er, in justification of those under my
orders; but it will become me so to do unless a satisfactory
interpretation shall be given to expressions which, at present, seem
even more particularly personal to myself."

That was almost the last letter written by Lord Cochrane in Greece for
many months. Finding his position as First Admiral of the Greek navy,
without work to do or crews to direct, unbearable, he had resolved upon
a fresh expedient for attempting to improve the state of affairs. Before
that, however, he made a last attempt to gain support from the nominal
Government, and uttered a last protest against its mode of procedure. "I
have strenuously endeavoured," he wrote on the 18th of December, "to
avoid laying before you any complaint, more particularly concerning acts
done by your excellencies; but there is a point at which such
forbearance on my part would become a dereliction of my duty as an
officer in the service of Greece, amounting even to treason against the
State. So long as the evils extended no further than the depriving the
ships-of-war of their crews, and preventing the brulottes from being
equipped for service; so long as the injury occasioned by the granting
of numerous licences to privateers only prevented naval operations from
being carried on against the enemy, I remained silent. But now that the
conduct of those privateers has brought down upon the Greek nation a
threat of being placed out of the law of nations, and has involved the
national squadron, unmeritedly, in the disgrace attached to those who
have been guilty of unlawful acts, it is my duty to notify to your
excellencies that I consider all authorities given without my
intervention to armed vessels, of any description, for belligerent
purposes, to be illegal, and that I have given orders to the national
vessels under my authority to seize them, wherever they may be found,
that they may be judged according to the law of nations." "I have been
waiting with anxiety," he wrote in another letter, a few days later,
"for the occurrence of events which would have rendered it unnecessary
for me to enter into any correspondence with your excellencies on
pecuniary matters; but, unfortunately, my anticipations on this head
having been disappointed, and the squadron being without even the
provisions necessary for the maintenance of the few men required on
board the ships when at anchor, it has become an imperious duty no
longer to delay calling upon