GREECE AS A KINGDOM;
Oil,
1 STATISTICAL DESCRIPTION OF THAT COUNTRY,
FROM THE ARRIVAL OF KING OTHO, IN 1833,
DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME.
DIlAWN UP
FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS ASD OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCRS.
TO
HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF GREECE.
THF. KJ<;W !'ALI\L:t!: AT AI'Ht:N:::>. : ...
BY FREDERICK STRONG, ESQ: \
CONSUl, AT ATHF:NS FOR THEIR1MAJESTIES THE lUNGS OF
RAVARIA AND HANOVER.
LONGMAN,
U
1:\
LONDON:
BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS,
PATF.RNO.~TRR-ROW•
'0'" 0 yGooglc
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THE
NEW YORK
PUBLI:
UBRARY
7'94762
A
ASToR.
L£NOX AND
'l'ILDEN FOUNDATWNS
R 1935 1.
TO
HIS MAJESTY
THE KING" OF GREECE.
SIRE,
YOUR Majesty's invariable condescension towards
so humble an individual as myself, during
my residence in Greece, the Royal interest expressed-
in favour of my work during its progress,
and the facilities afforded me by Your Majesty's
gracious instructions to the different public offices
to furnish me with what information I might
require, combined to induce me, with feelings
of the most profound and respectful gratitude,
to solicit the honour of dedicating this little
volume to Your Majesty.
This permission having been graciously accorded
by Your Majesty, it remains for me but
to express the hope that my labours may be of
A 3
Vl DEDICATION.
some use to regenerated Greece, in acquainting
the British Public with the real state, valuable
resources, and favourable prospects ofthis young
and interesting country, hitherto so little known
and appreciated by the rest of Europe.
I have the honour to subscribe myseU:
SIRE,
With the most profound respect,
Your Majesty's
Most obedient, humble Servant,
FREDERICK STRONG.
PR E FA C E.
IN presenting to the British Public the following work,
which is the result of observations made, and information
collected, during a residence of eight years in Greece,
the Author's sole object is to make known the real state
of this interesting country, hitherto 80 neglected by the
.rest of Europe.
Many works have, no doubt, been published on
Greece within the last few years, b~t no one haB ever
attempted to give an account of the actual state of the
kingdom. Most of these productions, in fact, either
relate to the antiquities of Greece, or form personal
narratives, which, however interesting in themselves,
are not calculated to give the tourist on the spot, or
the general reader at home, any information as to the
present state of the laws, public institutions, commerce,
and resources of the country.
From the nature of his avocations as banker, and particularly
as being the correspondent and agent of the
principal London banking-houses, the Author has had
an opportunity of becoming personally acquainted with
most of the British travellers who have visited Greece
of late years; and it was in consequence of the general
regret they expressed at the want of such a book, that
he was induced to undertake the work which he now
offers to the Public, and for which he wat:! in som(l
A 4
VlU
PREFACE.
degree qualified, from his long residence in the country,
and social position at Athens.
The difficulty, however, of procuring correct and a,uthentic
information on so many important and interesting
subjects, was exceedingly great. No attempts have
hitherto been made in the country itself to collect any
statistics; and the author was consequently obliged in
many instances, where no documents existed in the
public offices, to have recourse to private channels, and
gather information from individuals on whose knowledge
and veracity he could implicitly rely.
He considers it, however, his duty thus publicly to
express his deep sense of gratitude for the great facilities
afforded him in the execution of his work, by
the condescension of His Majesty King Otho, who
was graciously pleased to issue an order to all the
public offices to assist him in the prosecution of his
object, and allow him to inspect and make copies, notes.
or extracts of whatever documents were to be found in
the archives, which he considered of interest, or useful
for his purpose. The reader may therefore be assured,
that all the laws, ordonnances, tables, &c., in this work
are taken from official sources.
As a great many statements highly prejudicial- to
Greece have recently appeared, it is necessary to remark
that they have chiefly emanated either from persons not
sufficiently acquainted with the country to be competent
to form an opinion respecting it, or from mere tourists,
ignorant of the language, and seeing only with the eyes
of others; and hence all such statements must be received
with great caution. Facts are the best arguments;
and every wellwisher of Greece will be anxious
to investigate its present state, even though he should _
PRK}'ACE.
IX
labour under an impression that lmch an inv~tigation
would prove inimical to the prospects of the infant
kingdom.
Into such a work as the present, the Author conceives
that politics ought not to be introduced; and, under this
impression, he has avoided, as much as possible, entering
on that difficult subject, preferring to confine himself
to statistics and historical filets. He has alilO, in general,
omitted to express his own views of measures and
things; and where he has deviated from this rule, he
has endeavoured to explain his reasons for the opinion
he has formed.
During his residence in Greece, he has
had an opportunity
of seeing the introduction and working of
every meW;Jure ab initio; of watching the improvements
that have taken place, the gradual development of the
resources, and the advancement of education and social
relations; and of comparing the results of one year with
those of another. And the conclusion to which he has
come is, on the whole, highly favourable to the young
kingdom. So far from taking a gloomy view of the
state of Greece, like many who believe her to be on
~e point of a general bankruptcy, it is his opinion
that there are few European states in a more prosperous
condition; and that the improvement in the
revenue, the development of national wealth, the progress
of education, the extension of agriculture and
commerce, the increase of knowledge, the impartial
administration of justice, and the reduction of expenditure,
which have hitherto been so rapid, will be carried
on in future to a much greater extent even than hitherto,
and give Greece, in a few years, an important and conspicuous
rank in the scale of nations.
x }'HEJ<'ACE.
The Author deems it right to inform the Public, that
he disclaims in the most unqualified manner any inference
that may be drawn f'rom his official situation
of' his having been actuated by interested motives in
publishing this work. His object is simply to give
a faithful account of' the present state of' Greece;,and
the post that he holds at Athens being purely
honorary, he is alike independent of' Greek and Bavarian
influence.
r
CONTENTS.
'.
CHAP. I.
GKNI'I\AL STATiSTICS.
Boundaries. - Longitude and Latitude. - Length and Breadth.
- Area. - Population. - Climate and Temperature. - Soil
and natural Productions.- Geological Formation. -Mineral
Productions. - Natural History. - Mountains. - Rivers. Lakes.
- Forests. - Mineral Springs. - Roads. - Statistics
of Athens. ~ Tables of Births, Marriages, and Deaths in 1839.
- Table of the Population of Greece in 1840. - Statistical
Notices - Page 1-51
CHAP. H.
C;OVEBN1\IENT.
Retrospect of Events prior to the Arrival of the l\.ing. - ProtoCOL)
of the Conferencc of St. Petersburgh. - Treaty of London of
the 6th July, 1827. - Definitive Treaty of the 7th May, 18[N.
- The Royal Prerogative. - Secretaries of State. - Council of
State. - Division of the Country into Provinces. - Salaries of
civil Officers. - Municipal Corporations. - Table of the
Communes. - Responsibility of the Communes for Robberies.
- Police. - Gendarmerie.- Regulations of Health.-Central
Medical Board. - Fees for Diplomas. - Quarantine Hegulations.
- Spoglio. - Quarantine Establishments. - District
Physicians. - Medical Fees. - Vaccination. - Coroners. Public
Registers of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. -- Public
~Iedical School - 5~-~8
xii CONTENTS.
CHAP. 111.
COMMERCE.
Rise and Progress of Greek Commerce. - Money and Coins.
- Weights and Measures. - Interest and Discount. - Laws
of Mortgage,- National Bank. - Private Banks. - Stamps.
- Chambers of Commerce. -- Commercial Tribunals and
their Jurisdiction. - Custom House Establishments. - Bonding
System. - The Tariff. - Marine Insurance Companies. General
Foreill;n Trade. - Commerce between Greece amI
Trieste. - Principal Articles of Commerce. - Treaties of
Reciprocity, Commerce, &c. - Greek Consulates abroad.Foreign
Consuls in Greece. - General View of the annual
Value of Greek Commerce 1833 to 1840. - General Table of
Imports and Exports. - Treaty of Commerce between Great
Britain and Greece. - Treaty of Commerce between the
United States of America and Greece - Page 99-145
CHAP. IV.
NAVIGATION.
Division of the Coasts into Maritime Districts. - Price of Shipbuilding.
- Number of Vessels lfbilt in 1838~ 1839, and
1840. - Port Charges. - Quarantine Dues. - Comparative
View of the Merchant Navy for each Year from 1884 to 1841
inclusive. - Greek Shipping to Foreign Ports. - Navigation
with Trieste. - Annual Navigation of the plincipal Ports of
Greece. - Number of Vessels belonging to each Port.-General
View of the Arrivals at, and Departures from, the Greek
Ports - 146-161
CHAP. V.
AllRICULTURJI: AND TBJI: ARTS.
Present State of Agriculture. - Number of Farmers. - Number
of Oxen. - Colonists required. - Facilities afforded them. Price
of Land. -- Supply of Water. - Drainage of Lakes and
Marshes. - Change in the Appearance of the Country.Artesian
Wells. - Agricultural Implements. - Culture of
Wheat, Barley, Oats, Pease,Beans, Tobacco, Cotton, Opium,
Madder, Rice, Sesame Seed, Currants, Wine, Olive Oil, Figs,
Almonds, Lemons, Persian Berries, Gum Tragacanth, Valonea,
Vermilion, Silk, Bees. - Horses, Cattle, Sheep, Wool, Butter,
Cheese. - Trades and Manufactures. - Statistical Tables of
the Division of Labour, Trades, and Professions - 162-187
-
CONTENTS.
CHAP. VI.
FINANCF..
:ltiil
§ I. AdminiRtration. Minisler of Finance. - Court of Accounts.
-Treasury and Provincial Tre"suril'•.-§ 2.R~'f1I'IP. Modeof
ra:sing the Revl'nue.- Direct Taxes: - The Tithe, the Catt!..
Tax, the Tax on Trades, and HOURe Relit-Tax. - Indirl'ct
Taxes: - Custl,ms, Stamps. Port Charges, and other FeeR. Public
Establishments: - Mint, Post Office, Printing Officl'.~
l\lional Property: - (a.) GOf1ernment M07lopoliell, viz. I.ands,
Mines and Minerals, Salt-worh, Fisheries. - (b.) PeMRhfl"'"
Propp,rty, viz. Woods and Forests,
Olive Trees, Vim'yards,
Curraut Plantations, Royal Domains, Gardens, House-, and
other Buildings. - § 3. National Expenditure. Financial
Report of the Expenditure. - Tahle of the Revenu~ and
Expenditure for the Years 1833- 1840 inclusive. - General
View of the Finances for the Year HHO - Pa~e 18R-2r.3
CHAP. VII.
THE
AHMY.
S,ate of the Army on the Arrival of' the King. - The Troops
,Iisbamled and the Army re-organised. - Effective Force.Sundry
Regulations. - Commission appointed to investigate the
Claims of the Officers who had served in the \\'ar of Independence.
- Reduction of the Army in 1836. - Further
Reduction in 1838. - View of the numerical Strength of the
Army in 1833, 1836, al1l1 1838. - Present State of the
Army. - Royal Greek Phalanx. - Gendarmerie. - Frontier
Guards. - Irregular Troops. - Mode of Recruiting. - Promotion.
- Administration. - Pensions, Asylums, and Hospitals.
- Courts-martial. - Uniforms. - Cockade. - Royal
Standard. - Schools of InstructiolT. - Royal Military Academy.
- Fortresses. - Military Establisllments. -Military Colonies.
- Rewards and Punishments. - Orders of Knighthood.-
Bavarian T.oops. - Financial Report. - Tahle of the effective
Force of the Army on the 1 December, 1840. - Table of
13
Officers employed on special Service, and those not belonging
to the active Forces. - Table showi"g the Reduction and
Saving effected. - Table of the Pay of Officers, Non-('ommisioned
Officers, anrl Privates of the Tac:ic Corps 254 -299
xiv CONTENTS.
CHAP. VIII.
THE NAVY.
State of the Ntvy on the King's arrival. - Special Commission
appointed. - Organisation of the Navy. - Pay of Officers
and Seamen. - Table of Rations. - Administration. - Marine
Prefecture. - Dockyard and Arsenal.' - Uniforms and Distinctions
of Rank. - National Flag. - Promotion. - Recruiting.
- Punishments. - Port Officers. - Lighthouses. Corps
of Marine Artificers. - General View of the Navy in
1840. -General View of the Navy on the Ist of January,
1841. - Decorations in the Navy. - Financial Report for the
Years 1833, 1834, and 1835. - Budget for 1841.-Table
of Officers and others employed in the Naval Department
- Page 300-321
CHAP. IX.
JUSTICE.
Civil Judicature. Courts of
Peace. - Tribunals of primary Jurisdiction.
- Tribunals of Commerce. - Courts of Appeal. The
Areopagus, or supreme Court. - Tables of the ci vii Courts
in the Kingdom.- Administrative Courts. - Criminal Justice:
Police Courts. - Correctional Tribunals. - Assizes. - Trial
by Jury. - Martial Law. - Court of Cassation. - Prisons. Lawyers.
- Huissiers. - Notaries. - Offices for the Re~
istration of Mortgages. -Salaries of the principal Law
Officers. - Annual Expenses of the Law Department.Budget
for 1841. - Statistics and statistical Tables of Trials,
Verdicts, Acquittals, &c. - 322-343
CHAP. X.
R~~J,IGION.
State of the Greek Church on the Arrival of the King. - Declaration
of the Independence of the Greek Church. - The
Holy Synod. - Administration of clerical Affairs. - Minister
for Religion. - Clergy: - Bishops, Priests, Deacons, parochial
Clergy. - Bishoprics. - Churches. - Convents. - Nunneries.
- Ecclesiastical Fund. - Budget. - Catholic Religion
in Greece. - Protestants. Missionaries. - Statistical
Tables - 344-367
COSTENT14.
CHAP. XI.
PUBJ.IC INSTRl"CTroN.
XI
State of Education 011 the King's Arrival. - Organisation of
Schools. - Minister for Instruction. - Seminary for School.
masters. - Primary, or Elementary Schools. - Girls' Schools.
- Hellenic Schools. - Gymnasiums, or High Schools. - University.
- Botanical Garden. - Government Scholarshipll at
Home and Abroad. - Polytechnic School. -American Schools.
- Orphan Asylum. - Public Library. - Depot of Books.Society
of Natural History. - Medical Society.- Pharmaceutic
Society. - Philopll!deutic Society. - Antiquarian Society.Regulations
respecting Antiquities. - Budget. - Statistical
Table!! Page 868-392
CHAP. XII.
THE COURT, ETC.
The Royal Family. - The Royal Arms. - Principal Officers of
the King's Household. - Thc Queen's Household. - The
Corps Diplomatique at Athens. - The consular Corps at
Athens. - Grecian Legations at Foreign Courts. - List of the
Secretaries of State, the Council of State, and Hearls of public
Departnlt'nts. - The Order of the Redeemer. - The Medal
distributed to those who took part in the War of Independence.
- The Medal of Epidaurus - 393-404
GREECE AS A KINGDOM.
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL STATIBTICS.
THE kingdom of Greece, as at present constituted, is
situated between the 36th and 39th degree of north latitude,
and the 21 st and 26th of east longitude, and is bounded on
the north by Turkey, and on the other three sides by the
Mediterranean. Its extreme length, from Mount Bougikaki,
on the Turkish frontier, to Cape Matapan in the Motea, is
216 British miles, and the greatest breadth (which is between
the western shores of Acarnania and the coast at Marathon)
is 186 miles.
Greece is composed of three great divisions; viz. the
Peloponnesus or Morea, the Continent, and the Islands.
The Peloponnesus contains the ancient provinces or
former kingdoms and republics of Acha'ia, Sicyon, Corinth,
Argolis, Arcadia, Elis, Messenia, and Laconia. On the Continent
are Attica, Breotia, Phocis, Locris, Doris, lEtolia,
Acarnania, and part of Epirus and Thessaly. The Islands
comprise the ancient Eubrea, the Cyclades, the northern and
southern Sporades, and the islands of the lEgean.
In the year 1833 a mixed commission was appointed by
the three Protecting Powe~s- Great
Britain, France, and
Russia,-for the purpose of accurately defining the northern
frontiers. It consisted of engineer officers of these countries,
together with commissioners on the part of Turkey and
Greece; but their operations having been interrupted during
the summer of that year by the hordes of lawless bands
which then infested the frontier provinces, they were only
resumed in the spring of 1834, and finished by the end of
the summer.
B
2 GENERAL STATISTICS.
According to the line of demarcation laid down by these
commissioners, the boundary is now definitely settled; and
their decision having been formally ratified by all the powers
interested, no dispute or misunderstanding can henceforth
arise on the subject.
The frontier on the western side begins at the Bay of
Arta or Ambracian Gulf, of which the northern coast
belongs to Turkey, and the southern to Greece. From
the village of Menidi it proceeds up the bed of the river
Comboti as far as its source, on Mount Plato-Vouno, on the
other side of which it crosses the Aspropotamus, and ascends
the course of the river Platanies to Mount Bougikaki. It
then crosses the mountains of Itamo and St. Elias, from
whence it takes an easterly direction as far as Mount GerakoVouno.
In this mountain the river Sourbiotico takes its rise,
flowing into the Gulf of Volo at Nea Metzeli; and the bed of
this stream forms the last part of the boundary-line.
Superficial Contents. The Grecian
dominions contain
in all 13'887-f-JIli British geographical square miles, or
47,615,000 stremas, which are equal to about 12,000,000
acres. Of these, only about 5,000,000 stremas are private
property, by far the greater part belonging to the state.
The following tables will show the statistics. The figures
represent stremas, one of which is 1000 square peeks, or as
many French square metres.
No. I.-General Division of the Land.
Morea. Continent. Islands. Total.
Mountains and rocks . 5,000,000 5,000,000 5,967,226 15,967,226
Rivers and lakes - - 1,500,000 2,000,000 - - 3,500,000
Forests - . - 3,000,000
4,000,000 - - 7,000,000
Arable land - . - 1I,436,409 8,171,949 300,000 19,908,358
Gardens - - - 35,000 69,000 11.'5,000 219,000
Vineyards - - - 240,000 186,000 324,000 750,00U
Currant plantations - 14,440 2,120 - - 16,560
Olive groves - - - 12,551 21,455 7,604 41,610
Lemon and mulberry
groves - - - 260 1I6 1I0 486
Towns and villages - 157,340 47,360 7,060 211,760
Total stremas '21,396,00019,498,0006,721,000 47,615,000
'0'" 0 yGooglc
GENERAL STATISTICS.
No. 2.-Table of the Description of Larul availabk for Cvltivation.
:Horea. Continent. Ialand•• 1 Total.
Arable land - - 11,436,409 8,171,949 300,000 1 19 Gardens, vineyards,
,908'358
&c. - - - 959,591 326,051 453,774 1,739,416
Total stremas 12,396,000 8,498,000 753,774 121,647,774
No. 3.-Table of the Number of Stremaa availahlefor CvltivatUm.
)lorea. Continent. WancIo. Total.
Cultivated - - 4,960,000
2,917,812 703,774 8,581,586
Not cultivated - 7,436,000 5,580,188 50,000 13,066,188
Total stremas 12,396,000 8,498,000 753,774 21,647,774
No. 4.-Table ofcultivated Lands belonging to Government arul
Individuala.
Korea. Continent. IalandJ. Total.
Government lands - 4,000,000 2,018,020 50,000 6,068.020
Private property - 960,000 899,792 653,774 2,513,566 .
• Total stremas 4,960,000 2,917,812 703,774 I 8,581,586
No. 5.-Table of uncultivated Lands belonging to Government arul
Individuals.
M'area. Continent. IalandJ. Total.
Government lands - 6,000,000 4,000,000 40,000 10,040,000
Private property - 1,436,000 1,580,188 10,000 3,026,188
Total stremas 7,436,000 5,580,188 50,000 13,066,188
The following tables give a view of the superficial contents
of each province, with the number of inhabitants in each according
to the census of 1836, and the proportion of population
to the square mile.
• The arable land actually in cultivation is, properly speaking, only
one half of the quantity mentioned above, as the peasants generally
plough and sow but half the land every alternate year, and what they
nse in on8
season remains fallow the next, and not unfrequently even
for two years.
n 2
4 GENERAL ST ATISTIC8~
THE MOREA,
German Geographl- I I
Number of
Department, caI Square New.Greek, Pc;>pulation Inhabitants
MUe,. 15 tal Mile., IlD 1836, to a German
a Degree. Square Mile,
ArgoIis - - - 28'90 15'87 26,720 931
Hermione - - 14'22 7'92 8,527 600
Corinth - . - 44'64 24'39
25,960 559
Achaia - - . 27'75 14'05
16,536 642
lEgialia - - . 7'91
4'25 8,215 1,OS8
Elis - - 36'75 20'24 32,513 885
Cyllene - - - 25'33 13'94 34,587 1,365
Mantinea - - 24'22 13'31 53,169 2,195
Megalopolis - - 8'92 4'94 9,055 1,018
Gortyne - - - 20'36 11'40 35,118 1,724
Cynouria - - - 25'71 14'14
19,582 761
'friphyllia - - 14'59 7'97 15,630 1,075
Olympia - - - 15'13 8'30
15,418 1,019
Pylia (Navarin) - - 11'75 6'48 10,143 863
Messenia - - - 16'42 9'05 28,546 1,738
Lacedremon - - 25'74 14'15 26,314 1,022
Epidaurus Limera - 24'00 13'25 9,622 400
Laconia - - - U'80 6'56 22,697 1,924
Gythion - - - 6'79 3'74 8,312 1,224
Total - 390/0% I 213-Mo 1406,664 1,040
THE CONTINENT.
t;erman New Greek Number of
Department, Geor,aphl-
~il~~
Population Inhabitants
caI ~quare
In 18:l6, to a Gennan
Mile" Square Mile,
Attica - - 35'49 19'50 23,300 657
Megara - - 19'51 10'72 7,238 371
Thebes - - 37'71 20'81 11,869 315
Breotia - - 22'38 12'29 16,122 720
Phthiotis - - 35'62 19'57 19,493 548
Locris - - 26'23 14'40 8,504 324
Phocis - - 20'28 11'12 16,616 819
Doris - - 14'77 8'U 12,582 852
lEtoIia - - 12'58 6'90 8,814 700
Naupactos - - 14'05 1'71 12,287 874
Acarnania - - 10'10 5'59 3,044 307
Xeromeros - 18'93 10'39 6,923 366
Valtos - - 26'26 14'51 8,197 312
Trichonia . - 18'38 10'09
6,057 329
Eurytania - - 42'42 23'27 18,856 445
'{'fltal . 354'71 1194'98 I 178,902 414
GENERAL STATISTICS.
THE ISLANDs.
5
German
N G kl I Number or
Department, ~f:J::':;
ew ree 'Population Inhabltanta
~tl::' Iln 1836, to a German
Mile•. Square Mile.
Islands {lEgina - 2'04 1'12 3,«7 1,690
of the Hydra - 1'89 1'04 13,744 7,270
lEgean. Spetzia - 0'41 0'23 7,620 18,565
{ Enbala - 69'37 38'08 36,779 530
Sporades, Skiathos - 4'92 2'72 6,642 1,350 rn - 3'64 2'01 17,572 4,828
Kythnos - 5'54 3'04 7,245 1,312
Them - 6'28 3'46 17,848 I 2,842
Cyclades. Tenos - 3'32 1'82 H.'" I
4,261
Andros - 4'69 2'58 15,113 3,222
Nax08 - 12'20 6'70 16,758 1,374
LMelos - 8'04 4'41 8,597 1,069
Total - 122'34 67'21 1165,511 I 1,353
RECAPITULATION.
-----~--------
Number or
German
Inhabitant.
New
Brltl.h Geogra- Greek Number ",; ..c';
Division oC Geof;aPhI. Number or K,hlcal Geogra- or Inhabit- ~i the Country, eal uare Stremal, :I1uare ~i le. IS Steal ants in Miles. to a uare 1836, ~"~" ~f
I lies, .. ~ ....
Desree. -,,'0"- '=rE
Morea - 6,254'88 21,396,000
1
390'93
1
213'96 406,664 1040 63
Continent 5,675'36 19,498,000,354'71 194'98 178,902 4141 26
Islands - 1,957'44 6,721,000
1
122'34 67'21 165,511 13531 85
Total - 13,887& 47,615,000 1867'f&J !476'1& I 751'077 I 8651
-;:;
From the foregoing tables, it will be seen that the Morea
is the largest and most populous division of the country, but
that the proportion of inhabitants to the square mile is greater
in the Islands than the other parts.
In the Morea the proportion of population is largest in
the department of Mantinea, and smallest in the mountainous
district of Epidaurus Limera. On the Continent, it is
largest in Naupactos (Lepanto), and smallest in Acarnania.
Among the islands, the proportion is largest in Spetzia,
and smallest in Eubrea. It is true that since the above
returns were made, the population of the kingdom has in-
B 3
6 GENERAL STATISTICS.
creased about 14 per cent.; but it is fair to infer that the increase
has been pretty equal in all the provinces, and that
though the number of inhabitants to the square mile
has increased generally, their relative proportion remains the
same.
Population. - The first
census of the new kingdom was
taken in 1834, and the returns gave, in round numbers, a
population of 650,000. There is reason, however, to presume
that these figures are very incorrect, for the Greeks could
not readily understand the use of numbering the people,
merely for the sake of obtaining statistical information; and
being afraid that it was connected with a renovation of the
dreaded Karatch (the capitation-tax levied formerly in a
most arbitrary manner by the Turks), or some other new
impost, they were naturally averse from reporting the real
population of their towns and villages. Perceiving, however,
that their fears were vain, they came forward more readily
each succeeding year; and I am of opinion that the returns
for the later years are pretty correct. The great increase in
the numbers is to be attributed partly to the above cause,
and partly to the natural operation of the law of population.
The immigration of foreigners has been remarkably small;
According to the official tables, the total number of foreigners,
of all nations, resident in Greece in the year 1835,
was 2360, and, in 1840, 4071, showing an increase of but
1711 persons.
Appended to this chapter will be found detailed statistical
tables of the population of the kingdom for the year 1840.
The following is a comparative view of the total number of
inhabitants for the last seven years: -
Year. Population. Increase over the
precedIng Year.
1834 651,233
1835 674,185 22,952 or 3No per eent.
1836 751,077 76,892 - ll~ -
1837 819,969 68,892 - 9f& - 1838 833,611 13,642 - If& - 1839
839,236 5,625 - oNo -
1840 856,470 17,234 - 2f& -
Annual average for the six years, 4Nn per cent., or an increase of 29
per cent., since 1834.
GENERAL STATISTICS. 7
Climate and Temperature. The
climate of Greece generally
is one of the finest in the world, and has always been
celebrated for its mildness and salubrity. The air is dry and
elastic, and the atmosphere so beautifully clear, that space
appears to diminish, and objects which are really at a great
distance seem close at hand. It is owing to thill, that the
views are far more extensive in Greece than in most other
latitudes, and not from the elevation of the spot on which
the spectator stands. From the summit of Hymettus and
Pentelieus, for instance, which are not more than SOOO feet
above the level of the sea, the whole of Attica, Bceotia,
Eubcea. most of the islands of the lEgean, and a great part
of the Cyclades, are overlooked as in a map. From the top
of the Acro-Corinthus the traveller discerns to the westward
the whole of the Gulf of Corinth as far as the mountains beyond
Missolonghi, whilst the view to the east embraces at
one glance the islands of the JEgean, the background being
formed by the noble chain of Hymettus. Even the Acropolis
of Athens is distinctly visible from it, though at a
distanee of 60 geographical miles, and it is well known
that, in former times, night.signals were ·exchanged between
the two cities by means of rockets and other fireworks.
From the summit of Mount Ithome in Messenia the eye rests
on the whole of the splendid range of Taygetus, (now
called Pentedactylon (TTOTiattKTVAGY, five fingers), on account
of its having five principal summits), from its commencement
at Leondari down to Cape Matapan; and in an opposite
direction the islands of Zante and Cefalonia are plainly seen,
though at a distance of 104 and 112 English miles in a straight
line.
The air is more light and elastic in the mountainous districts
than in the plains, and has such a sensible effect on the
spirits and the whole of the animal system, that when, for
instance, the hardy and yigorous mountaineers of Laconia
descend into the plains of Messenia and Malna (which are
also perfectly healthy), they always feel the weight of the
atmosphere, and frequently fall sick in consequence.
Some of the provinces which, though low, are exposed to
the winds, are equally healthy, such as Attica; lEgina, and
B 4
8 GENERAL STATISTICS.
Elis, except in a few places where the ground is marshy, as
Pyrgos, and part of Breotia. Malarias are engendered in
these districts by the exhalations in summer; and the inhabitants,
who are subject to ague and fevers, consequently live
the greater part of the year in the mountains, from which they
only descend at seed-time and harvest, dwelling then in temporary
cottages called kalyvias.
The delicious climate of Attica is proverbial, and the.
winters are probably as mild now as in the time of Herodotus.
"During eight months of the year," says Lord
Byr9n, "I was as many hours every day on horseback."
Within the last few years several English families have
gone to Greece to winter in the mild and genial temperature
of Athens; and probably a great many more would migrate
thither, were it generally known that furnished houses, as
well as all the other comforts and most of the luxuries of
European capitals are to be procured: that social intercourse
is much cultivated, and society select and animated.
The winds contribute essentially towards the salubrity of
Greece. Situated on the northern side of the great inland
sea which separates the continents of Europe arid Africa,
the southerly wind, impregnated with the latent heat of
the burning sands of Barbary and Morocco, has time to cool
in passing over the Mediterranean before it. reaches the
shores of Greece, whilst the north winds coming down from
higher latitudes diffuse a refreshing coolness throughout the
atmosphere, and fill up the vacuum created by the rarification,
which is continually being caused by the influence of
the solar rays. Hence northerly winds are most generally
prevalent in Greece, particularly in summer. They sometimes
blow with great violence, and frequently cause much
damage to the shipping at the time of the equinoxes.
The extremes of heat and cold are alike tempered by the
winds. Whilst the mountainous x:egions are cooled by the
continued currents of air in one direction, the islands and
maritime districts are subject to a change of wind, which is
regular and periodical. The inbat or sea-breeze ('I!"(;.hl),
sets in about nine or ten o'clock A. M., and blows gently all
the day till sunset, when it dies away, and in an hour or two
GENERAL BTATIBTICll. 9
is replaced by the land wind, which usuaIly lasts till daybreak.
This may be accounted for by the following hypothesis:The
atmosphere on the land becoming rarified by the heat
of the sun during the day, the cooler air of the sea rushes in
to fill up the vacuum so caused; whereas, at sunset. the equilibrium
of the temperature being restored by the removal of
the cause of heat, the prevalent winds find no further obstruction,
and resume at night their usual course according
to the laws prescribed by nature.
One of the leading features in the Grecian climate is,
the regularity which characterises the return of the seasons.
The spring - which is but the cessation of rain, as the
temperature remains equal nearly all the year round except
in summer - commences with the month of March, and
lasts till the middle or end of June, when the great heat
sets in. The summer continues till the end of August, at
which period a heavy thunderstol"Jll, sometimes accompanied
by earthquakes, cools the air, and announces the arrival of the
enchanting season of autumn: the thermometer falls, and the
temperature varies between 60° and 80° Fahrenheit, till the
foIlowing summer.
The rainy season begins about the middle of November or
commencement of December, and lasts, as above-mentioned,
till the end of February. But the winter in Greece is not
one unbroken succession of rain, as in some countries. The
chief distinguishing feature of this season are very heavy rains
for a few successive days, accompanied sometimes with a com·
paratively cold atmosphere, and followed by a week or ten
days of most delightful spring weather, with a bright warm
sun, and pure unclouded blue sky, to which another heavy
fall of rain succeeds.·
During the winter months snow frequently faIls on the lower
ranges of mountains, as Pentelicus, Hymettus, and Parnes,
and always on the more elevated chains of Parnassus, Taygetus,
(Eta, and Olenos. Snow seldom falls in the plains; though
in tht! beginning of 1836 it fell in the streets of Athens, but
* At Athens, during the last rainy season, there were
but twenty-one
days altogether on which it rained.
10 GENERAL STATISTICS.
melted of course immediately.· On none of the mountains,
however, does snow remain the whole year, but generally
melts at the end of June, when the sun enters the summer
solstice. The thermometer in winter is seldom below
"temperate"
during the day, but at night it sometimes falls lower
than the freezing point; and instances of night frosts have
o('curred at Athens which completely cut off and destroyed
the fruit on the orange and lemon trees, crumpling up their
leaves, so as to give them the appearance of having been
scorched by fire.
In summer the heat is very oppressive. During the
months of July and August of this year, the therm()meter
at Athens stood for weeks together at 98°-102° Fahrenheit
in the house, and in the open air at 108°_112° in the shade,
notwithstanding the sea breeze. The islands are in general
much cooler: and on the continent, elevated situations and
the sides of mountains are chiefly selected for the site of
country houses. During the summer months not a single
cloud is seen floating in the atmosphere to keep off, if only
for a moment, the intense heat of the sun's scorching
rays; but the sky presents by day one continued mass
of deep cerulean blue, and a blaze of brilliant stars by
night.
Although, geographically speaking, Greece lies within the
temperate zone, the heat during the summer is much more
oppressive than in Bengal, the West Indies, or other countries
situated between the tropics. One great reason for this phenomenon
may perhaps be found in the fact that the European
style of architecture prevails throughout Greece;
whereas in tropical climates, the houses are constructed with
a view to the free admission of the air, by creating a draught,
and keeping off the rays of the sun as much as possible by
means of verandah!! and jalousies.
But notwithstanding this intense heat, it is seldom found
to act deleteriously on the constitution. The Greeks are a
.. The king of Bavaria happening to be at Athens at that time, it
was generally believed by the Greeks, who are exceedingly superstitious
that he had brought his Bavarian winter with him. '
GENERAL STATISTICS. 11
healthy and vigorous race, and fever, which is the prevailing
disease, is only brought on either by local causes, as proximity
to marshes, or else by irregularities and want of precaution,
such as sleeping in the open air, and consequent exposure to
the heavy dews which fall during the night, and particularly
towards morning.
By proper attention to diet, the adult Franks resident in
Greece generally enjoy excellent health; the great heats,
however, operate most injuriously on their children, particularly
during the period of teething; but this remark is equally
applicable to native children.
The mildness of the climate renders Greece a very desirable
winter residence for invalids, and more particularly for
such as suffer from asthma and other affections of the lungs.
Pulmonary complaints are but seldom heard of amongst the
Greeks.
Soil and Natural Productions. The above remarks on the
climate of Greece are sufficient to indicate the nature of
its soil. It is
natural to infer that the purity and elasticity
of the air, combined with the effects of the sun and
the excellent properties of the waters, must unite in communicating
a vital force to the soil, equally unknown in
cold northern latitudes, and the burning sands of Africa.
Hence in Greece every thing teems with life and animation;
the very air is impregnated with a rich balmy scent, emitted
by the numerous odoriferous shrubs and plants produced
spontaneously by the bountiful hand of Nature. The soil is
so rich, that it produces in abundance the principal wants of
the inhabitants, repaying with ample interest the most trifling
!abour; whilst the crops follow each other in rapid succession
throughout the whole year.
A certain degree of analogy exists between the soil and its
inhabitants. The Greeks are a fine muscular race, well made,
and full of vigour and activity both of mind and body, realising
the idea of perfection entertained by the ancient philosopher,
cc Mens sana in corpore sano." They still retain a
great deal of the antique form, which is alike perceptible in
the structure of their bodies, the independence of their carriage,
and the animated fire of their eyes, which gives
12 GENERAL STATISTICS.
deep expression to the countenance from childhood to old
age. Each rera of life has its peculiar.beauty. The children
appear perhaps rather too languishing, but this gives way to
a vigorous development of the body as they approach the age
of manhood, though it is even then mixed with something
rather too graceful and feminine, and more appropriate to the
other sex. This beauty, which may be termed classical, is
more particularly found in the mountains of continental
Greece, and especially in the families of the Capitani and Primates.
