“I have also advanced to Mr. Blackett the sum of fifty dollars,-which I will thank Mr. Stevens to pay to you, on my account, from monies of Mr. Blackett now in his hands.  I have Mr. B.’s acknowledgment in writing.

“As the wants of the State here are still pressing, and there seems very little specie stirring except mine, I will stand paymaster; and must again request you and Mr. Barff to forward by a safe channel (if possible) all the dollars you can collect upon the bills now negotiating.  I have also written to Corgialegno for two thousand dollars, being about the balance of my separate letter from Messrs. Webb and Co., making the bills also payable at Ransom’s in London.

“Things are going on better, if not well; there is some order, and considerable preparation.  I expect to accompany the troops on an expedition shortly, which makes me particularly anxious for the remaining remittance, as ‘money is the sinew of war,’ and of peace, too, as far as I can see, for I am sure there would be no peace here without it.  However, a little does go a good way, which is a comfort.  The Government of the Morea and of Candia have written to me for a further advance from my own peculium of 20 or 30,000 dollars, to which I demur for the present, (having undertaken to pay the Suliotes as a free gift and other things already, besides the loan which I have already advanced,) till I receive letters from England, which I have reason to expect.

“When the expected credits arrive, I hope that you will bear a hand, otherwise I must have recourse to Malta, which will be losing time and taking trouble; but I do not wish you to do more than is perfectly agreeable to Mr. Barffand to yourself.  I am very well, and have no reason to be dissatisfied with my personal treatment, or with the posture of public affairs—­others must speak for themselves.  Yours ever and truly, &c.

“P.S.  Respects to Colonels Wright and Duffie, and the officers civil and military; also to my friends Muir and Stevens particularly, and to Delladecima.”

LETTER 539.  TO MR. CHARLES HANCOCK.

“Missolonghi, January 19. 1824.

“Since I wrote on the 17th, I have received a letter from Mr. Stevens, enclosing an account from Corfu, which is so exaggerated in price and quantity, that I am at a loss whether most to admire Gamba’s folly, or the merchant’s knavery.  All that I requested Gamba to order was red cloth enough to make a jacket, and some oil-skin for trowsers, &c.—­the latter has not been sent—­the whole could not have amounted to fifty dollars.  The account is six hundred and forty-five!!!  I will guarantee Mr. Stevens against any loss, of course, but I am not disposed to take the articles (which I never ordered), nor to pay the amount.  I will take one hundred dollars’ worth; the rest may be sent back, and I will make the merchant an allowance of so much per-cent.; or, if that is not to be done, you must sell the whole by auction at what price the things may fetch; for I would rather incur the dead loss of part, than be encumbered with a quantity of things, to me at present superfluous or useless.  Why, I could have maintained three hundred men for a month for the sum in Western Greece.