t the Russian
officer, glad to do all in his power to render homage to a man whom the
Greek Government was now treating with childish insolence, made it his
own by publishing it in the naval archives of Russia. "Lord Cochrane,"
wrote Dr. Gosse, "having arrived in Greece in March 1827, was, in the
National Assembly at Troezene, elected First Admiral and
Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces of Greece, with independent and
unlimited powers. Subsequently, and after the election of Count
Capodistrias as President, the Assembly decided that the admiral should
be under the authority of the Government until the arrival of the
President. During the year 1827, Lord Cochrane fulfilled his duties with
all the zeal, all the accuracy, and all the talent for which he is
renowned; but he found it impossible to achieve anything of importance,
isolated as he was, without sufficient funds, and without support from
others, except that of the Philhellenic Committees, and without the
co-operation of the Greeks themselves. At length, having pledged himself
not to interfere in internal politics, he considered his presence in
Greece useless until a firm Government could be organized, and deemed
that he could render best service to the nation by advocating its
interests in Western Europe. He departed early in January, after during
two months vainly awaiting the arrival of Count Capodistrias, whom he
informed of his expedition, and asked for instructions. He returned to
France and England, used all the means in his power to obtain fresh aid
for Greece, fitted out one of the steamboats that were being prepared in
London, took steps for the completion of the other two, and, after
writing a second letter to the President--which, like the first one,
received no answer--returned to Greece, resolved to devote himself to
her cause. He was received with coldness and indifference; neither
lodging, nor provisions, nor employment were offered to him. He asked
that his accounts might be examined: ignorant or evil-minded
commissioners were entrusted with their investigation, and the
Government only took it in hand very tardily. Objections and disputes,
difficulties and contradictions, accumulated, and it was only after a
delay of sixty days that his accounts were publicly and officially
declared to be correct. All that while he remained like a private person
on board his steamboat, manned only by six sailors. In all the audiences
that he had with the Preside