e a sa disposition, afin d'utiliser le plutot possible
votre noble decision et accelerer l'heureux moment que la Grece
reconnaissante et enthousiasmee vous verra combattre pour la cause de
sa liberte.

"Je profite de cette occasion pour prier votre seigneurie de vouloir
bien agreer l'assurance de mon respect et de la plus haute estime avec
laquelle j'ai l'honneur d'etre, milord, de votre seigneurie le tres
humble et tres obeissant serviteur,

"A. Mavrocordatos,

"Naples de Romanie,

"Secre-genl d'Etat.

"_le 20 Aout_, ----------- 1825 1er 7bre

"A Sa Seigneurie le tres Honorable Lord Cochrane, a Londres."

CHAPTER XIV.

LORD COCHRANE's DISMISSAL FROM BRAZILIAN SERVICE, AND HIS ACCEPTANCE
OF EMPLOYMENT AS CHIEF ADMIRAL OF THE GREEKS.--THE GREEK COMMITTEE AND
THE GREEK DEPUTIES IN LONDON--THE TERMS OF LORD COCHRANE's AGREEMENT,
AND THE CONSEQUENT PREPARATIONS.--HIS VISIT TO SCOTLAND--SIR WALTER
SCOTT'S VERSES ON LADY COCHRANE.--LORD COCHRANE'S FORCED RETIREMENT TO
BOULOGNE, AND THENCE TO BRUSSELS.--THE DELAYS IN FITTING OUT THE
GREEK ARMAMENT.--CAPTAIN HASTINGS, MR. HOBHOUSE, AND SIR FRANCES
BURDETT.--CAPTAIN HASTINGS'S MEMOIR ON THE GREEK LEADERS AND
THEIR CHARACTERS.--THE FIRST CONSEQUENCE OF LORD COCHRANE's NEW
ENTERPRISE.--THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON'S INDIRECT MESSAGE TO LORD
COCHRANE.--THE GREEK DEPUTIES' PROPOSAL TO LORD COCHRANE AND HIS
ANSWER.--THE FINAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR HIS DEPARTURE.--THE MESSIAH OF THE
GREEKS.

[1825-1826.]

The letter from Mavrocordatos quoted in the last chapter was only part
of a series of negotiations that had been long pending. Lord Cochrane,
as we have seen, had arrived at Portsmouth on the 26th of June, 1825,
in command of a Brazilian war-ship and still holding office as First
Admiral of the Empire of Brazil. His intention in visiting England
had been only to effect the necessary repairs in his ship before going
back to Rio de Janeiro. He had no sooner arrived, however, than it was
clear to him, from the vague and insolent language of the Brazilian
envoy in London, that it was designed by that official, if not by the
authorities in Rio de Janeiro, to oust him from his command. During
four months he remained in uncertainty, determined not willingly to
retire from his Brazilian service, but gradually convinced by the
increasing insolence of the envoy's treatment of him that it would
be inexpedient for him hastily to return to Brazil, where, before
his departure, he had e