For the rest, the-inhabitants of the different provinces
vary greatly in appearance. This is more apparent in the
Islands, where the natives, diverging from the general type
of Hellenic origin, approach, in some instances, the Asiatic
stamp, from the breadth of their countenances; whilst in
others, the peculiar expression of the eye, the shape of the
nose, and the narrowness of the face, combine to remind one
forcibly of the Hebrew race.
Female beauty bears no proportion to that of the opposite
sex, whether it be that
women are more neglected in their
youth, or that Nature is more apt to lavish her favours on
the men. The females of the Islands, and more especially
those of Hydra, Spetzia, Tenos, and Naxos, bear away the
palm of Grecian beauty; and some of the~ might well
serve as models to the sculptor, and with justice be considered
as antitypes of the Helens and Aspasias of ancient
times.
Nature is so extremely precocious in Greece, that females
attain the age of puberty at ten or eleven years, and men
at fifteen or sixteen. Young lads of sixteen and seventeen
are frequently met with in the villages already married
and with families. I am acquainted with a lady of
one of the first Athenian families, who, though only twentyfive
years of age, has already had sixteen children (eight
of them twins), of whom seven are still alive. It may
scarcely appear credible in England, but there is now at
Athens a venerable grandmamma, in the person of a lady
not yet twenty-four years old! She was married when eleven
years of age, and had a daughter in the course of a year.
GENERAL STATISTICS. 13
That daughter married also when scarcely eleven, and has
just become a mother I I
But female beauty, from its being so precocious, fades
quickly, and the freshness and bloom of youth vanish almost
as rapidly as they are developed. A married woman
of twenty has all the appearance of a middle-aged person
of a more northern clime; whilst at thirty or thirty-five her
face and skin are covered with wrinkles, which would do
no discredit to a matron of seventy in England or Germany.
This decay of youthful beauty is much more rapid among
females than with the opposite sex. On the contrary, thc
men, though they display early traces of wrinkles in the forehead
and round the eyes, retain their strength and manly
appearance for half a century; and even these wrinkles (which
are the effect of an habitual contraction of the muscles, arising
from the red cap of the country, which affords the eyes no
protection from the rays of the sun, rather than of decay),
only tend to give a more deep and marked expression to the
countenance.
Life is prolonged to a very advanced age, particularly in
the mountainous districts, and the people retain their faculties
of mind and body to the last. Instances of extreme
longevity are not at all uncommon, men of 90 and 100
years of age being often found able to follow the occupations
of the field and the chase. In the mountains of Laconia in
the year 1834, I saw an old man whose first child was born
when he was seventeen, and his last when he was ninety-five.
In his hundredth year, he led his countrymen to the assault
at Tripolitza, and ten years later he used to go out
to shoot partridges I When the king was making his first
tour in Greece, a man of a hundred and thirt,lI-two years
hobbled down from his village on the mountains of Taygetus
to pay his respects to his youthful sovereign, who received
him with his usual condescension, and dismissed him with
a valuable present.
Illnesses, though in general rarE'.., are of a bilious and inflammatory
character, and, if not immediately attended to,
become fatal in two or three days. The frugal habits of thc
GENERAL STATJSTJCS.
Greeks, and their extreme abstemiousness, which is partly
natural and partly enforced by their scrupulous attention to
the numerous fasts enjoined by their church, tend, in a great
measure, to make them healthy and vigorous. Persons labouring
under such bodily or mental infirmities, as dumbness,
blindness, deformity, deafness, or madness, are very seldom
met with.
There can be no doubt that the climate exercises as great
an influence on the development of the intellectual as of the
physical faculties; and it must be confessed that the Greeks
arc as sharp, clever, and quick of apprehension, as their
bodies are well-made and healthy. It is not my intention
to pass an unqualified encomium on the Greek nation, which
has its faults like all others; but I feel it right to mention
some of its good qualities, a more pleasant task than enumerating
its vices and its failings.
The Greeks born in the last, and at the beginning of the present
century, are mostly illiterate, and their knowledge of the
world is extremely limited. But they make up by natural
good sense what they want in education; and, though incapable
of discoursing on abstruse subjects, they are able
to reason most acutely and correctly on matters of everyday
occurrence, and such as come within the sphere of their
knowledge, and astonish a stranger by the spirit of their
replies, and the justness of their remarks.
Though themselves illiterate, they have sense enough to
appreciate the advantages of education, and are most anxious
to obtain them for their children. The rising generation
evince a laudable ambition to profit by the opportunity
of instruction, and have such a thirst for improvement,
that the lads beset the doors of the gymnasiums, or
high schools, in the morning an hour before the studies commence,
and sit down on the steps and explain to each other
the dark or difficult passages of the ancient authors; whilst
others harangue their comrades, and provoke discussion, as
in a debating society.
One of the leading features in the character of the Greeks
is their hospitality to strangers. There are no hotels in Greece,
GENERAL STATISTICS. 15
except at Athens and a few other principal places, so that in
travelling through the country, the tourist has an opportunity
of witnessing this national trait in its full extent. I have seen
it carried so far, that a whole family have given up the use
of their house to my party, quartering themselves for the
night with some of their friends.
The best proof of the natural good disposition of the
Greek is his unalterable gaiety and cheerfulness, for a light
heart cannot be wicked. This qualification, far from degenerating
into carelessness and frivolity, is equally demonstrated
by the innocent joy and mirth he evinces on holidays
and other festive occasions, in his love of dancing, singing,
and gymnastic exercises, as well as by the resignation and
fortitude with which he supports adversity, and the elasticity
with which he rises from the greatest trials and most
afflicting situations.
The general sensibility of the nation is not less remarkable.
The momentary emotion of an individual is sufficient to damp
the joy and depress the spirits of a whole party. The Greeks
are alSQ remarkable for the respect they entertain for their
superiors in rank and education, the deference they show
to their parents and aged persons generally, the facility with
which they forgive injuries or affronts, and the inviolability of
secrets confided to them.
Geological Formation.- The
greater part of Greece is
mountainous, and somewhat resembles, in its natural features,
the Tyrol or Piedmont, being intersected by deep valleys of
great beauty. There are, however, considerable plains of
rich alluvial soil, such as those of Argos, Messenia, Calamata,
Mantinea, Pyrgos, and Livadia. The mountains in central
Greece are generally composed of calcareous rock of secondary
formation, such as Parnassus, Hymettus, Pentelicus,
and Taygetus. To the north-west, especially in Acarnania
and JEtolia, the leading feature of the mountains is flint,
whilst the Isthmus of Corinth, and the rock on which stands
the Acro-Corinthus, consist exclusively of grey tuft'a.
The soil of Phocis and Locris is chiefly argillaceous;
and this is also the case with that of the mountains of
16 GENERAL STATISTICS.
Messenia ana Arcadia. Sandstone and serpentine form the
substratum of the island of Eubrea and the northern Sporades.
The Cyclades consist principally of limestone, and the
more southern islands of granite, which gives place further
eastward to porphyry.
Hitherto but little has been done to explore the interior
of the mountains, and their contents are consequently almost
totally unknown. There is, however, no doubt that they
contain metals and mineral productions of great variety and
value. It is well
known that the gold mines of Laurium in
Attica were formerly worked with great profit, and in the
days of Themistocles furnished considerable revenues, with
which the Athenians fitted out their fleet by his advice.
Large heaps of dross still cover the ground on the road from
Athens to Cape Colonna, and bespeak the extent and mag_
nitude of the works.
A wide field is open to native industry, for the metals and
mineral productions hitherto worked are but very few, consisting
of emery, coal, meerschaum, marble, mill-stones, and
porcelain-clay.
Sulphur is found in a pure native state in the islands of
Melos, Santorin, and Naxos. These islands are of volcanic
origin, and volcanoes are still in active operation under the
surface of the ground, though they seldom cause an eruption;
Lithographic stones are found in the island of Eubrea in
such quantities that the houses and roofs of whole villages are
made exclusively of them. Experiments have been made at
the lithographic printing-office of the government at Athens,
which are highly satisfactory; and the quality is admitted by
all to be very superior.
The following are the principal mineral productions
which may be worked for the benefit of the country: -
Eubma. - Porphyry, serpentine, coal,
lithographic stone,
anthracite, chalcedony, bituminous marl, slate, iron ore, red
and brown ironstone, quartz, jasper, manganese, magnet, and
river sand impregnated with gold dust.
Cyclades.-Marble, granite,
gneiss, obsidian, ophiolith,
GENERAL STATISTICS. 17
89
72
98
- 261
19
378
Total 539
hornblende, sandstone, chalk, hyperoxide of manganese,· potter's
clay, magnetic ironstone, pipe clay, emery (Naxos),
malachite, asbestus (Anaphi), sulphur (Melos), amethysts
(do.), obsidian (do.), rocksalt (do.), jasper, porphyry,
millstones, lava, carbonate of magnesia, pitchstone (Santorin),
pumice-stone, lapis lazuli, and plaster of Paris.
Morea.- Tuffa, sandstone, ochre, nitre, old
red sandstone,
antimony ore, copper ore, malachite, lignites, seacoal,
marl, mineral pitch, slate, chalcedony, porphyry, iron
pyrites, and iron-stone.
Continent. - Flint,
chalcedony, jasper, hornstone, serpentine,
talk, sea-coal, sandstone, marble, meerschaum, semiopal,
and clay for fire bricks.
The Museum of the Polytechnic School at Athens possesses
a very interesting collection of the mineral productions of
Greece, which, though only lately formed, contains already
539 specimens, namely:-
From the Continent From
the Morea
From the Islands, viz. Bporades
Cyclades
lEgean
Natural History.-Beasts of prey are very
rare in Greece,
being confined to a few wolves in the mountains of theJrontier
provinces, and jackalls throughout the country; but the latter
are generally harmless, except sometimes in the winter when
they scour the plains in large troops and occasionally attack
the flocks. Wild boars are sometimes found in the forests of
Acarnania and lEtolia. Game is very abundant in almost every
province. Hares and partridges are very common, as also
quails; pheasants are found near Thermopylw and in Arcadia.
Woodcocks, snipes, and wild fowl of every description
are plentiful in the autumn and spring, and indeed
almost every species of ·birds of passage, Greece being
their halting place before and after crossing the Mediterranean.
Pelicans, wild swans, and bustards, or wild turkeys,
c
18 GENERAL STATISTICS.
are found in many parts. Storks, which used formerly to
pass the summer in Greece in great numbers, are now never
seen. It is a
singular coincidence that they left the country
on the breaking out of the revolution in 1821, and the superstitious
Greeks call them in consequence " the Turk's
friend." Eagles, hawks, vultures, and other birds of prey are
very general. Nightingales abound in the forests of Arcadia
and Messenia, and the cuckoo is also occasionally heard
there. Owls are seldom seen except at Athens, where, as in
ancient times, they exist in great quantities, and are considered
sacred. The owl is the crest of the Athenian city arms.·
Since the introduction of carts and the formation of roads,
camels have almost wholly disappeared, and they are now
only used as beasts of burthen in very mountainous districts.
The dogs in Greece are exceedingly ferocious, and annoy
travellers much. The other domestic and agricultural animals
are the same as in the north of Europe.
The fish of the Mediterranean are not to be compared
with those taken on the coasts of England, either for delicacy
of flavour or variety of species. The turbot, cod, mackerel,
and herring, are unknown in Greece. The lobsters and
shrimps are insipid. Oysters with a very thick shell, and
the fish of a pale rose colour are taken in the lagunes at
Missolonghi. The best fish caught on the Grecian coasts are
the thunny, the may-fish, the sword-fish, and the red mullet;
the latter, in particular, is very delicate. In consequence
of the paucity of rivers in Greece, fresh-water fish are almost
unknown.
Mountains. The following
is a table of the heights of the
principal mountains, and the elevations of other places of interest
in Greece.
In the Morea.
Mount St. Elias (Taygetus)
Ziria (Cyllene)
Chelmos
Olenos
Malevo (Parnon)
VoYda
French
Metres.
- 2409
2374
23.55
- 2224
1937
1927
English
Feet.
7829
7745
7654
7228
6295
6263
,
GENERAL STATISTICS. 19
Frencb EngUlb
Metre•. Feet.
Mount Malevo (Artemisius) 1772 5757
Mavron Oros (Chelidoria) 1759 5717
Apano Krepa (Menale) 1559 5067
Macri Plagi (Gerania) 1370 4252
Khell St. Elias (Arachnreon) 1199 3901
Ithome (Eva) 1190 3865
Castle of Calavryta 1189 3862
Lake Phonea 752 2444-
Citadel of Mistra - 634 1961
Hydra (highest part of the Island) - 691 2256
Plain of Tripolltza (Mantinea) 630 1948
Acro-Corinthus 575 1869
In Continental Greece.
Mount Guiona - 2512 8164
Likeri. (Parnassus) - - 2456 7982
Gerondo Varko (Parnassus) - - 2434 8001
Veluki - 2319 7547
Katabothron - 2158 7013
Bougi-Kaki - 2156 7000
Arapo-Kephali (the Black Head) 1928 6266
St. Elias of Salona - 1863 60!i5
Gerako Vouni 1728 56]6
Helicon 1527 4963
Village of Castri on Parnassus 1519 4937
Mount Ozea (Parnes) 1413 4592
Kalldrome - 1393 4527
- Elapho Castro, near Delphi - 1228 3991
- Pentelicus 1119 8637
Village of Arachova (Parnassus) 1087 3533
Mount Hymettus - 1028 3341
Bodonitza - 614 1995
Argeliki, near Marathon 580 1885
Koraki, near Marathon 519 1687
Daphne (lEgelaus) - 468 1521
Lycabettus _ 278 903
The Parthenon at Athens - 178 579
In the Island of Eubaa.
Mount Delphi 1700 5525
Kalldyle ]307 4245
St. Elias 985 3200
Xero 923 3000
Placko 923 3000
C 2
20 GENERAL STATISTICS.
The Rivers of Greece are neither large nor numerous.
The principal are the Alphelus (now called Trano Potamo,
or the long river), the Erymanthus, the Neda, thc
Pamissus, the Eurotas, and the Erasinus in the Morea; and
the Achelous (now called the Aspro Potamo, or the white
river), and the Phidaris in Continental Greece. All these
were celebrated in ancient times, and each of them can boast
its marvellous origin and some wonderful history in connection
with Grecian mythology. A singular feature in the
rivers of Greece is their tendency to run under ground and
re-appear above the surface at some distance off. This is the
case with the Alphelus, the Styx, the Ilyssus, the Stymphalus,
the Erasinus, and others.
Lakes.-The principal are
the Copals, Paralymne, and
Likeri, in BalOtia; Lysimachia, and Trichonia, in lEtolia;
Ambracia, and Ozeros, in Acarnania; and Stymphalus and
Phonea in the Peloponnesus.
Forests.-Although the face of the
country has undergone
a considerable change since the remote ages of mythological
tradition, there are still large tracts of forest in Greece. It is
true that the Athenians can no longer hunt bears in the
forests on Lycabettus; and the Nemrean lion would have
much difficulty in these days to escape observation where he
formerly reigned secure in the impervious jungles of Argolis.
A modern traveller would be puzzled to cut even a walkingstick
in the forest which once furnished the famous club of
Hercules, whilst the wooded haunts of the Erymanthian
boar are at present reduced to a few Arcadian shrubs of
luxuriant growth. The shady groves of Olympia and Epidaums
are now open plains; and Hymettus presents the appearance
of but the skeleton of a mountain. But notwithstanding
this great alteration, there are still many extensive
and beautiful forests in Greece; and though the tourist, on
his first arrival at Athens, is disappointed with the naked
appearance of the mountains, and the apparent want of verdure
and vegetation in the country, yet a visit to Sparta and
the lower parts of the Morea Iioon alters his opinion, and
obliges him to confess that he has seldom seen a country more
wooded, or so beautifully diversified with forests, groves,
and natural shrubberies.
GENERAL STATISTICS. 21
The variety of trees growing wild in Greece is very great ;
and not only are they of a pleasing form, but they may be
turned to useful account.
The following are the most frequently met with in such
quantities as to deserve the denomination of forests :
1. The Italian Pine (Pinus maritima) forms the principal
ingredient of the forests situated in high elevations; as the
mountains of Laconia, Elis, Parnassus, <Eta,
and some parts
of .Eubrea. It requires but little nourishment, and pushes
its roots into crevices of the rocks and other dry place!:', where
there is no perceptible moisture. It bears fruit very young,
sometimes even at fifteen years. It thrives bellt in a deep liandy
soil, and at 80 or 90 years shoots up to a height of from 70 to
90 feet, and from 2 to 3 feet in diameter. It has then reached
its climacteric, but lives from 200 to 300 years. The wood
is of a pale yellow colour, resinous, firm, tough, and easily
split, and makes good charcoal. It bears well the change
from wet to dry, and can consequently be used with success
for bridges, ships, quays, and similar purposes.
2. The White Fir (Pinus Abies),
a tree common all over
Europe, and found even in Siberia up to the 67th degree of
north latitude. They grow in large masses together in
Greece, which is seldom the case in other countries, where
they are generally intermixed with beech and other trees.
They only grow in elevated regions, as Parnassus and Taygetus,
commencing at about 1000 feet above the level of the
sea, and covering the tops of the highest mountains. When
young, they are rather delicate, requiring moisture and shade.
They grow more slowly than the pine, and do not attain
their full size under 120 years, when they are] 00 and 120 feet
high, and 2 and 3 feet in diameter. They seldom bear fruit
under 50 or 60 years, and then generally only every fourth or
fifth year. They bloom in the month of April, and the pineapples
are ripe in September, when the seeds fallout, though
the shells remain on the trees for several years. The timber,
which is soft, white, light, and elastic, will last for 100 years,
and is well adapted for planks and beams in the interior of
houses, and other uses where they are not exposed to damp.
.S. The Pine tree (Pinus Pinea) is found in many parts of
c 3
22 GENERAL STATISTICS.
Greece to a great extent, but rarely at an elevation of more
than 1000 feet. Its growth has somewhat the appearance of
the palm tree, forming a circular crown. It grows' rapidly,
particularly between its 15th and 30th year, often producing
annual rings of an inch in thickness. It attains its full size at
from 60 to 80 years, when its height is from 50 to 60 feet. The
timber is of a coarse texture, and cannot be so easily split as
the Pinus maritima; hence it is not so valuable. The seeds
of this pine form an article of commerce, and are sold in
every bazaar under the name of Kokonaria (KOlJKOlJJ'~pla.).
They are softer than the almond, equally sweet, and much
consumed by the Greek pastry-cooks and confectioners.
4. The Italian Oak (Querens
Esculus), which grows only
in the south of Europe, and seldom extends higher than the
42d degree of north latitude, is the chief forest tree of
Greece. It is found in Messenia, Laconia, Breotia, Acarnania,
lEtolia, and Eubrea, from the lowest plains up to an
elevation of 2500 feet. It flourishes best in a soft deep soil,
and prefers shade, but grows in places exposed to the extremes
of heat, cold, and wind. Its figure is tall and straight,
the stem being generally perfectly round and cylindrical.
Trees with a trunk of I! to 2 feet in diameter, and 60 feet
high, are found to be of an age of from 150 to 180 years.
In the forests on the island of Eubrea they are frequently
seen 70 feet high, with the trunk 3 feet thick, and at least
from 200 to 250 years old. This oak begins to bear fruit
after 70 years, producing large crops of acorns every two
or three years. The wood, which is strong, heavy, porous,
and of a deep brown colour, is well adapted, by its peculiar
hardness, for ship-building, the construction of mills and
other machinery, and, above all, for the carriages of guns
and mortars. A cubic foot of this timber weighs 70 Ibs. The
bark, twigs, and leaves, possess great astringent properties,
and are valuable for tanning; whilst gall-apples are formed
in abundance on its leaves, and the acorns serve to nourish
large herds of swine.
5. Another description of Oak, called by the Greeks Ap~.,
is also very general in Greece, and may be found besides
only in Asia Minor, Spain, and Italy, but never at a greater
GENERAL STATISTICS. 23
elevation than 2000 feet. It grows more rapidly than the
Italian oak, but not so tall
or straight, and has a much
larger crown. According to personal observations, it reaches
in 40 years a height of 30 feet, with a stem of from 21 to
3 feet in thickness. It bears fruit in 80 years, and may
be cut for timber when from 130 to 150 years old, and, under
favourable circumstances, even at 120 years. The wood is of
a finer texture and lighter colour than the above, and not so
heavy, but may be used for the same purposes, and in addition
for pipe-staves and planks. A cubic foot weighs
651bs.
6. The Common Chesnut (Castanea
vescs., sive Fagus Castanea)
is said to have come originally from Chili, but has
become indigenous in Portugal, Spain, the south of France,
and Italy, as well as Greece, where it abounds, and forms
large forests, clothing the sides of the mountains with its
beautiful foliage, up to a height of 2000 feet. Silicious, argillaceous,
and clayey soils appear to agree best with it. When
young it is delicate, requiring shade and shelter. Its growth
is slow, and it does not reach its full size under from 100 to 120
years, when it is from 60 to 70 feet high, with a trunk of from
Itto 2 feet thick. It begins to produce fruit at about
30, ann
bears a crop every 3 or 4 years. The timber, which is of a
yellowish brown, is adapted, by its beauty, toughness, and durability,
for machinery, models, turnery, and furniture. The
fruit is very sweet, and is manufactured into starch, and, in
some districts, into bread for the peasantry.
The following trees are found in abundance all over
Greece, but either in small groves or groups, and never in
such quantities as to merit the appellation of forests: -
~ 1. The Eastern Plantain (Platanus orientalis), is one of
the most beautiful trees of Greece. It is fond of shade and
moisture, and arrives at its greatest perfection when growing
in torrent beds, or on the banks of rivers and streams. It
. grows quickly, and, under favourable circumstances, lives for
500 or.600 years. These trees are sometimes of an extraordinary
size. In the bed of the Eurotas, near the source of
that classical river, where there are some very large specimens,
I measured one with a circumference of six-and-thirty feet.
c 4
24 GENERAL STATISTICS.
at a height of five feet from the ground. The wood is white,
and of a short close grain, which renders it eminently adapted
for furniture and carved work. It also makes a good charcoal.
The young twigs are very generally used for basket
work.
2. The Levantine or Valonea Oal!- (Quercus lEgilops)
grows in large quantities in the forests of Laconia and Messenia,
and also in the Continental provinces of Acarnania,
lEtolia, and Phocis. It grows generally to a height of fifty
or sixty feet, with a trunk of three feet diameter; but I
have seen them of much greater dimensions in the south of the
Peloponnesus. At the village of Gargaliano, near Navarin,
I measured one which at man's height from the ground, had
a circumference of forty-one feet. The cups of the acorn,
which are of a very large size, form one of the principal
articles of Grecian commerce, and are known under the name
of Valonea (BfXavlot). They are much used in France and
Italy, and even exported to England for tanning leather.
S. The Kermes Oak (Quercus coccifera) sometimes reaches
a height OF fifty feet, though it is in general not more than
thirty or forty. It is seldom found in large masses. An
excrescence, resembling a sort of gall-apple on this tree,
which is caused by an insect (the Coccus ilicis), produces a
brilliant red colour, and, under the name of Prinokokki
(IIptJloK6KKt), forms a
valuable branch of commerce. A
dwarf species of this oak, much resembling the holly in
its prickly leaves, is found all over Greece in the form of
large bushes.
4. The Rock Oak (Quercus Ilex)
is very scarce, and
reaches a height of about forty feet. It is found in the Morea,
and occasionally in Eubrea. The timber of this tree is exceedingly
hard and durable, and therefore much sought after.
5. The, rough Elm (Ulmus
suberosa) is also scarce, and
only found in Acarnania and Eubrea.
6. The common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is frequently
met with on the banks of rivers, and in other damp situations,
particularly on the borders of the Alpheius, and at
Carysto, in Eubrea. The wood is hard and much in request
for turnery and furniture.
GENERAL STATiSTICS. 25
7. The Beech (Carpinus Ostrya) is found in the oak forest
of Combi. near Navarin, in several parts of Eubcra, and in
Arcadia.
8. The black Erl (Ulmus
glutinosa).
9. The winter Linden (Tilia grandifolia).
10.
TIte common Cypresa (Cupressus sempervirens).
11. TIte Yew (Taxus
baccata).
12. The Grecian Poplar (Populus
grreca).
13. TIte white Willow (Salix alba).
14. The Ahorn (Acer monspessulanum).
15.
TIte Yellow-berry Tree (Celtis orientalis).
16.
The common Judas Tree (Cercis Siliquastrum).
17.
The wild Olive (Olea europea).
18.
TIte Laurel (Laurus nobilis).
19.
The Pomegranate (Punica Granatum).
20.
Tlte Bread-fruit Tree (Ceratonia Siliqua).
21. ,TIte wild Almond (Amygdalus communis).
22. The common Walnut (Juglans
.egia).
23-24. The white and black Mulberry (Morus alba et
nigra).
25. The common Plum (Prunus
domestica).
26.
The wild evergreen Cherry (Prunus semperflorens).
27. The sour Cherry (Prunus acida).
28. TIte wild Pear-tree (Pyrus
Persica).
29.
The Arbutus (Arbutus Andrachne) grows luxuriantly
in many parts of Greece, particularly in Lacedremon and Ar_
cadia, being frequently found thirty feet high, with a stem
eighteen inches in diameter. The fruit is used for preserves,
and may be often seen exposed for sale in the bazaars.
Mineral Springs.-Perhaps no country in the
world possesses
a greater abundance of mineral waters than Greece,
nor is there any country in which they are less known.
The Ancients were undoubtedly acquainted with the medicinal
and healing properties of some of them. At one period
Epidaurus was the general resort of invalids, and, judging
from the still existing remains of the Theatre, the Stadium,
the Peribolus, the Temples, and the tradition of the Sacred
Grove, which offered abundance of amusement to the visitors,
was probably "the fashionable bathing-place" of ancient
26 GENERAL STATISTICS.
Greece j the care of the
invalids being confided to the celebrated
lEsculapius.
Strabo, Pliny, Ovid, Xenophon, and Pausanias, mention,
and partially describe, some of them, amongst which are
Thermia, Methana, lEdypso, Thermopylre, and the Bath of
Helen on the Isthmus of Corinth. But it is only within the
last few years that any scientific inquiry has been instituted;
and foremost in this field is M. Landerer, Professor of Chemistry
at the University of Athens, who has carefully examined
and analysed their properties. The waters afford relief
to numerous diseases; but as the nature of this work will
not admit of my entering into details upon this subject, I beg
to refer the reader for full particulars to the able work of
Professor Landerer.
The following is a list of the principal Thermal waters
of Greece, according to the classification of Professor Landerer:
-
1. Acratopegre:Kastanitza,
in Laconia.
Panagia Chelidon, near Cephissia ill Attica.
Kaisseriani, at the foot of Hymettus, near Athens.
Epidaurus, near the temple of lEsculapius.
Hieron AIsous, near Epidaurus.
lEdypso in Euboea.
Island Melos.
2. Syncratopegre:-
Alikrene, near Gythion, in Maina.
Alitherme, on the Island Melos.
Loutraki, on the Isthmus of Corinth.
Vonitza, in Acarnania.
Laurium, in Boeotia.
Loulron, near Katavassora, in Epirus.
The Bath of HI/len, near Kenchrrea.
3. Anthracocrenre:-
Monastery of Zoodochou Peges, at Poros.
4. Natropegre;-
Hermione, in the Peloponnesus.
Island Tenos.
Island Thera.
5. Natrothermre : lEdypso,
in Euboea.
6. Chalicopegre:Thermopylre.
GENERAL STATISTICS. 27
7. Picropegre:-
Chalcis, in EublJla.
Modon, in Messenia.
Munychia, near Athens.
Saint Lucas, in Livadia.
Saint Theodore, at Methana.
Naupactus, or Lepanto.
Islands of .1Egina, Kythnos, Paros, Serphos, and Melos.
8. Picrothermre:-
Island of Kythnos.
9. Chalybocrenre:-
Island of Melos.
Scutari, near Sparta.
10. Chalybothermae: -
Islands of Kythnos, Melos, and Thera.
11. TheYopegre:-
Levetzova, in Lacedremon.
12. TheYothermre:Patradgik,
or Hypati.
Clemoutzi, near Clarentza, opposite Zante.
KaYapha, near Pyrgos, in Elis.
Methana, near Kalauria.
Islands of Melos and Thera.
Description of the Sulphureous Springs near Hypati.- In
the centre of a wood of plantains, about a mile from Hypati,
on the road to Lamia, rises a gentle hill, whose summit is
plainly discernible from the latter town, owing to it.~ dazzling
calcareous incrustations. From this summit which resembles
a large bladder raised by volcanic fire, and hardened
by time, there escapes a boiling sulphureous spring, the rich.
ness of whose ingredients entitles it to the first rank among
the mineral springs of Europe, whilst its medicinal properties
will probably, at no very distant period, procure for it great
celebrity. The whole of the surface of the hill is covered with
incrustations oflime ; and a deep hollow sound, which is heard
in the neighbourhood of the spring, gives rise to the supposition
that a large vacuum exists beneath.
The spring is most beautifully situated. To the south lie
the (Eta mountains,
to the south-west the town of Patradgik;
it is bounded on the west by Mount Pindus, and on the
north by the lower ranges of that chain; whilst to the east,
the eye roves over the blue expanse of water, till it rests on
the horizon, which is formed by the picturesque island of
28 GENERAL STATISTICS.
Eubrea. A luxuriant vegetation, the shady grove of noble
plantains, its propinquity to the romantically situated town
of Patradgik, and the more distant view of Lamia, combine
to render it a most lovely spot; and a moderate sum expended
in building a few houses might render it an unparalleled
bathing-place.
The water is deeply impregnated with sulphurated hydrogen
gas, and rushes foaming and bubbling, from the escape of
the gas, into a circular basin in the form of a crater, which
is used by the invalids as a public bath. It is about forty
feet in diameter, and eight feet deep in the centre; whilst the
quantity of water contained in it is sufficient to fill sixty or
seventy baths.
The traces of a circular wall in the centre of the stream,
which may still be recognised at a depth of five feet, lead
to the supposition that a regular bath of solid masonry was
formerly constructed here; but exposed as it has been for so
many centuries to the finger of time, and the destructive influence
of so large a body of boiling water, it has naturally
suffered by degrees, and at length, for the most part, disappeared.
The manner in which the stones are arranged at
one particular spot gives rise to the idea that a staircase
once existed, by means of which access was had to the bath.
The heat of the water, which is cooled by its exposure to
the air, on its short passage from the spring to the basin,
varies according to the depth; at the periphery of the circle,
the:thermometerstands at 23° Reaumur; whilst, in the centre,
it is as high as 40° R., and possesses, on the average, an agreeable
bathing temperature of 29° R.
The smell alone is sufficient to indicate the presence of
sulphur, which escapes as hydrothionic acid gas. An agreeable
and peculiar prickling sensation, combined with a slight
red colouring of the skin, and a light beneficial perspiration,
are the first symptoms observed by the invalid, after the first
bath; and as the exhalation of sulphuric gas continues for several
days, a very few baths are sufficient to bring about
a·great change in the state of the patient.
Professor Landerer's analysis of the water shows it to be
composed as follows: -
-
4QoOOO
2',')00
:H;oo
}
'000
1-~WO
0-800
0-500
0-432
0'800
GENERAL STATISTICS.
Muriate of soda
lime
magnesia
Sulphate of lime
soda
Carbonate of lime
soda
Hydrobromiate of magnesia
Silicium
Oxyde of mauganese.
Carbonic acid gas 3 cubic inches.
Hydrothionic acid gas - 7
The specific gravity is 1'018
29
Description ofthe Springs at Thermopyla.-The mineral
waters at Thermopylre, so called from the warm spring~
(eippa,),
being in a narrow pass (II,',;\a,), appear about half
way between Budunitza and Lamia. The numerous incrustations
of limestone, and the vapours which, in calm weather,
exhale with the appearance of little clouds, render them
easily discernible from Lamia.
The principal streams flow from two apertures in a limestone
rock of Mount CBta, which closely resemble in
appearance the craters of volcanoes. In several other adjoining
spots, irregular crevices in the rock are observable,
filled with stagnant water, which does not show a high degree
of temperature, but the organic matter in a state of decomposition
contained in it produces
several sorts of gas. The
hot springs have a temperature of 52° Reaumur, and, in
some places, even 68°, and flow in little rivulets towards
the sea, which is five miles off.
In the neighbourhood of Thermopylre are the traces and
remains of an Hellenic wall, and of a circular tower, built of
small stones; but it is so closely choked up by trees, and
almost impervious bushes, that the approach is extremely difficult,
and even dangerous. According to Herodotus, this
tower was constructed by the ancient Phocians, as a defence
against the incursions of the Thessalians. Both the walls and
the tower were repaired at the time of the Persian invasion
by the Greeks, and subsequently by Antiochus, who defended
the tower against the Romans, Lastly, the tower was
30 GENERAL STATISTICS.
repaired by Justinian, who made cisterns to collect the rain
water for the use of the garrison. Of these cisterns, a few
slight traces are to be found at some distance from the tower,
in a low and marshy situation. In the neighbourhood are
still to be seen several remains of paved roads, and the ruins
of a mill, erected evidently during the Venetian sway.
There is no reason to doubt that baths once existed at
these springs, as they are mentioned by more than one ancient
historian. They are said to have been built, in the
first instance, by Herodes Atticus. At the spot where the
waters appear, there is a natural basin of about six feet in
depth, which is still much used by invalids as a bath, and
mostly visited for that purpose in the month of August.
Strabo relates that the springs of Thermopylre were dedicated
to Hercules.
The water has a mean temperature of 55° Reaumur; it
is very clear, of a disagreeable, salilJ.e, and bitterish taste,
with a strong hepatic smell. Its specific gravity is 11-035,
and its component parts, according to Professor Landerer, are
as follow-
Sulphate of magnesia
soda
lime
Muriate of soda
magnesia
Carbonate of lime
soda
Extractive matter.
Silicium
Hydrobromiate of magnesia.
Carbonic acid gas
HydrothioIlic acid gas -
9'360
2'500
1'600
15'000
7'500
3'000
1'000
1'850
- 2 cubic inches.
1
Description of the Mineral Springs at ..lEdipso.-On the
right side of the entrance of the port of JEdipso (now called
Lypso), in Eubrea, several boiling springs flow from the
summit of a hill about 100 feet high, which deserve the particular
attention of physicians, as at some future time they
may obtain great celebrity from their medicinal virtues.
This hill, which is of primitive limestone, forms the foot
GENERAL STATISTICS. SI
of Mount Stra'iglia, and contains the great laboratory in
which the mineral waters are prepared by the bounteous
hand of nature. It is covered with saline effiorescences, and
may be considered as the fireplace of the great volcanic
works which are still going on in full activity beneath.
On the top of the hill, where, in my opinion, the
ancient baths existed, and where the ruins of ancient walls
are still visible, are found several mounds like small volcanoes,
which must have been formed gradually, by the
deposits of lime and flint contained in the water, which has
been flowing for so many ages. In support of my hypothesis
(see Straho, vol. i. chap. 9.), Demetrius of Calatiano
says, " that many changes had taken place in Greece, in consequence
of the frequent earthquakes, and also that a part of
the valley of Cynreum had sunk considerably., and the mineral
spring!! of lEdipsot and Thermopylre ceased to flow for
three days, but again made their appearance, and still continue
to rise,"
About fifty paces from the hill, in the direction of the sea,
there appear to have been baths at a later period, the existence
of which is proved by a grotto, which even now is in a
pretty good state of preservation. In the interior of this
grotto, which is built of bricks and hewn stone!!, are five
compartments, each with a separate entrance, and all communicating
with a court in the centre. It is not unlikely
that, in former times, the water was conducted hither from
the springs above, for the walls of the compartments are
incrustated with lime and flint; and this supposition is
strengthened by the remains of an aqueduct, more or less
visible in different places, and a grooved channel in the
rock, now, however, completely choked up with the in crustations.
