resent to your excellencies that I
find it impossible to realise the credit which you assigned to me on the
revenues of the islands, and that insurmountable obstacles prevent my
acting as affairs require. The _Hellas_ even is idle for want of
supplies. Each day, each event, increases my conviction that, without
strong and special efforts, without a prompt and disinterested
co-operation of all its citizens, Greece must of necessity be overcome.
Isolated as I am, I am useless to them. Supported by their patriotism
and zeal, I could fight for their independence. The islands of the
Archipelago are willing to aid our efforts, but they claim from me in
return a guarantee for the safety of their goods and for the regular
administration of their imposts. I await your excellencies' instructions
for promptly answering their demand; for the resources of the western
nations are drained; European charity is wearied. The islands alone
offer us the means of maintaining the naval forces, and of resisting, if
it be possible--if it be not too late--the vigorous preparations of our
enemy. We must act promptly or abandon everything." The Government only
answered by urging its chief admiral to lose no time in securing the
independence of Greece.

This, in spite of the difficulties thrown in his way, he set himself
heartily to attempt. Two courses were now open to him. Reshid Pasha,
having taken possession of the Acropolis, and thus completed the capture
of Athens, had laid siege to Corinth; and Sir Richard Church, with a
weak and vacillating body which went by the name of an army--the
remnants of that which had proved so useless in the neighbourhood of the
Piraeus--was vainly trying to raise the siege. By him and by the
Government Lord Cochrane was urged to muster as large a fleet as
possible in the Bay of Corinth, and to co-operate with the land forces
by blockading the besiegers, after the method that had failed at Athens.
Experience convinced him that such action would be useless; whereas from
modification of the plan which he had in the former instance been
induced to abandon he hoped much. He knew that a large Egyptian force
was being prepared at Alexandria, to be employed first in aiding the
siege of Corinth, and afterwards in completing the conquest of all
Greece. If only he could train the Greeks to act under his bold
leadership, as he had trained the Chilians and Brazilians, he trusted
that, by one daring movement, he could seize A