesitation about the means from the beginning, but the money
will not produce steam engines and vessels in these times.
In consequence of that letter, Lord Cochrane hurried up to
London at once, intending personally to superintend and hasten on
the work. He arrived on the third of November, but
only to find that fresh troubles were in store for him.
(13:33):
Had already been exposed to vexatious litigation arising out of
groundless and malicious prosecutions with reference to his Brazilian enterprise,
he was now informed that a more serious prosecution was
being initiated. The Foreign Enlistment Act, passed shortly after his
acceptance of service under the Chilean Republic and at the
special instigation of the Spanish government, had made his work
(13:54):
in South America an indubtable offense, but it was supposed
that no action would be taken against him now that
he had returned to England. As soon as it was
publicly known, however, that he was about to embark on
a new enterprise on behalf of Greece, steps were taken
to restrain him by means of an indictment on the
score of his former employment quote there is a most
unchristian league against us, he wrote to his secretary, and
(14:16):
fearful odds too. To be prosecuted at home and not
permitted to go abroad is the devil? How can I
be prosecuted for fighting in Brazil? For the heir apparent
to the throne, who, whilst his father was held in
restraint by the rebellious courts, contended for the legitimate rights
of the Royal House of Braganza, then the Ally of England,
who had, during the contest, by the presence of the
(14:37):
consuls and other official agents, sanctioned the acts of the
Prince Regent of Brazil. It soon became clear, however, that
the government had found some justification of its conduct, and
that active measures were being adopted for Lord Cochrane's punishment.
He was warned by mister Brahm that if he stayed
many days longer in England, he would be arrested and
(14:58):
so prevented not only from facil illitating the construction of
the Greek vessels, but even from going to Greece at all. Therefore,
at the earnest advice of his friends, he left a
Calais on the ninth of November, soon to proceed to Bolong,
where he was joined by his family, and where he
waited for six weeks, vainly hoping that in his absence
the contractors in their overseers would see that the ship
building was promptly and properly executed while in Bolan. For
(15:21):
seeing the troubles that would ensue from these new difficulties,
he was half inclined to abandon his Greek engagement, and
in that temper he wrote to Sir Francis Burdett for advice. Quote.
I have taken four and twenty hours, wrote his good
friend in answer, on the eighteenth of November, to consider
your last letter, and have not one moment varied in
my first opinion as to the propriety of your persevering
(15:43):
in your glorious career. According to Brahms's opinion, you cannot
be put in a worse situation, that is, more in
peril of government here by continuing foreign service in the
Greek cause than you already stand in having served the
Emperor of the Brazils. In my opinion, your bee in
a great deal less. For the greater your renown, the
less power will your enemies have, whatever may be their
(16:06):
inclination to meddle with you. Perhaps they only at present
desist to look out for a better opportunity regular poor muxetur,
like the tiger. I don't mean to accuse them of
this baseness, but should it be the case, the less
you do, the more power they will have to injure you.
If so inclined, were they to prosecute you for having
(16:26):
to served the Brazilian emperor, it would call forth no
public sympathy or but slight in your favor. The case
would be thought very hard, to be sure, but that
would be all. Not so should you triumph in the
Greek cause, transcendent glory would not only crown but protect you.
No minister would dear wager, finger, no nor even crown,
(16:48):
lawyer or tongue against you. And if they did, the
feeling of the whole English public would surround you with
an impenetrable shield. Fines would be paid, imprisonment protested and
petitioned against. In short, I am convinced that the nation
would be enough flame, and you in far less danger
of any attempt to your injury than at present. This
Mighty Lord Cochrane, is my firm conviction, encouraged by that letter,
(17:13):
and other like expressions of opinion from his English friends.