'" Cynreum (K6"",o") is the valley of Eubrea,
opposite Thermopylw,
and near Lypso. t That the thermal waters of lEdipso were used in the
remote periods
of antiquity the following passage from Plutarch's Life of Sylla
abundantly
·proves :-"During his sojourn at Athens, Sylla was afflicted with
a very severe pain in the feet, with heaviness in the limbs, which
Strabo
calls podagra. He therefore went over to lEdipso in Eubrea, and made
use of the warm baths there." (Chap. ID.)
GENERAL STATISTICS.
At the present day, the grotto and the separate divisions
are used as a vapour bath. On entering it, the difference in
the temperature is striking, and in a few seconds the visiter
is in a heavy perspiration. The reason of increased heat,
which is inexplicable at first, must be sought in the fact of
the lower part of the grotto being found, on closer examination,
to be much hotter than the sides and roof, occasioned
by the proximity of the volcanic fire beneath.
At a little distance from this natural vapour-bath is situated
the principal source of the hot springs. The boiling water
rushes forth from hundreds of little crevices all about, and
its foaming and bubbling, as well as the clouds of vapour
which are formed, prove the high state of fusion beloW". The
most beautiful incrustations of calcareous matter, in the form
of pearls, corn-sheaves, wreaths, bushes, and other fanciful
objects, cover the ground for a couple of miles. Here and
there little cataracts are formed; in other places, the water
runs in rivulets across the plain, without order, and apparently
without outlet, creating diminutive labyrinths; and in
others, again, the most diversified effiorescences are formed,
through which the mineral waters meander, till they unite in
a larger body and take their course to the sea.
One of the most important of these springs deserves particular
attention. It rushes
like a little fountain from the
rock on the southern side of the hill, about forty feet above
the level of the sea, and not above as many distant from it.
The water which gushes out would fill thirty or forty cisterns.
The temperature is 68° Reaumur, and the surface is covered
with a white froth, from which such a quantity of sulphuretted
hydrogen gas escapes, that the whole surrounding
atmosphere is impregnated with the hot vapour, the inhaling
of which, alone, must be of considerable benefit in asthmatIc
complaints. It rushes over a rock covered with incrustations,
into the sea, which it heats in calm weather, to a distance of
thirty or forty feet from the shore.
The water has in some places a temperature of 38° Reaumur.
In others, the thermometer rises to 54°, and even to
79:'. The water is quite clear, leaves no sediment, is saline,
and rather bitter; the taste and smell are hepatic, but not
GENERAL STATISTICS. ss
disagreeable. Professor Landerer analysed it, and found it
to contain-
PartI.
2 cubic inches.
1
- 68'000
3',1)00
2·000
5·700
1'500
0'800
1'500
2'400
0'500
0·480
• 0·900
Muriate of soda
magnesia
lime
Sulphate of magnesia
soda -
lime
Carbonate of lime
soda
Hydriodate of soda
Hydrobromiate of magnesia
Silicum
Extractive matter,
Carbonic acid gas
Hydrothionic acid gas -
Specific gravity 1'016
Roads. - Upon the arrival of the King and
Regency in
1833, no carriage roads existed in Greece, nor were they indeed
much wanted previously, as down to that period not a
carriage, waggon, cart, or any other description of vehicle on
wheels was to be found in the whole country. The traffic
in general was carried on by means of boats, to which the
long indented line of the Grecian coast and its numerous
islands offered every facility. Between the sea-ports and the
interior of the kingdom, the communication was effected
by means of beasts of burthen, such as horses, mules, and
camels.
Under these circumstances, no attention was paid to the
roads, which were nothing more than tracks or paths, deviating
from the straight line according to the nature of the
surface, and formed by the sagacity or caprice of the animals,
which were left to select their own path, and followed, often
at a great distance, by the attendants. Hence when a torrent-
bed was to be crossed, or a mountain obstructed their
progress, they were obliged to make a detour; but their
natural sagacity taught them to select the easiest paths,
and regain the straight line as soon as possible. Even the
D
GENERAL STATISTICS.
most bulky articles of commerce, such as wine and oil in
sheepskin bottles, metals, and even timber, were all transported
in this manner between the inland districts and the
coast.
There is no reason to doubt that ancient Greece was intersected
with roads, and that vehicles, how rudely soever
they may have been constructed, were in very general use.
In many parts of the country the remains of ancient roads
are still to be seen; and where they had to pass rocks and
crags, they were smoothed by the chisels of the indefatigable
inhabitants at an immense cost of labour and time. Deep
grooves are perceptible in many places, which are evidently
the effect of wheels, and such as could only be formed by
great traffic, extending over many ages.
It is equally clear that the present paths follow the di_
rection of the ancient roads as nearly as the change in the
surface of the country will admit of; for in many places the
remains and vestiges of the ancient roads may be discerned
in a more or less perfect state for long distances together.
The importance of constructing roads to serve as a means
of communication between the capital and the provinces, for
the speedy conveyance of troops, artillery, the mails, and
other purposes of the state, as well as greatly facilitating the
trade and intercourse between the ports and the interior of
the country, was duly appreciated by the king's government;
and measures were speedily taken to construct general lines
of roads throughout the kingdom.
A royal ordonnance of the ·H August, 1833, ordered the
following lines of road to be made at the expense of government:
-
1. From Patras to Gythion, passing through Mistra (Sparta).
2. From Navarin to Corinth, passing through Megalopolis and
TripoIitza.
3. From Nauplia to join the road No. 2. at Tripolitza.
4. From Athens to Agrinion and Vonitza, passing through
Thebes and Livauia.
5. From Thebes to Chalcis.
6. From Amphissa to Lamia, and the Turkish frontier;
7. From Missolonghi to Agrinion.
GENERAL STATISTICS. S5
Besides, these, others of shorter distances have been constructed,
to facilitate the increasing commercial intercourse.
Such are the roads from Nauplia to Argos, from Athens to
the Pirreus, and across the Isthmus of Corinth from Loutraki
to Calamaki.
Everyone acquainted with the nature of the Grecian territory,
its mountainous districts, and the deep gullies formed by
the winter torrents, will appreciate the difficulties to be surmounted
in making roads on such a thankless soil, and will
consequently not be surprised to hear that even after the lapse
of eight years, the lines of road above specified are not all
completed.
Those lines, however, which have been opened for public
traffic, are well constructed, and the bridges thrown across
the formidable ravines are strongly built; whilst they have
fully answered the purpose for which they were made, the
former inconvenient mode of transporting goods on beasts
of burthen having been almost entirely superseded by the
introduction of carts, waggons, and carriages.
Hitherto no tolls have been levied, and the expense of repairing
the roads is borne by the state. Last year it was
proposed to place a toll on the road between Athens and
the Pirreus, and a calculation having been made with that
view of the number of vehicles passing each day, the average
daily traffic between Athens and the Pirreus was found to be
as follows:-
WaggODs with two or more horse'" Carts
with one horse
Carriages with two horses
Cabriolets and gigs with one horse
Riding horses
Pack horses
170
860
120
200
80
20
Statistics of Athens. - Athens, the
capital of Attica, and
metropolis of the kingdom of Greece, is built at the foot of
the Acropolis, from which it extends in a northerly and
north-easterly directinn. It is situated in 37° 55' north
latitude, and 21° 22' longitude east of Paris, or 23° 47' east
of London. Nauplia was the seat of government from
D 2
.36 ,GENERAL STATISTICS.
the arrival of the king till the T\- January, 1835, when it was
removed to Athens.
Athens was formerly surrounded by a stone wall built by
the Turks, which, however, was demolished in 1835, and
it is now an open city. The area of the city contained
within the above-mentioned wall was 1,046,541 square
metres; that of the new part beyond the old wall 883,135
square metres; total 1,929,676 square metres, or nearly 500
English acres.
Climate. - Athens still boasts of its former
celebrated climate.
The heat is severely felt in the months of July and
August, when the thermometer ranges from 100° to ] 10°
Fahrenheit in the shade, but during the rest of the year the
elimate is delightful, and the winter generally very mild.
The rainy season lasts during the months of December and
January. Snow falls occasionally on the surrounding mountains,
but very seldom in the plain, and never lies for more
than an hour or two. In the year 1835, Athens was visited
with a severe epidemic disease, which frightened away for
a time many of the inhabitants. It assumed the form of
malignant fever, which though difficult to cure was seldom
fatal, and was ascribed to the noxious exhalations of the
marshes formed in the plain from the waters of the Cephissus
having overflowed its banks. The marshes were immediately
drained by order of government, and the state of
health in the capital has ever since been highly satisfactory.
Municipality.-Athens forms a commune
of the first class,
governed by a demarch (mayor), six aldermen, and a common
council composed of twenty-four members. The revenues
of the corporation amounted in 1840 to 120,000 drs.,
raised, 1. from the local impost of two per cent. on all articles
of consumption brought into the city; 2. from the
share of the commune of 20 per cent. for collecting the taxes
on trades and house-rent; 3. from letting stalls in the market-
places and bazaars; and 4. from the sale of running
water, for which the inhabitants 'who choose to have it conducted
into their houses or gardens, pay 75 drs. per annum
for a dram, which is an undefined measure, but presumed
to be a continual stream of the size of a goose-quill.
GENERAL STATISTICS. 37
Population, ~c. - The total
number of inhabitants i@ as
follows: -
Men (citizens)
Women
Children (Boys) (
Girls)
Garrison
Foreigners
- 6,318
- 3,713
6,4044,862
10,031
1,367
3,573
Total 26,237
130
155
- 265
130
12
15
Men.
- 630
36
106
24
The classification of trades and professions gives 540
agriculturists, 102 shepherds, 3610 mechanics, 46 merchants,
528 shopkeepers, 83 large landed proprietors, 255
small landed proprietors, 63 schoolmasters and teachers,
44 lawyers, 32 surgeons, 134 priests, 330 bakers, 216 tailors,
376 shoemakers, &c.
The number of births at Athens in the year 1840 was
1319; of marriages 171; and of deaths 863.
Garrison.-The garrison of
Athens is composed of the
following troops:-
A Battalion of Infantry of the Line
The Band of 1\1usic
A Company of Artillery
The Train
A Company of Pioneers
A Division of Cavalry (Lancers)
Gendarmerie, 10 Brigades Foot and 1 Brig. mounted
Fortress (Commandantschaft)
A Detachment of the Company of Invalides
Total 1367
Rotels.-The principal are
the Hotel de Londres, HOtel de
l'Europe, Hotel des Etrangers, and Hotel de Russie, attached
to which is a restaurant. The three first are kept by Frenchmen,
the latter by a German.
Sckools.-Besides the university and gymnasium (Of high
school) there are a great many private schools, amongst
D 3
S8 GENERAL STATISTICS.
which are the American schools, ably conducted by Mr.
and Mrs. Hill, and described in another part of this work.
A private classical boarding-school has lately been opened
by Mr. Masson, a Scotch gentleman of great attainments,
who has been long resident in Greece.
Hospitals. - The chief of
these are the military lazzaretto,
a spacious building erected by government at an
expense of 250,000 drachmes; and the civil hospital, the
cost of which was 140,000 drachmes, raised by voluntary
contributions, towards which His Majesty the King of Bavaria
subscribed the munificent sum of 65,000 drachmes.
Public Amusements.-These are but
few in number. The
Italian Opera House was erected in 1839 by a private company
at a cost of 140,000 drachmes, and was opened for
the first time in February 1840. Italian operas are performed
five times a week during the six winter months, and
on the other evenings Greek dramas and tragedies. The
price of admission is 1'50 dr. to any part of the house. The
boxes are mostly private property, as in the Italian theatres;
but the proprietors have not the privilege of free entry, but
must pay like the public. The only exception is made in
favour of the military, who, when in uniform, are admitted
at a reduction of 20 per cent., in imitation of a German custom.
The house contains three tiers of boxes (20 in each
circle), a gallery and pit, part of which is appropriated to
stalls for the exclusive use of the officers of the garrison.
The boxes are let at from 80 to 100 drs. per month.
The Greek casino ("EA.A.7JJlIK~ AfO'X~) established in 1840,
numbers upwards of 400 members, who pay annually a sub·
scription of 48 drs., besides 20 drs. on their admission. It
has a handsome suite of apartments at the angle formed by
the intersection of the two principal streets of 1£olus and
Mercury, and is well
supplied with reading-rooms, billiards,
a library, a ball-room, and refreshments. This club
enlivens the capital during the carnival by a succession of
balls and masquerades. The reading-rooms contain ihe
Greek, French, English, Italian, and German newspapers,
reviews, and other periodical publications, and are open from
eight in the morning till eleven o'clock at night. Strangers
GENERAL STATISTICS. 59
may be introduced by a member, and may visit the casino
gratis during their stay at Athens.
The German casino is composed principally of the military,
who have reading-rooms in town, and a garden a little way
in the country called" the Green Tree" (Der Griine Baum),
which is much frequented in the summer evenings, on account
of the attraction of military music. Strangers may
be introduced by a member.
The excellent band of the infantry battalion in garrison
at Athen8, composed entirely of Germans, plays everr day
for half an hour on the square opposite the palace, when the
guard is relieved; viz. at half past seven in the morning,
during the six summer months, and at noon during the winter
months. Besides this the band plays for an hour or two
on the promenade every Sunday afternoon, and on the principal
holidays.
Many festivals are celebrated at Athens; but of these four
are kept with peculiar rejoicings. The first is held on the
banks of the classical Ilyssus, at the foot of the superb
columns of the temple of Jupiter Olympius, on the first day of
Lent; the second at the temple of Theseus, on St. George's
day; the third on Ascension-day, when a pilgrimage is made
to the convent of Kaiseriani, commonly called Seriani, at
the foot of Mount Hymettus; and the fourth is the festival
of the Panagia, or Holy Virgin (-H August), on which day
thousands may be Been on the road to the village of Sepolia
on the banks of the Cephissus in the olive-grove, about two
miles from Athens.
To each of these festivals, the Greeks arrayed in their gala
dresses bring their provisions for the day; and the evening
is spent in music and dancing.
Prices of Land, Building, ~c.-The price of land
both
in the city, and several miles around it, has undergone a
great change during the last six years. Plots situated in
the old part of the town, now sell for from 6 to 10 drs. per
square peek; in the new part at from 4 to 10 drs.; and in
the best situations, as high as 15 drs. has been paid.
Gardens in the neighbourhood of Athens are now worth
800-1000 drs. per strema; vineyards at a little distance from
D 4
40 GENERAL STATISTICS.
the town, 400-800 drs.; and uncultivated land 300-600
drs., according to the situatiqn.
Water is generally
private property; and all the streams
are eagerly used for irrigation. The stream of the Cephissus
is sold for 1000 drs. for one hour every fortnight. .
The expense of building varies, of course, according to the
size, number of stories, &c., of the houses. The price is generally
estimated at so much per square peek of area.
The following are the cost pl'ices of building some of the
principal houses at Athens:-
Name of Proprietor. Area. ~:'C;e':{ Total
Cost.
Sq.PeekJ. Drs. Drs.
Mo Ralli - - - 800 180 144,000
Domnando - - - 560 90
50,400
Negri - . - 850 85
29,750
Valetta . - - 840 70
28,800
Manousi - - - 850 65 22,750
D. Soutzo . - 884 52 19,968
Photilas - - - 880 50 19,000
Ralli . - . 860 45
16,200
The number of houses and their approximate value may
be stated as follows:-
No. of Houses. Value of Each. Total Value.
Drs. Drs.
1 150,000 150,000
8 50,000 150,000
6 80,000 180,000
20 25,000 500,000
280 20,000 5,600,000
150 15,000 2,250,000
100 10,000 1,000,000
4000 2,500 10,000,000
Total. 4560 - . 19,880,000
The following table contains the average retail prices
of meat, vegetables, fruit, &c., as sold in the Athenian Bazaars
during the year 1841, with their equivalents in English
money:-
GENERA.L STA.TISTICS. 401
TABLE OP THE
PRICES OP PROVISIONS,
&c. ATHENS, 184-1.
Article. Equal ID Brltlab Monq 10.
Dn.
L. .. d.
Beef - per oka 0 80 per lb. Brit. 0
Mutton - - 0 90 - 0 =t
Lamb - - 1 0 - 0 3
Pork - - 1 20 - 0 ~I Veal - - - 1 20 - 0
Poultry..
Fowls - - each 1 0 each 0 8
Ducks - - - 1 50 - 1 0
Geese - - - 3 0 - 2 0
Turkeys - - - 2 50 - I 8
Pigeons - - - 0 50 - 0 4
Game.
Hares - - each 3 0 - 2
0
Partridges - - 1 50 - 1 0
Quails - - - 0 50 - 0 4
Wild ducks - - 1 0 - 0 8
Snipes - - - 1 0 - 0 8
Woodcocks - - 2 0 - 1 4
Vegetablea. .
Potatoes - per oka 0 24 per lb. 0 01
Cauliflowers - - 0 20 - 0 OJ
French beans - - 0 30 - 0 1
Green peas - - 0 30 - 0 1
Broad beans - - 0 40 - 0 11
Tomatas - - - 0 10 - 0 01
Spinach - - - 0 10 - 0 01
Sorrel - - - 0 20 - 0 OJ
Asparagus - per 100 1 0 per
100 0 8
Fruit.
Grapes - per oka 0 20 per lb. 0 O•' Peaches - - - 0 40 - 0 11
Plums - - - 0 30 - 0 1
Apricots - - - 0 30 - 0 1
Figs - . - 0 30 - 0 1
Almonds - - - 0 90 - 0 3
Apples - . - 0 50 -
.. 0 11
Pears - - - 0 50 - 0 11
Melons - - - 0 20 - 0 °l Quinces - - - 0 30 - 0 1
Kokonaria (seeds of
the pine tree) per oka 1 50 - 0 5
._--
42 GENERAL STATISTICS.
Article. Equal In British Money to.
Drs. L. B. d.
Cherries - per oka 0 30 per lb. 0 I
Oranges - per lOO 3 0 per 100 2 0
Lemons - - - 1 0 - 0 8
Sundries.
Milk
- per oka 0 30 per quart 0 2
Fresh butter - - 4 0 per lb. 0 10
Lard - - - 2 50 - 0 7
Smoked tongues - each 0 95 each 0 8
Bread - per oka 0 30 per lb. 0 1
Fish - - - 2 50 - 0 7
Caviar - - - 5 40 - 1 8
Rice - - - 0 80 - 0 It
Vermicelli - - 0 90 - 0 IJ
Olive oil - - - 1 40 per imp. gal. 2 3
Coffee (Brazil) - - 2 20 per lb. 0 7
Sugar (in loaves) - - 2 0 per lb. 0 6
- (crushed) - 1 70 - 0 5
Candles (tallow) - - 2 30 - 0 7t - (wax) - - 10 0 - 2 8
Honey (fine) - - 3 0 - 0 - (ordinary)- - 2 0 - 0 ~t
Eggs (fresh) - per doz. 0 48 per dozen 0 4
Soap (common) peroka 1 40 per lb. 0
R
Cheese - - - I 40 - 0
Salt - - - 0 8 - 0
Charcoal - - - 0 8 - 0
Firewood - - - 0 ·3 - 0
Wine (good draught)- 0 40 per bottle 0
GENERAL STATISTICS.
STATISTICAL REMARKS ON THE ANNEXED T ABLE8 OF
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, AND DEATHS, THROUGHOUT THE
KINGDOM.
The number of marriages that took place in 1839 throughout
the kingdom was 6481; 80 that, on comparing this amount
with the number of young men between 18 and 24 years of
age, the proportion will be 20 per cent. In the Morea, the
province of Mantinea furnished the greatest number (379) ;
Navarin the least (133). On the Continent, Bmotia supplied
the greatest number (314); Megara the smallest (111). In
the Islands, the largest number occurred in the department of
Syra (258), and the least at Melos (73). Of the three grand
divisions of the kingdom, the Morea, the Continent, and the
Islands, the greatest number took place in the Morea, and
the smallest in the Islands.
The number of births, in 1839, in the whole kingdom
(30,878), as compared with the population for that year
(839,236), shows an increase of nearly 4 per cent. The proportion
of the sexes was nearly equal, the male sex having a
small majority. In the Morea, the births were most numerous
in Mantinea (2211), and fewest in Pylia (506). On the
Continent they were most numerous in Breotia (1656), and
fewest in Megara (563). In the Islands the largest number
was found in Eubrea (1298), the least at Mel&s (309). The
births in the Morea were more numerous than in the whole
of the rest of Greece.
The small number of illegitimate children speaks favourably
for the state of morality in Greece. In several entire provinces
there are none at all, in others only one or two. The
total number of births in the year is 257, being considerably
less than 1 per cent. on the whole amount of births.
Of the total deaths in the kingdom (17,423), 8757 took
place at a very tender age. This is more than one half,
and corroborates what was said in anotherpart of thjs chapter
of the great difficulty of rearing children in Greece, particularly
during the period of teething.
The proportion of deaths according to age is as follows:-
GENERAL STATISTICS.
Under 10 years From
10 to 20
20 to 80 •
80 to 40 40
to 50 50
to 60 60
to 70 70
to 80 above
80 -
per cent. 51
H7
7
6
6
65
4
100
In the Mores, the mortality was greatest in the province
of Argolis (966), and least in Pylia (145). On the Continent,
the deaths were most numerous in Phthiotis (866),
and fewest in Trichonia (127); and in the Islands the greatest
mortality occurred at 8yra (670); the least, in the
8porades (222).
On examining the annexed table of the population of the
kingdom, it will be seen that there are upwards of 6000 more
adult women than men, which is accounted for by the long
warfare in which the country was engaged against the overwhelming
force of the: combined Turkish monarchy and its
dependencies, and the exterminating nature of the war itself,
in which on both sides no quarter was given or even asked
for. The succeeding columns show that the proportion of the
rising generation is considerably in favour of the male sex,
and on the aggregate they preponderate by no less than
15,400, as will be seen by the following additions:-
Men - 208,622
Youths 84,061
Boys 185,143
Women
Young women
Girls
Total of males
Total of females
- 422,826
- 209,771
24,781
172,897
- 407,449
The total number of families is stated at 180,259, which
GENERAL STATISTICS. 45
makes an average of exactly 4i persons to each family. This
is a very smaIl number for a country where such large families
are known to exist j but it must be borne in mind
that not above one half of the 203,000 adult males are
married. This would give 80,000 families, composed of now
childless parents, brothers, sisters, and other grown up relations,
and 100,000 married couples with families, consisting
of 416,882 young persons, thus showing an average of more
than 4 children in each family. This sum is just one half of
the total amount of the indigenous inhabitants, belonging to
communes, and in fact having a house and home, so that of
the whole population, 50 per cent. are under 24 years of age,
and it is a well known fact that by far the greatest part of
these are under 12 years.
That peace, security, and tranquillity have a greater influence
on the multiplication of the human species in any
country than war, disturbances, and want, leaving the num_
ber of actual victims entirely out of sight, has never been
doubted. There can be no doubt, moreover, that it is greatly
increased and assisted by education, prosperity•. domestic
comforts, and general civilisation; hence it may with justice
be expected that the population of Greece will increase in
the next 10 years more in proportion than that of any other
country in Europe.
The column headed "Greeks belonging to other communes,"
represents those who were absent from their own
homes, and are thus included in the lists of the place where
they were when the census was taken.
The" Greeks not belonging to any commune" are for the
most part foreign Greeks who have emigrated to Greece
partly to settle, and partly to reside temporarily.
They are principally natives of Scio, Samos, Smyrna, and
other parts of Turkey, who being Rayahs of the Porte,
have not taken the oath of allegiance to the king of Greece,
nor become naturalised in the eountry, and cannot consequently
be admitted to the rights and privileges of citizens.
These Greeks amounted in all to 6057: and of these 4233
reside in the departments of Athens, Patras, Nauplia, and
Syra.
GENERAL STATISTICS.
Of the 4071:foreigners residing in Greece, the greater part
are subjects of the Ionian Republic, and Germans, the former
of whom migrate from the neighbouring islands in search
of agricultural employment, which they cannot find at home j
the latter, on completing a period of four years' military
service, remain in the country, and resume their original profession
or occupation.
The number of foreigners at present in Greece may be
stated to be as follows:-
Ionians
Maltese
Germans (now ci vilians)
Germans (still in the army)
Italians
French
British
Russians
Danes
Other nations -
Total number of foreigners
2000
500
500
350
300
75
50
50
SO
216
4071
TABLE OF MARRIAGES AND BIRTHS IN 1839.
A. THE MoREA.
I
Births.
Department.
rMlagaers.-I Legitimate. illegitimate. Total. I Total
of both
Boys. Girls. Boys',Girls. Boys. Girls. Sexes. -------------------
Argo1is - 221 708 724 6 27 714 751 I 1,465
Corinth - 239 607 583 2 - 609 583 ! 1,192
Achaia - 327 672 593 3 3
675 696 1,271
Elis - 265 649 568 I 6 . 650 574 1,224
. Triphyllia - 222 630 522 2 - 632 522 1,154
Pylia . 133 261 243 2 -
263 243 506
Messenia - 282 808 768 7 3
815 771 1,586
Cynethre - 240 588 486 3 3 591 489 1,080
Lacedremon 301 833 719 I 16 834 735 ],569
Laconia - 260 487 412 I - 488 412 900
Mantinea - 379 1148 1036 13 14 1161' 1050 2,211
Gortynos - 256 710 636 2 5 712 641 1,353
- 3125 1~I--moI"4;"177T"8I«----- Total 7367 115,511
GENERAL STATISTICS.
B. THE CONTINENT.
47
Birth•.
Department. Mar.
r1age•. Legitimate. IJIegltlmate. Total. I Total
I of both
Boy.. I 0Ir1•. BOY"I~
BOY"I~~ ------
Attica - 239 758 601 9 4 767 605 1372
Megara - 111 286 276 1 - 287 276 563
Breotia - 314 871 781 1 3 872 784 1656
lEtolia . 253 504 510 8 5
512 515 1027
Trichonia - 115 172 126 3 2 175 128 303
Eurytauia - 142 366 337 1 2 367 339 7011
Acaruania - 196 407 354 - - 407 354 761
Phocis - 301 607 490 1 5 608 495 1103
Phthiotis - 269 463 429 4 3 467 432 899
Locris - 103 213 176 15 1 228 177 405 --------- ----
~I~---
Total - 2043 I 4647 I 40RO 43 25 8795
C. THE ISLANDS.
Birth•. I
Department. Mar·
r!age•. Legitimate. IJIegltimate.! Total. Total
nfboth
Boy•. I Girls. Boy•.
Girl.. Boy•. I Girls. Sexe•.
--f--'------
Hydra - 138 388 368 4 .. 392 372 764
Spetzia - 104 246 235 . - 246 235 481
Eub<ea - 247 700 584 12 2 712 586 1298
Scopelos - 80 238 220 . - 238 220 458
Syra . 258 562 475 9
15 571 490 1061
Melos - 73 160 146 1 2 161 148 309
Thera - 128 330 311 3 7 333 318 651
Teuos - 168 535 463 1 2 536 465 1001
Naxos - 117 273 269 6 1 279 270 549 ---------f------------
Total - 1313 3432 3071 36 I33 I 3468 3104 6572
RECAPITULATION.
Birth••
Dlvlllon. Mar·
r1age•. Legitimate. IJIegltlmate. Total. Total
of both
Boy.. Girls. Boy•. Girls. Boy•. 1 Girl•. Sexes. ----------'------
Morea - 3125 8,101 7,290 43 77 8,144 7,367 15,511
Continent - 2043 4,647 4,080 43 25 4,690 4,105 8,795
Islands - 1313 3,432
3,071 36 33 3,468 3,104 6,572 ------~122 1~116,302 ------
Total - 6481 16,180 14,576 30,878
TABLE OF DEATHS IN 1839.
A. THE MOREA.
B. THE CONTINENT.
et
Cl
loiI
Z
l>l
III
>I:'"
Ul
Io!
>.
Io.!
Ill>
.Io.!
o
!.'"
430 966
303 639
382 923
363 833
208 483
59 145
348 735
293 615
311 689
231 529
370 851
391 784
11
13
12
3
17
11
9
11
17
56
115 1368918192
MALES. FSMALBS. Total
Department. IUnder 10 20 I :iO 40 1:;0 60 1 70 1Abo ~ Under 10 20 30 40 I :;0 1 60 I' 70 I Above I Sb~~b
10 to to to to to to to 80ve Total. 10 to to to to to to to 80 Total.
exel.
Yearl. 20. 30. ,40. 00. 60. 70. 80.' Years. 20. 30. 40. 00. 60. 70. 1lO.
. 1----1-----------------1-----
Argolis - 317 58 34 31 25 31 17 13 10 536 248 39 31 31 18 16 18 20
Corinth - 207 43 10 13 17 20 15 7 4 336 165 33 20 16 13 17 18 10
Achaia - 216 28 61 46 40 92 21 21 16 541 177 25 35 36 17 19 29 27
Elis - 223 46 29 30 40 57 27 15 3 470 165 36 34 24 24 42 23 10
Triphyllia - 118 43 16 18 8 31 22 11 8 275 109 13 17 11 11 14 15 12
Pylia - 40 12 12 6 5 2 4 2 3 86 30 10 4 8 3 - 3 1
Messenia - 198 28 29 26 30 28 15 12 21 387 168 26 27 19 16 26 30 25
Cynethre - 151 30 20 18 27 20 18 22 16' 3221 118 23 32 22 23 12 31 19
Lacedwmon 203 32 27 32 25 23 26 7 3 378, 158 16 28 24 15 22 17 19
I,aconia - 136 29 24 15 33 18 20 17 6 298 I 94 22 20 17 15 26 20 14
Mantinea - 250 44 32 35 31 29 28 20 12 481 1 201 21 27 26 21 16 26 15
Gortynos - 184 41 27 42 29 31 20 13 6 393 I 173 29 28 40 26 39 24 21
Total - -22-4-3 -43-41-32-11-31-21-31-01-38-2 -23-3 -16-01-1-08-'-45-0-3::~ -29-31-30-31-27-41-20-21-24-91-25-41-19-3
750
229
817
854
127
282
554
583
866
228
6290
6 9
4 6
24 17
47 45
4 4
7 14
25 18
17 13
24 33
9 8
7 5 11 339
10 6 3 110
24 9 15 347
42 29 12 442
1 1 4 61
11 6 4 122
18 5 2 236
22 11 15 278
30 14 4 420
7 4 • 101
1-:---1-1-
I
17i 90 70 IU56
13 26 20
959
35 33 32
27 26 41
759
13 10 15
22 26 25
22 27 23
58 35 33
788
,illS1196121511671167
21 15 19 10 8 411 242
8 6 5 7 3 119 58
46 26 17 12 12 470 158
31 28 24 18 11 412 173
8 2 4 - 1 66 26
9 15 5 6 4 160 42
38 25 22 9 7 318 95
26 39 16 12 3 305 133
38 22' 29 10 8 446 189
12 6 6 5 - 127 50
i;;~-m---;;;r~71:;;;- JllI
271 20 26 21
70 5 6 9
247 33 33 44
209 26 35 30
23 8 10 10
55 20 18 28
126 27 32 32
133 30 25 21
210 51 22 56
68 8 18 4
Tnt. I 1~lQIQYRI2~A6
Attica -
Megara -
Breotia -
lEtolia -
Trichonia Eurytania
Acarnania
Phocis
Phthiotia
Locris
-
RECAPITULATION.
MAL".
FSMAL.... Total
-- -- - -- -- or
\
Divilion. Under \10 20 30 /iJO 50 160 70 Under 10 20 31 40 '1'0 /60 70 I I bolh
10 to to to to to to to A~ve Total. 10 to to
to lo to lo to A~V. Total. Sex...
Vears. 20. 30. 40. 50. 60. 70 SO.' Vears. 20. 30. 40. :10. 60. 70. 80. .
-M-or-e-a--.·
1
2243 1434 ~m1310' 38212331160 ~ 4503 1806 293 303 274 202 249 ~ 193/-m-!3689
8192'
Continent - 1412 228 225 255 237 184 147 89 67 2834 1196 213 196 215 167
167 172 90 70 2456 5290
Islands - 1107/151 96 124 121 111 135 104 63 2012 993 144 145 105 102
102 146 131 61 1929 3941
Total - 4762 813/642 691 6681677 ~ 353 23819::491~16s0
644 594 .mlsls 572'm-m 8074 ~
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et
MALES.
Total
Department.
}'EMALES. Total
Under lO \ 20 \30 40 50 60 170 Under \10 120 30 40 50 GO 70 I b~[h
10 to to to to to to to A~ve Total. 10 to to
to to to to to A~ve Total. Sexel.
Years. 20. 30. 40. 50. GO. 70. 80.' Years. 20. 30. 40. M. 60. 70. ,80. •
1-----1
--,--------------f--------------------1---1
154 31 20 10 14 10 13 13 10 275 157 34 33 9 15 8 9 14 10 289 564
- 77 11 2 2 8 14 12 - - 126 102 14 2 10 11 15 15·· 160 286
- 167 19 13 31 25 16 19 18 12 320 124 15 23 23 19 21 18 11 11 265 585
60 5 5 14 10 5 7 4 3 113 56 5 8 3 10 6 11 7 .'3
109 222
- 209 23 21 21 19 19 20 31 7 370 175 25 25 7 16 8 18 23 3 300 670
- 60 3 6 6 3 7 13 3 • 101 56 6 12 8 2 8 17 8 7 124 225
- 173 13 4 4 8 7 11 9 7 236 182 15 8 10 10 13 17 25 12 292 528
- 137 42 15 25 24 22 24 19 16 324 99 19 26 21 23 21 30 32 11 282 606
- 70 4 10 11 10 11 16 7 8 147 42 11 8 14 5 2 11 11 4 108 255
- '-1-10-7'-1-5-1/-96-1-1-24-1-12-11-1-1-11-13-5 -10-41-63-1-20-1-21-9-9~-1-1-44--14-5
-1-05-'-1-02-1-1-02--1-46-1-1-3-1'1--;;- -19-2-9'-39-4-1
Hydra
Spetzia
Eubwa
Scopelos
Syra
Melos
; Thera
Tenos
:>l Naxos
1.."',\
o,..
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n
J
GENERAL TABLE OF THE POPULATION OF GREECE IN 1840.
A. THE MoREA.
Children under Young Persons between Total Greeks Greeks Fo-
18 Years of Age. 18 and 24 Years Old. Number Number of belong- not
be- reigners Total
Departmeut. Men. Women. of Persons be- i~lh~~ longing not Number of
Families. longing to to any natural- Inhabit-
~IFema\es. IFemales. Commune•.
Com- Com- ised. ants.
Males. munes. mune. ---
Argolis - 6,842 6,652 6,630 6,732 948 471 5,816 28,275 1290 960 177
30,702
Achaia - 8,116 8,167 6,407 5,625 1,659 955 6,850 30,929 1085 136 1040
33,190
Corinth - 8,427 8,466 5,102 4,807 1,232 1,134 6,190 29,168 1058 46 20
30,292
Elis - - 10,179 10,282 6,398 5,804 1,508 1,648 7,571 35,819 1148 231 94
37,292
TryphiJlia - 8,913 9,129 8,372 7,615 1,282 1,102 6,986 36,413 175 13 6
36,607
Pylia (Navarin)- 2,870 3,008 2,814 2,705 561 337 2,469 12,295 466 24 91
12,876
Messenia - 8,106 8,499 7,807 7,337 917 619 6,282 33,285 834 70 32 34,221
Cynethre - 9,829 9,740 7,245 6,882 1,549 1,540 6,998 36,785 602 6 1
37,394
Lacedremon - 9,229 9,884 9,782 8,961 1,672 953 9,029 40,481 424 36 9
40,950
Laconia - - 8,894 9,439 7,066 6,949 1,612 1,388 7,860 35,348 122 58 7
35,535
Mantinea - 12,326 12,651 12,176 11,983 2,464 1,565 11,398 53,165 920 227
- - 54,312
Gortynos - 11,216 11,396 11,629 10,937 1,709 1,214 10,478 48,101 28 4 - - 48,133
- 104,947 1107,313 91,428 186,337
---
Total 17,113 12,926 I 87,927 1420,064 1~1~11477 431,504
B. THE CONTINENT.
Attica - 9,064 7,613 6,285 5,558 3,093 1098 6,147 32,711 3434 1809 763
38,717
Megara - 2,865 3,072 2,960 2,551 326 78 2,846 11,852 22 262 5 12,141
Breotia - 8,190 8,472 7,164 5,765 941 581 7,236 31,113 304 196 66 31,679
lEtolia - 5,559 6,163 5,650 5,562 897 381 5,672 24,212 391 487 54 25,144
Trichonia - 2,145 2,152 1,970 1,760 391 177 1,873 8,595 283 36 7 8,921
Eurytania . 5,183 5,702
5,277 4,923 635 323 4,508 22,043 69 - - - - 22,112
Acarnania - 6,182 6,063 5,445 4,845 1,197 1071 5,180 24,803 82 146 52
25,083
Phocis - 7,056 7,470 7,009 6,634 1,258 1079 6,535 30,506 73 44 33 30,656
Phthiotis - 5,877 6,254 5,170 4,540 900 443 5,169 23,184 524 112 207
24,027
! Pocris - 2,513 2,401 2,117 1,801 369 321 2,304 9,52l! 117 110 10 9,759
~ L...an.._o...4...".L ~~ 100"""
I 8k'UI I ... ,. ""0 L..!l t iiL&..Lt 1 ""<IQ.
