This had not at first been perceived
by him. On his detecting the insult, he wrote to the representatives of
the three powers three letters, which here need to be quoted in his
justification.

The first was addressed, on the 13th of December, to Captain Le Blanc,
commander of the _Junon_. "The silence respecting the regular forces
under my orders," he said, "observed in the letter of the admirals of
the mediating powers, dated October the 24th, 1827, appearing to make no
distinction between them and the mere pirates, hanging over both the
same accusations, and subjecting consequently the former to the
restrictions wisely adopted towards the latter, makes it my duty, both
towards the country which I serve, towards the officers under my
command, and towards myself, to protest publicly and in the face of
Europe, against the interpretations to which such a document seems to
give foundation. The detailed account of the conduct of those ships of
war which are under my immediate orders, and which compose the national
squadron of Greece, will prove that no neutral vessel whatever has been
seized, driven out of its course, or stopped by them under any pretext
whatever, with the exception of such as have broken the blockade of
Lepanto, the detention of which is legalized by the act above mentioned.
These facts are undeniable. The conduct of the officers of the national
squadron has been conformable, in all points, to the laws of nations and
to the instructions issued by the admirals, in their character of
representatives of the mediating Powers. No hostility has been committed
by the national vessels against the territory or the forces of the
Turco-Egyptian Government, placed beyond the prescribed limits of
Lepanto. But, if such be the state of things, I have the right of
sending on a mission, for the public service, ships of war beyond these
limits, and, availing myself of that right, I have despatched two (the
one to Corfu, and the other to Syra), the destination of which relates
to the finances of the navy. Be pleased, sir, to communicate the
contents of this letter to Admiral de Rigny, with whom you have
communicated verbally on the subject, and explain to him the propriety
of this step, to avoid explanations with which it is not necessary that
the public should intermix."

The second letter, dated the 5th of January, 1828, was to the commander
of the Russian frigate _Constantine_. "Although I am aware," wrote Lord
Cochrane