Lord Cochrane determined to persevere in the Greek enterprise and
to reside in Bolong until the fleet that was being
prepared for him was ready for service. He had to wait, however,
very much longer than had been anticipated, and he was
unable to wait all the time. In Bologne, there also
prosecution threatened him. About the middle of December, he heard
(17:34):
that proceedings were about to be instituted against him to
his detention while in the Pacific of a French brig
named La Gazelle, the real inducement there too being in
the fact as it was reported that the French government
had espoused the cause of the Bacheor of Egypt, and
so was averse to such a plan for destroying the
Egyptian fleet under Ibrahim as Lord Cochrane was concocting. Therefore,
(17:56):
he didn't it expedient to quit French territory, and accordingly
he left Boulogne the twenty third December and took up
his residence at Brussels with his family on the twenty
eighth of the same month. Through four weary months and more,
he was waiting at Brussels, harassed by the prosecutions arising
out of the law suits that had already been alluded to,
in reference to which he said in one letter quote,
(18:18):
I think I must make up my mind, though it
is a hard task to quit England forever, harassed even
more by the knowledge that the building and fitting out
of the vessels for his Greek expedition were being delayed
on frivolous pretexts and for selfish ends, which his presence
in London, if that had been possible, might to a
great extent, have averted. Quote. The welfare of Greece at
(18:39):
this moment rests much on your lordship, wrote Orlando, the
Chief Deputy in London, and I dare hope that you
will hasten her triumph. Yet Orlando and his fellows were
idly in London, profiting by delays that increased their opportunities
of peculation, and doing nothing to quicken the construction of
the fleet. Galway, the engineer, wrote again and again to
promise that his work should be done in three weeks,
(19:00):
was always three weeks. Hence, yet he was well informed
that Goalway was wilfully negligent, though he did not know
till afterwards that Goalway, having private connections with the Pasha
of Egypt, never intended to do the work which he
was employed to do. Lord Cochrane had good friends at
home in Sir Francis Burdett, mister Hobhouse and others, but
they were not competent to take personal supervision of the details.
(19:21):
He had an experienced deputy in Captain Abney Hastings, who
had come from Greece some time before, and who was
now to return as Loud Cochran's second in command. But
Captain Hastings single handed could not exert much influence upon
the rogues with whom he had to deal. Quote the perseverance,
he wrote of the largest of the ships, which was
to be ready first on the tenth of December, may
(19:42):
perhaps be ready to sail in six weeks. Mister Gorway
has said three weeks for the last month. But to
his professions I do not, and have not, for a
length of time, paid the slightest attention. I believe he
does all he can do. All I object against him
is that he promises more than he can perform, and
promises with the determination of not performing it. The perseverance
(20:02):
is a fine vessel her power of two forty horses,
will however, be feeble. I suspect you are not quite
aware of the delay which will take place. Quote. Lord
Cochrane soon became quite aware of the delay, but was
unable to prevent it, and the next few months will
pass by him in tedious anxiety and ceaseless chagrin. There
was one desperate mode of listening the delay, for Lord
(20:25):
Cochrane to go out in the Perseverance as soon as
it was ready to start, leaving the other vessels to
follow as soon as they were ready. Captain Abney Hastings
went to Brussels on purpose to urge him to that course,
and mister Hobouse also recommended it. Quote. There are two points,
he wrote on the twenty third of December, to which
your attention will probably be chiefly directed by Captain Hastings.
(20:46):
These are the expediency of your guying with the Perseverance
instead of waiting for the other boats, and the propriety
of immediately disposing of the two frigates in America quote,
about which frequent reports had arrived, showing that their preparation
was in even worse hands than was that of the
London vessels. Quote to the highest bidder. As to the first,
I am confident that although it would have been desirable
(21:07):
to have got together the whole force in the first instance, Yet,
as the salvation of Greece is a question of time only,
and as it will probably be either as late as
May or June next before the two large boats can
leave the river, it would be in every way inexpedient
for you to wait until you could have the whole
armament under your orders. Be assured your presence in Greece
would do more than the activity of any man living.
(21:30):
And as far as anything can be done in pushing
forward the business at home, neither time nor pains shall
be spared. I wish, indeed you could have the whole
of the boats once, but gorway has been determined otherwise,
and we must do the next best thing. Captain Hastings
will tell you how much may be done even by
one steam vessel commanded by you and directing the operations
(21:50):
of the fire vessels. On such a topic, I should
not have the presumption to enlarge to you. As to
the American frigates. It is mister Ellis's decided to beinion
as well as my own, that you should have the
money instead of the frigates. First and last, the frigates
never will be finished. The rogues in New York demand
sixty thousand pounds above one hundred and fifty seven thousand,
(22:11):
which they have already received, and protest that they will
not complete their work without the additional sum. Now, seventy
thousand pounds in your hands will be better than hopes,
and they will be nothing but hopes of having the frigates.
