had already protested against the light flotilla's
passing into the hands of the Entente, would so regard it. Lastly,
public opinion would never tolerate that Greece should so denude herself
of arms as to be unable to defend herself in case of need. For all these
reasons, the Hellenic Government categorically refused the Admiral's
claim.[7]

The Admiral felt keenly the iniquity of compelling a neutral country to
give up, without conditions, the arms which constituted its safeguard at
once against invasion and against insurrection. But what could he do?
He had his orders, and it was his duty to carry them out as soon as
possible.[8] So, making use of the plenary authority {155} thrust upon
him, he retorted (24 Nov.) with an Ultimatum: ten mountain batteries
should be handed over to him by 1 December at the latest, and the
remainder by 15 December. Failing obedience to his command, suitable
steps would be taken on 1 December to enforce it. He declined to believe
that "the public opinion of a country so enlightened as Greece could
regard as intolerable the idea of handing over to Powers towards whom it
professed a benevolent neutrality a stock of arms and munitions destined
for the liberation of territory saturated with the noblest Greek blood:
their place was, not at the bottom of magazines, but at the front." [9]

There is always a limit beyond which human intelligence cannot be
insulted with success, or human patience tried with impunity. France had
long since overstepped that limit. Across all the self-contradictory
subtleties of her statesmen, the Greeks, thanks to the self-revealing
acts of her soldiers, sailors, and agents, had discerned the real object
of her diplomacy: to force upon them M. Venizelos and to rule them
through him: she had already helped M. Venizelos to establish his sway
over New Greece, and was now attempting to extend it over Old Greece.
The creation of a "neutral zone" did not blind them: they had only too
much reason to know what neutrality meant in the vocabulary of the
Allies: they had taken the King's ships: all that remained was to take
his arms and to hand them over to their protege. Such was the true
significance of the fresh "pledges of friendship" claimed from them; and
the claim aroused unanimous indignation: we will not submit to any
further robbery, they cried. What have we gained by submission so far?
Our conciliatory attitude towards the Allies and our efforts for a
fr