1--::;:::' " <17 22):1.... 2::1.0
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C. THE ISLANDS.
Children under Young Persons between Total
Greeks Greeks belong- not be- Fo- Total 18 Years of Age. 18 and
24 Years Old. Number Number of
Department. Men. Women. of Persons be- ~tt~~ ltoanagniuyg reingonters
NIunmhabbeirt-of Families. longing to Com- Com- natural. ants.
Males. Females. Males. Females. Communes. munes. mune. ised.
------
Hydra - · 3,823 4,081
3,846 3,600 911 660 3,979 16,921 80 7 2 17,010
Spetzia - · 2,861 2,863
3,531 2,965 478 345 3,037 13,043 28 45 - . 13,116
Eubrea . · 10,252
10,924 9,920 9,074 1411 772 9,858 42,353 276 77 636 43,342
Sporades · 2,345 2,700
2,470 2,200 290 135 2,581 10,140 10 152 16 10,318
Syra - · 6,350 6,871
5,856 6,041 1199 1188 7,176 27,505 1535 328 604 29,972
Melos - · 2,117 2,431
2,423 2,216 505 383 2,312 10,075 10 177 6 10,268
Thera - · 4,283 4,257
4,524 4,477 762 926 4,563 19,229 31 33 93 19,386
t'l
Tenos . - 7,308 8,174 7,719 7,661 1154 1184 6,827 33,200 77 99 27 33,403
Naxos . · 4,708
4,795 4,379 4,387 731 710 4,529 19,704 69 126 13 19,912
N:l
Total · 44,041 47,096
44,668 142,621 I 6941 I 6308 I 44,862 192,170 I 2116 I 1044 ' 1397 196,727
RECAPITULATION.
Children under Young Persons between Total bGerleoenkgs- nGorteebkes- Fo- Total
Division or the Men. Women. 18
Years of Age. 18 aud 24 Years Old. I Nuomfber PNeurmsobnearboef-
ing to longing reingonters Number of Country.
Families. longing 10 other to
&O}' nalural. Inhabit-
Males. IFemales.
Com- Com. anti.
Males. I Female•. Communes.
munes. mune. !sed.
Morea - - 104,947 107,313 91,428 I86,337 17,113
1
12
'926 87'9271420'064 8,152 --;stII1477 431,504
Continent - 54,634 55,362
49,047 43,939 10,007 5,552 47,470 218,541 5,299 3202 1197 228,239
Islands - - 44,041 47,096 44,668 I 42,621 6,941 6,303 44,862 192,170 2,116 1044 1397
196,727 ----
180,259 I 830,775
,------
Grand Total - 203,622 209,771
185,143 172,897 34,061 24,781 '15,567 6057 407 I 1856,470
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52 GOVERNMENT.
CHAP. n.
GOVERNMENT.
THE first official document, relative to the affairs of
Greece, to be found in the British State Papers, is the pro-
23 March
tocol of a conference held at St. Petersburg on the 4< April;
1826, between the British and Russian plenipotentiaries, concerning
their mediation between the Sublime Porte and the
Greeks; according to which, the two governments agreed to
offer the contending parties their united mediation, and proposed
the following preliminary conditions as a basis of further
arrangements: -
" That Greece should be a dependency of the Turkish
Empire, and the Greeks should pay to the Porte an annual
tribute, the amount of which should be permanently fixed
by mutual consent. They should be exclusively governed
by authorities, chosen and named by themselves; but in the
nomination of which authorities, the Porte should have a
certain influence.
" In this state, the Greeks should enjoy complete liberty
of conscience, entire freedom of commerce, and should exclusively
conduct their own internal government.
" In order to effect a complete separation between individuals
of the two nations, and to prevent the collisions which
must be the necessary consequence of a contest of such duration,
the Greeks should 'purchase the property of Turks,
whether situated on the Continent of Greece, or in theIslands."
The sixth article of the Protocol states that the high contracting
parties, being desirous that their allies should take
part in the arrangements, of which the above is an outline,
agreed to communicate, confidentially, the contents of the
Protocol to the courts of Vienna, Berlin, and Paris, and request
their co-operation in bringing about so desirable an
object a~ the restoration of peace in the Levant.
GOVERNMENT.
53
France, however, was the only power willing to take an
active part in the negociations, Prussia and Austria preferring
to remain neutraL
In consequence of this preliminary arrangement, the necessary
steps were taken, by the ambassadors of the three
powers at Constantinople, to induce the Sultan to cease hostilities,
and recognise Greece as a tributary state; but, unfortunately
for Turkey, without effect, aa she has since been
compelled to submit to much less favourable terms, and acknowledge
the total independence of Greece, to say nothing
of the loss of her fleet at Navarin.
The Porte remained deaf to the frieDdly intercession of the
three ambassadors; great preparations were made by Ibrahim
Pacha for the total destruction of the Morea, and the Sultan
at length published a manifesto, dated 9th June, 1827, formally
declining the pacification with the Greeks, proposed by
the mediating powers.
This document is a singular and amusing specimen of
Turkish diplomacy. It sets out with a philosophical expose
of the manner in which nations were formel!" and governments
established; going back almost to the Creation, asserting
the divine right of princes and potentates to their
kingdoms, and maintaining, as a necessary consequence, that
rulers and princes have an undoubted right to act towards
their subjects as they please, being responsible to the Supreme
Being alone; ergo, that the Greeks, being the Sultan's absolute
property, and subject to his sway by right of conquest,
acquired by his forefathers, and having had the
presumption to rebel against his lawful authority, and paternal
government, he is fully justified in punishing them in any way
that he chooses, without any foreign interference. He is
then evidently much hurt at the use of such terms as mediation,
armistice, and pacification,
&c" which he says
ought only to be mentioned when talking of differences
between two independent governments, and concludes by replying
to the three powers, who interfere in his affairs unasked
for, that it is his firm resolution to continue his endeavour~
to put down, by all the means in his power, the rebellion of
his Christian subjects, and to punish them as they deserve.
E g
54 GOVERNMENT.
The three courts were, however, not repulsed by the failure
of their philanthropic endeavours. They consulted afresh
on the measures to be taken, and the result of their conferences
was the treaty of London, signed on the 6th July, 1827,
which was based on the former convention of St. Petersburg,
but contained, in addition, the following articles:-
" That a demand should be made to the two contending
parties for an immediate armistice, as a preliminary and indispensable
condition to the opening of any negociation ; "
That the contracting powers engage to pUf8ue the salutary
work of the pacification of Greece, upon the basis laid
down; and
" That the arrangements for reconciliation and peace,which
shall be definitely agreed on between the contending parties,
shall be guaranteed by those of the signing powef8, who may
judge it expedient or possible to contract that obligation."
The armistice was immediately accepted by Greece, and
a proclamation to that effect was issued by the provisional
government, dated Nauplia, the ~\ August, 1827.
The Porte,
however, still remained obstinate, and refused to listen to the
voice of the mediating powers, whilst orders were sent to
Candia and Alexandria to hasten the departure of the expedition
destined to annihilate the Morea.
What followod is well known. The combined fleets of
Great Britain, France, and Russia, under the command of
Sir Edward Codrington, received orders to watch the movements
of the Turkish and Egyptian: squadrons, and, if necessary,
to compel them, by force of arms, to respect the
armistice.·
.. That the battle ofNavarin was the effect of unforeseen circumstances,
and not a premeditated attack, caused by the execution of peremptory
orders, is clearly proved by the protocol of the three admirals of the
combined fleet, signed only two days before the engagement, and from
the well-known fact that the engagement took place in consequence of
an English boat having been fired on by an Egyptian frigate.
The following is a translation of the protocol: -
" The admirals commanding the squadrons of the three powers, which
signed the treaty of London, having met before Navarin for the purpose
of concerting the means ofeffecting the object specified in the said
treaty j
viz. an armistice, de facto, between the Turks and the Greeks, have set
forth in the present protocol the result of their conference.
GOVERNMENT.
55
The memorable engagement then took place 20th October,
1827, which destroyed the Turkish and Egyptian
fleets, and gave the death-blow to the power of the Porte in
Greece. But notwithstanding this severe loss, the Sultan was
still not inclined to give way or grant concessions. On the 20th
of December, 1827, he issued another proclamation, in which
" Considering that, after the provisional suspension of
hostilities,' to
which Ibrahim Pacha consented in his conference of the 25th September
last,
with the English and French admirals, acting also in
the name of
the Russian admiral, the said Pacha did, the very next day, violate his
engagement, by causing his fleet to come out, with a view to its
proceeding
to another part of the Jl(orea :
" Considering that since the return of the fleet to Navarin, in
consequence
of a second requisition, addressed to lbrahim by Admiral
Codrington, who had met him near Patras, the troops of this Pacha had
not ceased carrying on a species of warfare more destructive and
exterminating
than before, putting women and children to the sword, burning
the habitations, and tearing up trees by the roots, in order to complete
the devastation of the country:
" Considering that, with a view to putting a stop to atrocities,
which
exceed all that has taken place, the means of persuasion and
conciliation,
the representations made to the Turkish chiefs, and the advice given to
Mehemet AIi and his son, have been treated as mockeries, whilst they
might with one word have suspended the course of so many barbarities:
" Considering that there only remains to the commanders of the
allied
squadrons the choice between three modes of fulfilling the intentions
of their respeetive courts, that is to say:
" 1. Thatof continuing throughout the whole of the wiuter a
blockade,
diffieult, expensive, and perhaps useless, sinee a storm may disperse
the
squadrons, and afford lbrahim the facility of conveying his destroying
army to different points of the Morea and the islands:
" 2. The uniting the allied squadrons in Navarin itself, and
securing
by this permanent presence the inaction of the Ottoman fleet; but
which mode alone leads to no termination, since the Porte persists in
not changing its system:
" 3. The proceeding to take up a position in Navarin, in order to
renew
to Ibrahim propositions which, entering into the spirit of the
treaty, were evidently to the advantage of the Porte itself:
.. After having taken these three modes into eonsideration, we have
unanimously agreed that this third mode may, without effusion of blood,
and without hostilities, but simply by the imposing presenee of the
squadrons, produce a determination leading to the desired object.
" Wc have in consequence adopted it, and set it forth in the
present
protocol.
" (Signed) EDWARD CODRINGTON.
LOUIS, COUNT DE HEYDEN.
H. DE RIGNY."
" Off Navarin, 18th October, 1827."
E 4
56 GOVERNMENT.
he vented his bile at Russia, accusing her of having fomented
the Greeks to rebellion, and of having inveigled England and
France in her machinations.
In the meantime, as Turkey was virtually deprived of her
sting, the independence of Greece was de facto established;
the French anny of occupation under general Schneider took
military possession of the Morea, and Capodistria having
been appointed previously the President of the new state till
a sovereign should be elected by the three protecting powers
in virtue of the authority vested in them by the Greek nation,
the conferences of London were held, which ended in the independence
of Greece being at length recognised by the
Sublime Porte, and Prince Leopold of Saxe Coburg being
selected as the person best qualified to fill the throne of the
new kingdom.
The prince accepted the high nomination, and put himself
in correspondence with Capodistria as to the measures to be
adopted; but that crafty diplomatist, foreseeing his own
downfall on the arrival of the king, or at all events the necessity
of his descending from the lofty situation of Dictator
which he then filled, - an idea at which his ambitious
mind revolted,-under the most obsequious professions of
attachment and devotion, insinuated in his despatches the
difficulties to which the prince would be exposed on taking
possession of his kingdom, and magnified them to such an
alarming extent, that it staggered the resolution of His
Serene Highness, and ended in inducing him formally to
renounce the throne, which he did in his official communication
to the London conference, bearing date the 21st
May, 1830.
The plenipotentiaries of the three powers then renewed
their deliberations, and in the protocol (No. 39.) of the date
of 13th February, 1832, agreed to offer the sovereignty of
Greece to His Royal Highness Prince Otho of Bavaria, which
having been accepted after some negotiation by His Majesty
the King of Bavaria, in the name of his son, at that time a
minor, the definitive treaty of the 7th May was signed, which
is as follows:-
GOVERNMENT. 57
CONVENTION BETWEEN THE COURTS OF FRANCE, GREAT
BRITAIN, AND RUSSIA ON THE ONE PART, AND TU!::
COURT OF BAVARIA ON THE OTHER.
(Oifirial Tramlation.)
The courts of FraDCe, Great Britain, and Russia, exercising
the power conveyed to them by the Greek nation, to make
choice of a sovereign for Greece, raised to the rank of an independent
state, and being desirous of giving to that country
a fresh proof of their friendly disposition, by the election of a
prince descended from a royal house, the friendship and alliance
of which cannot fail to be of essential service to Greece,
and which has already acquired claims to her esteem and
gratitude, have resolved to offer the crown of the new Greek
state to the Prince Frederick Otho of Bavaria, second son of
His Majesty the King of Bavaria.
His Majesty the King of Bavaria, on his part, acting in the
character of guardian of the said Prince Otho during his
minorIty, participating in the views of the three courts, and
duly appreciating the motives which have induced them to fix
their choice upon a prince of his house, has determined to
accept the crown of Greece for his second son the Prince
Frederick Otho of Bavaria.
In consequence of such acceptance, and for the purpose of
agreeing upon the arrangements which it has rendered necessary,
their Majesties the King of the French, the King
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the
Emperor of all the Russias, on the one part, and His Majesty
the King of Bavaria, on the other, have named as their
plenipotentiaries, viz. :
His Majesty the King of the 'French, the Sieur Charles
Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord, Prince-Duke de Talleyrand,
&c. &c.
His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry John,
Viscount Palmerston, &c. &c.
His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the Sieur
Christopher, Prince de Lieven, &c. &c.,
and the Sicur Adam,
Count Matuszcwic, &c., &c.
.58 GOVERNMENT.
And His Majesty the King of Bavaria, the Sieur Augustus,
Baron de eetto, &c., &c.
Who, after having exchanged their full powers, found to
be in good and due form, have agreed upon and signed the
following articles: -
Art. 1. The
courts of France, Great Britain, and Russia,
duly authorised for this purpose by the Greek nation, offer
the hereditary sovereignty of Greece to the Prince Frederick
Otho of Bavaria, second son of his Majesty the King of Bavaria.
Art.2. His Majesty the King of Bavaria,
acting in the
name of his said son, a minor, accepts on his behalf the hereditary
sovereignty of Greece, on the conditions hereinafter
settled.
Art.3. The Prince Otho of Bavaria shall
bear the title of
King of Greece.
Art. 4. Greece, under the sovereignty of
the Prince Otho
of Bavaria, and under the guarantee of the three courts,
shall form a monarchical and independent state, according to
the terms of the protocol signed between the said courts, on
the 3d of February, 1830, and accepted both by Greece
and by the Ottoman Porte.
Art. 5. The limits of the Greek state
shall be such 118 shall
be definitively settled by the negotiations which the courts
of France, Great Britain, and Russia, have recently opened
with the Ottoman Porte, in execution of the protocol of the
26th September, 1831.
Art. 6. The three courts, having
beforehand determined
to convert the protocol of the 3d February, 1830, into a de-
---finitive treaty, 118 soon 118 the negociations relative to the
limits of Greece shall have terminated, and to communicate
such treaty to all the states with which they have relations,
it is hereby agreed that they shall fulfil this engagement, and
that his Majesty the King of Greece shall become a contracting
party to the treaty in question.
Art.7. The three courts shall from the
present moment
use their influence to procure the recognition of the Prince
Otho of Bavaria 118 King of Greece, by all the sovereigns and
states with whom they have relations.
GOVERNMENT.
59
Art. 8. The royal crown and dignity shall
be hereditary
in Greece; and shall pass to the direct and lawful descendants
and heirs of the Prince Otho of Bavaria, in the order
of primogeniture. In the event of the decease of the Prince
Otho of Bavaria, without direct and lawful issue, the crown
of Greece shall pass to his younger brother, and to his direct
and lawful descendants and heirs, in the order of primogeniture.
In the event of the decease of the last-mentioned
prince also, without direct and lawful issue, the crown of
Greece shall pass to his younger brother, and to his direct
and lawful descendants and heirs, in the order of primogeniture.
Art. 9. The majority of the Prince Otho
of Bavaria, as
King of Greece, is fixed at the period when he shall have
completed his twentieth year; that is to say, 011 the 1st
June, 1835.
Art. 10. During the minority of the
Prince Otho of Bavaria,
King of Greece, his rights of sovereignty shall be exercised
in their full extent, by a regency composed of three
councillors, who shall be appointed by his Majesty the King
of Bavaria.
Art. I!. The Prince Otho of Bavaria shall
retain the full
possession of his apanages in Bavaria. His Majesty the King
of Bavaria moreover engages to assist, as far as may be in
his power, the Prince Otho in his position in Greece, until
a revenue shall have been set apart for the crown in that
state.
Art. 12. In executioll of the
stipulations of the protocol of
20th February, 1830, his Majesty the Emperor of all the
Russias e!lgages to guarantee, and their Majesties the King
of the French, and the King of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, engage to recommend, the former
to his chambers, the latter to his parliament, to enable their
Majesties to guarantee, on the following conditions, a loan to
be contracted by the Prince Otho of Bavaria, as King of
Greece.
1. The principal of the loan to be contracted under the
guarantee of the three powers shall not exceed a total amount
of sixty millions of francs.
60 GOVERNMENT.
2. The said loan shall be raised by instalments of twenty
millions of francs each.
3. For the present, the first instalment only shall be raised,
and the three courts shall each become responsible for the
payment of one third of the annual amount of the interest
and sinking fund of the said instalment.
4. The second and third instalments of the said loan may
also be raised, according to the necessities of the Greek
state after previous agreement between the three courts, and
his Majesty the King of Greece.
5. In the event of the second and third instalments of the
above-mentioned loan being raised in consequence of such
an agreement, the three courts shall each become responsible
for the payment of one third of the annual amount of the interest
and sinking fund of these two instalments, as well as
the first.
6. The sovereign of Greece and the Greek state shall be
bound to appropriate to the payment of the interest and
sinking fund of such instalments of the loan as may have
been raised uuder the guarantee of the three courts, the first
revenues of the state, in such manner, that the actual receipts
of the Greek treasury shall be devoted,first of all, to
the payment of the said interest and sinking fund, and shall
not be employed for any other purpose, until those payments
on account of the instalments of the loan raised under the
guarantee of the three courts shall have been completely
secured for the current year.
The diplomatic representatives of the three courts in
Greece shall be specially charged to watch over the fulfilment
of the last-mentioned stipulation.
Art. 13. In case a pecuniary compensation
in favour of the
Ottoman Porte should result from the negociations which the
•three courts have already opened at Constantinople for the
definitive settlement of the limits of Greece, it is understood
that the amount of such compensation shall be defrayed out
of the proceeds of the loan which forms the subject of the
preceding article.
Art. 14. His Majesty the King of Bavaria
shall lend his
assistance to the Prince Otho in raising in Bavaria a body
GOVERNMENT. 61
of troops, not exceeding 3,.500 men, to be employed in his
service, as King of Greece, which corps shall be armed,
equipped, and paid by the Greek states, and be sent thither
as soon as possible, in order to relieve the troops of the al.
liance, hitherto stationed in Greece. The latter shall remain
in that country entirely at the disposal of the govenlment of
his Majesty the King of Greece, until the arrival of the body
of troops above-mentioned. Immediately upon their arrival,
the troops of the alliance already referred to shall retire, and
altogether evacuate the Greek territory.
Art. 15. His Majesty the King of Bavaria
shall also astlist
the Prince Otho, in obtaining the services of a certain
number of Bavarian officers, who shall organise a national
military force in Greece.
Art. 16. As soon as possible after the
signature of the
present convention, the three councillors who are to be associated
with his Royal Highness the Prince Otho, by his
Majesty the King of Bavaria, in order to compose the regency
of Greece, shall enter upon the exercise of the functions
of the said regency, and shall prepare all the measures
necessary for the reception of the sovereign, who on his part
will repair to Greece with as little delay as possible.
Art. 17. The three courts shall announce
to the Greek
nation, by a joint declaration, the choice which they have
made of his Royal Highness the Prince Otho of Bavaria, as
King of Greece, and shall afford the regency all the support
in their power.
Art. 18. The present convention shall be
ratified, and the
ratifications shall be exchanged at London in six weeks, or
sooner if possible.
In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have
signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seal:! of
their arms.
Done at London, the seventh day of May, in the y~ar of
our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
(Signed) PALMERSTON. (Signed) A. DE CETTO,
TALLEYRAND; (sub spe rati.)
LIEVEN.
MATUSZEWIC.
62 GOVERNMENT.
In virtue of the above treaty, Greece is " an independent
and monarchical state," of which the king is the supreme
head.
The highest organs of the executive power are, under the
king, the secretaries of state (rpaJLJLaTfial Tijr; 'E7I'IIcpaTEial:),
who are seven in number, as follows: -
1. For the Royal House and Foreign Affairs (Toii BaalAlIcoii
01ICov ICal TWlI 'E~WTfpIICWV).
2. For Justice (Tijr; AIICalOaVlIT/l:).
3. For the Interior, or HomeDepartment (TWV 'EaWTfpIICwV).
4. For Religion and Public Instruction (Twv'EICICAT/alaaTIICwv
Tijl: AT/JLoalov 'EIC7I'aIOEVaEWl:).
5. For Finances (TWV OlICOllOJLIICWV).
6. For the Army (TWV :ETpaTlWTIICwV).
7. For the Navy (TWV NavTlICwv).
These have all the same rank and emoluments, and take
precedence among themselves, according to seniority of office.
The Council of State is the highest
deliberative body in
the kingdom. It was formed by royal ordonnance of the aSeptember,
1835, and is called upon by the king to give its
opinion on all intended measures before being promulgated
as laws. The royal ordonnance incorporating the council of
state is as follows:-
OTlIO, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, &c.
Animated with the lively desire of surrounding our throne
with the ablest and most distinguished men in the kingdom,
whose knowledge and experience may be directed towards
the good of their country; and at the same time in order to
give our people a fresh proof of our royal affection and confidence,
We have resolved to institute a council of state
(:EVJL"t;ovAlOlI Tijl: 'E7I'IICpaTf"ial:), and in consequence ordain
hereby the following regulations: -
A. Formation ofthe Council of State.
Art. 1. The council of state is the
highest deliberative
body in the kingdom. The king lays before them the most
important affairs of the state to ask their advice and obtain
their opinion.
GOVERNMENT.
69
Art. 2. It is also the highest deciding authority in all cases
of appeal, described in art. 47-52.
Art. 3. The number of councillors for the
ordinary Ilervice
shall amount for the present to at least twenty.
Art. 4. The councillors for the ordinary
service take 'heir
seats according to the datll of their commissions; - if more
than one bears the same date the physical age of the parties
gives the precedence, unleNl it is expressly stated to the contrary
in their diplomas.
Art. 5. The king will also appoint
councillors of state
for extraordinary services, who give precedence to the
ordinary councillors, unless the contrary is specially mentioned
in their commissions. In general they take no immediate
share in the deliberations of the counciL
Art. 6. The secretaries of state have ex
oJficio a seat and
voice in the council, but are not included in the number
mentioned in Art. 3., and take their seats apart .from the
councillors, but where they call be easily heard by the whole
assembly.
Art. 7. The extraordinary councillors may
also be called
upon to attend the sittings of the council, but require a special
summons from the king.
Art. 8. Every six months the king shall
nominate a president
and one or more vice-presidents from among the members.
The same individuals may be re-appointed, and the king
reserves to himself the right of making such changes before
the expiration of the six months as he thinks advantageous.
Art. 9. A secretary-general will be
appointed, as well all a
proper proportion of referendaries (whose number however
cannot surpass six), and the necessary underlings for the dispatch
of business.
Art. 10. All the appointments are made by
the king.
Art. 11. The members of the council must
be either subjects
or naturalised foreigners, and have passed the age of
thirty.
Art. 12. The king will fill up vacancies
as they occur from
amongst the most able men in the kingdom.
Art. 13. The king reserves to himself the
right of removing
for a time the members by giving them other em64
GOVERNMENT.
ploymentl! of the first class, as secretaries of state, ministers
to foreign courts, governors of provinces, &c. Those members
employed in such capacities beyond the limits of the
metropolis, give up for the time their rights as ordinary
councillors, but without prejudice to their salary and seniority.
Art. 14. The king reserves to himself the
right of ordering
individual members to go into the public offices in order to
make themselves minutely acquainted with any particular
branch of the service required of them, and also to prepare
and devise important legislative measures in conjunction with
the ministers.
Art. 15. The councillors will be sent
from time to time
into the provinces to convince themselves of the manner in
which the executive power is administered, to take cognizance
of the complaints, wants, and wishes of the inhabitants, and
to make a report direct to the king.
Art. 16. The councillors and the
secretary-general are to
take the usual oath in the presence of the king; - the referendaries
and underlings before the minister of the royal
household and foreign !lffairs.
Art. 17. For final deliberation the
council is to form
itself
into a general assembly. For particular purposes it is to divide
itself into sections or committees, partly to prepare
the measures laid before it for final deliberation, and
partly to decide on cases brought up to it in the way of
appeal.
Art. 18. The sections are: (a) for
cases of civil and criminal
legislative justice; (b) for financial matters; (c) for
the other
branches of the public service; and, (d)
for decisions in matters
of administrative differences, and appeals against the sentences
of the court of accounts.
Art. 19. A councillor may be a member of
two or more
sections.
Art. 20. The nomination of the members of
the sections
is made by the president, but must be confirmed by the
king.
Art. 21. The king reserves to himself the
right of summoning
other heads of departments not mentioned in Art. 5.
GOVERNMENT.
65
and 6., to take part in the debates of the council, according
to circumstances.
Art. 22. The president and vice-president
take precedence
in the sittings of the council, but the president of the king's
council of ministers takes precedence of all the rest.
Art. 23. The councillors in ordinary take
rank next to
ministers.
Art. 24. The secretary-general has the
rank next the junior
councillor in ordinary, and receives the same salary.
Art. 25. The referendaries have rank
immediately above
ministerial councillors.
Art. 26. The inferior officers take precedence
of those of
the same category in the ministries.
Art. 27. The salaries of councillors in
ordinary and the
secretary-general are fixed at 500 drs. per month, and those
of the referendaries at 400 per month. The president receives
an additional sum of 300 drs. per month during his
presidency, and the vice-presidents 200 drs. each. The
councillors for the extraordinary service receive no ~alary for
this qualification,. but only the pay for any other appointment
under the crown which they may fill.
Art. 28. The uniforms of the members and
referendaries
of the council of state will be fixed by a special decree.
B. Duties and Attributes of the Council of State.
Art. 29. All subjects of civil and
criminal jurisprudence,
whether proposals for the introduction of new laws, or the
suspension or modification of existing ones, will be discussed
in the council.
Art. 30. All questions relating to the
constitutional laws
come within the jurisdiction of the council of state.
Art. 31. In like manner, the laws
concerning the relation
of the church to the state.
Art. 32. No tax can be levied or altered
without having
been discussed in the council of state.
Art. 33. The budget for each year must be
laid before the
council of state for examination and discussion.
F
66 GOVERNMENT.
Art. 34. The regulations and plan for
paying the interest
of the national debt and reducing the capital, must first be
laid before the council for examination, and discussion, and for
their opinion.
Art. 35. In like manner the legal
regulations for the sale
of national property.
Art. 36. In the publication of laws and
ordonnances about
which the council of state is competent, the result of their
opinion will be expressly mentioned.
Art. 37. The general financial accounts
of each year will
be laid before the council of state.
Art. 38. In like manlier, the sums to be
applied to the
sinking fund.
Art. 39. Every year the king will appoint
two members as
commissioners for the sinking fund.
Art. 40. The council has to give its
opinion on the financial
reports of each secretary of state, as required by art. IS.
of the royal ordonnance· of the .\ April, 1833, if demanded
by the king. .
Art.41. To the council of state must be
referred all
written complaints, made to the king, of supposed injustice
done by the secretaries of state against the liberty or property
of the subject, and which appeals do not come within the
province of the existing tribunals. These complaints are to be
considered by a committee of three councillors, who are bound
to report their opinion to the king.
Art.42. Decrees of naturalisation cannot be
published
without the previous sanction of the council.
Art.43. The council has to give its opinion,
if called upon
to do so by the king, on the propriety of citing any civil
servant of the government before the competent tribunals in
any case of dishonesty, or for any other criminal act.
Art. 44. The council has to give its
opinion on cases of
rehabilitation,
Art. 45. And in all important cases in
which the king demands
their advice.
Art. 46. The initiative for the
deliberations and opinions
of all such cases is reserved for the king, who may either
have them stated to the council vivd voce, through one of the
GOVERNMENT.
67
secretaries of state, or simply in an envelope under the cabinet
seal. The deliberations take place by the council in pkno,
and a protocol of the proceedings, signed by all
the members
present, is to be presented to the king, who will then decide
on the cases in question, either by sanction of the existing •
laws, ordonnances, and regulations, or by royal decrees and
sign-manuals, or by means of rescripts from the secretaries of
state, or, lastly, by a simple order under the cabinet seal, according
to circumstances, and the importance of the subject
in question.
Art. 47. The council of state is the
highest court of appeal,
in all complaints respecting the rights of voting at the municipal
elections.
Art. 48. To the council of state
belong" the final deci.
sion (without appeal) in all cases of collision and differences
between the courts of justice and other branches of the exe·
cutive and administrative authority.
Art. 49. The council ofstate is empowered
to decide without
further appeal, on the necessity or propriety of taking private
property for the purposes of the state; but the deliberations
and votes must be made in general assembly.
Art. 50. In like manner, on all appeals
against the decisions
of the court of accounts; and
.Art.
51. The same with respect to objects of administrative
differences.
Art. 52. The council of state possesses
the competency to
decide in all matters which may be laid before it, in virtue
of existing or future laws.
Art. 53. In all cases in which the
council has the competency
to decide without higher appeal, they have to explain,
in writing, their motives, and the reason of such decision.
Art. 54. The council has no right to
deliberate, or give an
opinion on any question which does not strictly come within
their province.
C. Mode of Proceedings.
Art. 55. The president has to appoint the
number and time
of the sittings, according to the quantity and importance of
the business before them. In general, there must be at least
F 2
68 GOVERNMENT.
one sitting in pleno every week. The order of the day must
be fixed at least forty-eight hours previously (pressing cases
excepted), and affixed in the hall of sitting, as well as communieated
to the different ministers, and the king's cabinet.
Every member is obliged to be present at the general meetings,
if not absent on a special mission, or detained by illness.
Art. 56. No member can absent himself
from the metropolis
without the permission of the king.
Art.57. The president conducts the sittingil
of the full conclave,
and the sections. If the king honours the meeting with
his royal presence, the president has to offer him the chair of
office. If more
8ections. than one hold their meetings at the
same time, the president may select one, over which to preside;
and the ?ice-presidents, or, in their unavoidable absence,
the senior members respectively, take the chair in the
other sections.
Art. 58. The quorum of a general assembly
is fixed at
twelve members; seven for the sittings of sections of contention,
and five for the other sections.
Art. 59. In all sittings, a majority of
votes forms the decision;
and when the numbers are equal, the chair has the
casting vote.
Art. 60. The secretaries of state have no
vote, but their
opinions, whether for or against the measure under discussion,
must be registered in the protocol.
Art. 61. Councillors of state, who have
also the direction
of some other branch of the public service, have no vote when
the question of debate belongs to their jurisdiction.
Art.62. Projects of laws and regulations for
the different
branches of the public service may be defended or opposed
by the secretaries of state for the respective departments.
Art. 63. The king's secretaries of state
may attend the sittings
of sections, if they deem it expedient; but only with a
voice of advice, and no vote.
Art.64. Questions concerning civil and
criminal legislation,
and constitutional laws, can only be discussed in the
first section; and the same with other questions, viz. in the
section to which they properly belong.
Art.65. Subjects of particular importance,
such as proGOVERNMENT.
69
posaIs for new laws, and organir regulations, or alterations
of already existing ones, must be discussed by a committee"
of members, appointed for that purpose by the king, before
they are brought forward at a full assembly. If the subjects
concern more than one minister. they have to attend the sittings
of the preliminary committee.
Art. 66. Persons not belonging to the
council of state may
be summoned to attend the sittings of sectioDll, for the purpose
of giving evidence and explanations in technical, scientific,
and other cases.
Art.67.
All decisions, and other documents of the council
of state, must be signed by the president, counter-signed by
the secretary-general, and have the seal of the council attached.
The protocols must be signed by all the members present.
Art. 68. The president has to preserve
order in the council,
to watch over the observance of the regulations, to acquaint
the assembly with the decision, as shown by the votes, and
to speak in the name of the collective body.
Art. 69. Further, he has to open and
close the sittings,
and to acquaint the meeting with the subject to be discussed
at the next session. He may also convoke a special meeting,
if necessary.
Art.70. In case of absence or illness of the
president, the
vice-president takes the chair; if more than one vice-president
is present, the duty devolves on the senior in office.
Art. 71. The duties of the
secretary-general are, 1. The
division of the business amongst the respective sections;
2. To draw up the protocol of the general meetings of the
council of state; 3. To communicate to the king, or to the president
of the king's council of ministers, the result of their
labours; 4. To countersign the reports of the sections and general
meetings; 5. To preserve the original documents of these
meetings, and to make copies and extracts from them; 6. To
draw up the protocols, count the votes, and superintend the
other business of the council.
Art. 72. The duties of the referendaries
are, to work out
the questions, and make an expose of the facts of cases which
come within the jurisdiction of the council of state. They
have no vote either in the sections or the general meeting.
F 3
70 GOVERNMENT.
Art. 73. The regulations for' the
interior service of the
'council of state shall be settled by a special decree, which
must receive the royal sanction.
D. Final Regulations.
Art.74. The present organic formation shall
be published
in the Government Gazette, and the council of state will
enter on its functions in the course of the month of October
next following.
Art. 75. The secretary of state for the
king's household is
charged with the publication and execution of the present law.
(Signed) OTHO.
(Counter-signed)
COUNT ARMANSFERG, Chancellor of State.
~~Z:~KARIS, } .-
P
.. Secretanes of State.
RAIDES,
SCHMALTZ,
Given at Athens H September, 1835.
DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY.
Immediately after the arrival of the king, the whole of
the Grecian dominions were divided into ten circles, or
provinces (No,...a.prJa.), containing forty-seven sub-divisions,
or districts ('E?l'apxta.), which gave way in 1836 to a new
system; but as it has been lately proposed to return to
the former division of the country, and it is not unlikely,
that, in the course of next year, it may be carried into execution,
I consider the subject of sufficient interest to describe
them both.
It may be here observed that, in giving to the new
provinces
their fresh nomenclature. great attention was paid to a revival
of their original ancient appellations, which had been either
mutilated in the course of time, or given way altogether to
Italian and Turkish names during the long period of the
subjugation of Greece to a foreign yoke. This was also the
case with the towns, islands, rivers, mountains, &c., and the
introduction of such a measure naturally created some conGOVERNMENT.