If you agree in this view, perhaps you will be
so good as to state it in writing, which may
remove mister Ricardo's objections. End quote. Lord Cochrane was tempted
(22:34):
to follow Captain Hastings and mister Hobhouse's advice, but he, first,
as was his wont sought Sir Francis Burdette's opinion, and
Sir Francis dissuaded him for the time at any rate. Quote,
I would by no means have you proceeded with the
first vessel, nor at all without adequate means, he wrote
on the fifteenth of January eighteen twenty six. For besides
(22:55):
thinking of the Greeks, for whom I am I own
greatly interested, I must think and certainly not with less
interest of you. And I may add in some degree
of myself too, for I am placed under much responsibility,
and I don't mean to be a party to making
shipwreck of you and your great naval reputation. Nor will
I ever consent to your going upon a forlorn and
(23:17):
desperate attempt, that is, without the means necessary for the
fair chance of success, in other words, adequate means. Although
you have worked miracles, we can never be justified in
expecting them, and still less in requiring them. Following that
sound advice, Lord Cochrane resolved to wait until, at any
rate a good part of his fleet was ready. He
(23:38):
wrote to that effect, and in as good spirits as
he could, muster to mister Hobhouse, who, in the answer
which he dispatched on the fifth of February, acknowledged the
wisdom of the decision. Quote. I am very glad to perceive,
he said in his answer, that you have good heart
and hope for the great cause. I assure you we
have been doing all we can to induce the parties
concerned to second your wishes in every respect, And I
(24:01):
now learn from mister Hastings, who is our sheet anchor,
that matters gone pretty well. I hope you write every
now and then to Galloway, in whose hands is the
fate of Greece. The worse our luck, for he is
the great cause of our sad delay. Quote you see,
our house is opened, said mister Hobhouse in the same letter.
Not a word of Greece in the speech. And I
(24:22):
spoke to Hume and Wilson and beg them not to
touch upon the subject. It is much better to keep
it all quiet in order to prevent angry words from
the ministers, who, if nothing is said, well, I think
shut their eyes at what we are doing. There is
a very prevalent notion here that the Holy Alliance have
resolved to recommend something to Turkey in favor of the Greeks.
(24:42):
Whether this is true or not signifies nothing. The Turks
will promise anything and just do what suits them. They
have always lost in war for more than a hundred years,
and have uniformly gained by diplomacy. They will never abandon
the hope of reconquering Greece until driven out of Europe themselves,
which they ought to be. By the way way, the
Greeks really appear to have been doing a little better lately,
(25:03):
but I still fear these disciplined Arabians. I have written
a very strong letter to Prince Mavrocordatos, telling them to
hold out no surrender on any terms. I have not
mentioned your name, but I have stated vaguely that they
may expect the promised assistance early in the spring. It
would indeed be a fine thing if you could commence
operations during the Ramadan, but I fear that is impossible
(25:25):
any time, however, will do against the stupid besotted Turks.
Were they not led by Frenchmen, even the Greeks would
beat them of the leisure forced upon him. Lord Cochrane
made good use in studying for himself the character of
the quote stupid besotted Turks end quote and the nature
of the war that was being waged against them by
the Greeks, and he asked mister Hobhouse to procure for
him all the books published on the subject or in
(25:47):
any way related to it, of which he was not
already a master quote. With respect to books, wrote mister
Hobhouse in reply to this request, there are very few
that are not what you have found. Those you have
read to be, namely romances. But I will take care
to send out with you such as are the best,
together with the most useful map that can be got.
(26:08):
More than fifty volumes were thus collected for Lord Cochrane's
use from Captain Adney Hastings. Moreover, he obtained precise information
about Greek waters, forts and armaments, as well as quote.
