The Life of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, Tenth Earl of Dundonald, Vol. Ii

CHAPTER XVII.. [1827.]

Lord Cochrane's Arrival in Greece.--His Account of Hydra and Poros.--The Congratulations offered to him.--Visits from Tombazes, Mavrocordatos, and Miaoulis.--Letters from the National Assembly and other Public Bodies and Leading Men.--The Divisions in Greece.--The French or Moreot, and English or Phanariot Factions.--Lord Cochrane's Relations with them.--The Visit of Kolokotrones and other Deputies from the National Assembly.--Lord Cochrane's Efforts to procure Unanimity.--Sir Richard Church.--Lord Cochrane's Commission as First Admiral.--The National Assembly at Troezene.--The Election of Capodistrias as President--Lord Cochrane's Oath-taking.--His Advice to the National Assembly and Proclamation to the Greeks 1

CHAPTER XVIII.. [1827.]

The Siege of Athens--The Defenders of the Acropolis.--The Efforts of Gordon and KaraÔskakes.--Lord Cochrane's Plan for Cutting off the Turkish Supplies.--The Arguments by which he was induced to proceed instead to the Phalerum.--His Arrival there.--His other Arrangements for Serving Greece.--His First Meeting with KaraÔskakes.--The Condition of the Greek Camp.--Lord Cochrane's Position.--His Efforts to give Immediate Relief to the Acropolis, and the Obstacles raised by the Greeks.--KaraÔskakes's Delays, and General Church's Difficulties.--The Convent of Saint Spiridion.--The Battle of Phalerum.--The Capture of Saint Spiridion.--The Massacre of the Turks, and its Consequences.--Lord Cochrane's renewed Efforts to Save the Acropolis.--The Death of KaraÔskakes.--The March to the Acropolis.--Its Failure through the Perversity of the Greeks.--The Battle of Athens.--The Fall of the Acropolis 31

CHAPTER XIX.. [1827.]

Lord Cochrane's Return to Poros.--His Attempts to Organise an Efficient Greek Navy.--The Want of Funds and the Apathy of the Greeks.--His Letter to the Psarians, and his Visits to Hydra and Spetzas.--His Cruise Round the Morea.--His First Engagement with the Turks.--The Disorganization of his Greek Sailors.--His Capture of a Vessel bearing the British Flag, laden with Greek Prisoners.--Seizure of Part of Reshid Pasha's Harem.--Ibrahim Pasha's Narrow Escape.--Lord Cochrane's Further Difficulties.--His Expedition to Alexandria.--Its Failure through the Cowardice of his Seamen.--His two Letters to the Pasha of Egypt.--His Return to Poros.--Further Efforts to Improve the Navy.--His Visit to Syra.--The Troubles of the Greek Government.--Lord Cochrane's Visit to Navarino.--His Defeat of a Turkish Squadron 77

CHAPTER XX.. [1827.]

The Action of Great Britain and Russia on Behalf of Hellenic Independence.--The Degradation of Greece.--Lord Cochrane's Renewed Efforts to Organise a Fleet.--Prince Paul Buonaparte, and his Death.--An Attempt to Assassinate Lord Cochrane.--His Intended Expedition to Western Greece.--Its Prevention by Sir Edward Codrington.--Lord Cochrane's Return to the Archipelago.--The Interference of Great Britain, France, and Russia.--The Causes of the Battle of Navarino.--The Battle 114

CHAPTER XXI.. [1827-1828.]

The First Consequences of the Interference of the Allied Powers and the Battle of Navarino.--Lord Cochrane's intended Share in Fabvier's Expedition to Chios.--Its Abandonment.--His Cruise among the Islands and about Navarino.--His Efforts to Repress Piracy.--His Return to the Archipelago.--The Misconduct of the Government.--Lord Cochrane's Complaints.--His Letters to the Representatives of the Allied Powers, acquitting Himself of Complicity in Greek Piracy.--His Further Complaints to the Government.--His Resolution to Visit England.--His Letter to Count Capodistrias Explaining and Justifying that Resolution.--His Departure from Greece, and Arrival at Portsmouth.--His Letter to M. Eynard 134

CHAPTER XXII.. [1828-1829.]