71
fusion at first, and caused a difficulty in ohtaining a knowledge
of the geography of the country.
The royal decree of -h April, 1833, divides the kingdom
of Greece into ten nomarchieB, and forty-seven eparchies.
The former are as follows: -
Argolis and Corinth
Acbaia and Elis
Messenia
Arcadia
Laconia -
Acarnania ami lEtolia
Phocis and Locris
Attica and Breotia
Eubrea
The Cyclades
Chief City.
Nauplia.
Patras.
Kyparissia.
Tripolitza.
Sparta.
Agrinion.
Salona.
Athens.
Chaleis.
Hermopolis.
The following are the sub-divisions (eparchies), with the
chief towns: -
1. ARGOLII!l AND CORINTH.
Chief Town.
Nauplia.
Argos.
Corinth.
Hydra.
Spetzia.
Kalauria (Poros).
1. Nauplia
2. Argos
3. Corinth
4. Hydra
5. Hermione
6. Trrezenia
7. lEgialia
8. Calavrita
g. Patras
10. Elis
2. ACHAIA AND ELlS.
lEgion (Vostizza).
Calavrita.
Patras.
Pyrgos.
] 1. Olympia
12. Triphyllia
13. Messene
14. Methone
15. Kalamre
3. MESSENIA.
Phanari.
Kyparissia (Arcadia).
Messene (Androussa).
Methone (Modon).
Kalamata.
] 6. Megalopolis
17. Mantinea
4,.
AUCADlA.
Leonuari.
TripolilZB.
F 4
72
18. Gortyne
19. Kynouria
20. Laeedremon
21. Epidaurus Limera
22. Gythion
23. CEtylus
GOVERNMENT.
Carytena.
Prastos (Prassire).
5. LAOONlA.
Sparta (Mistra).
Epidaurus Limera (Monemvasia).
Gythion (Marathonisi).
Vitoula.
24. Acarnania
25. Missolonghi
26. Naupaetos
27. Agrinion
28. KalIidrome
29. Pthiotis
30. Doris
:H. Loeris
32. Parnassus
33. lEgina
34. Megara
35. Attica
36. Thebes
37. Livadia
6. AOARNANIA AND lETOLIA.
Astaeos (Dragomestrc).
Missolonghi.
Naupaetos (Lepanto).
Agrinion (Vraehori).
Kallidrome (Karpenisi).
7. PnocIs AND LOCRIS.
Lamia (Zeitouni).
Lidoriki.
Talanti.
Salona (Amphissa).
8. ATTICA AND BlEOTIA.
lEgina.
Megara.
Athens.
Thebes.
Livadia.
38. Chaleis
39. Carystia
40. Northern Sporades
9. EUBlEA.
Chaleis.
Carysto.
Skopelos.
41. Andros
42. Tenos
43. Syros
44. Kythnos
45. Melos
46. Thera
47. Naxos
10. THE CYCLADES.
Andros.
Teuos.
Hermopolis (Syra).
Thermia (Kythnos).
Melos.
Phera in Thera (Santorin).
Naxos.
GOVERNMENT.
73
The nomarchica1 and eparchical system was superseded in
1836 by the introduction of a new order and division of tertitory,
according to which the kingdQlll was divided into 30
governments, and 17 sub-governments, but a form was effected
by the king in 1838, when the number was considerably
reduced.
The following is a list of the departments and sub-depart.
ments of Greece as at present constituted, in virtue of the
22 June}
royal ordonnance of the 4 July 1838.
24 DEPA.RTMENTS (.o.IOUClrf,pW~).
Department. Compoaed of the former Epan:hieo of Chief !fown.
Karbasera.
<Echalia.
Amphissa.
Lamia.
Athens.
Livadia.
Chalcis.
Corinth.
Patras.
Calavrita.
Pyrgos.
Kyparissia.
Calamata.
Tripolitza.
Karytena.
Sparta.
Argolis.
Hydra.
Corinth.
Achaia.
Cyllenia.
Elis.
Triphyllia.
Messenia.
Mantinea.
Gortyne.
Lacedremon.
Laconia.
lEtolia.
Acarnania.
Eurytania.
Phocis.
Phthiotis.
Attica.
BalOtia.
Eubooa.
Tenos.
Syra.
Naxos.
Thera.
Nauplia, Argolis, Hermione, and Nauplia.
Spetzia.
Hydra, Kalauria (Poros), and Hydra.
Trcezene.
Sicyon and Corinth.
Patras and lEgialia.
Cyllenia.
Elis.
Triphyllia and Olympia.
Calomlll, Messenia, and Methone.
Mantinea and Cynouria.
Gortyne and Megalopolis.
Lacedremon and Epidaurus Limera.
<Etylus and Gythion. Areopolis.
lEtolia, Nau.\lactos, and Tricho- Missolonghi.
nia.
Acarnania.
Callidrome.
Parnassus and Doris.
Phthiotis and Locris.
Attica, Megara, and lEgina.
Breotia and Thebes.
Chalcis, Carystia, and the Sporades.
Tenos and Andros. Tenos.
Syra, Myconos, Delos, Kythnos, Hermopolis.
Zea, and Serphos.
Naxos, Paros, and Anti-Paros. Naxos.
Thera, los, Amorgos, and Ana- Thera.
phi.
74 GOVERNMENT.
7 SUB-DEPARTMENTS (''X''lI"O-410l/(ITb,,).
Sub-Department. Composed of the former EparchIes of ChIef Town.
Spe1zia.
Pylia.
Trichonia.
Locris.
Megara.
Skiathos.
Melos.
i Spetzia and Hennione.
I Modon.
~ Trichonia.
I Locris.
: Megara and lEgina.
! Islands Skiathos, Skopelos, and
the other Sporades.
Melos, Syphnos, Kymolos, Siky___
n_os, and Pholegandros.
Spetzia.
Pylos (Navarin).
Agrinion.
Atalanta.
Megara.
Skiathos.
Melos.
The Salaries of Civil Officers are regulated by a special
law on the subject (GOV. Gaz. 1833. p. 123.), and are as
follows :-
Grade of Office.
A Secretary of State - --
A Ministerial Councillor - --
- Assessor - --
- Secretary - --
Expediting Secretaries, Registrators, and
Heads of Sections, extra --
Governors of Provinces, 1st class - -
- - 2d class - -
~ Sub-Departments - -
Secretaries of Governors, 1st class - -
- - 2d class - -
- - of Sub-Departments
Per Annum.
Drachmes.
12,000
4,200
3,600
2,400
300
4,800
3,600
2,400
1,800
1,560
1,080
E'I"al in
BritIsh Sterling
to.
£ s.
428 10
150 0
128 10
85 15
IO 15
171 10
128 10
85 15
64 5
55 15
38 10
The business of the home department is divided into three
principal sections, sub-divided according to the different
branches of the service. The first section consists of 3
ministerial councillors, I medicinal councillor, I assessor,
(llapiopo!:), 5 secretaries,
6 clerks, and a messeng«;r. The
second section: - 2 ministerial councillors, I land-surveyor
general, 4 secretaries, 2 clerks, and a messenger. The
third section: - 1 ministerial councillor and principal architect,
6 architects, 2 secretaries, and a messenger.
GOVERNMENT. 75
ROYAL ORDONNANCE CONCERNING THE ORGANISATION
OF THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS, DATED ATHENS,
27 Dec. 1833.
8 Jan. 1834.
Art. 1. The whole of the territory of the
kingdom of
Greece is divided into communes (t1f,f'm,;),
and each commune
is to have its landmarks and frontiers, selected as much
as possible with due
reference to the locality and natural
boundaries, as mountains, ravines, rivers, &c.
Art. 2. Every member of the state must
belong to a commune
for himself and family.
Every town and village with 300 inhabitants and upwards,
can claim the privilege of forming a distinct commune, with
its own municipal authorities.; smaller villages, single houses,
mills and monasteries, to belong to the nearest commune, till
• their population is increased to the above number, when they
can demand the right of being constituted a commune for
themselves. This will be particularly facilitated for such
villages and towns as may be formed by settlers and colonists.
Art. 3. In the case of a similar union of
several villages in
one commune, it is enacted that each of them shall have the
exclusive right ofretaining and administering such corporation
property as they may hitherto be possessed of respectively,
and they can only merge into one general fund by mutual
consent.
Art. 4. The communes are divided into
three classes, viz.
1st. Communes containing a population of 10,000 and upwards.
2d. from 2,000 to 10,000.
3d. of less than 2,000.
Art. 5. The formation and division of the
communes will
be made by the king.
Art. 6. The rights and privileges of a
member of a commune
are procured, -
1. By birth; thus legitimate children belong to the commune
of their father, and illegitimate ones to that of their
mother.
2. By residence (KaraTa~t(.); if the commune of a person
76 GOVERNMENT.
cannot be ascertained, nor that of his parents, such communal
foundlings (EilBEra TEI,~a), belong
to the commune where
found residing or where educated. Greeks and Phil-hellenes
who left their homes abroad to serve in the war of independence,
and who are not as yet members of a commune, must
register themselves in one.
3. By marriage; any person marrying the daughter of a
member of a commune, becomes himself a member.
4. By settlement; every person settling and establishing
himself in a commune under the legal regulations, in such
eases constitutes himself a member.
Art. 7. The rights of commune when once
obtained exist
till a member vacates his privilege by becoming a member of
another; in this case the oldest ceases, when not specially reserved
in a written:declaration, and such reservation approved
by the municipal authorities.
Art. 8. Every member of a commune enjoys
in it the following
privileges: - 1. the right of domicile, and in case of
indigence and properly certified incapability of earning a
livelihood, is entitled to the necessary assistance and support.
2. The due share of all the benefits and enjoyments arising
from the municipal property, if such are not restricted by laws
and regulations at present in force. 3. A share in the benefits
of all the corporation institutions.
Art, 9. On the other hand each member is
bound to contribute
his proportion towards defraying the necessary expenses
of the commune.
Art. 10. The right of voting and becoming
candidates at
cor,nmunal elections is confined, with certain exceptiOlis, to
those members of at least 25 years of age, who inhabit a
house in the commune, and have taken the oath of allegiance
prescribed by the Royal Ordonnance of 30 FJabn.} 1833.
11 e.
The following are excepted:-1. All females; 2. All those
deprived of the free disposal of their property; 3. All those
accused of crimes and not declared innocent at the time of
the elections; 4. All those who have forfeited the right of
voting in virtue of the decision of a competent tribunal.
GOVERNMENT. 77
Art. H. Every
member of a commune in possession of a
vote is obliged to appear at the elections and give that vote;
and every member elected to any municipal office is obliged
to accept it, fulfilling its duties diligently and conscientiously
for the term required, unless he can produce sufficient reasons
for declining it.
Art. 12. Every commune is permitted and obliged
under
the surveillance of the state, § 1., to organille, superintend,
and
exercise the duties of theJower -local and rural police; § 2.
to carry on the affairs of the commune, and administer the
property of the corporation; § 3. to administer, in like
manner, the property of local charitable institutions, when
not specially placed under the care of a religious society;
§ 4. to elect the administrative authorities out of its own
members. The duties enacted in § I and 2. to be carried on
in the name of the state, in § 3 and 4. in the name of the
commune.
Art. 13. With respect to the
administration ofthe municipal
property, the communes have the privileges, and rights, and
power of contracting liabilities, which individuals have over
their own private property.
Art. 14. The communes are bound to fulfil
their obligations
and liquidate all debts contracted for general and public
purposes, or complaints may be made against them to their
superior authorities.
Art. IS. Amongst these liabilities are
included: - ]. The
payment ofthe necessary expenses incurred in the organisation
and support of the local and rural police departments. 2.
The payment of the public taxes imposed by government on
the municipal property. 3. The payment of the salaries of
necessary public servants of the commune, and an indemnification
to the mayor (AfJp.apxoc), for his expenses and
time. 4. The formation and support of the elementary
schools (1rpOlcaTllpam:a l:xoXfia). 5. The rent and repairs of
the buildings forthe public offices of the commune. 6. The
construction and keeping in repair of the municipal roads and
bridges, as well as the necessary aqueducts and wells. 7.
The setting up and repairs of the needful landmarks and
78 GOVERNMENT.
boundaries of the commune. 8. The repairs of the dykes,
quays, and marine buildings as far as concern the commune.
9. The expenses of elections. 10. The expenses of the charitable
institutions of the commune, provided their own funds
are not sufficient for the purpose.
Art.
16. Every commune has to provide for the means of
paying its own expenses out of the income of the municipal
property, out of the receipts of the police fines, from indirect
taxes, and from direct taxes to be levied according to law.
Art. 17. All municipal property without
any exception
belongs jqintly to the whole body of members; and likewise
the property of the local charitable institutions, when not
under the special jurisdiction of a monastery or other religious
establishment.
Art. 18. All municipal property for the
immediate fulfilment
of communal purposes is to be considered sacred and
inviolable. Other property may be sold or divided among
the members - 1. on irrefragable proof of the necessity of
the measure to fulfil the engagements of the commune;
2. on giving proof of the advantages to be derived to the
commune from such a proceeding; or 3. for the improvement
of agriculture according to the provisions of the laws on
that subject.
Art. 19. The annual income of the whole
of the municipal
property is to be expended, as far as it goes, in defraying the
necessary expenses of the commune; and should there be a
surplus.it is to be invested with good security, or expended
in founding new charitable institutions in the commune. A
division of the public property cannot take place under any
circumstances.
Art. 20. Fines inflicted by the police go
to the use of the
commune for general purposes.
Art.21. If the
usual income of the communes from interest
of property and penal fines, are not sufficient to cover
the expenses incurred, the difference may be made good by
the imposition of direct and indirect local taxes.
Art. 22. The indirect imposts consist in
a per centage duty
on articles of consumption, road and bridge tolls, lease of
GOVERNMENT.
79
stands in the markets and bazaars, and permi88ion to make
use of the public slaughter-houses and butchers' sheds.
Art. 23. If the amount of proceeds of the indirect imposts
is still not sufficient to cover the expenses, then the magistracy
is empowered to levy direct taxes.
Art.24. All members of the commune and their
property
are obliged to contribute their proportion to the direct tax,
which is to be levied on the same principle as the direct
taxes of the state. Parish priests and schoolmasters are alone
exempt.
Art. 25. No member of a commune is
bound to pay any tax
le'lJied in support of a church or school of a different persuasion
from Ms own.
Art. 26. The magistrates are authorised
to seize the goods
of such as r~fuse
to pay the legally levied imposts.
Art. 27. Personal service may be
required by the authorities
for all necessary purposes of making roads, wells, building
bridges, aqueducts, &c., or for a general arming to ensure
the public tranquillity. but substitutes may be employed at
the expense of the individual.
Art. 28. The service of horses, waggons,
and oxen may be
required in naturd, when necessary; but the authorities may
contract for the carriage of materials, &c. to the lowest
bidder, except in cases of great emergency.
Art. 29. Manual labour may also be
required in exigent
cases; the only exemptions are the demarch and municipal
council.
Art. 30. The quartering and cantonments
of marching
regiments and other military are considered as belonging to
the municipal services, which may be required by the authorities.
Art. SI. The communes have to exercise
the duties and
functions committed to their charge by means of administrative
authorities, who are to be elected by a majority of the
members who have the right of voting. General meetings
of voters for the purpose of deliberating and giving an
opinion on municipal matters, and other concerns, are not
permitted.
80 GOVERNMENT.
Art. 32. The municipal authorities are
composed, as follows:-
In communes of the 1st class: -
A Mayor (A~p.apx'or;).
4-6 Aldermen (rrapi~pol).
And a Municipal Council (A1JP.(/TU:O~ };VP.~oVXLO') of
18 Members.
In communes of 2d class: A
Mayor.
2-4 Aldermen.
And a Municipal Council of 12 Members.
In communes of 3d class: A
Mayor.
1 Alderman.
And a Council of 6 Members.
Art. 33. When a commune is composed of
several villages,
each of them is at liberty to nominate an alderman.
Art. 34. The demarch is the highest civil
officer of the
executive in the commune, and the acting and ostensible
authority in all municipal concerns; he has the executive
power with reference to the local police, and administrative
functions in all civil cases, the care of raising the taxes, and
military affairs. It is his duty to execute punctually within
the extent of his jurisdiction, all the decisions of the municipal
council. All the civil functionaries of the commune
are under his controul. It is his particular duty to watch
over the treasury of the commune, to check the receipts and
payments, and convince himself of the existence of the
balance. His office is purely honorary; he has to receive
no salary, nor is he exempt from bearing his share of the
municipal taxes and imposts. A certain sum in proportion
to the size of the commune shall however be placed at his
disposal for the payment of the persons employed in his
office, &c. When employed on !lpecial business beyond the
limits of the commune, he will however be entitled to receive
a proportionate remuneration. The demarch has the
right of selecting his civil functionaries, but the appointment
of the commissarie!l of police is reserved to the king on the
recommendation of the demarch. The office of demarch
lasts for three years. The removal of a demarch from office
GOVERNMENT.
81
before the expiration of that term, can only be effected by
royal decree on the recommendation of the ministerial
council, or by virtue of the sentence of a tribunal.
Art. 35. The monarch or governor of the
province has the
right of suspending a demarch in .emergent CaBes, and must
then make a report of the particulars to the minister within
three days, and assign reasons for so acting. The minister
is obliged within three days of the receipt of such report to
reinstate the suspended demarch in his duties, or to recommend
the king to dismiss him from office.
Art. 36. The aldermen are the assistants
of the demarch
in the execution of his official duties, and have to fulfil his
orders. They are elected also for three years. In the case
of the legal absence or illness of the demarch, one of the
paredroi or aldermen haB to supply his place. Their rank
and precedence will be fixed by the king. Their office is
also honorary.
Art. 37. The municipal council is formed
to advise the
demareh on all questions of importance and interest to the
commune generally, and to watch over the interests of their
constituents.
Art. 38. The deliberation and decision of
the council are
necessary in the following CaBes: L for voting the necessary
supplies for the current expenses of the commune, and the
extraordinary disbursements oCCaBioned by unforeseen events;
2. To examine and check the annual accounts of the commune
and charitable institutions, as also the administrative
accounts of the demarch; 3. To form the plan of a sinking
fund; 4. For the sale, purchaBe, or lease of immovable property
belonging to the commune; 5. For the erection of new
buildings and repairs of old ones; 6. For making loans on
approved security out of the treaBury of the commune; 7.
For making contracts for doing certain work, and furnishing
the necessary articles; 8. To fix the amount of remuneration
to the demarch for his services; 9. For the regulation
of all communal services; 10. To recommend candidates
for a vacancy in the office of receiver of the commune:
three .candidates are to be recommended, of whom the king
will select one; 11. In all cases of endowments of local
G
82 GOVERNMENT.
charitable institutions; 12. For defraying the surplus expenses
of any institution out of the funds of the commune;
13. The appointment of legal assistants in any law-suit in
which the commune may be engaged; 14. To nominate deputations
of the commune; 15. The regulation of all communal
taxes, direct and indirect, and ordaining, prolonging,
and stopping them.
Art. 39. The council have to choose a
chairman (IIpoEapo,)
every three years, who is the organ of communication between
their body and the demarch.
Art. 40. The council meet as often as
affairs may require.
The priest of the parish must be invited to attend
their sittings when the subject for discussion relates to religion,
instruction, or charity.
Art. 41. For a legal decision of the
council, at least twothirds
of the members must be present, and there must be
an absolute majority of votes. When the numbers are equal
the president has the casting vote.
Art. 42. Every decision of the council on
a subject beyond
its jurisdiction is null and void.
Art. 43. Members of the council are
elected for the space
of nine years; a confirmation of their appointment from the
higher authorities is not necessary. Every three years, the
senior third of their number go out, and are replaced by a
fresh election. If of the same date, their seniority to be decided
by lot.
Art. 44. The king has the power to
dissolve the municipal
council, in which case a fresh election has to take place within
four weeks. The office of municipal councillor is honorary,
and they are only to be reimbursed when employel beyond
the limits of the commune.
Art. 45. At the general elections, the
municipal council
are to be first chosen by the collected body of voters.
Art. 46. The most highly taxed members of
the commune,
to the amount of one-eighth of the whole number, are to be
proposed for caRdidates, and the members of the council
elected from among them.
Art. 47. Privileged to decline filling
office, are: - those
who have already been elected and performed their duties
GOVERNMENT. 8S
twice; those who can bring certificates of moral and physical
inability, or are past the age of sixty; lIervants of the state,
military men on active duty, clergymen and schoolmasters.
Art. 48. Each voter receives a printed
slip of paper, in
which he fills up the names of those candidates for whom he
gives his vote; Ite need not sign it, but may deliver it folded
up to the clerk, who puts it unopened into an urn, and registers
his name in the list of voters; the votes are afterwards
examined by the scrutinizers.
Art. 49. Every voter before being polled
is bound to make
the following oath before the local clergyman:-
" I swear by the most holy Trinity, and the holy Gospels,
to deliver my vote conscientiously, and with due regard
to my king, my country, and my commune, to the best
of my conscience, independently and free of any foreign
influence; and further that I have not received, nor will
I ever receive any money, present, or bribe from any
one whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, for the
purpose of influencing me in my vote."
COp"l(w
ttt T~V 'Y1l"tpmylav "Ill 'A~tajptTOV Tpul~a "al tit
TU
'!trOv EvaY'Yi;\wv, lIrt ~tAw ~';JlTEL TVV
"'-'fltI'0V poii "aTa
fTvvtl~fllTlV, "ol i'xc.w 1l"pO orp(Ja).f1;;JY
floVOV Ta 7rpOt TOV
BaITl;\ia
poft, 7rpot T~V naTpl~a, "al
7rpUf: TUV Af]JlOv floii
Vifl'
i;\tiiOtpoi: lho 1l"iill'av £ivflv i1l"lPPo~V, "ar' lUav floll
'lTE7roI9J}lI'lv,
"al lITl Uv i~iX(J."v, Oi/Tt
~i;\w
~tX(J~ 1l"OTf. i1l"l
TO'T~ ~wpa 1j v1l"oITXill'Elt apifTwt i1 iflp.EITwC;.)
Art. 50. Three candidates are elected for
the office of de.
march, one of whom is selected by the king.
Art. 51-96. (The royal ordonnance then
goes on to arrange
the mode of proceeding, and the details of the election,
which can be of no interest to the general reader.)
Op THE ADMINISTRATION OP THE MUNICIPAL PROPERTY.
Art. 97-104. The receipts and payments
and keeping the
accounts of the commune are confided to the receiver, who
is proposed by the municipal cOllncil and confirmed by the
king. The receiver can neither be the demarch, nor alder.
G 2
84 GOVERNMENT.
man, nor member of the council. He must reside in the
.commune, and his duty is to be the cashier of the taxes and
revenues of the commune. He receives a remuneration for his
services, which cannot exceed four per cent. of the amount of
receipts. He is responsible for all payments and receipts,
and may be called upon to gfve sureties for his honesty.
A.rt. 105. The commune is bound to publish
a budget
every year, which must contain, 1. all the local receipts;
2. the expenses and the reserve fund for contingencies; and,
S. the means proposed for covering the surplus charge.
A.rt. 106. The estimates are to be open for public inspec~
tion eight days in the office of the municipality, and then to
be laid before the commissary of the district at least two
months before the beginning of the new financial year.
They will then be examined by him, and sent up with a report
to the commissary general of finances of the circle.
Art. 107-124. (The other articles relate
to local regulations
of no interest to the British public.)
, Tables showing the Number of Communes in the Kingdom of·
Greece with the villages attached to them. 1840.
A. THE MOREA.
Com- Government and Sub- ronnel mcounme_s !comomf
3udnes I NuTmotbaelr INumofber
Government. of 1st ~~;.~. Class. ~~.:'~: Vlllages
Cl""s. attached.
Argolis - · 1 1 22 24 66
Hermione . - - 1 5 6 35
Corinth - - - 3 30 33 62
Achaia - - - 3 5 8 120
Aigialia - - - 1 4 5 40
Kyllenia - - - 1 21 22 164
Elis - - - - 4 16 20 89
'friphyIlia - - - 2 8 10 65
Olympia - - - 1 11 12 98
Pylia . · - 1 12
13 123
Messenia - - - 6 12 18 129
Lacedremon - - - 1 21 22 137
Epidaurus Limera - - 1 8 9 33
Laconia - - - 1 18 19 95
~thion - · - - 12 12 59
antinrea - - - 2 16 18 83
Gortynos - - . 5 17 22 96
Megalopolis - · . - 7 7 50
Kynouria - - - 3 9 12 19
Totals - I-I-I--s71 254 I 292 I 15fi~
GOVERNMENT. 85
B. CoNTINENT.
Com- I Com. Go"emment
and Sub- mUDet munes,ICommUDeIII
T~ IN_~ I Num~ oe
Government. of lot I of:id I of 3d oeCom. VII......
Cl.... CIau. CIau. .mUD". attacbed.
Attica - - 1 1 8 10 85
Megara - - - 2 2 4 10
Balotia · . - 1 8 9
40
Thebes - - - I 9 10 69
lEtolia - - - 1 5 6 32
Naupactos - - - 2 2 4 63
Trichouia · - - 1 6 7 42
Eurytauia · - · 2 5 7 102
Xeromeros - - - - 5 5 29
Phocis · - - 2 9 11 29 I
Doris - - - - 4 . 4 65
Phthiotis - - - 3 12 15 95
Acaruania · - - 1 2 3 12
Locris - - - . 7 7 71
Valtos · - - - 6 6 36
---
Totals - 1 I 21 I 86 108 I 780 I
C. THE ISLANDS.
Government and Sub. mcuonm...'l
mcuonmes'lcommunes I Total I Number
l
Number of
Government. of lot of 2d of 3d orCom- Villages
Class. .Class. Class. mUDel. attached.
Hydra and Spetzia . 1 2 - 3 7
lEgina - - - 1 1 2 12
Eulxea and Karysto - - 4 16 20 262
Skopelos and Skiathos - - 1 3 4 27
Syra . - - I 2 - 3 .
Kythnos - - - 1 3 4 -
Mylos - - - 1 4 5 13
Thera - - - 5 3 8 14
Tinos - - - 3 2 5 35
Andros - - · 2 2 4 41
Naxos · - · 1 9 10 29
---
Totals - 2 I 23 I 43 I 68 I 440
RECAPITULATION.
DIvision.
I
~~:-s
of lot
Class.
Com- Communes
~~~~s orad
Clasl. Class.
Total
Number
of Commnnel.
I
NUI:rr
Villages
attacbed.
1563
780
440 II
2783
292
108
68
81 383 468
37 254
21 86
23 43
1
1
: I
2 --·:---1----1----:-.....,..-1
Totals - I 4
Morea Continent
Islauds
G 3
86 GOVERNMENT.
Responsibility of the Communes for Robberies committed
within their Jurisdictions. - The introduction of such a
measure may appear harsh and unjust in civilised Europe;
and the only apology to be offered for it was, the necessity
of obliging the local authorities, by an appeal to
their self.interest, to maintain the safety of the public
roads, and to watch over the security of the life and property
of travellers, which would otherwise have been either
totally neglected, or but indifferently cared for. The number
of robberies committed in 1835 and 1836, and the consequent
insecurity of the roads, called upon the government
to take some active measure; and, considering the then unorganised
state of many provinces, a more judicious or effective
course could scarcely have been adopted than to throw
upon the communes the whole responsibility of the robberies
committed in their respective territories.
It is true that a similar law is not to be found in the
legislative codes of any other country in Europe; but there
is no other country where such a measure was necessary.
For many years past, even under the otherwise well organised
rule of the Turks, the daring, discontented, and
roving Greeks, partly inspired with hatred against their tyrannical
oppressors, partly with jealousy and revenge;
sometimes from a restless spirit and disinclination to peace.
ful ocupations, and frequently from a love of the daring and
chivalrous, retired in bodies to the mountains and inaccessible
rocks, where they led the wild careless lives of brigands
("XirpT'l/l:),
making occasional incursions into the valleys and
villages, and carrying up the plunder to their hiding-places,
where they lived gaily till it was all consumed, and necessity
drove them to fresh acts of violence. Most of them belonged
to regular trained bands, in which a high degree of
law and discipline prevailed; and the fame of their leaders was
known all over Greece. In those times it was not considered
at all discreditable to belong to such a band; and, as in the
middle ages in Germany, where many of the most noble
families are descended from such warlike freebooters, the
captains of these depredating bands were distinguished by
GOVERNMENT. 87
their courage, their wealth, and their talents.- There were,
it is true, many extenuating circumstances in their conduct.
The Greeks always considered the Turks as their
natural enemies; and as the latter were too proud to endeavour
to conciliate, by kindness and good government,
giaoura, or heretics, whom they were taught
by their religion
to look upon as slaves, and but little better than dogs, but, on
the .contrary, seized every opportunity of oppressing, and
even destroying them, on the most trivial pretexts, principally
to gain possession of their wealth, it is not surprising that the
most deadly hatred should exist between them, and that the
more ardent and daring spirits should thus endeavour to
avenge themselves on their country's enemies by a system
of continual petty warfare. The manner in which the whole
of' the war was carried on, - a war of religion, and for the
purpose of extermination rather than supremacy,_ufficiently
proves that this spirit of deep-rooted animosity existed in the
whole nation of the Greeks; and when aroused by opportunity,
and the force of circumstances, it broke forth with
irresistible fury, and paved the way for their subsequent independence.
That such excesses should have continued to
be committed under the provisional government, and even
under Capodistria, is also not to be wondered at; for torn as
the country was by faction and intrigue, the government was,
at that time, too weak to introduce proper laws, and enforce
their execution by armed troops, or an organised police;
and the leaders of free corps, who act~d also in the capacity
of irregular soldiery against the common enemy, for which
they received pay and rations for themselves and their men,
on the expulsion of the latter, found themselves in their
former situation; and being without a trade or a home, and,
consequently, without the means of earning a livelihood,
were obliged to have recourse to their old practices; and
taking advantage of the state of anarchy which then prevailed
throughout Greece, levied contributions on their countrymen,
.. The celebrated Colocotroni, in giving the anthor some account of his
youth, told him, with the most amusing gravity, that he was brought
up to the
trade of a klephti, or robber. _
G 4
88 GOVERNMENT
in the absence of an enemy. These bands of klephtis were
well known, and many of them had constituted themselves
the protectors and champions of particular villages and even
whole districts, and had entered into compacts with the inhabitants
(on the old Border principle of Black Mail),
to defend them from the predatory incursions of other bands
of freebooters, upon the payment of a certain tribute-money,
-which was levied periodically.
On the introduction of the new order of things, after the
arrival of King Otho, this system of brigamlage was carried
on as much as ever, for the light and nimble mountaineers
possessed many advantages over the heavy-armed German
troopi>, who, though superior in force, could not follow
them in the tortuous windings of their native fastnesses
without exposing themselves to the danger of falling into
an ambuscade at each step. Every projecting rock, every
cavern, and every ravine, too, was occupied by armed men,
protected from the bullets of their pursuers by their position,
or by temporary entrenchments, composed of loose
stones piled up to the height of two feet, behind which they
crouched, and took deadly aim at their adversaries, known
by the name oftambouri "(ra,.,:(;ovpyL), a mode of guerilla
warfare,
much practised by the Greeks during the whole of the
revolutionary war.-
Under these extraordinary circumstances, it was necessary
to adopt extraordinary measures; for though the robbers
were well known in the villages and communes in the neighbourhood
of their usual haunts, yet the inhabitants, and even
the local authorities, could not be induced to denounce them,
and still less to attempt the dangerous task of seizing, and
delivering them up to the government, for fear of the conaequences;
as it was well known that their comrades were
• It was in this manner that the Turkish army, under the command
of Dramalis Pacha, was completely annihilated in August 1822, on their
retreat from Nauplia, in the long and narrow defile called Derven8.ki,
between Mycenre and Corinth, which was occupied by a few hundred
Mainots under Niketas, entrenched behind the Tambouri. The heaps
of bones of men, horses, and camels, nearly rendered the defile
impassable
in 1833, when the autbor had occasion to travel by that route to
Corinth. They have since been rllmoved.
GOVERNMENT.
89
accustomed to take signal vengeance for such cases of treach.
ery, nothing less satisfying them than the total extermination
.ofthe whole family, women and children not excepted, and the
demolition, by fire, of their house and property; so that they
preferred to live in dubious and negative peace, rather than
in open and positive hostility with such dangerous neighbours.
The success of the measure proves the propriety of its
.introduction ; and the benefits arising from it have been so
great, that though originally promulgated as a provisional
law, at the expiration of the term prescribed (two years), it
was deemed advisable to prolong the period of its operation,
and it is still in force.·
The principal clauses contained in the law, which is dated
Athens, ~ Nov. 1836, are as follows:-
Art. 1. Every commune is responsible for
the civil restitution
of property, and indemnification for any highway robbery
committed within its jurisdiction. All individuals, such
as rural guards, shepherds, cattle drivers, foresters, and others,
who were in the commune where the robbery was committed
at the time it happened, whether members of the commune
or not, are to take their share in the responsibility.
Art. 2. In all cases of personal violence
connected with the
robbery, whether the sufferer be a member of the commune
or not, the municipality is bound to indemnify him for his
wounds; or, in case of his death, his widow or children, according
to the stipulat.ions contained in the civil code.
Art. 3. If a member of a commune take part in any robbery,
conceal the robbers, supply them with food, or render
them any other service, the municipal authorities of the commune
to which the offender belongs, are bound to take cognizance
of the case, possess themselves of his person, if within
• During the disturbances in Roumelia. in 1837, a band of daring
klephtis surprised Vonitza, and taking possession of the government
district treasury, carried away the money (about 20,000 dr.), for which
the captain, however, was polite enough to give a receipt I The commune
had to indemnify the government for the loss, and, of course, took the
most active measures to recover the money from the brigands.
A similar case occurred in the province of Maina, in the spring of
1839, and the commune found means of recovering the money from the
iusurgents, and refunding it to the government.
90 GOVERNMENT.
their jurisdiction, and send him, through the medium of the
governor of the province, to the state-procurator, to be dealt
with according to law; or, in case of their not being able to
seize him, they are bound to denounce him immediately.
For neglect of such duty, the commune is liable to a fine of
from 50 to 500 drs.
Art. 4. If any municipal authorities refuse or delay giving
their assistance when required in writing by any other civil
or military authority, for the purpose of pursuing and seizing
robbers, they are liable to a fine of from 50 to 500 drs.
Art.5. Every municipality is bound to call
the inhabitants
to arms on the appearance of robbers, and to report the case
to the nearest civil or military authority under penalty of a
fine as above; and every person refusing obedience to the
order for W:lsembling in arms to pursue and capture the
robbers, is individually liable to a fine of from 5 to 20 drs.
Art. 6. All shepherds, cattle-keepers,
peasants, rural
guards, foresters, &c., acquainted with the existence of
robbers in the neighbourhood, and refusing to pursue them,
or if not sufficiently strong, neglecting to make a report to
the nearest civil or military authorities, are liable to a fine of
from 10 to 50 drs. for each individual.
Art. 7. Those communes situated between
Makrinoros and
Surpi, on the northern frontiers of the kingdom, are exempt
from the responsibility for robberies committed within a
distance of three hours' march from the confines, provided
they use their utmost exertions to hinder such robbery, and
seize the offenders.
Art. 8. The individuals thus robbed are
bound to make a
report of the case immediately to the officer appointed for
such examinations in each commune, who is obliged to make.
a protocol of the deposition within twenty-four hours, and
forward it in less than three days to the procurator-fiscal of
the nearest district tribunal.
Art. 9. The person robbed must sue the
commune for restitution
of his property, and lay the proofs within ten days
before the nearest district court, which is empowered to
decide the question without further appeal.
Art. 10. Whoever prefers such claims
without a cause, and
GOVERNMENT.
91
is proved guilty of falsehood, is subject to the penalty contained
in the penal code for similar criminal acts.
Art. 11. The iines levied on the communes
go to the
state treasury. If the communes do not pay the fines inflicted,
within fifty days, a body of troops will be marched
into their town to enforce the payment, with the addition of
the
extra expenses incurred thereby.