A list of the names of the principal persons in
Greece with their characters in this list is showing the
opinions of an intelligent Englishman based on personal knowledge as
to the parties and persons with whom Lord Cochrane was
(26:29):
soon to deal. Is worth quoting entire especially as it
was the chief basis of Lord Cochrane's own judgment during
this time of study and preparation. One are contes or
men influential by their riches. Durieu Lazaross condouriotes a Hydriot merchant,
the elder of two brothers who are the most wealthy
men in that island and even in all Greece. This one,
(26:52):
by intrigue by distributing his money adroitly in Hydra and
keeping in pay the most dissolute and unruly of the sailors,
and protecting them in the commission of their crimes, has
acquired almost unlimited power. At Hydra. He asserts democracy, appealing
on all occasions to the people who are his creatures.
The other primates hate him, of course. Lazarus has the
(27:13):
reputation of being clever. He never quits Hydra for an instant,
for fear of finding himself supplanted on his return. George Condouriotes,
brother of the former, and like him, a Hydriot merchant,
an ignorant, weak man said to be vindictive, espouses the
party of his brother at Hydra, by which means he
has obtained the presidency of Greece. He made the land
captains his enemies, and had not good men enough to
(27:35):
form an army of his own viz. Regular troops. His
penetration went no further than bribing one captain to destroy another,
which had for effect merely the changing the names of chiefs,
without diminishing the power. I understand he has lately retired
to Hydra and takes no active part in affairs. Emmanuel
Tombazes a Hydriot merchant and captain. There are two brothers
(27:59):
at the head of the party. He opposed to Conduryates.
This man was the first who ventured on the voyage
from the Black Sea to Marseilles in a lantine rigged vessel.
This traffic, afterwards gave birth to the colossal fortunes in Hydra.
These men are the most enlightened in Hydra. This one
is dignified, energetic and a good sailor. However, he lost
in Candia much of the reputation he had previously acquired,
(28:20):
But with all the errors committed there, the loss of
that island is not attributable to him. Twould have been
lost under similar circumstances had Caesar commanded there. Conduryates and
his adherents hate him, of course, and did all they
could to paralyze his operations. In crete or considered, this
man is more capable of introducing order and regularity into
the ships than any other Greek. Jocomaki Tombazes a Hydriot,
(28:45):
merchant and captain, brother of the former. He commanded the
fleet the first year of the revolution, and to him
is due the introduction of fire vessels, by which he
destroyed the first Turkish line of battleship at Mytellini. He
is perhaps the best informed Hydriot, but he wants decision
and demands the everybody at the moment when he should
be acting. This man takes little part in politics and
(29:05):
follows his mercantile pursuits his hobby horse's ship building, in
which art he is such a proficient as to be
quite the seppings of Hydra. As to the rest, he
is a very worthy, warm hearted man, but excessively phlegmatic. Meolis,
a Hydriot merchant and captain who obtained command of the
Hydriot fleet after Jacomaki resigned. He is a very dignified,
(29:26):
worthy old man, possesses personal courage and decision, and is
less intriguing than any Greek I know. Suctures, a Hydriot captain.
He has risen from a sailor and is considered by
the arcontes rather in the light of a parvenu. He
is courageous and enterprising, but a bit of a pirate.
Bondemis Sir Maarthoff, Geeka Orlando, Hydriot merchants without anything but
(29:49):
their money to recommend them. Peppinos, a Hydriot sailor of
the clan of Tombazes, who distinguished himself frequently in fire ships. Canaris,
a Sarian sailor, the most distinguished the commanders of fire vessels. Buttazes,
a Spezziat merchant, the most influential person in his island.
But the Hydriot merchants possess so much property in Spezzia
(30:10):
at vessels that in some measure they rule that island.
Petro Bay or Petros, the principal arconte of Maina was
governor of that province under the Turks. A fat, stupid,
worthy man is sincere in the cause in which he
has lost two, if not three sons. Delianes, a moriot
arconte and one of the most intriguing and ambitious, was
(30:30):
formerly the sworn enemy to Colocatrones and the captains, but
having betrothed his daughter to Colocatrona's son, they have become allies.