Lord Cochrane's Occupations on Behalf of Greece in London and Paris.--His Second Letter to Capodistrias.--His Defence of Himself with Reference to his Visit to Western Europe.--His Return to Greece.--Capodistrias's Presidency and the Progress of Greece.--Lord Cochrane's Reception by the Government.--The Settlement of his Accounts.--His Letter of Resignation.--The Final Indignities to which he was Subjected.--The Correspondence thereupon between Admiral Heyden and Dr. Gosse.--Lord Cochrane's Departure from Greece.--His Opinions Regarding her.--The Character and Issues of His Services to the Greeks 162

CHAPTER XXIII.. [1828-1832.]

A Recapitulation of Lord Cochrane's Naval Services.--His Efforts to obtain Restitution of the Rank taken from him after the Stock Exchange Trial.--His Petition to the Duke of Clarence.--Its Rejection by the Duke of Wellington's Cabinet.--Lord Cochrane's Occupations after the close of his Greek Service.--His Return to England.--His Memorial to William IV.--Its Tardy Consideration by Earl Grey's Cabinet.--Its Promoters and Opponents.--Lord Cochrane's Accession to the Peerage as Tenth Earl of Dundonald.--His Interview with the King.--The Countess of Dundonald's Efforts in Aid of her Husband's Memorial.--Their Ultimate Success.--The Earl of Dundonald's "Free Pardon," and Restoration to Naval Rank 197

CHAPTER XXIV.. [1833-1847.]

The Inventions and Discoveries of Lord Dundonald's Father.--His own Mechanical Contrivances.--His Lamps.--His Rotary Steam-Engine, his Screw-Propeller, his Condensing-Boiler, and his Lines of Ship-building.--Their Tardy Development.--His Correspondence upon Steam-Shipping with Sir James Graham, the Earl of Minto, the Earl of Haddington, and the Earl of Auckland.--The Progress of his Inventions.--The Janus.--The Beneficial Results of his Experiments 221

CHAPTER XXV.. [1833-1848.]

Lord Dundonald's Secret War-Plans.--His Correspondence concerning them with Lord Lansdowne, Lord Minto, Lord Haddington, and Lord Auckland.--His Letter to the "Times."--The Report of a Committee, consisting of Sir Thomas Hastings, Sir John Burgoyne, and Lieut.-Col. Colquhoun, upon the Secret War-Plans.--A French Project for Naval Warfare with England.--Lord Dundonald's Opinions Thereupon.--His Views on the Defence of England 246

CHAPTER XXVI.. [1839-1848.]

The Earl of Dundonald's Request for the Restoration of the Order of the Bath.--His Good Service Pension.--The Investigation of his Secret War-Plans.--His Pamphlet on Naval Affairs,--His Installation as a G.C.B.--His Candidature for Election as a Scotch Representative Peer.--The Queen's Permission to his Wearing the Brazilian Order of the "Cruziero."--His Appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the North American and West Indian Station 273

CHAPTER XXVII.. [1848.]

Lord Dundonald's Departure for North America.--Extracts from the Correspondence of Lord Auckland and others Respecting West Indian Affairs and European Politics.--Bermuda.--The French Revolution of 1848 and its Issues.--Ireland and the Chartists.--The Death of Lord Auckland 294

CHAPTER XXVIII.. [1848-1850.]

Lord Dundonald's Visit to the North American and West Indian Colonies, and his Opinions thereon.--Newfoundland and its Fisheries.--Labrador.--Bermuda; its Defences and its Geological Formation.--Barbadoes.--The Negroes.--Trinidad.--Its Pitch Lake.--The Depressed Condition of the West Indian Colonies.--Lord Dundonald's Suggestions for their Improvement 307

CHAPTER XXIX.. [1851-1853.]

Lord Dundonald's Return from America.--His Arguments for the Relief of the Newfoundland Fisheries and the West India Trade.--The Trinidad Bitumen.--Lord Dundonald's other Scientific Pursuits and Views 328

CHAPTER XXX.. [1851-1860.]