Art. 12. If a robbery be committed on the frontiers of a
commune, or on territory not claimed by any, all the surrounding
communes are responsible in solido.
Art. 13. The municipal council has the
right to demand
sureties from such members as those on whom they cannot
rely in case of a division of a fine among the members; and
farmers and proprietors of flocks and herds are responsible
for the conduct of their shepherds and labourers.
Police.-It is seen in the organic law of the municipalities,
that the local police force are appointed and paid by the
respective communes.
Gendarmerie.-This is a
military corps in the pay of the
government, regularly disciplined, armed, and accoutred,
composed of 15 mounted, and 108 foot brigades, with an
effective force of 1435 men. They are placed jointly under
the orders of the minister of the interior and the war office,
and are dispersed in brigades over the whole of the kingdom.
Their duty is to enforce the laws, and ensure tranquillity in
the country.
Regulations pertaining to Health.-The care of the public
health of the kingdom is entrusted to a Central Medical
Committee, which is placed
under the immediate control of
the minister for the home department. It is thus described
in the royal decree of the ~ May, 18,34 (GO'/).
Gaz. 1834.
p. 199.), in virtue of which it is constituted:-
" A central medical committee is hereby appointed, whose
seat shall be in the metropolis of the kingdom. It consists
of a president and six members, of whom four shall be physicians,
and two apothecaries. The former must be theoretically
and practically versed in medicine, surgery, and midwifery,
the latter in pharmacy. One or two veterinary
surgeons shall be attached to the committee to give their
'Opinion and advice on such questions as fall 'within theirprovince.
The whole is placed under the direction of our
minister of the interior. In the absence of the president,
the senior member of the committee is empowered to take
the chair.
"The duties of the committee are: - 1. The examination
of all physicians, surgeons, midwives, veterinary surgeons,
dentists, and apothecaries, and to grant them certificates and
licenses to practise if found to possess the necessary knowledge
and qualifications; 2. To deliver their opinion in all
medical lawsuits; 3. To deliberate on all important medical
questions which may be laid before them by the minister of
the interior for the benefit of the public, and general health
of the kingdom.
" The salaries of the members of the committee are to be
borne on the budget of the home department, and the feel!
of examination to be divided among the members,"
The Tariff of Fees for examination
and granting a diploma,
is thus established by the royal ordonnance of ~
January, 1835:-
92 {}OVERNMENT.
For a Physician:President
Committee of Five Members
Secretary
For a Surgeon: President
Committee of Two Members
Secretary
For an Apothecary: President
Two Members
Secretary
Drs.
10
25
10
45
5
10
5
20
20
20
10
50
,£1
Q
bran
and
asC
and
witl
C{)l
to
ge
Ihl
1!t
iti
in!
in
E
1.
I1
GOVERNMENT.
For a Midwife: President
Two Members
Secretary
Drs.
5
10
5
20
93
Quarantine Regulations. - One of
the most important
branches of the department of health is the proper inspection
and regulation of the quarantine establishments. Situated
as Greece is, in such close proximity to Turkey, Asia Minor,
and Egypt, countries which are always more or less infected
with the plague, and with which she carries on an extensive
commerce, she is naturally constrained, for her own safety,
to erect barriers to prevent the introduction of this dangerous
malady, and to take precautionary measures to cut off
the contagion, if unfortunately brought into the country.
But not only is it necessary for the security of the kingdom,
jt is the manifest interest and policy of Greece to be exceedingly
exact in the observance of her quarantine regulations,
in order to gain by degrees the confidence of the other
European states, with a view of eventually obtaining a re':
xation of that vexatious, but necessary measure, the quarantine,
and being ultimately admitted to free pratique witi-.
the rest of Europe.
In the beginning of May, 1837, a Greek schooner arrived
at Poros, nominally from one of the islands of the Archipelago,
and was admitted to pJ'atique. On a closer inspection
.of her papers, however, it appeared that one of her crew was
missing; and though the captain gave out that he had died
a natural death on the voyage, suspicion was excited by
the circumstance of his not voluntarily reporting it on his
arrival, and the vessel was placed in quarantine, though,
unfortunately, not before the men had held communication
with the shore. On the following day two of the sailors
died, and on investigation, the usual symptoms of the
plague were visible on their bodies. A day or two after..
wards some people of the town died of the same disease.
On its being known at Athens that the plague had broken
GOVERNMENT.
out at Poros, great consternation prevailed. Active measures
were immediately taken to prevent its spreading over
the kingdom; the island was placed under strict quarantine,
and a detachment of two hundred men of the ,garrison of
Athens were sent the eame day to form a cordon on the
main land opposite Poros, whilst several physicians and surgeons
volunteered their services to direct the plague lazzaretto
which was formed on the spot.
Fortunately the contagion was confined to the island; it
lasted about two months, and during that period carried oft'
206 individuals, amongst whom was a very promising young
German physician. This is the only instance of the introduction
of the plague since Greece has become a kingdom.
The quarantine for ships and passengers coming from suspected
places is eleven days, and nineteen from ports and
places where contagion actually exists. The voyage, however,
does not count, though the day of arrival and the last
day are deducted. The quarantine on the Turkish land
frontiers for passengers coming from the neighbouring provinces
of Thessaly and :Epirus, is fixed at three days, and
their clothes and other effects must undergo the process of
fumigation. They must, however, be furnished with a bill
of health from the consul of Greece, or some other power
at the place they come from, or, in the absence of such, with
a certificate from the local Turkish authorities. (Gov. Gaz.
1836, p. 58.)
The quarantine for passengers both by land and by sea
can be reduced to one half by performing what is termed
spoglio (an Italian word signifying stripping or undressing),
which is thus described in the document published on the
subject, by the central medical board, and inserted in the
Gov. Gaz. 1836, p. 438.
" A royal ordonnance of the 10th October permits the
practice of spoglio for the greater facility and convenience
of passengers coming from the East. The spoglio consists
in the passengers undressing themselves entirely and being
washed in a warm bath, after which they put on clothes
sent them from the town, when they are admitted to free
pratique.
GOVERNMENT. 95
" 8poglio is perfectly optional, and may be practised by
anyone or more individuals in the lazzaretto, provided the
medical officers find no suspicion of contagious disease among
them. The spoglio, however, cannot be performed before
the expiration of one half of the period of their legal
quarantine. The individual must remain in the water at
least a quarter of an hour, and dip his head also. The
water of the bath must be at a temperature of 28° to 30°
Reaumur, or in the summer it may be performed in the
open sea, as it is immaterial whether the water be fresh or
salt.
" Each individual performing spoglio has to pay a fee of
three drachmes. The clothes of such persons remain in the
lazzaretto till the term of the quarantine has expired, when
they will be fumigated with due caution, and then delivered
to their owner in free pratique."
The principal quarantine establishments in the kingdom
are at 8yra, PiralUs, Hydra, and 8kiathos (one of the islands
of the 8porades) The quarantine establishment at 8yra is
composed of 20 persons, viz.: - 1 director, 8 secretaries,
1 doctor, 4 guardians, 1 inspector, 1 sub_inspector, 5 lazzaretto-
guardians, 2 boatmen, and 2 fumigators.
The whole of the quarantine establishments of the kingdom
employ 107 persons, viz.: - 8yra 20, 8kiath08 10,
Pirmus 10, Hydra 9, Patras 3, the other ports 53.
District Physicians.-The Government Gazette of 1834,
No. 7., contains the appointment of the provincial physicians,
with a description of their duties, which are principally the
following: - For each province shall be appointed a graduated
physician, who stands immediately under the governor,
and whose business it is to take cognizance of every thing
relating to the public health of his district, such as the
inspection of hospitals, schools, prisens, burial-grounds, mineral
springs, and bathing establishments, to watch over the rise
and progress of epidemic, endemic, and contagious diseases, to
report them through the medium of the governor to the central
medical board, and to take the proper precautionary
measures to prevent their spreading further, Md to effect
their speedy disappearance. He is bound to reside at the
96 GOVERNMENT.
seat of the provincial government, from which he cannot absent
himself for more than twenty-four hours, unless by special
leave. His salary is 1800 drachmes per annum, and he
has the rank and uniform of the llub-governors.
There are in the provincCll 30 district physicians, 4 vaccinators,
1 dentist, and 2 midwivCll appointed by government.
The Fees for Medical and Surgical Assistance are fixed by
royal ordonnance of -0 March 1835, and are as follows:-
Drs.
1
48
2 to
4to
For a consultation in the house of the medical man
For a visit to a patient by day
by night
For a night in which the physician sits up with the
patient 20
For a consultation with other physicians, the first 10
the others, each 5
For a minor surgical operation - 15 to 50
For a greater surgical operation, as trepanning, amputation,
&c. 50 to 100
For a natural confinement - 25 to 40
For an artificial confinement - 50 to 80
These fees are for physicians in communes of the first
class, and are reduced to one half in communes of the
second and third class. Surgeons' fees are one half of the
above.
VACCINATION. ROYAL ORDONNANCE OF _4-_ APRIL, 1835.
16
(Gov. Gaz. 1835, p. 86.)
" Vaccination is legally introduced by the present decree
into Greece. Every persoIl who has not had the natural
small-pox or the cow-pox, must submit to be vaccinated; and
every child born within the Grecian dominions after this date
must be vaccinated within the first year of its birth. If
the vaccine matter does not take, the operation must be re.
peated in the following year, and the responsibility only ceases
after the third time. All transgressions are punishable according
· to Art. 568. § 1. of the penal code.
GOVERNMENT.
97
" Inoculation of the small-pox is entirely prohibited under
a penalty of 25 drachmes, or six weeks; imprisonment. No person
who has not been vaccinated or had the small-pox, call
be admitted into any school or other place of instruction, or
be permitted to carry on any trade, or be received into any
branch of the government service. All heads of schools, and
local and military authorities, are compelled not only not to
receive such as have no certificate of vaccination, but to re.
port the same to their heads of departments respectively.
" Physicians and surgeons who have obtained a .diploma
have the right of vaccinating, and may be furnished with
matter gratis from the local vaccinators. In each province a
public vaccinator is appointed, whose business it is to obtain
and keep a proper supply of vaccine matter, so as to be able
to vaccinate a(any time, and to give matter to any medical man
who may require it. The public vaccinator must reside in
the capital of his province, and is bound to make annually
an official circuit of the towns and villages in the province.
to vaccinate the inhabitants amd children. He receives from
the state a salary of 1000 drachmes per annum, and is at
liberty to demand a fee of 2 drachmes for each individual
vaccinated, except the poor, who must be vaccinated gratis."
The sale of poisonous articles is restricted to apotheearies
and druggists, in virtue of a special law (dated ~
April, 1835), which contains a long list of such deleterious
articleil as come under this category, and the regulations under
which they may be sold to the public.
Coroners.-In order to
prevent persons from being buried
when only apparently dead, and also to provide against the _
breaking out of any contagious disease (but more especially
the plague), a public officer is appointed in every
commune under the title of Necroscope (NfI<"POO"I<"07l"o!:-
examiner
of the dead), generally a medical man, whose duty it
is to inspect every corpse in his district; and after convincing
himself that the person is really dead, and without any dangerous
malady, he orders the burial to take place, and fixes
the time for it, which, during the summer months, viz. from
May to October inclusive, must be within twenty-four hours,
Ii
98 GOVERNMENT.
and from November-to April inclusive, thirty-six hours at the
latest. A corpse may not be opened in less than twentyfour
hours after death, unless the coroner is convinced that
the party is really dead, and there is reason to fear fatal consequences
by the delay. A royal decree of ~ May, 1835,
contains the regulations for this branch of the public service,
with instructions to the Necroscope how to ascertain whether
the person is really dead, together with the means of restoring
life if only in a trance or lethargy. (8ttvaTOl:
leaTa TO cpaLVIJfL£
vov.)-Gov. Gaz. 1835, p. 154.
Public Registers of Births, Deaths, and Marriages are or20
October}
dered by royal decree of 1 November 1836, to be kept
in each commune by the demarch or mayor, and those in
the villages attached by the parish priest, who has to send
them in periodically to the demarch for insertion in the generallist
of the commune. (Gov. Gaz. 1836, p. 304.)
Public lYedical Schoot.-The
establishment for practical
and theoretical public instruction in medicine, surgery, and
midwifery, at Athens was instituted by royal ordonnance of !.8
30
May, 1835, which provides for the regular delivery of courses
of public lectures on anatomy, physiology, pathology, therapeutics,
surgery, chemistry, pharmaceutics, and midwifery,
with practical explanations of the same, and for this purpose
the establishment is placed in connection with the military
lazzaretto and civil hospital.
COMMERCE.
CHAP. Ill.
COMMERCE.
99
THE
geographical position of Greece must convince the most
superficial observer that it is pre-eminently adapted for a
maritime state; for placed as she is at an equal distance from
the three continents of the Old World, with an almost unlimited
number of ports, bays, creeks, and roadsteads, she is
enabled to carry on a large and lucrative commerce, and engross
the carrying trade of the Mediterranean and Levant,
without going fa.r from home. This must appear a natural
conclusion to the general observer, but even distinguished
statesmen have acknowledged the superior capacity of Greece
for extending her commerce and navigation. When Lord
Palmerston announced to the House of Commons in 1832
the definitive settlement of the Greek affairs, and demanded
its sanction to the guarantee for the new loan, he expressed
his conviction, "that the commerce of Greece would in a
short time rival that of Italy when in the zenith of her
prosperity."
The spirit and enterprise of the Greeks have taken a commercial
turn, and in spite of the difficulties they have had to
contend with, have been singularly developed. These it was
which kept alive the reminiscence of a country annihilated
in name, and for ages nearly forgotten by the rest of Europe;
and, although their commerce was carried on upon barren
rocks, selected as offering the least inducement to their more
refined and luxurious conquerors to settle among them, the
frugal habits of the people taught them to persevere with
patience till the dawn of brighter days, whcn the sun of
liberty should shine forth triumphantly, putting an end to
their humiliating condition, and uniting them as a free and
H 2
794762 A
100 COlllMERCE.
independent nation in one of the most beautiful parts of the
world.
On the sterile rocks and barren islands to which the
Greeks flocked for an asylum, a population was naturally
produced which could find no food at home. Hardy, temperate,
and bold, they found themselves obliged to resort to
the element that surrounded them for the maintenance of
their wives and children; and the education which they received
in their early years in buffeting with the winds and
waves, conduced to render them intrepid and experienced
mariners. The sea became their element, and commerce
their daily calling.
Hydra, Spetzia, and Psara were the most important of
these commercial insular colonies, which were thus called
into being during the wars, occasioned by the French revolution,
when the flags of France, Spain, and Italy, were
banished from the Mediterranean, and those countries themselves
deprived of their regular supplies of corn from Egypt
and the Black Sea.
A few of the first vessels, after escaping the vigilance of
the British blockading squadrons, and repulsing with success
the attacks of the Algerine corsairs, returned to their barren
islands from Genoa, Marseilles, and Cadiz, having doubled
their capital in five months. This was the first impetus
given to the enterprise of the islanders, who, in a short time,
proceeded to Odessa and Alexandria; where they bought
corn at a cheap rate, and frequently realised three times the
cost price for their cargoes.
These commercial speculations not only led them to afHuence,
but tended greatly to increase the daring courage and
intrepidity of the Greek sailors; for exposed as they incessantly
were to fierce attacks from the corsairs of the Barbary
coast, they were obliged, in self-defence. to arm their vessels;
and it is a remarkable fagt, that in all their numerous rencontres,
there is not a single instance on record of their
having been taken ;-on the contrary, the pirates themselves
were always either made prisoners, and obliged to walk the
plank, or forced to sheer offwith damage.
COMMERCE. 101
Such a union of commercial enterprise and per.iOnal
courage, backed by success, had greatly altered their condition
in thirty years. These three islands alone possessed
upwards of 300 large merchantmen, a part of which were
armed with heavy guns, But what particularly distinguished
these hardy islanders, was the intelligence or natural sagacity
(for scarcely any of them could read or write) with which
they formed their speculations, and the uniform honesty and
simplicity of their transactions. The crews of the vessels
were mostly members of the same family; they received no
regular pay, but had a certain share in the speculation, the
profits of which, when realised, were divided with the most
scrupulous good faith - first the capital, then the interest
(reckoned at three per cent. per month), and, lastly, the
profit.
The undertaking was carried into execution by the captain,
who had the whole sum at his disposal; nor is there
any instance of fraud or embezzlement. This patriarchal
honesty was most conspicuous among the Hydriots, among
whom such occurrences as the following were frequent. A
captain gave ·notice at Hydra, that he was fitting out his
vessel for Odessa, to purchase grain there, and carry it for a
market to Leghorn. Such of his countrymen as chose to
take part in the undertaking, brought him their bags of
money, which were received unopened and uncounted; nor
were even receipts made out and signed by the captain, so
great was the mutual confidence. It frequently happened
that even the names of the parties were not given or asked
for (both parties being perfectly illiterate), but in nG case
was there ever cause of complaint. On the return of the
vessel to refit, the parties interested were invited on board,
and each received his principal and share of the profit in
Spanish dollars, the accounts having been made out with a
piece of chalk.
The fortunes thus realised were very considerable. At
Hydra, upwards of twenty families possessed a million of
dollars each, and several of them had ten or a dozen ships
out at thc same time. M. Couduriottis was the owner of
H :3
102 COMMERCE.
eighteen vessels of from 250 to 400 tons each. But when
the revolution broke out, all these fine vessels were freely
offered at the altar of their country's liberty, and the greater
part of these large fortunes sacrificed in the same manner,
so that at the end of the war, the whole country was reduced
to its pristine poverty.
The government of Capodistria which succeeded, was not
such as to give an impulse to commercial enterprise, which
can alone secure to Greece a permanent rank in the scale of
nations. It was no
part of the President's subtle policy to
encourage trade. Preferring a people devoted to agriculture,
on whom he had a better hold, he treated with contempt all
those engaged in mercantile pursuits, as not belonging to any
political party, and liable to remove from the country. if not
pleased with his government, their sole object being, as he
expressed himself, to make 100 per cent. profit.
Under the fostering care of the present government, the
commerce and navigation of the country have made rapid
strides. The king is perfectly convinced that commerce
must be the main spring of the future wealth and
prosperity of the kingdom; and ever since his accession to
the throne, without neglecting the other branches of the
state, he has kept a most vigilant eye on the development of
the national industry, and introduced so many useful measures
to revive, improve, and protect it, that many wealthy
Greeks who were settled in Russia, Germany, Italy, and
Turkey, have been induced to return and establish themselves
in their native country.
Money and Coins. - On the
arrival of the King. the nominal
money of the country was the Phamix and Lepta coins
introduced by Capodistria as a substitute for the Turkish
piastres, which had been current in Greece for a century
and a half, but which had latterly become so deteriorated in
val~e, that whilst in 1816 five piastres were equal to a
Spanish dollar, the latter was current in 1833 for twenty-four
Turkish piastres. In one year alone (1832) the value of thc
currency was depreciated twenty per cent.., which, of course,
caused ~great inconvenience and severe losses to the com"
COMMERCX. 103
mercial part of the community, particularly at. Syra, where
the mercantile transactions, amounting to 200 millions of
francs per annum, so severe a check WIUI
given to trade, as
nearly produced a general bankruptcy, the fall in the pricc
of all goods being equivalent to the deterioration of the metallic
currency.
Capodistria saw the magnitude of the evil, but had neither
the inclination nor the ability to remedy it. He published a
decree it is true, introducing a new monetary sylltem, but
was unable to enforce its execution. According to this plan,
he took as an unit the sixth part of an Austrian convention
dollar, to which he gave the name of Ph~nix, and divided it
into 100 parts, called lepta. Of these phrenix, which werc
coined in an old coining machine which had formerly bclonged
to the knights of Malta, none contained the whoie,
and the majority only two-thirds, of the legal quantity of
silver; so that he was obliged to call them in, or rather to
stop their circulation; thus the phamix only existed on paper
and in the government books, whilst the Turkish piastres
continued as before the circulating medium for general purposes,
and in all private transactions. His copper money
was also consiQ.erably below the proper standard; and consisting
as it did principally of large cumbrous pieces of
20 lepta, it, of course, formed a bad substitute for the diminutive
Turkish coins, which, though of no intrinsic value,
were exceedingly portable, and circulated throughout thc
Levant.
To regulate the currency and place it on a respectable
footing, was one of the great problems reserved for the king's
government to solve; and it must be admitted that their labours
have been eminently successful. .
The government took as a basis for the new monetary
system the Spanish pillar dollar or colonati, a coin whose intrinsic
value is well known all over the world, and which has
always been especially current in the Levant. The unit
chosen is called the drachme, and it is exactly one-sixth part
of a Spanish dollar, or about four per cent. more than the
legal standard value of the phrenix. It is divided, like the
H 4
104< COMMERCE.
phrenix, into 100 lepta, the superiority of the decimal system
having been sufficiently proved by the experience of France,
America, and other countries.
The only gold coin of Greece is the Otho d'or, which passes
for twenty drachmes.
The silver coins are the Greek dollar or five drachme piece;
the drachme, the half drachme, and quarter drachme.
The copper coins are pieces of ten, five, two, and one
lepta.
The gold and silver coins were struck at Munich and
Paris, the copper ones at Athens. (See" Mint" under the
head of FINANCES.)
One of the very first acts of the new government was the
publication of a royal ordonnance on the currency (dated
~ February 1833), and the introduction of the new system,
20
the leading particulars of which are as follow: -
" All former laws on the subject are hereby cancelled, and
instead of the phrenix, the new national coin is the drachme
(ApaXJltJ), divided into
100 lepta (Af?TTll). The drachme
contains nine parts of fine silver, and one part of copper.
The weight is 4<T%30 grammes of silver, and io~)so grammes
of copper, making together 4TVr}-o grammes.' The pieces of
five drachmes, as well as the half and quarter drachme pieces,
will contain the same proportions of metal and weight. . All
payments to the state must be made in drachmes and lepta,
or those coins mentioned in the list below, and at the prices
stipulated therein. The phrenix are no longer a legal tender,
but they will be received by the government in payment of
customs, taxes, &c., at their intrinsic value, which is ascertained
to be 93 new lepta, or they will be exchanged for
the new coin. The former copper coins are also called in,
and will be exchanged for the new lepta at 80 per cent., or
four new lepta will be given for five old. All foreign copper
coins are prohibited from being used in private transactions
and dealings of individuals amongst themselves, throughout
the kingdom."
COMMEIICE. 105
TARIFF OF FOREIGN GOLD AND SILVER COINS PERMITTED TO
CIRCULATE IN GREECE, WITH THEIR VALUE IN GREEK CURRENCY.
Gold Coin•• 1_11 ".~COM I
~--
Dr. L. Dr. L.
French pieces of 20 francs - 22 33 I French franc - - I 11
British sovereigns - - 28 12 5 franc piece· i 5 58
half ditto - . 14 06 British
crown - i 6 40
Spanishtqnadruples
1722-1786 92 60 shilling. 1 28 ditto - - - 46 30 sixpence. 0 64
ditto (pistoles) - 23 151'1 Russian silver .rou~le i 4 41
i ditto (t ditto) - II 46 ' 20
KOPIC piece 0 99
T~ ditto ( ditto) - 5 96 Spanish pillar dollars I 6 0
Austrian sovereigns • . - 38 88 half ditto -' 3 0
ducats - - - 13 06 German convention - 5 78
Bavarian ditto - - . 13 06 Bavarian crown - 6 36
Dutch ditto - - - \.3 0 Austrian zwanzigers - 0 95
Venetian ditto - - - 13 24 Tuscan dollars - 6 21
Portuguese dobras - - 100 50 " Roman scudi - 5 97
moja dobras - 50 25 I' Neapolitan dollars 5 72
Mexican ditto 6 0
Bolivian ditto 6 0
Peruvian ditto 6 0
Rio de la Plata ditto 6 0
I Colombian ditto 5 78
It is to be observed in the above tariff, that all
Turkish
coins are excluded; but notwithstanding this, accounts continued
to be kept in piastres and paras, and importations of
base Turkish money being still made for the purpose of exchanging
them for the genuine Greek coins, which were exported
to Turkey to melt down, the government were obliged
to take vigorous measures to put a stop to this proceeding,
which threatened to drain the kingdom of the new coin, and
render its introduction null and void. A royal decree was
therefore issued (dated ~ August 1833),
prohibiting alto-
29
gether the use and circulation of Turkish money, and ordering
any such coins as should be passed after the f:J October
of the same year to be confiscated, and the delinquents
punished besides with a fine of from 100 to 500 drachmes,
according to circumstances.
It is no doubt a difficult and somewhat dangerous experiment
to change by an arbitrary law the currency of a whole
country, sanctioned by custom from time immemorial; but
106 COMMERCE.
in this case the bold and vigorous measure!'! of the government
were crowned with complete success. A few examples
were made to show that the government was in earnest; and
the Greeks soon learned to keep their accounts in the new
coin, and regulate the prices of all articles by the drachme
and lepta.
Weights and Measu1'es.-Almost every article in Greece
is sold by weight, even wine, oil, spirits, and other fluids, as
also a great many other thing!'! which in most countries
are considered too bulky and inconvenient to be sold by
weight, and generally reckoned by the cubic contents, or by
the barrel, sack, &c. Thus in Greece firewood, tar, coals,
corn, and straw, are sold by weight.
For all these general purposes the unit of weight is the
Turkish oka (equal to 2-lo
oiJ lbs. avoirdupois), and subdivided
into 400 drachmes, ten of which are consequently equal
to 1 oz. avoirdupois. For some of the more bulky and
less valuable articles the price is regulated according to the
cantari, containing 44 okas. .
The only measure for length is the peeke (IIhl1),
also a
Turkish measure, and about twenty-five English inches. This
is subdivided into eight roupia (Poll1rLa).
As the objections which existed to the Turkish monetary
system on the score of its being liable to be altered and debased
according to the arbitrary will or financial exigencies
of the sultan, could not be urged against the weights and
measures of Turkey, which were accurately defined and generally
used throughout the Levant, the Greek government
took no measures to introduce a new system till the year
1836, when several plans were proposed, and at length, after
a se~ere
scrutiny by the council of state, the government
published the royal decree of the ;~ ~~~. } 1836, regulating
the new weights and measures of the kingdom, as in the
following tables: -
LONG MEASURE.
The Peeke (IIfIXl1) exactly equal to a French Metre.
The Palm (IIa:\afll1) Tll5
Thc Inch (~a"TII:\o!.')d()
The Line (rpaflfl~)nliJlY
COMMERCE. 107
ROAD MEASURE.
The Stadium (~Tll~LOJI)
= 1,000 Peekes,
or a French Kylometre.
The Mile (~xoLJli,,)
= 10,000 Peekes,
or a French Myriametre.
SQUARE MEASURE.
The Square Peeke (TfrpaywJloJl 1II7X1j) = a Square Metre.
The Stremma (~rpif'P'u)
= a Square
Decare.
CUBIC MEASURE.
The Litra (Airpa) = Tll~O Cubic Peeke, or a Cubic Decimetre.
(N.B. It Litras = 1 Oka, and 1 Oka = i Litra.)
The Cotyli (KorVA1j) = T~ Litra, or a Decilitra.
The Mystron (MVI7TPOJl) = -d I'i
Litra, or a Centilitre.
The Cubus (Kv~o,,)
= T,lo ~ Litra, or a Millilitre.
The Kylo (KoiAOJl) = 100 Litra, or a Hectolitre.
WEIGHTS.
I. For Valuable Articles.
The Drachm (ilpaXJL~)
is equal to the specific weight of a Kubus,
or Tt/tU> Litra of pure water at a mean temperature.
The Obolus (·O~OAoc)
= ia Drachm, or a Decigramme.
The Grain (K6/C/Coc) = TAn Drachm, or a Centigramme.
11. For Common and General Articles.
The Mna (MJla) = ] 500 Drachmes, or 11 French Kylogrammes.
The royal ordonnance then proceeds to the other particulars
respecting the introduction of the new system, and
ordains that the use of the old weights and measures is to
cease on the fs January, 1837, in the communes of Athens,
Nauplia, Patras, Hermopolis (Syria), Tripolitza, Sparta,
Missolonghi, Lamia, and Chalcis, on the AJuly of the
same year, in the chief towns of the other governments and
sub-governments, and after another six months throughout
the whole kingdom.
But as this measure was not executed with the spirit and
energy which characterised the introduction of the change
in the monetary system, it has not as yet been carried into
effect. Its failure is chiefly to be attributed to the want of a
sufficient number of weights and measure>', to be sold to the
108 COMMERCE.
public at moderate prices, and adjusted and stamped by an
officer of the government; and till this is done it will be
quite impossible to enforce its execution.
There can be no doubt that the system is a good one; it
combines great practical benefits with the facility of calculating
by the decimal system, and at the same time it draws
Greece closer to the great family of European nations, and
breaks a link in the chain of orientalism, by which she had
long been fettered. The unit of weight (the Mna) was
made equal to It kilogrammes, in the view of assimilating it
as much as possible to the oka, thereby to accustom the
public to regulate their transactions of purchase and sale by
a new system, without any very great difference in weight,
and with the ulterior object of dividing it into It unit at
some future time, when the people should have become
habituated to make their galculations according to the
decimal system. Besides this, it was at once prudent and
politic, in introducing a new scale, to choose the same
weights and measures as those of either England, France, or
Austria, the countries with which Greece carries on the
greatest trade; for then all invoices and accounts of sale
made in one country would be better understood in the
other, by having the same system of weights and measures;
and any impartial observer wiII see that the complicated
system of England cannot assert any claim to be adopted by
a new country, whereas the simplicity of the French code is
well suited for introduction into another state with which
they already carry on an extensive commerce.
Interest and Discount.-Properly speaking, there is no
legal rate of interest in Greece, as money is lent at different
prices, according to private agreement, the credit of the
borrower, and the nature of the security offered. Capodistria
fixed the rate of legal interest at 8 per cent. per annum, by
a special decree on the subject in 1829; but, like most of
his laws, it was not enforced, and the price of money has
been allowed to find its own level.
During the first few years of the existence of Greece as a
kingdom, money was exceedingly scarce, and was lent at
20 to 24 per cent. on mortgage of house and landed proCOMMERCE.
109
perty, and 36, and even 50 per cent. on personal security.
This enormous rate of interest brought a good deal of
foreign capital into the kingdom, which was principally expended
in building at Nauplia and Athens.
As the speculators were obliged to pay so much interest
for the use of the money, they made their tenants pay dearly
for the use of their houses; and house rent was as dear at
Nauplia and Athens, during the first three or four years, as
it is in London, whilst the houses were miserably constructed.
Since the affairs of Greece have assumed a settled aspect;
since the currency has been regulated, and the rights and liabilities.
of mortgage clearly defined, interest of money has
fallen to a more moderate price, and may now,be quoted at
J2 per cent. for first description of mortgage, 15 per cent. for
the second, and 18 to 24 per cent. on personal security.
Discount of bills, at not more than three months' date, with
three signatures of good credit, may be found at Athens,
Syra, and Patras, at I to 2 per cent. per month; in other
places, 2 to 3 per cent.
It will naturally be inferred from this that permanent iuvestments
of capital in Greece must produce very good interest,
where such high rates are paid for temporary loans.
Such is the case. Houses at Athens, if well built and in
good situations, now pay 25 to 30 per cent., and during the
first years, 50 to 60 per cent. Investments in gardens and
vineyards produce as much, and arable land lets for half its
value every year. In many cases, where people go cautiously
and judiciously to work, the profit is still more considerable.
Plantations of olive trees and currants are a safe and profitable
investment, but require a lapse of some years before
they make a return; but at the end of that term the profit
is from 100 to 150 per cent. per annum~
Mortgage Laws. - One of the
most beneficial and successful
legislative measures enacted by the king was the
law of mortgage or .hypothek ('Y7ro(J~"1JC vOfJ-oc),
organising
the regulations and conditions of mortgage, which was
much wanted for the proper securit.y of property, and the
facility of obtaining loans on the above security. A provisional
law was issued in 1835, which gave to the justices of
1]0 COMMERCE.
the peace the competency of keeping a register of mortgages
for their respective jurisdictions, as an initiative and preparatory
measure for the then contemplated introduction of the
definitive law on the subject. In it, it was enacted that
mortgages
already existing, or which should be made prior to the
appearance of the intended law, and inscribed in the registers
of mortgage of the justices of the peace, should have
priority over those notentered. These registers were merely
to contain the following columns,-1. The date of insertion;
2. The Christian and family name of the mortgagee; 3. The
name of the mortgager; 4. The particulars of the property
mortgaged; 5. The date of the document by which the
mortgage was secured; and, 6. The amount of the mortgage.
The definitive law of mortgage is dated Athens, ~~ August,
1836; and the following are the principal regulations contained
in it : -
" Hypothek is a legal temporary claim on the immovable
property of another person, as a security for the eventual
payment of a lawful pecuniary demand, obtained by inscription
in the books of mortgage appointed by this law.
"The objects of mortgage can only be, 1. Immovable
property, capable of changing owners in a legal manner,
together with the appurtenances considered by law as belonging
to it; and,2. The temporary enjoyment of such property
and its appurtenances.
" No mortgage can be granted on the property of a third
person without his consent, nor upon that of public bodies
or corporations, such as communes, monasteries, or charitable
institutions, without the consent and agreement of their
legal representatives or official organs, if such exist, and, if
not, then of the whole of the members constituting it.
"
If the mortgaged estate be deteriorated, or depreciated
in value by the carelessness or dishonesty of the mortgager,
the mortgagee has the right of demanding a liquidation of
his claims before the expiration of the term stipulated, or of
laying a complaint against him, in order to hinder further
depreciation, or, lastly, to demand other security for the sum
advanced.
" The right of mortgage may be obtained in three difCOMMERCE.
111
ferent modes; viz. 1. By law. The
state has the right of
demanding a mortgage as security for arrears of taxes,
customs-duties, &c. 2. By verdict of a tribunal, such as the
civil courts, tribunals of commerce, &c., and, 3. B.lI private
will and consent.
" The mortgage is made valid by formal inscription into
the book of Hypothecations (Tv Btr;X{ov rijc
'Y1rofJ;'''7Jc), and
must be for a definite and specified sum. It can only be
granted on real and actually existing property in the bona
fide possession of the mortgager, and in no case on expected
property.
",l\1ortgage8 on the same property take precedence according
to chronological order, and if two or more are registered
on the same day, they have equal rights, unless the
contrary be expreSSly stated, and with the consent of all
parties interested.
"
If a mortgage is granted on any building insured at the
time in a Greek or foreign insurance company, and such
policy be allowed to expire without being renewed, the mortgagee
may claim the immediate payment of his demand even
before the expiration of the term stipulated. In like manner
the mortgagee may claim the amount of his loan out of the
sum to be paid by such insurance company in case of fire,
provided the amount be not devoted to the rebuilding of such
house or other building within one year and a day, and till
then he is entitled to demand security for the eventual proper
application of such funds.
" All property mortgaged is responsible as far as it goes
for the interest of the loan as well as the capital advanced.
"In the principal city of each eparchy, an office for the
registration of mortgages is established for the district in
which it is situated.
" The registrar of mortgages is bound to keep the books
under lock and key, that in his legal absence no one may alter
or damage them, and he is personally responsible for their
safety and being correctly kept.
" The present law comes into force on the AOctober
1836, and the minister of justice is charged with its publication
and enforcement."
112 COMMERCE.
The regulations respecting the manner in which the books
of mortgage are to be kept, together with the manner of examining
and proving the correctness and authenticity of the
title deeds of property are published in the Gov. Gaz. for
1836., p.253.
National Bank.-As will be seen
under the head of Agriculture,
the quantity of arable land lying actually waste from
want of capital to cultivate it, is very considerable, and his
majesty's government has frequently turned its attention to
the establishment of a loan bank, and entered into negotiations
with several foreign capitalists of different countries.