This man, if not the richest arconte in Moria, is
the one who affected the most pomp in the time
of the Turks, and he cannot now easily brook his
diminished influence. He is reported clever and unprincipled. Not Abas,
(30:53):
a moriat arconte, considered the most ancient of the noble
families in the Maria, is a well meaning old blockhead
has a arm, a good looking youth who commanded the
government forces against the captains in eighteen twenty four, is
said to be an egregious coward. Londos a moriat Arconte
was much flattered by the government, but afterwards leagued against them.
He is a drunkard and a man of no consideration
(31:14):
but for his wealth. Rider's note footnote Lord Byron used
to describe an evening past in the company of Londos
at Vostitza, when both were young men. After supper, Londos,
who had the face and figure of a chimpanzee, sprang
upon the table and commenced singing through his nose, riggers
him to liberty. A new Cardi, passing near the house
(31:35):
inquired the cause of the discordant hubbub. A native Mussulman replied,
it is only the young primate Londos, who is drunk,
who is singing hymns to the new fromageer of the Greeks,
whom they call el A Thiria. Footnote ends. Zemez A
moriat Arconte said to possess considerable talent, and he exercises
a very considerable influence. His brother was formerly a deputy
(31:56):
in England. Cisenees A moriat Arconte was formerly a do
doctor at Patras has Risen into wealth and consequence since
the revolution, has great talent and is a great rogue.
Satire Zaralambi, a moriat arconte of influence. I do not
know his character. Spiliotopoulos, a moriat arconte whose name would
never have been heard by a foreigner if he had
(32:17):
not been made a member of the executive body, a
stupid old man, possessing little influence of any kind. Kaleites,
a romeliate, was formerly a doctor to Ali Pashah. Possesses
some talent, has held various situations in the ministry. Is detested.
Yet I know not why. I never could ascertain any
act of his that had merited the dislike he has
(32:39):
inspired a large party with I fancy'tis alone attributable to jealousy,
the peculiar feature of the Greek character. It must nevertheless
be acknowledged that he has sometimes made himself ridiculous by
assuming the sword, for which profession he is totally incapacitated
by want of courage. He is, however, poor, although in
employment since the commencement of the revolution. The cupez and
(33:01):
Arcomte of miss Longhi of some importance from the English
education he has received from Lord Guildford, a worthy man,
possessed of instruction, but I think not genius. He has
married mavro Godottus's sister two Fanaeots. Demetrius Hypsilantes is of
a funariat family, was a Russian officer. Although young is
(33:22):
bald and feeble, his appearance and voice are much against him.
He does not so much want talent as ferocity. He
possesses personal courage and probity, and may be said to
be the only honest man that has figured upon the
stage of their revolution. He does not favor, but has
never openly opposed the party of the captains. He felt
he had not the power to do it with success,
and therefore showed his good sense in refraining the arcomtes,
(33:45):
fearing the influence he might acquire would destroy. Theirs have
uniformly opposed him, secretly and openly, and they hate one
another so cordially that it is impossible they should ever unite. Mavrocodatus,
of a Fernariate family, came under the auspices of hisplattes
and then tried to supplant him. And to do this
he made himself the tool of the hydriots, who, as
(34:05):
soon as they had obtained all power in their hands,
endeavored to kick down the stepping stool by which they
had mounted. Perceiving this, he entered into negotiations with the
captains and frightened the Hydriots into an acknowledgment of some
power for himself. He possesses quickness and intrigue, but I
doubt he has solid talent, and it is reported that
he is particularly careful not to cook danger three captains
(34:27):
or land chieftains. Coloquotrones, a captain of the Maria and
the most powerful one in all Greece. He owes this
partly to the numerous ramifications of his family, partly to
his reputation as a hereditary rubber, and also to the
wealth he has amassed in his vocation. He is a fine,
decided looking man, and knows perfectly all the localities of
the country for carrying on mountain warfare, and he knows
(34:49):
also better than any other how to manage the Greek mountaineers.
He is, however, entirely ignorant of any other species of warfare,
and is not sufficiently civilized to look forward for any
other their advantage to himself or his country than that
of possessing the mountains and keeping the Turks at bay.
He proposed destroying all the fortresses Exceptnplia. Twas an error
of Mavro Goodatos to have made this man an open
(35:11):
enemy to himself and to organization. Had he been allowed
to have profited by order, he would have espoused it.