The Russian War.--Lord Dundonald's Proposals to Employ his Secret Plans against Cronstadt, Sebastopol, and other Strongholds.--His Correspondence thereupon with Sir James Graham and Lord Palmerston.--Their Rejection.--Lord Dundonald's Appointment as Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom.--Prince Albert's Invitation to him to become an Elder Brother of the Trinity House.--His Correspondence with Lord Palmerston respecting the Restitution of his Half-Pay.--His Last Work.--His Death and Burial.--Conclusion 337

* * * * *

APPENDIX.

(Page 161.)--Captain Frank Abney Hastings's Letters to Lord Cochrane (1827) 370

THE LIFE

THOMAS, TENTH EARL OF DUNDONALD.

CHAPTER XVII.. Lord Cochrane's Arrival in Greece.--His Account of Hydra and

LORD COCHRANE'S ARRIVAL IN GREECE.--HIS ACCOUNT OF HYDRA AND POROS.--THE CONGRATULATIONS OFFERED TO HIM.--VISITS FROM TOMBAZES, MAVROCORDATOS, AND MIAOULIS.--LETTERS FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER PUBLIC BODIES AND LEADING MEN.--THE DIVISIONS IN GREECE.--THE FRENCH OR MOREOT, AND ENGLISH OR PHANARIOT FACTIONS.--LORD COCHRANE'S RELATIONS WITH THEM.--THE VISIT OF KOLOKOTRONES AND OTHER DEPUTIES FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.--LORD COCHRANE'S EFFORTS TO PROCURE UNANIMITY.--SIR RICHARD CHURCH.--LORD COCHRANE'S COMMISSION AS FIRST ADMIRAL.--THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AT TROEZENE.--THE EJECTION OF CAPODISTRIAS AS PRESIDENT.--LORD COCHRANE'S OATH-TAKING.--HIS ADVICE TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND PROCLAMATION TO THE GREEKS.

Lord Cochrane entered the Egean Sea with his little schooner Unicorn and the French brig Sauveur on the 17th of March, 1827. In the afternoon he halted off the island of Hydra, there to leave the Greek deputy Orlando, who had accompanied him from Marseilles. "I was surprised," he said, "to observe that, except the open batteries near the town of Hydra, the whole coast of the island remained unprotected, although, in a smooth sea, a landing might be effected in almost every part of its circumference. The town of Hydra is built in an irregular manner on the fall of the mountain about the port, and presents a clean appearance, the houses being all whitewashed. There is not a tree on the island, though there are a few straggling bushes. There is scarcely any land capable of cultivation; but there are some vineyards on the south side and a few small gardens near the town. The port is small, the water deep, and the vessels made fast by hawsers to the shore. It is evident, that, if Greece obtains independence, this island, to which the inhabitants fled to enjoy that species of precarious liberty that depends on eluding the view of tyranny, must be abandoned. Even water is only to be had from tanks which are filled by the winter's rain."

From Hydra Lord Cochrane proceeded to Egina, making a circuit in order that he might have a view of Athens. "The Acropolis," he wrote, "with the whole scenery at sunset, was beautiful. Alas, what a change! what melancholy recollections crowd on the mind! There was the seat of science, of literature, and the arts. At this instant the barbarian Turk is actually demolishing, by the shells that now are flying through the air, the scanty remains of the once magnificent temples in the Acropolis."

He called at Egina on the 18th, in order to despatch letters, announcing his arrival, to the Governing Commission, as it was called, then located in the island, before proceeding to Poros, where he anchored on the morning of the 19th. "The main entrance," we further read in his journal, "is scarcely wide enough to work a ship in, if the wind is from the land. The water, however, is sufficiently deep close to the shore; and the port, when you have entered through this narrow channel, is one of the finest in the world. There is another entrance towards the south, but it is shallow and crooked, and consequently used only by small vessels. The town of Poros consists of a number of irregularly-built houses on the side of a hill, and merits the appellation of picturesque. There are remains of temples on the island, and the stone is yet to be seen on which Demosthenes is said to have been sitting when he was recalled by Antipater to Athens, and in consequence of which recall he took poison and died."

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