Mr. Wright, the indefatigable head of the late banking
firm of Wright & Co., in London, and a devoted Philhellene,
was the first who made proposals to the Greek government
for establishing a bank in Greece, and as early as the year
1834 sent out an agent to negotiate with the ministry on the
subject. He offered to establish a bank atAthens with a
capital of a million sterling; to lend three quarters of this
sum to the agricultural interest on mortgage at 8 per cent.,
and to employ the other quarter in discount at 10 per cent. ;
but there were certain conditions respecting the circulation
of bank notes and other matters on which they could not
ag~ee, and the negotiations were still carried on up to the
time of the failure, which was lamented no where more
than in Greece, where the eyes of the whole nation were
turned to him in the fond expectation of seeing their hopes
realised by his at length coming to terms with the government,
and by the establishment of the bank.
M. Eynard, the banker of Geneva, conjointly with the
house of Messrs. Laffitte and Co. of Paris, made also proposals
to establish a bank with a capital of 16,000,000 of francs, at
10 per cent. inter.:st, but also imposed conditions and demanded
privileges which could not well be accepted and
granted by the Greek government.
An English house at Smyrna next offered a capital
of 500,000/. Some bankers at Vienna were also willing
to form a bank with a sum of 2,000,000 of florins, and the
Greek merchants at Scio proposed to found a bank with a
capital of 2,000,000 of Spanish dollars; but owing to the
con
pos
seq
]
of
ma
to
SI
fOl
thE
10
lee
at
in
n
si
COMMERCE. 113
conditions offered, or· the rate of interetlt, none of these proposals
could be listened to, and the negotiations wcre in consequence
broken off.
Lastly, the Dutch capitalists, who are the principal holders
of the bonds of the two old Greek loans of 1824 and 1825,
made also proposals, the conditions of which briefly were,to
advance 12,000,000 of francs to the Greek government at
5 per cent. interest, for the purpose of establishing the bank
for account of the latter; and out of the profits arising from
the concern, by lending out the capital on mortgage at 8 or
10 per cent., to form a sinking fund with which to acknowledge
and liquidate one half of the old loans at thc price
at which they were issued (about 56 per cent.), sinking the
interest.
This proposal was likewise rejected; and the government,
therefore, came to the resolution of establishing the bank
single-handed, interesting themselves for a certain amount as
private individuals, and letting it rest on its own merits to
find supporters and shareholders among the moneyed men of
Europe generally.
In consequence of this, the bank charter, of which the
following is a correct translation, appeared in the spring of
llUlt year, and the establishment is now being formed.
Bank Law.
We Otho, by the grace of God, &c.;
In consideration of the joint representations of our ministers
of the interior and finances, and after having heard the opinion
of our council of state, will and ordain as follows:Art.
I. A nationa~
bank shall be established in the capital
of our kingdom in the form of an anonymous society (joint
stock bank), which may have branches in other parts of our
kingdom.
Art. 2. The capital of the bank is fixed
for the present
at 5,000,000 of drachmes, which may be increased according
to the wants of the country on receiving the sanction
of our government.
I
114 COMMERCE.
Art. S. The capital stock of the bank is
divided into
5000 shares, each of 1000 drachmes. The shares may be divided
into halves and quarters, if required. The government
will take at least 1000 shares; the rest may be taken
by Greeks and foreigners without distinction.
Art. 4. The shares will be made out
either in the name of
the shareholder or the bearer as may be required, and the
liability of the shareholders is limited to the amount of their
respective shares.
Art. 5. The bank will be considered
constituted as soon
as 2600 shares are subscribed for.
Art. 6. The total number of shareholders
of the bank will
be represented by a general assembly of the shareholders, or
their representatives resident at Athens. The exact number
representing the whole body will be fixed in the by-laws,
which will be duly published.
Art.7. The direction of the affairs of the
bank will be
invested in a committee elected at a general meeting.
Art. 8. In order to ensure the adherence
of the committee
of management to the statutes and by-laws, a royal commissioner
will be appointed by us, who, under the injunction of
the strictest secrecy in the discharge of his duty, will have
the right of examining the books, papers, and vouchers of the
bank; of being present at the private sittings of the board and
at general meetings, to learn the real state of affairs, and to
convince himself that the business of the bank is carried on
conformably to the statutes and regulations. He is· also
specially enjoined to keep an eye upon, and is personally
responsible for the punctual fulfilment of the provisions of
this law, as respects the issuing 9f paper money, which,
previous to being put in circulation, must be countersigned
by him. In all cases of contravention, the royal commissioner
is bound to make the necessary representations to the
board of management, and if no notice is taken by them to
report the case to our government, and the measure must remain
in suspense till the decision of government be known;
but should such decision not be made within SO days, the
bank is at liberty to execute the measure in question or dispute.
COMMERCE. 115
Art. 9. The operations of the bank will
be - 1. Making
loans on mortgage and deposits; and, 2. Discounting.
Art. 10. Any other operations than those
contained in the
last article are prohibited. In the course of time, however,
with the consent of the general proprietors and the approbaation
of government, other branches of business may be
introduced.
Art. 11. The bank will make loans in legally circulating
specie on mortgage of immoveable property situated within
this kingdom, and also on deposits of gold and silver. Four
fifths of the capital to be employed in this manner. It is
understood that all loans, and the interest on them, are to be
calculated and repaid at the pure intrinsic value of the
drachme at the time the loan was made.
Art. 12. The annual rate of interest for
loans on mortgage
and pledges can never exceed 10 per cent.
Art. 13. The bank will not make any loan
above one half
the value of the property mortgaged, nor above four fifths of
the worth of the pledge. The value of both will be adjusted
by agents appointed by the bank, and bound to execute
their duty according to the provisions contained in their
instructions, which will be published with the by-laws. The
expenses attending such valuations, as well as the registration
of mortgages, must be borne by the borrowers.
Art. 14. Whenever the value of a
mortgaged property is
enhanced by the money lent by the bank and expended on
it, the bank may make a 8econd loan conformably to the
provisions of the last article.
Art. 15. Borrower8 are at liberty to make
arrangements
with the bank for the repayment of their loans, either at
stated periods or by way of annuities.
Art. 16. Should any borrower who has made
such arrangement
with the bank wish notwithstanding to repay his loan
previously, either wholly or in part, he may do so upon
giving the bank three months' notice of his intention.
Art.l7. The term for loans made on pledges
cannot exceed
oue year, but on the payment of the interest it may be
renewed.
Art. 18. As soon as the pledges are
deposited with the
I 2
116 OOMMERC£.
bank they are considered as security for the sum advanced,
whoever may be the owner.
Art. 19. The bank is at liberty to
discount bills, and is
empowered to employ one fifth of its capital in this manner.
Whenever a part of the capital set apart for loans on mortgage
and pledges is disposable, it may be employed provisionally
in discounting' till demands are made for loans
upon mortgage or ·pledge. For this purpose the bank has
the right of issuing bank notes payable to the bearer; the
amount of which, however, cannot exceed two fifths of the
existing capital stock of the bank. As a security to the
public for the notes in circulation, it is bound to keep in
ready money at least one fourth of the amount issued, to
meet the demand for changing the notes; and for the other
three fourths, to make over the title-deeds of property
mortgaged to the bank for double the value of such bank
notes.
Art. 20. The bank notes, whose value must
be expressed
in Greek currency, cannot be for a less amount than 25
drachmes; and the public are not compelled to take them,
but the bank and its branches are bound to exchange them
on presentation for specie legally circulating in the kingdom,
without any difficulty or remarks.
Art. 21. The bank notes must be
countersigned by the
royal commissioner. Any paper money 'put in circulation
by the bank without the signature of the commissioner must
be called in immediately by the bank, which incurs thereby
a fine of three times the value of such notes, to be paid into
the state treasury. One third of the fines goes to the informer.
The bank-notes are stamp-free.
Art. 22. The articles 248. and 258. of
the Penal Code are
applicable in all cases of forgery and uttering forged notes.
Art. 23. The annual rate of interest for
discounting cannot
exceed 8 per cent.; but in cases of public emergency the
government may allow the bank to raise the rate of discount
provisionally.
Art. 24. The bank will be represented in
all lawsuits in
our courts of justice by the directors.
Art. 25. When a mortgager refuses to pay
the interest or
COMMERCE. 117
annuity due, the bank has the right to seize his moveable
property, and have it sold to cover its demand. Should he
refuse a second time, or have no such moveable property
the first time, the loan will be considered as at an end, and
the mortgaged property sold by public auction according to
the provisions of the civil code,
Art. 26. If persons who borrow of the bank on deposits
of pledges neglect to repay the loan at the stated period,
such pledges may be sold by public auction by the bank
without any further judicial proceedings, but according to
the forms marked out in such cases by the existing laws.
Art. 27. Every lawsuit of the bank is
considered summary
and pressing, and as such takes precedence of all other suits
in our courts of justice.
Art. 28. The bank is simply a private
institution.
Art. 29. The board of management are
bound to lay before
the minister of the interior a general view of the state
of the affairs of the bank every year.
Art. 30. The existence of the bank is
fixed for the period
of twenty-five years, provided the government should not be
induced to extend it, at the instance of the shareholders.
Art.31. At its liquidation the bank is bound
to deposit,
in the state treasury cash to the amount of the whole sum of
bank notes then in circulation. If after the lapse of three
years, and public notice having been given to the holders of
notes, they are not all presepted, such outstanding ones lose
their value, and are considered forfeited to the bank.
Art.32. Every former bank law is rescinded
after the pub~
lication of the present one.
Art. 33. Our secretary of state for the
interior is charged
with the publication and execution of the present law.
G " A h 30 March,}
lven at tens, 11 April) 1841.
(Signed) OTHO.
(Countersigned) A. G. KRIEZl.
A. PAlcos.
G.
N. THEOKARlS.
G. K. TESSAMlNOS.
REsa.
I 3
118
COMMERCE.
The by-laws contain the regulations for the internal
management of the bank, the general meetings, mode of
transferring shares, &c.
The general meeting is held every year, and is composed
of the fifty largest shareholders, or their representatives
duly appointed.
The committee of management is composed of a president,
vice-president, two ordinary and two supernumerary directors,
who are elected every two years by ballot at the general
meeting. They may be re-elected after the expiration of the
above period. The president and vice-president are not
permitted to do any business on their own private account.
The directors are at liberty to engage in any commercial
undertaking that they think proper. The treasurer, secretary,
and clerks, are appointed by the committee of management.
Bills offered to the bank for discount must be furnished
with the signatures of three solvent and respectable firms,
and cannot be for more than at three months' date.
Private Banks.-,There are only two in
Greece, both discount
banks: one of them at Athens, founded by M. Eynard,
of Geneva, with a capital of 500,000 francs, for the purpose
of discounting local bills with the signatures of three good
firms, and fol' not more than at ninety days' date, at a fixed
rate of eight per cent. per annum.
The other private bank is established at the Pirreus by an
English house; it lends money on mortgage, and discounts
bills at the price of the day, and according to private agreement
between the parties.
Stamps. - Stamps were introduced in the year
1836 as a
fiscal measure, and cannot be said to press heavily on the
commercial community, particularly as they have been greatly
reduced, as regards bills of exchange and bills of lading.
For a detailed account of the law of stamps, see that article
under the head of FINANCES.
Chambers of Commerce. - There exist
at present but
three, viz. at Nauplia, Syria, and Patras; but the royal
ordonnance, which is dated 2; ~ay,} 1836, permits
others
une,
COMMERCE. 119
to be formed in such places as may be deemed necessary
by the mercantile community.
The chambers of commerce consist each of six ordinary
and three extra members, from the first of whom the president
and secretary are elected. Any merchant of good reputation
and general commercial information, established
and resident for at least five years in the place where the
chamber is formed, is eligible to become a member. The
members are chosen in the same manner as the judges of the
tribunals of commerce, under the immediate auspices of the
governor of the province, and are elected for the term of
three years. Every year one third of the number go out
of office in rotation, but may be re-elected. The chamber of
commerce may fill up vacancies in their number arising from
death or other causes, out of the latest list of persons eligible
for the office of judge of the commercial tribunal.
The office of member of the chamber of commerce being
considered an honourable distinction, the post is purely
honorary, the members receiving no remuneration for their
services.
The chambers of commerce are formed for the purpose of
imparting to the government their views and advice on mercantile
subjects; particularly on the existing obstacles to the
development and increase of commerce, and the means best
adapted to counteract and remove them; and further to superintend
and watch over the execution of the public works
and establishments relating to trade and shipping; such as,
for instance, the cleaning, deepening, and improving of harbours,
the building of quays, quarantine establishments, canals
and railroads, the mercantile navy, commercial schools, custom-
house regulations, &c.
The chambers of commerce may meet and deliberate on
any question coming within their jurisdiction as often as
they think proper, or they may be called upon by government
1'0 do so. The meetings are convened by the president
after communicating with the governor of the province,
who, if able to attend, presides at the meeting; and if not, the
chair is taken by the president.
Commercial Tribunals.- These court..~ are formed for the
I 4.
120 COMMERCE.
purpose of taking cognisance of disputes on mercantile
subjects, and exist at present only at Nauplia, Patras, and
Syra. (See tIPs article under the head of JUSTICE.) .
The jurisdiction of these courts is $hus laid down by the
2
royal decree of the 14 May, 1835:-
The tribunals of commerce have the power to give judgment
in all cases of dispute which have reference to the
liabilities, agreements, and contracts of merchants, bankers,
and tradesmen; and also in all mercantile affairs, whether
the parties are commercial men or not.
The following are considered as mercantile transactions,
and belong to the jurisdiction of the court: - Purchases of
goods and merchandise (7rpov6J1Twv Tir;
yqr; 1/ Tfxvqr;) to sell
again in the raw state, or manufactured; all affairs of factories,
commission business, shipping, and sending away
goods by land or by sea; all agencies and public contracts;
bill-brokers' and banking business; the operations of public
banks; the liabilities of merchants and traders amongst
themselves; bills of exchange or remittances of money sent
from one place to another, whether the parties belong to the
commercial community or not; the building and fitting out
of merchant ships, whether coasters or engaged in the foreign
trade; the sale of cordage, provisions, and stores;
loans on bottomry bonds; insurances on ships and goods;
agreements with sailors, &c.
The above tribunals are competent to give a verdict in
cases of complaints between" principals and clerks, as far as
regards their mutual mercantile relations; and, lastly, in aH
cases of fraudulent bankruptcy.
There is no appeal from the decisions of the commercial
courts in the following cases: - 1. Where the amount in
dispute is under 800 drs.; and 2. Where the parties express
their determination to abide by the issue of the verdict.
It may be here observed, that the mercantile l~ws of
Greece are founded on the French commercial code, with
but few and trilling alterations.
The Custom House Establishment, as stated in another
part of this work (see FIN ANCES), is composed of 25 chief
custom houses, 63 under-customs, and 33 stations, forming
COMMERCE. 121
a total of 179 ports. Their business is very considerable,
but chiefly confined to the coasting or home trade, free in_
tercourse without payment of duty being now permitted
between all the Greek ports, which was not the case under
Capodistria, who introduced the unjust and oppressive system
that all goods were liable to the same duties at every port,
and wherever they came from; and thus not only were the
goods and produce of one part :of Greece obliged to pay
the import duty in another Greek port, but foreign articles,
imported originally at Syra for instance, after paying the
import duty, and being reshipped perhaps to Navarin, paid
duty a second time, and then when reshipped to a smaller
port the same thing occurred, which tended greatly to
restrict commerce, and greatly enhance the price of every
article to the consumer.
To oppose, however, the greatest possible obstacles to
smuggling, the trade with foreign countries is limited to the
twenty-five chief custom house ports; but an exception has
latterly been made in favour of some of the second-rate ports.
The whole of the custom house sylltem, however, is still very
defective; the facility for smuggling and the inducements to
bribery are great, and the control is not sufficiently extensive.
A reform has been long talked of, and is much
wanted.
BoTUling System.-This is aleo
exceedingly bungling and
faulty. The original plan introduced by Capodistria was to
admit foreign goods to be imported and deposited in transit
till their exportation on the paymentof 1 per. cent. ad
valorem
on small goods, and 2 per cent.
on bulky articles, every three
months! This was only repealed in 1836, on
the representation
of a foreign merchant, who had some articles of merchandise
of this description placed in transit at Syra, and
which he kept there for three years in expectation of a rise
in the market, supposing that the 2 per cent. was for the whole
period: as he had to pay warehouse rent besides, he was not
a little surprised at the lapse of that period to find himself
called upon to pay 24 per cent. for transit duty, making in
addition to 10 per cent. in all 34 per cent.
It was then altered as follows: - Small and valuable ar122
COMMERCE.
ticles pay 1 per cent. ad valorem for every four months, if
warehoused in government stores. Bulky articles of small
value may be deposited in private warehouses under the
custom house lock on payment of 1 per cent. ad valorem, if
for less than two years, and 4 per cent. if kept in government
stores. The following articles come under the latter category:
-1. Firewood; timber for house and ship building;
wooden articles, as chairs and other furniture, shovels, hoops,
sieves, &c. 2. Corn, pulse, almonds in the shell, nuts, valonea,
&c. 3. Coils of ropes. 4. Earthenware, dangerous
and inflammable articles, and those emitting a disagreeable
smell, are to be warehoused in private stores.
The only bonding ports in the kingdom are Nauplia,
Patras, Syra, and Pirreus, to which Hydra was added in
1835, in consideration of its being declared a free port in
1830 by the provisional government.
The Tariff. - This branch
of the national system also requires
a complete revision. The tariff at present in force was
. . . 31 March, ~
published by Capodlstria, and IS dated Naupha, 11 April, 5
1830. The import duties are based on the principle of 10
per cent., and the exports at 6 per cent. The following are
the import and export duties on those articles specified in
the tariff. All others pay 10 and 6 per cent. respectively.
IMPORT DUTIES.
Alum
Bottles
Biscuits
Beer, in bottles
in casks
Books
Butter, Black Sea
European
Coffee, Mocha
other sorts
Cloves
Camphor
Cordage, tarred
not tarred -
Articles.
per oka
per 100
per cantar
per dozen
per oka
per cantar
Duty.
Dn.
Lep.
2 80
2 0
2 0
1 0
o 15
free.
o 15
o 30
o 40
o 25
1 0
1 20
4 0
5 20
COMMERCE.
Article••
Chocolate
Cheese, Eastern
European
Corks
Caviar
Cattle, homed - • }
Mules - • -
Asses - - -
Horses for agricultural purposes
Dates
Elephants' teeth
Flax
Galls, black
green
Gum Arabic
Gunpowder Grain,-
Wheat -
Barlel and rye TurkISh
corn (maize)
Hams and sausages Hats,
best
second quality
Hemp
Indigo
Implements (agricultural and technical)
Lead pencils
Metals:-
Iron, in sheets
bar and hoop
Tin plates
Silver, in bars and
unstamped
Tin
Quicksilver
Lead
White lead
Brass
Brass in sheets •
Copper -
Steel
Macaroni
Nails
Nutmegs
Opium
Olives
Onions
Pepper
Pimento
Pitch
Rice
Sesame seed Saltpetre
per oka
-per cantar
per oka
per cantar
per oka
per kilo
per oka
each
per oka
ad val.
per 1000
per cantar
per box
per cantar
per oka
per cantar
per oka
per cantar
per oka
per cantar
per oka
per cantar
per oka
per cantar
per oka
123
Duty.
Du. Lep.
o 60
o 12
o 20
2 80
o 20
free.
1 0
o 80
o 20
o 30
o 10
o 60
o 30
o 15
o 6
o 10
o 30
3 20
2 0
o 10
3 60
3T'cent.
1 20
1 60
2 0
6 0
free.
14 0
1 20
2 0
5 60
8 0
o 60
o 40
3 60
o 12
4 80
2 0
5 20
o 4
o 40
o 25
o 40
o 80
o 4
o 6
o 15
124 COMMERCE.
Articles. Duty.
Spirits of wine
Stockfish
Salt
Saffron
Sugar loaves
crushed
raw
Shot
Salt fish
Silk, raw
Tar
Tongues, smoked
Tobacco, raw
Snuff
Segars
Tea, black
green
Tiles
Timber for shipbuilding
for houses
Vermicelli
Vitriol
Wax, yellow
Wool, unwashed
washed
Wine, common
fine
EXPORT DUTIES.
per oka
per cantar
per oka
per dozen
per oka
per 1000
ad va!.
per oka
per cantar
per oka
per cantar
per barrel
per oka
Drs. Lep.
o 15
2 40
prohibited.
1 40
o 30
o 20
o 12
o 10
o 15
7 20
1 20
o 15
1 0
o 80
2 40
1 60
3 20
2 20
5"cent.
7"cent.
o 12
1 20
o 40
3 20
5 0
4 0
o 60
Articles. Duty.
Du.
Lep.
Bristles - - - - - - free.
Cattle:-
Buffaloes - - - per head 12 0
Oxen . - - - ... 10 0
Cows . - - - ... 6 0
Calves - . - - ... 4 0
Mules - - - - ... 6 0
Horses of burthen - - ... 6 0
Sheep - - - - ... 0 60
Lambs - - - . ... 0 30
Silver, uncoined - . - per drachm 0 5
Sponge, virgin, washed - - per oka 0 60 ... unwashed - - ... 0 40
ordinary, washed . - ... 0 20 ... unwashed . ... 0 10
COMMERCE. 125
Marine Insurance Companies. - Several of these establishments
have been formed as joint stock companies; the
principal of which are-
The Greek Insurance Company, established at Syra in 1H37.
The Company of Friends of Insurance - 1838.
The Bermes (Mercury) - 1838.
The Achaian Marine Insurance Company, Patraa 1836.
The only foreign insurance company that has an agency
in Greece is the Trieste Company, called the c. Adriatic
Union of Security," which has an establishment at Athens.
Foreign Trade. - The commerce
of Greece with foreign
countries has greatly increased within the last five years, and
is by no means inconsiderable.
At Constantinople there are between Il,OOO and 12,000
Greek subjects (exclusive of the Rayahs or Greeks subject
to the Porte), partly engaged in commerce, and partly in
exercising different trades; whilst the residents of all other
powers together do not amount to above SOOO.
The number of Greek subjects who leave the country
furnished with regular passports from the foreign office is
about 2000 every year. The crews of the Greek vessels engaged
in the foreign trade amount to about 10,000; and we
may safely calculate that at least SOOO other persons go to
Turkey, Asia Minor, Egypt, and the Barbary coast, where
passports are not required; making on the whole about
IS,OOO annually.
The following table, taken from the reports of the several
Greek consuls at the undermentioned places, shows the approximative
value of the imports and exports in Greek bottoms
at the respective ports for the year 1840:-
Ports. Import•. Export•.
Drs. Drs.
Constantinople - - - 20,000,000 12,000,000
Smyrna - - - - 10,520,000 2,800,000
Volo - - - - 2,000,000 1,500,000
Zante - - - - 2,200,000 2,450,000
Trieste - - - - 15,000,000 11,500,000
Tenedos - - - - 500,000 200,000
Salonica - - - 150,000 200,000
Galatz - . - - 4,100,000
2,100,000
()dessa . - - - 2,000,000
5,000,000
126
COMMERCE.
Ports. Imports. Exports.
Drs. Drs.
Canea - - - - 1,300,000 1,100,000
HeracIium - - - 1,400,000
1,800,000
Marseilles - - - 6,000,000 15,000,000
Leghorn - - - 2,560,000 6,000,000
Rhodes - - - - 2,000,000 1,500,000
Beyrout - - - - 500,000 360,000
Enos - - - - 150,000 200,000
Prevesa - - - - 200,000 180,000
Corfu - - - - 2,200,000 1,100,000
Venice - - - - 3,000,000 7,500,000
I Genoa - - - - 1,000,000 3,000,000
Tunis - - - - 750,000 300,000
Gibraltar - - - 2,000,000 4,000,000
Alexandria - - - 10,000,000 12,000,000
Totals . 89,530,000
91,790,000
The value of the foreign trade in Greek vessels at the
other ports where there are consuls and vice-consuls is not
reported; though at some of them, such as Malta, the DardaneIles,
Damietta, Tripolis, and Algiers, it is con'siderable.
Tables showing the Extent of Commercial Traffic carried on
between the Ports of~ and Trieste respectively, from the
Years 1835 to 1840, both inclusive.
No. 1. IMPORTATIONS INTO GREECE FROM TRIESTE.
Articles. 183li.1~~
1838. ~I~
Steel - - cwt. 595[ 1,066 1,070 510 9221 976
Coffee - 3,502 4,947 5,780i 11,776 10,772 10,869
Hemp - 490 469 627 705 1,068 1,047
Paper - cases 396 715 1,609 185 1,082 526
Ironmongery ... 211 177 119 60 270 295
Nails - casks 3,228 1,771 1,210 594 1,799
1
2,336
Drugs - cases 174 183 133
1
312
1
1,047 568
Flour - cwt. 773 684 1,916 245 1,346
1
1,488
Iron, raw - ... 4,794 1,654 3,0671 3,951 2,279' 2,155
Timber - No. 105,675 35,855 31,356 25,147 53,903! 63,846
Planks - ... 498,188
1
312,300426,593
1
67,3021,267,8511,480,379
Manufactures, packages 1,109 813 2,442, 1,284 1,960
1
1,280
Glassware - crates 963
1
1,092 988
1
297 1,355, 1,071
Earthenware ... 971 228 189, 140 2341 78
Salt fish - cwt. 1,514 2,148 4,140' 762. I 3,852
Rice - 2,570 1,499 1,6141 990 3,216
1
1,506
Sugar, raw - 172 1,530
refined 264 66 1,242
1
1,039 1,156 2,006
I.eather - 994 680 1,543 3,593 2,0161 2,449
COMMERCE.
No. 2. EXPORTS FROM GREECE TO TRIESTE.
127
I ArtlCle""-' 1835. I 1llai. I 1837. I 1838. I 1839. 1840.
cwt. cwt. cwt. cwt.
I
cwt. cwt-:--
Madder 495 285 201 447 1,027 1,068
Wax . 152 297 589 339
480 189
Cotton - 669 2,454 4,155 4,985 I 8,199 722
Cheese - 1,208 1,709 4,012 1,590 1,109 161
Figs - 23,234 15,101 17,005 12,827 I 20,400 26,435
Currr.nts 23,432 8,691 16,500 34,437 I 50,031 25,530
Wool - 2,262 7,335 922 7,026 I 25,910 5,090
Olive oil 5,200 6,655 7,734 6 I 313 2,912
Skins - 676 939 4c71 757 2,870 800
Linseed 1,899 872 8,555 5,613 5,930 1,784
Silk, raw 151 414 269 297 660 491
Sponge 1,942 760
\
1,429 2,640 3,636 4,021
Valonea 18,234 39,793 19,372 6,752 22,600 44,528
Tobacco 54 203 2,779 905 4,016
The principal articles exported to other countries and imported
into Greece, are the following: -
Exports: - Currants, Corn, Cotton, Cheese, Figs, Honey,
Lemons, Madder, Oil, Skins, Salt, Silk, Sesame Seed,
Sponges, Tobacco, Vermilion, 'W001, and Wine.
Imports: - Live Animals, Butter, Corn, Caviar, Coffee,
Drugs and Medicines, Earthenware, Flour, Glassware, Cutlery,
Gunpowder, Hides, Hemp, Indigo, Maccaroni, Metals,
Manufactures generally, Nails, Paper, Rice, Salt Fish, Spices,
Spirits, Soda, Sugar, Soap, and Timber.
Treaties of Commerce, ~c. - The following
is a list of the
different treaties existing between Greece and other nations,
with the date of the year ill which they were concluded.
Nature of Treaty.
Friendship and Alliance.
Com~erce and Na~iga-{
gatlOn.
r
Right offre' Emigmtioool
Country with which made.
Bavaria.
Austria.
Great Britain.
Sweden and Norway.
United States of America.
Prussia.
Wurtemberg.
Baden.
Two Sicilies.
Bavaria.
Saxony.
Hanover.
Switzerland.
Date.
1833.
1835.
1838.
1838.
1838.
1839.
1834.
1835.
1838.
1836.
1836.
1835.
1837.
128 COMMERCE.
Nature of Treaty. Country with
which made. I Date.
Sardinia. 1839.
Right of free Emigration. Prussia. 1839.
Naples. 1837.
Sweden. 1838.
Sweden and Norway. 1835.
Papal Dominions. 1834.
Ionian Republic. 1835.
Tuscany. 1835.
Holland. 1835.
Austria. 1835.
Reciprocity of Port Russia. 1835.
Charges. Denmark. 1835.
Spain. 1834.
United States of America. 1837.
lHanover. 1836. Bremen. 1835.
Lubeck. 1835.
Hamburg. 1836.
Post-Office Treaties. {I Franc~. 1838.
Austna. 1834.
Greek Consulates in Foreign Countries. - There are 11
consuls-general, 38 consuls, and 29 vice-consuls; - in
all 78.
Consulates- General: - At Odessa,
Vienna, Stockholm,
Lisbon, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Leghorn, Naples, Alexandria,
and Bucharest.
Consulates: - Amsterdam,
Taganrok, Moscow, Hamburg,
Bremen, Leipzig, Lubeck, Cologne, Mayence, Copenhagen,
· Barcelona, Balearic Islands, Cadiz, Malaga,
Marseilles, Trieste, Ancona, Civita Vecchia, Venice, Genoa,
Messina, Liverpool, Belfast, Malta, Dublin, Boston, New
York, Tauris, Smyrna, Candia, Dardanelles, Beyrout, Salonica,
Prevesa, Cairo, Damietta, Jassy, and Tunis.
Vice-Consulates: - Ismai:H,
Semlin, Toulon, Algiers, Algesira,
Plymouth, Falmouth, Gibraltar, Brindisi, Leghorn,
Cagliari, Naples, Porto-Ferraro, Palermo, Nice, Galatz,
Ibra"ila, Adrianople, Enos, Jaffa, Tripolis, Volo, Rhodes,
Heraclium, Kydonia, Jallnina, Cephalonia, Corfu, and
Zante.
COMMERCE. 129
FOREIGN CONSULS IN GREECE.
The following is a list corrected down to September] 84-].
[C. G. stands for Consul-General, C. for Consul, V. C. for ViceConsul,
and C.A. for Consular Agent.]
GREAT BRITAIN.
Morea Patras
Nauplia
Navarin
Syra
CaJamata
Pirreus Missolonghi
-
FRANCE.
Patras Navarin
Naxos Zea
Tinos Santorin
Myconos
Syra
Eubrea
RUSSIA.
Athens
Nauplia
Syra
Patras Naxos
Eubrea
Thera -
AUSTRIA.
Athens
Syra
Patras Eubrea
Tinos -
G. Crowe, C.G.
H. Robinson, V.C.
J. Major, V.C.
Paul Legrand, V.C.
Richard Wilkinson, C.
R. Leondariti, V.C.
John Green, C.
J. Suter, V.C.
A. Douo, C.
Philip Robert, C.A.
Lastic Vigoureux, C.A.
Basileo Aristeo, C.A.
M. Spaderos, C.A.
W. Alby, V.C.
W. Gizis, V.C.
lV. Delovaz, C.
W. Manaraki, C.A.
J. Paparigopoulos, C.
(Vacant), C.
J. Kiister, C.
J. Kalogerakis, V.C.
J. Raftopoulos, V.C.
J. Calliroe, C.A.
B. Markesini, C.
G. C. Gropius, C.G.
G. Forestier, C.
G. M. Zuccoli, C.
Stefano Apostoli Papas, C.A.
M. Palreocapa, V.C.
K
130
Naxos Santorin
MycolloS
Thermia
Melos -
Jos
Syphno&
Zea
PirlEus
Calamata
Missolonghi Nauplia
Navarin
NETUERLANDS.
Athens
Patras Nauplia
Naxos Tinos
Myconos
Melos Santorin
Pyrgos
Two SICILIES.
Athens
Patras -
DRNMARK.
Athens
Patras Syra
PRUSSIA.
Patras -
PAPAL DOMINIONS.
Athens
SPAIN.
PirlEus
COMMERCE.
F. Girardi. V.C.
Antonio Delenda, V.C.
H. Corintio, C.A.
Georgio Masi, C.A.
Nicholas Brest, C.A.
Giovanni Bao, C.A.
Constantine Menegaki, C.A.
Basilio Aristeo, C.A.
Christopher Sodargna, C.A.
Anastasius G. Leondariti, C.A.
J. Suter, C.A.
Boniface Bonafin, C.A.
Antonio Nardini, C.A.
J. Travers, C.G.
Charles C. Jngate, C.
Boniface Bonafin, V.C.
Ph. Sumaripa, V.C.
Antonio Gabinelli, V.C.
Pietro Cordia, V.C.
Dominico Sardi, V.C.
Christodoulos Chigi, V.C.
Qu. Pasqualigo, V.C.
Chev. de Morelli, C.G.
Chev. de Zuccoli, C.
J. Travers (ad into), C.G.
C C. Jngate, C.
Antonio Salacha, C.
A. Contogouri, C.
H. D. Moretti, C.G.
F. de Moya, V.C.
COMMERCE.
BAVARIA.
181
Athens
Patras -
PORTUGAL.
Athens
TUSCANY.
Athens
SARDINIA.
Athens
BELGIUM.
Athens
SAXONY.
Athens
HANOVER.
Athens
Frederick Strong, C.
A. Contogouri, C.
Antonio Pacifico, C.
Spiro Balbi, C.
F. Feraldi, C.G.
O. Mettivier, C.
F. Feraldi, C.G.
J<'rederick Strong, C.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Athens G. A. Perdicaris, C.
General Table ofthe Imports and Exports of Greece in 1839.
Description of Good•• Value of Imports. Value of Export•.
Drs. Lep. Drs. Lep.
Almonds - - - 19,397 0 1,021
55
Aniseed . - - 4,397 0 964
18
Animals (live) for food - 255,132 0 268,562 50
for agriculture - 791,680 0 355.384 50
Butter • - - . 63,637 50 5,098
52
Brooms .. - - 125
20
Citrons - - - - - 16,065 20
CocheniIIe - - - 1,109 0
Cotton - - - - 8,842 20 68,087 80
Curds - - - - 227
Chesnuts - - - 40,215 55 2,749 0
Candles (Tallow) - - 8,044 60
Com (all descriptions) - - 2,979,165 20 304,649 0
Chocolate - - - 1,427 0
132 COMMERCE.
Deocriptlon or Good•. Value or Import•. Value or Export•.
Drs. Lep. Du.
Lep.
Cheese - - - 74,114 7 86,814 94
Cork - - - - 2,216 0
Caviar - - - 172,168 0
Coffee - - · - 298,451
0
Chalva - - - · 94,168 0
Drugs and Medicines · - 51,357 45
Dates · - - - 9,827 .0
Earthenware - · - 86,450 17
Flour - - - - 24,945 25
Fruit, fresh - · - 51,211 22 2,327 76
dried (raisins and currants) 117,903 70 2,670,518 69
(figs) - - 15,123 0 346,490 0
walnuts · - - 20,161 25
748 40
Fish, fresh - · · 29,843 25
salted - - - 459,619 56
roes - - - 5,013 0
Galls · - - - 776 50
1,558 50
Glass ware · - - 138,372 40
Gunpowder - - - 31,611 0
Hams - - - - 25,267 0
Hats - - - - 18,681 70
Hemp - - - - 296 0 5,027 28
Honey - - - 1,831 0
34,363 19
Incense - - - 15,781 80
Indigo - - · - 54,795
50
Liqnors (wine, beer, and spirits) 458,647 86 662,485 0
Lemons - - .. 3,818 0
70,181 0
Macaroni, Vermicelli, &c. - 26,680 10 409 80
Madder - - · - - 37,673 0
Metals - - - · 968,214 0
Mastic · - - 17,615 0
Manufactures of silk - - 213,520 0 13,654 0
wool - - 1,229,758 85 7,391 0
cotton - 3,611,939 29 43,995 0
straw· · 70,961 40
wood - - 157,777 17 327 80
linen - - 136,184 55
gold and silver
thread - 14,870 0
leather - 31,495 50
metal - - 265,608 77 4,310 0
bone - - 20,724 45
sundries - 488,884 42 139,414 20
Nuts, hazel - - - 16,127 0
pistacchio - - 112,205 0 1,276 36
Nails · · · -
240,390 32
Onions - - - - 14,213 80 11,609 50
Oranges - - - 24,710 14 1,669 48
Olives - - · - 43,589 50
6,295 6
Olive oil - - - 141,544 30 409,984 26
Paper - - - - 182,746 0
COMMERCE. ISg
-~ ----------
Value of ;':-ports. I Description of Goods. Value of Imports.