At present he may be considered irreconcilably opposed to order
and the Hydriot Party. Nakitas. There are two of this name,
but the only one that merits notice is the Mriat Captain,
a relation of Kolokrotnez. He is as ignorant and dirty
(35:32):
as the rest of his brethren, but he bears the
reputation of being disinterested and courageous. He is always poor.
All the chieftains are good bottle men, but this one
excels them so much that tis confidently asserted that he
drinks three bottles of rum per day. Stekos a Moriat
captain who took part early with the Hydriot Party from
jealousy of Colocatrones. When that party gained the ascendency, not
(35:54):
finding himself sufficiently rewarded, he joined the captains Momginos and
may not chieftain. A rival of Petro bay is undistinguished
except for his colossal stature and ferocious countenance. Goura, a
Romeiliate captain, was a soldier of Odysseus and employed by
him in various assassinations, and thus rose to preferment and
supplanted his protector and at length assassinated him. This man
(36:15):
possesses courage and extreme ferocity, but is remarkably ignorant. In
the hands of a similar master, he would have been
a perfect tristram lehomite to supplant Odysseus. He was obliged
to range himself with the Hydriot party. Constantine B. Czarez
Assuliate captain, nephew to the celebrated Macris, who, from all
accounts was a phenomenon among the captains. This man bears
a good character. Carraskakez Rango, Caltas, Zavella, et cetera, et cetera.
(36:41):
Romeliat captains all more or less opposed to order according
as they see it suits their immediate interest. Reader's note
list ends that estimate of the Greek heroes in the
main wonderfully accurate, was certainly not encouraging to Lord Cochrane.
He determined, however, to go on with the work that
he had entered upon, and in doing his duty to
the Greeks to try try and bring into healthy play
the real patriotism that was being perverted by such unworthy leaders.
(37:05):
Great benefit was conferred upon the Greeks by his entering
into their service from its very beginning, in spite of
the obstacles which were thrown in his way at starting,
and which materially damaged all his subsequent work on their behalf.
No sooner was it known than he was coming to
aid them with his unsurpassed bravery and his unrivaled genius,
than they took heart and held out against the Turkish
and Egyptian foes to whom they had just before been
(37:26):
inclined to yield. And his enlistment in their cause had
another effect of which they themselves were ignorant, the mere
announcement that he intended to fight and win for them,
as he had fought and won for Chile, for Peru,
and for Brazil. While it caused both England and France
to do their utmost in hindering him from achieving an
end which was more thorough than they desired, forced both
(37:48):
England and France to shake off the listlessness with which
they had regarded the contest during nearly five years, and
initiate the temporizing action by which Greece was prevented from
becoming as great and independent as state as it might
have been, yet by which a smaller independence was secured
for it. Hardly had Lord Cochrane consented to serve as
admiral of the Greeks than the Duke of Wellington was
(38:10):
dispatched in the beginning of eighteen twenty six on a
mission to Russia, which issued in the Protocol of April
eighteen twenty six and the Treaty of July eighteen twenty seven,
both having for their avowed object the pacification of Greece,
and in the Battle of Navarino by which that pacification
was secured. The Duke of Wellington passed through Brussels on
his way to Saint Petersburg in March eighteen twenty six.
(38:31):
Halting there, he informed the hotel keeper that he could
see no one except Lord Cochrane, which was as distinct
an intimation that he desired an interview as in accordance
with the rules of etiquette he could make. The hotel keeper, however,
was too dull to take the hint he did not
acquaint Lord Cochrane of the indirect message intended for him
until the Duke of Wellington had proceeded on his journey.
(38:51):
Thus was prevented a meeting between one of England's greatest
soldiers and one of her greatest sailors, which could not
but have been very memorable in itself, and which might
have been far more memorable in its political consequences. The
meeting was hindered, and without listening either to the personal
courtesies or to the diplomatic arguments of the Duke of Wellington,
Lord Cochrane continued his preparations for active service in Greek waters.
(39:15):
The details of these preparations and their practical execution, as
has been shown, he was forced to leave in other
and less competent hands, and their actual supervision was still
impossible to him. Gradually, the irritating and wasteful obstacles for
which mister Galloway was chiefly responsible induced him to resolve
upon following the advice tended in December by mister Hobhouse
(39:35):
and Captain Hastings, that is, to go to Greece with
a small portion only of the naval armament for which
he had stipulated, and which his most cautious friends deemed
necessary to the enterprise. To this, he was driven not
only by a desire to do something worthy of his
great name and something really helpful to the cause which
he had espoused, but also by the knowledge that the
tedious delays that arose were squandering all the money with
(39:58):
which he had counted upon rendering his lia work efficient
when he could get to Greece. Of this he received
frequent and clear intimation from all his friends in London,
though from none so emphatically as from the Greek deputies
Orlando and Loriotus, who, being themselves grievously to blame for
their peculations in their bad management, threw all blame on
mister Galloway and the other defaulters. Finding that the proceeds
(40:19):
of the Second Greek Loan were being rapidly exhausted by
their own and others wrongdoing, they were even audacious enough
to propose to Lord Cochrane that, not abandoning his Greek engagement,
but rather continuing it under conditions involving much greater risk
and anxiety than had been anticipated, he should return the
thirty seven thousand pounds which had been handed over to
Sir Francis Berdott on his account, and take as sole
(40:39):
security for his ultimate recompense. The two frigates half built
in America, acknowledged to be of so little value that
no purchaser could be found for them. Our only desire,
they said, is to rescue the millions of souls that
are praying with a thousand supplications that they may not fill,
victim to the despair which is only averted by the
hope of your lordship's arrival. Quo that preposterous request, Lord Cochrane's,
(41:02):
and a very temperate letter quote. I have perused your
letter of the eighteenth, he wrote on the twenty eighth
of February, with the utmost attention, and have since considered
its contents with the most anxious desire to promote the
objects you have in view in all ways in my power,
But I have not been able to convince myself that
under existing circumstances there is any means by which Greece
can be so readily saved as by the steady perseverance
(41:25):
in equipping the steam vessels, which are so admirably calculated
to cut off the enemy's communication with Alexandria and Constantinople,
and for towing fire vessels and explosion vessels by night
into ports and places where the hostile squadrons anchor on
the shores of Greece, with steam vessels constructed for such purposes,
and a few gun boats carrying heavy cannon. I have
no doubt but that Maria might in a few weeks
(41:48):
be cleared of the enemy's naval force. I wish I
could give you, without writing a volume, a clear view
of the numerous reasons derived from thirty five years experience
which induced me to prefer a force that can move
in all directions in the obscurity of night, through narrow
channels in shoal water, and with silence and celerity, over
a naval armament of the usual kind, though of far
(42:09):
superior force. You would then perceive with what efficacy the
Council of Demosthenes to your countrymen might have been carried
into effect by desultry attacks on the enemy. And in
fact you would perceive that steam vessels, whenever they shall
be brought into warf hostile purposes, will prove the most
formidable means that ever has been employed in naval warfare. Indeed,
(42:29):
it is my opinion that twenty four vessels moved by steam,
such as the largest constructed for your service, could commence
at Saint Petersburg and finish at Constantinople the destruction of
every ship of war in the European ports. I therefore
hold that you ought to strain every nerve to get
the steam vessels equipped for on these next to the
valor of the Greeks themselves, depends the fate of Greece,
(42:52):
and not on large, unwieldy ships, immovable in calms and
ill calculated for nocturnal operations on the shores of the
Maria and adjacent islands. Having thus repeated to you my opinions,
I have only to add that if you judge that
you can better follow a course, I release you from
the engagement you entered into with me, and I am
ready to return you the thirty seven thousand pounds on
receiving as part thereof seventy two thousand, five hundred Greeks
(43:14):
scrip at the price I gave for it on the
day following my engagement under the faith of the stipulations
then entered into as a further stimulus to my exertion
by casting my property as well as my life into
the scale with Greece. This release I am willing to
make it once, but I cannot consent to accept our
security for the fruits of seven years toil vessels manned
(43:35):
by Americans, whose pay and provisions I see no adequate
or regular means of providing. But should the hundred and
fifty thousand pounds I placed at the disposal of the
committee not prove sufficient for the objects I have required,
I will advance the thirty seven thousand pounds for the
pay and provisions necessary for the steamboats on the security
of the boats themselves. Thus you have the option of
releasing me from the service, or of continuing my engagement,
(43:58):
although I shall lose severely by my temporary acceptance of
your offer. In that letter, Lord Cochrane conceded more than
ought to have been expected of him. In a supplementary
letter written the same day, he added, I again assure
you that I am ready to do whatever is reasonable
for the interest of Greece. But I cannot be expected
that for such interest I ought to sacrifice totally those
(44:19):
of my family and myself, as would be the case
were I to give up both the means I possess
to obtain justice in South America and min indemnification on
so slender a security as that offered to me. Believe me,
I should have tendered the thirty seven thousand pounds without
reticence to the Greek scrip I had purchased, had it
not been evident to me under such circumstances, that the
(44:40):
security of your public funds would be dependent on chances
which I cannot foresee, and over which I should have
no control. Thus temperately rebuked, the Greek deputies did not
urge their proposal any further. They only wrote to promise
all possible expedition in completing the steam vessels. Lord Cochrane, however,
voluntarily acceded to war one of their wishes. Hearing that
(45:01):
the largest of the steamers, the Perseverance, was nearly ready
for sea, and that mister Galloway had again solemnly pledged
himself to complete the others in a short time, he
determined not to wait for the whole force, but to
start at once for the Mediterranean. It had all along
been decided that the Perseverance should be placed under Captain
Hastings command, and it was now arranged that he should
take her to Greece as soon as she was ready,
(45:23):
and that Lord Cochrane should follow in a schooner, the Unicorn,
of one hundred and fifty eight tons. It was not intended,
of course, that with that boat alone he should go
all the way to Greece. But it was considered, perhaps
not very wisely, that if he were actually on his
way to Grease, the completion of the other five steamships
would be proceeded with more rapidly. And he agreed that
as soon as he was joined in the Mediterranean by
(45:44):
the first two of these, the Enterprise and the Irresistible,
he would hasten to the archipelago and there make the
best of the small force at his disposal. Not only
was it supposed that mister Galloway and the other agents
would thus be induced to more vigorous action, it was
also deemed that the effect of this step upon the
Hellenic nation would be very beneficial. Quote as soon as
(46:05):
the Greek government know that your lordship is on your
way to Greece, wrote the London Deputies on the thirteenth
of April, their courage will be animated and their confidence renewed.
We may with truth assert that your Lordship is regarded
by all classes of our countrymen as a messiah who
is to come to their deliverance. And from the enthusiasm
which will prevail amongst the people, we will venture to
(46:26):
predict that your Lordship's valor and success at sea will
give energy and victory to their arms on land. With
the new arrangements necessitated by this change of plans, the
last two or three weeks of April and the first
of May were occupied. Lord Cochrane put to sea on
the eighth of May. Quote as a Greek citizen, one
of the deputies in London, Andreas Luriotis, had written on
(46:47):
the seventeenth of April, I cannot refrain from expressing my
sincere gratitude towards your Lordship for the resolution which you
have taken to depart almost immediately for Greece. This generous determination,
at a moment where my country is really in want
of every assistance, cannot be regarded with indifference by my countrymen,
who already look upon your lordship as a messiah. Your
(47:08):
talents and intrepidity cannot allow for us a moment to
doubt of success. My countrymen will afford you every assistance
and confer on you all the powers necessary for your undertaking.
Although your Lordship must be aware that Greece, after five
years struggle, cannot be expected to present a very favorable
aspect to a stranger. Your Lordship will, however, find men
full of devotion and courage, men who have founded their
(47:30):
best hopes on you, and from whom under such a leader,
everything may be expected. Your Lordship's previous exploits encourage me
to hope that Greece will not be less successful than
the Brazils, since the materials she offers for cultivation are superior.
With patience and perseverance in the outset, all difficulties will
soon vanish, and the course will be direct and unimpeded.
(47:52):
The resources of Greece are not to be despised, and
if successful, she will find ample means to reward those
who will have devoted themselves to her service and to
the cause of liberty. End of Chapter fourteen. Recording by
Timothy ferguson Gold Coast, Australia,
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.