Dn.
Lep. DfI. Lep. I
Potatoes - - - 10,061 0 285 39
Perfumery - - - 70,927 0
Pulse of all descriptions - 99,591 81 12,276 14
Pitch - - - - 9,304 97 78 52
Preserves - - - 5,796 0 746 0
Pearl barley - - - 621 0
Rice - - - - 407,839 84
Skins and Hides - - 829,734 38 52,223 30
Sulphur - - - 9,818 20
Soda - - - - 25,986 70
Salt - - - - - - 20,006 0
Sugar - - - - 721,827 65
Silk, raw - - - 924 50 910,139 0
Soap - - - - 419,309 91 1,557 50
Salep - - - - 160 0
Sesami - - - - 2,736 0 15,996 35
Sponge - - - 6,121 50 178,539 0
Sundries - - - 140,508 25 10,160 75
Tallow, raw - - - 4,930 0 40 0
Tow - - - - 19,870 0 6,612 0
Tar - - - - 2,968 25 5,192 94
Tobacco - - - 138,079 2 14,318 80
Vermillion - - - - - 159,268 0
Wool, sheep's - - - 905 80 205,758 59
Wood for shipbuilding - - 346,822 13 3,538 50
dyes - - - 135,152 25
houses - - 769,563 52 40,059 87
fire - - - 70,346 10 11,876 0
Totals - 18,599,167 52 7,330,438 94
Table showing the Value (in Drachmes) of the Annual Imports,
Exports, Transit, and Coasting Trade of the
Kingdom of Greecefor the Years 1833 to 1840 inclusive.
~I Imports. Exports. I Transit. CTOrllalldtien.g I Total.
1833
I
12,267,773 5,534,219 6,007,310 3,000,000 26,809,302
1834 16,438,363 6,772,110 8,500,000 4,000,000 35,710,473
1835 , 16,179,145
9,779,900 11,312,754 '7,086,988 44,358,787
1836 1 15,905,389 12,803,222 13,191,549 6,327,014 48,227,174
1837 18,374,617 7,522,307 25,091,075 17,121,563 58,109,562
1838 ; 21,751,283
6,739,770 31,384,630 ,8,435,450 68,311,133
1839 18,599,167 7,330,438 28,325,053 9,352,758 63,607,416
1840 20,270,004 8,748,477 41,663,195 8,124,465, 78,806,141
---~-
K 3
134 COMMERCE.
TREATY OF NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE CONCLUDED
BETWEEN GREECE AND GREAT BRITAIN, SIGNED AT
22 SEPT.} 3 J LONDON 4 OcT~ 1837, AND
RATIFIED ON THE is AN.
1838.
His Majesty the King of Greece, and Her Majesty the
Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, being desirous of extending
and regulating the commercial relations of their
respective subjects, by means of a treaty, have nominated
for this effect as their plenipotentiaries: -
His Majesty the King of Greece, M. Spyridione Trikoupi,
his Councillor of State, and Envoy Extraordinary, and Minister
Plenipotentiary at the court of Her M3;jesty the Queen
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Knight
Grand Commander of the Royal Order of the Saviour, Grand
Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. &c.
Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, the
RightHon.Henry John, Viscount Palmerston, Baron Temple,
Privy Councillor, Knight Grand Cross of the Bath, principal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c. &c., who after
having exhibited their respective full powers which were
found to be in due form, have agreed to the adoption of the
following articles: -
Art. 1. From and after the exchange of
the ratification of
the present convention, all Greek vessels which shall enter
and quit any port of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, and in like manner all British ships frequenting
the ports of the Kingdom of Greece, shall be liable to the
payment of no other, nor higher charges than those imposed
at present, or which shall in future be levied 011 national
vessels respectively.
Art. 2. All articles, the produce of the
soil or industry, of
the states belonging to the high contracting parties, the importation
and exportation of which is now, or in future shall
be permitted in British and Greek ports, under the national
flag, may also be legally imported and exported in vessels
belonging to the states of the other contracting power.
Art. 3. All articles, not the produce of
thc soil or manuCOMMERCE.
135
factures of the states under the dominions of his Hellenic
Majesty, which may be legally imported from the ports of
Greece into the United Kingdom unde~ the Greek flag,
shall
be subject to the payment of no higher duties than those
levied on the same articles if imported in British vessels;
and in the same manner a similar rule shall be observed in
all ports of Greece with respect to articles not the production
of the soil or industry of the British Empire, which may be
legally imported into Greek ports in British bottoms.
Art. 40. All articles of merchandise
allowed to be imported
into the ports of either of the two states, shall be admitted
at the same rate of dutie.'1, whether imported in national
vessels, or those of the other state; and all articles legally
permitted to be exported from the ports of the two states
respectively, shall enjoy the same premiums, drawbacks and
other privileges, whether exported in the ships of the one or
the other country.
Art. 5. No preference whatever shall be
given either directly
or indirectly, by either of the two governments, or by
any company, corporation, or agent, acting in the name, and
under the authority of either of the two governments, in the
purchase of any article, the produce of the soil, or manufacture
of either of the two states, on account of its having
been imported by national vessels, to the prejudice of the
other state; as the real intention and wish of the high contracting
parties are to prevent any distinction or preference
being shown on that account.
Art. 6. In order to avoid all misunderstanding
respecting
the interpretation of a Greek or a British vessel, it is hereby
agreed that those shall be considered as Greek vessels which
were built in ports of Greece, or taken from the enemy by
ships of war belonging to the Grecian government, or by
Greek subjects furnished with a letter of marque, and regularly
condemned and declared a lawful prize in one of courts
of prizes of the kingdom of Greece, and which may belong
to one or more subjects of His HellEnic Majesty,· and of
which the commander, and at least three fourths of the
crew, are Greek subjects. In like manner all such vessels
8hall be recognised as British, as were built within the
K 4
136
COMMERCE.
British dominions; those taken from an enemy by British
subjects, furnished with letters of marque and reprisal from
their government, an'd legally condemned in one of the
courts of admiralty, and owned, navigated, and registered
according to the British laws.
Art. 7. In case of shipwreck of a vessel
of war, or merchantman
of either of the two states, on the coasts of the
other, all the wrecks of such ships, their tackle, stores, and
apparel, and all the merchandise and cargo saved, as well
as all the papers that may be saved, shall be carefully prc-·
served tiIl claimed by their owners, or their agents duly
authorised, or by the respective consuls appointed for the
district where the wreck takes place, provided that the reclamation
be made within the period fixed by the laws in
force in the two countries; and such consul, owner, or agent,
shall be only subject to the payment of the expenses incurred
in the preservation of the property, and such charges
for salvage as would be paid by a national vessel in a similar
case; and the said articles and goods saved shall be liable
to no payment of duty, except those which are entered for
home consumption in the country where the wreck takes
place.
Art. 8. His Majesty the King of Greece,
and Her Majesty
the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have agreed that
each of the high contracting parties shall have the right of
appointing consuls-general, consuls, and vice-consuls, in all
ports of the possessions of the other party, where such
functionaries may be deemlld necessary for the development
of commerce, and the protection of the commercial interests
of the subjects of tile other state; and it is expressly stipulated
that such consuls, whatever may be their rank, shall
be treated in the country in which they reside, upon the
same footing as those of the most favoured nations.
Art. 9. Her British Majesty consents to
grant to the subjects
of His Majesty the King of Greece, the same facilities
and privileges in the navigation of Greek vessels to her possessions
in the East Indies, as those enjoyed, or which may
be enjoyed, by the subjects of the most favoured nation; it
being well understood at the same time, that all laws, reguCOMMEItCE.
137
lations, and restrictions, which are, or might iu future become
applicable to the ships and subjects of any other
foreign couutry enjoying the same rights and privileges to
trade with the same possessions, shall be equally enforced on
the ships of subjects of the Kiug of Greece.
Art. 10. The subjects of His Hellenic
Majesty shall enjoy
perfect liberty in all British possessions, to direct their own
affairs, or to confide their interests to any individual they
may choose to appoint as their broker, factor, agent, or interpreter.
Greek subjects shall not be restricted in the
choice of persons to serve them in such similar capacities,
without being compelled to pay any salary, fee, or remuneration,
to any individual whom they do not so employ. A
perfect liberty is also granted under all circumstances to the
buyer and seller to conclude a bargain, and settle the price
between them of any goods and merchandise allowed to be
imported into, and exported from the United Kingdom, if
they properly observe the laws and regulations in force in
the country. The same privileges are granted to British
subjects under the same restrictions in all the states of His
Hellenic Majesty.
Art. 11. With respect to the regulations
·of the police of
the ports, the loadin~ and discharging
of vessels, and the
precautionary measures for the safety of goods and merchandise,
the subjects of either state shall be required to
submit without difference or distinction to the police laws
and regulations of the other country; and they shall enjoy
equally perfect liberty of person and property in the states
of the other power. They shall have free and easy access
to the courts of justice for the recovery of their property,
and the defence of their rights j and they shall have the
liberty of employing such council, attorneys, or other legal
assistance as they may deem best calculated for their
interest, in conforming to the laws imposed in such cases on
national subjects. They shall be exempt from all conscription,
whether for the land or naval forces; no forced loan
can be exacted of them; and theil' property shall be subject
to no other taxes or imposts but those levied in the country
on the property of the natives.
138 COl\IMERCE.
Art. 12. His Hellenic Majesty, and Her
Majesty the
Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have agreed that their
subjects residing respectively in each other's dominions, shall
enjoy the privileges of complete religious toleration, and the
protection that present existing or future laws may grant,
to those professing any religious creeds.
Art. 13. The subjects of His Majesty the
King of Greece
residing in any of the British dominions, and vice versa,
possess the right of disposing of their property of whatever
denomination it may be, by virtue of their last will and
testament, in any manner they may think proper; and.if a
Greek subject should die intestate in the Briti$h dominions,
or a British subject in the states of Greece, the consuls and
vice-consuls respectively shall possess the right of administering
the property of such individuals dying intestate in the
respective states, for the benefit of their legal heirs and creditors,
as far as is permitted by the laws ofthe two respective
nations.
Art. 14. The high contracting parties
have agreed that
the stipulations of the present treaty shall be applicable to
Gibraltar and the island of Malta.
Art. 15. The present treaty shall remain in force for the
space of ten years, commencing on the day of the exchange
of the ratification, and beyond this term, till the expiration
of twelve months after notice shall have been given by one
of the high contracting parties of their intention of discontinuing
it, each of the high contracting parties reserving to
himself the right of giving such notice, at the expiration of
the above mentioned period of ten years, or at any other
epoch beyond that time; and it is agreed between them,
that from and after the expiration of twelve months from
the date of such declaration being made, by either of the
two high contracting parties, this convention and all the
stipulations it contains shall cease entirely and be no longer
binding.
Art. 16. The present convention shall be
ratified and the
ratifications exchanged in London in the space of three
months from this date.
COMMERCE. 139
In faith of which the respective plenipotentiaries have
signed it and sealed it, with the seal of their arms.
Done at London the twenty-second day of September,
(fourth of October), in the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and thirty-seven.
(Signed) (L. s.) S. TRIKOUPI.
(L. s.) PALMERSTON.
We hereby ratify and confirm the above treaty, in all the
conditions and articles that it contains, promising for us, our
heirs and successors, to observe it faithfully and without prejudice.
In faith of which we have signed the present act of ratifi_
cation, and affixed the seal of our kingdom.
Done at Athens, ~ November, in
the year of our Lord
1837, and the sixth year of our reign.
(Signed) OTHO.
(Countersigned) VON RUDHART.
TREATY OF NAVIGATION AND COlllMERCE CONCLUDED BETWEEN
HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF GREECE, AND THE
UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, SIGNED AT LONDON
'10
THE 22 DECEMBER 1837, AND THE RATIFICATIONS EX-
13
CHANGED ALSO AT LONDON THE 25 JUNE 1838.
His Majesty the King of Greece, and the United States of
America, animated by the same sincere desire of maintaining
the good feeling which has hitherto happily existed between
their respective states, and in order to extend and consolidate
the commercial relations of their subjects, and with the conviction
that this cannot be more advantageously fulfilled
than in adopting a system of entire liberty of navigation and
reciprocity, based upon principles of equity equally favourable
to the two states, have in consequence agreed to enter
into negotiation for the purpose of concluding a treaty of
commerce and navigation, and have appointed for this purpose
as their plenipotentiaries, His Majesty the King of
Greece, M. Spyridion
Trikoupi, his Councillor of State and
140 COMMRRCE.
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the
court of Her Britannic Ml\iesty, Grand Commander of the
Royal Order of the Saviour, &c., and the President of the
United States, M. Andrew Stevenson, Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States accredited
at the same court, who, after having exchanged their full
powers found in due form, have agreed to the following articles:
-
Art. I. The subjects and citizens of each
of the two high
contracting powers may freely land, trade, and enter all ports,
places and rivers, where foreign commerce is allowed, and
with perfect safety for their persons, vessels, and cargoes.
They may stop and reside in any part that they like of the
said respective dominions, rent and occupy houses and warehouses
for their commercial purposes, and enjoy the most
perfect security and protection for their commerce, always
submitting to the laws and regulations of the respective states.
Art.2. Greek vessels arriving in ballast or
with cargo,
from whatever place they come, in the ports of the United
States, shall be treated at their arrival and departure, as well
as during their stay, on the same footing as national vessels,
coming from the same place, as far as regards the tonnage
dues, and charges for lighthouses, pilotage, and port-cliarges,
fees of public officers, and every other duty or charge of
whatever denomination, that may be raised and levied in the
name and for account of the government or local administrations.
And in like manner, the vessels of the United
States arriving in the ports of Greece, either in ballast or
with cargo, from whatever place they come from, shall be
treated in every respect the same as the subjects of the state
of Greece.
Art. 3. All goods and merchandise which
may legally be
imported into the kingdom of Greece by national ships, may
also be imported in bottoms of the United States, from whatever
place they come from, without paying any other or
higher charges of whatever denomination they may be,
levied in the name and for account of the government, than
if imported in vessels under the national flag; and in like
manner, goods imported legally into the United States by
COMMEnCE. 141
Greek vessels shall be subject to no other or higher charges
than if imported in national bottoms.
Art.4. All goods and merchandise which may
be legally
exported from the ports of Greece and the United States
respectively in national ships, may also be exported ill the
vessels of the other nation, without being subject to any
other or higher duties or charges whatsoever, than those
levied on the vessels under the respective national colours.
Art. 5. It is expressly understood that the three preceding
articles, Nos. 2, 3, and 4., are not applicable to the coasting
or inland trade of Greece, nor of the United States, which
each of the high contracting powers reserves to itself.
Art. 6. Each of the two high contracting
parties engages
to give no preference to goods imported in their national
vessels, or those of a third nation, over those imported in the
vessels of the other contracting party, in any purchases made
by themselves or any company or agent acting under their
authority.
Art.7. The two high contracting parties
engage not to
levy on their reciprocal navigation between the two countries
any other or higher charges for tonnage, dues, &c.,
than those established for the navigation of any other power,
except such as are respectively reserved by Art. 5. of the present
treaty.
Art. 8. There can be established no
prohibitions or
restrictions to the importation or exportation in Greece of
any article, the produce of the soil, or manufacture of the
United States, but what is or may be established ou similar
articles of other countries; and reciprocally the same with
all articles, the produce of the United States, in Greece.
Art.9. All privileges of bonding and all
drawbacks and
premiums which may be granted to the imports and exports
in the ports of one of the high contracting parties; shall be
equally granted to similar goods, the produce of the soil or
manufacture of the other party, and imported or exported in
vessels of that nation.
Art. 10. The subjects or citizens of one
of the high contracting
powers arriving with their vessels on any of the
coasts of the other, but not wishing to enter the ports, or
142 COMMERCE.
having entered and not wishing to discharge any part of their
respective cargoes, shall be at liberty to depart and prosecute
their voyage, without the payment of any other charges, fees,
or dues on the ship or cargoes but those for pilotage, quays,
and lighthouses, if such dues are levied on national vessels in
the same case; it being, however, understood that they will
have to conform to the laws and regulations of the local navigation
in the places and ports they may enter, which are or
shall be enforced on national vessels; and the respective
custom-house authorities shall have the right of boarding
them, and remaining on board to take such precautionary
measures as may be necessary for the prevention of smuggling,
as long as the vessels remain within the jurisdiction of the
respective states.
Art. 11. It is also stipulated, that the vessels of the one of
the high contracting parties having entered the ports of the
other, shall be at liberty to discharge only a part of their
cargo, as the captain, owner, or supercargo may think fit,
and that they may proceed to any other country without
being subject to any other duties, imposts, or charges, except
such as may be legallr demanded on that part of the cargo
actually landed, which shall be marked on the manifest con_
taining the enumeration of the whole contents of the cargo,
which manifest has to be presented to the custom-house authorities
at the port where such partial discharge takes place;
nothing shall be paid on that part of the cargo re-exported,
and which may be taken to any other port or ports of the
same States for disposal, if composed of merchandise not
prohibited, and on payment of the duties required by law, or
he may take them to any other country for sale. It is, however,
understood that the duties, imposts, and charges payable
on the ship itself must be liquidated at the first port
where he shall break cargo, or discharge a part; but that no
duties, imposts, or charges shall be levied again in the other
ports of the same country which the said ship may enter,
unless national vessels are subject to additional charges in the
same case.
Art. 12. Each of the high contracting
parties grants to the
other the right of appointing in their ports and places of
COMMERCE. 143
commerce, consuls, vice-consuls, or consular agents. who
shall enjoy every protection and receive every assistance and
facility necessary for the due fulfilment of their functions.
But it is expressly enacted that in the case of improper conduct,
or a breach of the laws of the country in which such
consuls reside, they may be tried and punished according to
the law, and deprived of the exercise of their functions by
the offended government, which will explain to the other its
motives for so doing. However, it is welI understood and
agreed on, that the archives and documents relating to the
official concerns of the consulate shall be inviolable, and shall
be carefully preserved and scrupulously sacred by the local
authority, under the seal of the consul. The consuls, viceconsuls,
and commercial agents shall exercise the privilege
of acting as umpires in disputes which may arise between
the commanders and the crews of vessels belonging to
their nation without the interference of the local authorities,
unless the captains or crews break the peace of the
country, or unless the consuls require their intervention
for the execution or maintainance of their decisions; - this
judgment or arbitration, however, does not prevent the
parties from seeking redress for their supposed grievances
in the courts of law of their own country on their return
thither.
Art. 13. The said consuls, vice-consuls,
and commercial
agents shall be authorized to require the assistance of the
local authorities, for arresting, detaining, and imprisoning
deserters from ships of war and the merchant service of their
country, and for this purpose shall address themselves to the
tribunals, judges, and other competent officers, and reclaim
in writing such deserters, in adducing proof, by the ship's
register or muster roll, or other official document, that such
individuals belong to the crew of such vessels, and on this
reclamation being borne out by proof, their being delivered
up will not be refused. Such deserters, when arrested, shall
be placed at the disposal of the consul, and may be locked
up in the
public prisons at the demand and expense of the
persons 80 reclaiming, to be sent back to the vessels to which
they belonged, or others of the same nation. But if not sent
144 COMMERCE.
away within the space of two months from the day of their
being arrested, they shall be put at liberty, nor can they
then be again arrested for the same offence.
Art. 14. In case of shipwreck or damage
of any vessel
belonging to the subjects or citizens of either of the two
contracting parties, on the coasts of the other, every assistance
shall be given to the crew and passengers, and they
shall be furnished with passports to quit the country freely.
Vessels and merchandise wrecked, or their nett proceeds, if
sold, shall be given up to their owners if claimed' within a
year and a day, on paying the same salvage as national
vessels would have to pay in a similar case.
Art. 15. It is mutually agreed that vessels arriving in one of
the ports of the United States direct from a port of Greece, or
vice versa, furnished with
a clean bill of health from thecompetent
authority at the port of their departure, averring that
no malignant or contagious disease existed at such port, shall
not be required to perform quarantine or be subject to any
other delay further than is necessary for the visit of the
health-officer at the port of arrival, after which they shall
be admitted to free pratique, and have immediate liberty to
land their crew and cargo; provided always, that there is no
one on board who has been attacked on the voyage by some
malignant or contagious disease, that the vessel has had no
communication since sailing with any other vessel coming
from an infected or suspected place, and that the country
from which they come was not so generally infected or suspected,
as to require the passing a law that all vessels coming
from such country should be regarded as suspected, at least,
and consequently subject to the performance of quarantine.
Art. 16. In consideration of the great
distance between the
territories of the two contracting powers rendering it uncertain
whether the different events which may happen in the one
may be known in the other, it is stipulated that any merchant
vessel belonging to either of them bound for a port supposed
to be blockaded at the time of her sailing, shall not, however,
be captured or condemned for having made one attempt to
enter the said port, unless it can be proved that such vessel
had been previously able to ascertain on her voyage that
COMMERCE. 14-5
the blockade still existed. But all vessels which, after having
been warned off, shall make a second attempt to break the
blockade, shall become liable to be detained and condemned.
Art. 17. The present treaty shall remain in force for the
period of ten years from the date of the exchange of the
ratifications; and if before the expiration of the first nine
years, the one or other of the high contracting parties has
DOt announced to the other, by an official communication,
their intention of allowing it to expire, this treaty shall
remain in force one year more, and so on to the expiration
of the twelve months which shall follow a similar notification",
at whatever period it may take place.
Art. 18. The present treaty shall be
ratified by his Majesty
the King of Greece, and by the President of the United
States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
and the ratifications exchanged at London within the space
of twelve months, or sooner if possible.
In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries of the
high contracting parties have signed the present treaty and
appended their seals.
Done in duplicate at London ~ December, 1837.
(L.
s.) (Signed) S. TRIKOUPI.
(L.
s.) A. STBVENSON.
We hereby confirm and ratify the above treaty in all its
conditions and articles, promising for Us, Our heirs, and successors,
to observe it faithfully and without prejudice.
In faith of which We have signed the present act of ratification,
and affixed to it the seal of Our kingdom.
Done at Athens, the ~ April, of the
year of our Lord
1838, and the seventh year of Our reign.
(Signed) OTHO.
(Counter-signed) C. ZOGRAPHOS.
L
•
146 NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
CHAP. IV.
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
THE Greek mercantile navy, which was almost totally annihilated
during the war of independence, has again risen,
phrenix-like, from its ashes, owing to the indu8try and enterprise
of the inhabitants; and the Greek flag may now be
seen in almost every port from Gibraltar to Constantinople,
in the Black Sea, and from Trieste to Alexandria.
The coasts of the kingdom of Greece are divided into five
arrondissements, or maritime districts (TJl~JlaTa). The first
begins at Cape Colonna (Sunium), and embracing the islands.
of lEgina, Salamis, Poros, Hydra, and Spetzia, extends to
Cape Matapan, the most southern point of Greece, and indeed
of Europe.
The second embraces that part of the Archipelago known
by the name of the Cyclades, or the islands in a circle, and
the southern part of Eubrea or Negropont.
The third consists of the islands of the Sporades, and the
northern parts of Eubrea, with the adjoining ports on the
Continent.
The fourth includes Missolonghi, and the western coast
of Continental Greece up to the Turkish frontiers, the ports
on both sides of the Gulf of Corinth, and the north-west
coast of the Peloponnesus, as far as the mouth of the river
Alpheius.
The fifth comprises the south-west part of the Morea
from the Alpheius down to Cape Matapan.
The principal ports for shipbuilding are, Galaxidi, Hydra,
Spetzia, and Syra, where generally a good number of vessels,
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
of from 150 to 300 tons burthen, may be seen on the stocks,
in different stages of forwardness.
The Grecian shipwrights know nothing of the theory of
building, their art consisting entirely in practice resulting from
a good eye: yet they produce most excellent specimens of
naval architecture; and some of their vessels, more particularly
their schooners, are universally admitted by nautical men
to be perfect models, and their sailing qualities excellent.
Great facilities are held out by the merchants to shipbuilding
enterprises, in the length of credit they give for the
materials. For instance, a timber-merchant advances the
necessary wood, masts, and spars; the iron-merchant, the
nails, fastenings, chains and anchors; the dealers in marine
stores, the sail and col'dage, and frequently the shipbuilder his
labour; so that a vessel is built, fitted out, and sent to sea
without its costing the owner any cash outlay; and the sums
are paid off perhaps in a couple of years, if the ship is fortunate
in meeting with good freights, during which period
the debts are secured on bottomry-bonds, and the vessel insured
against sea-risks.
The Greek vessels are not so securely built Il8 those of other
European maritime states; they are seldom coppered, and
but few are copper-fastened. But notwithstanding these
disadvantages, accidents are exceedingly rare, and the insurance
companies are in a flourishing condition, whilst the
premiums are as low as in other countries.
The price of shipbuilding varies according to the locality
of the ports, the nature of the workmanship~ and the quality
of the materials; as an example of which, I here subjoin the
particulars of six vessels that have come under my own
knowledge: -
1. At Skiathos, where timber is close at hand, but not properly
dried, a schooner of 200 tons cost 50,000 Turkish
piasters, or 15,000 drachmes, which is 75 drachmes, or 21.158.,
per ton.
2. A brig, carrying 8000 kilos of wheat, which is equal to
200 tons measurement, cost, at Hydra, 21,000 drachmes,
which is 105 drachmes, or 31. 158., per ton.
L 2
148 NAVIOATION AND SHIPPING.
3. A schooner of 100 tons, built at Spetzia, cost 12,000
drachmes, which is 120 drachmes, or 41. 5s., per ton.
4. A three-masted ship, built at Galaxidi, carrying 16,000
kilos of corn, or 400 tons bnrthen, cost 57,000 drachmes,
which is 142 drachmes, or 51. 2s., per ton.
5. ,The largest ship in the Greek mercantile navy belongs
to Syra, where she was built. She can load 30,000 kilos of
wheat, and measures 750 tons register. She cost, coppered
and ready for sea, 125,000 drachmes, which is 166 drachmes,
or 61., per ton.
6. A schooner of 8000 kilos burthen, or 200 tons, built at
lEgina, and coppered, cost 36,000 drachmes, which is 180
drachmes, or 61. 10s., per ton.
It therefore appears from the foregoing, that the price
of
vessels coppered and copper-fastened is 61.
or 61. lOs. per
ton, whilst that of ships not coppered is from 21. 15s. to 51.
2s., showing an average of something
under 41. per ton.
The ton is the same as the English, containing forty-two
cubic feet.
The Greek vessels carry an immense spread of canvass;
their sails being manufactured of cotton, instead of sail-cloth.
Though, of course, not so strong as the latter, they are better
adapted for the prevalent light winds in the Mediterranean;
and the Greek brigs are generally seen in fair weather with
double studding-sails set, from the courses up to the royals,
whilst they are so light that when a squall comes on they are
easily handled.
The following is an official return of the number of vessels
built in the different ports of the kingdom during the last
three years: -
NAVIGATION AND llIlIPPIN(;. 149
Table of the Merchant Vessels built in Greece during tIu
Years 1838, 1839, and 18W, distinguishing
the Number
constructed at each of the principal Ports.
1810.
U 9 24
11 5 16
o I 1
5 I 6
6 14 20
12 0 12
IPort ...o1 M. 1838--.:.- ---==1_839_.__
Iroodi.tlemmt. Under Abcne Under Abon Undft' Abo...e
30 30 T....I. 30 30 Tot&!. 30 30 Total.
Tons. Tons. I Tonl.' Tons.
Tona. Tom.
-:----:----:-1-----
--'---- - ----
lIt
Arrond. I
~rrC:;~s -:g ? :? ~ Ig 13
Nauplla 9 0 9 0 0 0
Poro 0 0 0 7 0 7
Spetzla - 10 5 15 4 13 17
Cranld! 0 0 0 2 I 3
Total olt.be3 Ynn,.
l'nder "'boTe
~ SO Tot.aJ..
Tom., Ton.;
19 47
27 8 35
9 1 10
12 1 13
20 32 52
14 I 15
o 0 0 9 0 9 10 0 10
--70I""j;b!i5li3
208 1122 ~ 2bO
29 14 43
28 36
25 11 36 o I I
6 6
11
20 113 13.1
10 35 45
18 15 33
7 2 9
4 30 ~4
13 0 13
6 15 21
4 0 •
I:
:1 1:
30213i"16i3
47
2
1
15
13
14
o6
64
16
9
2
8
5
34o2
o4oo
4
3
2I
8
56
3 13
7 2
1 1
o 8
10
10
10o4
5
7II
23
14
16
o4
35
13
11
4
17
o5oo
5
34o3
5
2II
2 33
I 12
7 4
3 I
o 17
18
11
12
o1
5
9
6
1
1
34
16
13
39
o6oo
4
~
3
1o
17
3o1
2d Arrond.
Syra 10 24
Santorin - 6 10
Myconos - 4 9
Me10s 3 0
Andros 4 5
3d
Arrond.
Sktatbos -
~~"J~I~s :
I
AmalloPolis
Coumi -
4th
Arrond.
IMissoionghi
Galaxidl
Patras
jKYllenC
5th
Arrond.
IKalamre -
Total _
RECAPITULATION.
1838. lK39. 18(0. Total aCthe 3 v.....I
ArrondJue.
men'. '"[.' "-'] ".~,- Und.. Abo.., _
30 30 Totol. 30 30 Toul. 30 30 Total. 30 30 Total.
T«:Jm. Tou. TOIlL Tom. Tcms. TOOL TOIU. Tons. ----- ------ ------ ----:-
1st Arrant!. 39 6 45 22 26 48 49 30 79 110 62 172
2d - 27 48 75 13 fr1 80 19 80 99 59 195 254
3d 12 10 22 42 16 57 34 14 48 88 39 127
4tb - 7 6 13 9 5 14
10 4 14 26 \5 4\
5th - o 0 0 9 0 9 10 0 10 19. 0 19 Total . -85--70--155- "9511131208 I22I128t25o 302 3i"IrGi.
TOTALS, SHOWING THE ANNUAL INCREASE.
----_.
Year. Unde't30 AboTe30 Total VeMd,. T.....
T....
---- ----
1!l3!l 85 70 155
1839 95 113 208
1840 122 128 250
, ----- ---_.
Tota! . 302 311 613
L 3
Googlc
150
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
TariffofPort- Charges payable by Greek Vessels in the Poru
ofthe Kingdom. (Gov. Gaz. 1834. p. 67.)
Value In
British
Sterling.
Drs. Lep. .. d •
TONNAGE DUES.
Vessels under 5 tons - - free.
In the ports of Syra, Nauplia, Pil"lllns, Chalcis,
Calsmata, Patras, Marathonisi, and Navarin,
viz.:- Vessels from 5-20 tons - per ton 0 9 0 ot
above 20 tons - ... 0 12 0 1
In all other
ports : -
0 6 0 Vessels from 5-20 tons · ... ~
above 20 tons - .., 0 '9 0
CLEARING IN AND OUT.
Vessels under 5 tons - - free.
from 5- 20 tons - - per ship 0 50 0 4t
21- 50 tons - - ... 1 0 0 st
51-100 tons - - ... 2 0 1 5
101-200 tons . - ... 3 0 2 It
201-300 tons - - ... 4 0 2 10
above 300 tons - - ... 5 0 3 6
LIGHTHOUSE DUES.
(To be levied only in those ports where there is a
lighthouse.)
Vessels under 5 tons - - free.
from 5- 20 tons - - per ship 0 50 0 :t 21- 50 tons - - .., 1 0 0
51-100 tons - - ... 2 50 1 9
101-200 tons - · ... 5 0 3 6
201-300 tons - · ... s 0 5 S
above 300 tons - - ." 10 0 7 O·
POWDER MAGAZINE DUES.
Rent per kilogramme - per month 0 3 0 ot
N. B.-Vessels coming from foreign ports with cargo, and
discharging and taking in fresh cargo, pay the full amount of
the above dues.
Vessels arriving from foreign ports with cargo and sailing
in ballast, or vice versa, pay only two-thirds of the
above dues.
Vessels from foreign ports arriving and sailing in ballast,
or arriving with cargo, and sailing without discharging any
part of it, pay one-third of the above dues.
NA VIGATION AND SHIPPING. 151
All vessels coming from one port of the kingdom to another
pay one-half of the above.
Vessels are considered with cargo if full, or only partly
loaded.
Exceptions. Vessels driven
in by stress of weather, or to
repair damages, may remain eight days in any port without
payment of port dues. Vessels bound for other ports, putting
into any particular port for a special purpose, but without
discharging or taking in cargo, may remain there five days,
and be subject only to the payment of lighthouse dues. They
are also at liberty to ship or land letters and specie.
Tariff of Quarantine Dues and Fees of Health- Officers,
19
fixed by Royal Ordonnanee of 31 October 1835. (Gov.
Gaz. 1835. p. 68.)
Du. L.
HEALTH-OFFICE FEES.
1. For a fresh bill of health:-
Vessels under 5 tons per vessel 0 10
above 5 tons per ton 0 2
2. For the endorsement of an old bill of health:-
Vessels under 5 tons free.
above 5 tons per ton 0 1
3. For every passenger on board 0 10
4. For any certificate or copy of a document required by
any captain or passenger 2 0
QUARANTINE DUES.
1. Every vessel in quarantine - per ton, daily 0 1
2. Every passengcr on board such vessel daily 0 30
3. Every guardian appointed to watch over one or several
passengers together in the lazzaretto - daily 50
4. Every guardian appointed to superintend the landing of
susceptible articlcs, and the fumigation of letters and
goods - daily 50
5. Every guardian required by a captain or passenger to
accempany him on shore daily 1 50
6. Ditto ditto if less than six hours per hour 0 25
7. Every boat employed by the authorities to watch a
vessel under quarantine daily 5 0
8. For fumigating susceptible articles ~ per cent. of their
value
Coasting vessels under 25 tons, the length of whose voyage
is not more than thirty nautical miles, require no bill of
health, but they must obtain a permit from the local healthofficer,
the fee of which is fifteen leptas for each voyage.
L 40
152 NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
The fees of health to be levied on foreign ships in accordance
with the principle of reciprocity, which the Greek go.
vernment wishes to introduce with every nation generally,
for the mutual facility of communication, and improvement
of trade, are the same as those mentioned in the above tariff,
and consequently in every respect the same as those levied on
Greek vessels.
The following Tables show the progressive rise and present
state of the Greek mercantile navy.
TAB~E I.-Comparative View of the Mercantile Navy, on
the 1st January of the Years 1834-1841.
Year. No. of Ship•. No. of Ton•. No. of Sailors.
1834 3,000 87,202 15,400
1835 3,036 91,550 15,703
1836 no returns made.
1837 no returns made.
1838 3,269 88,502 14,901
1839 3,345 89,642 15,281
1840 3,184 110,690 18,598
1841 3,197 111,201 18,609
TABLE
2. - Showing the Number l?f Ships, Tonnage, and
SailoT~ belonging to each Maritime District on the 1st Jan.
1840.
(The Details of this Table will be found in Table No. 10.)
No. of Sallon.
Dlltrlct. No. of Shlpl. No. of Tonl. 1-----.---------,---1
1 I I IEmp\oyed. ~~temp\oyed.1 Total.
1st arrondissement
- - 1,279 33,844 6,0!6 8,298 14,354
2d ditto - - 989 54,387 8,024 5,030 13,054
3d ditto - - 501 12,701 2,939 2,263 5,202
4th ditto- - 303 9,274 1,274 0,300 1,574
5th ditto- - 119 484 0,375 0,375
Total 3,184 110,690 18,598 15,891 134,559
This Table, as compared with the total for 1839, shows a
decrease in the number of ships, and an increase in the tonnage,
which is accounted for by the ships built in the course
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING. 153
of the year being of greater dimensions than those lost, sold,
and broken up in the same period. The number of sailors
gives one man to six tons of shipping.
The next is a statement of the Greek shipping which entered
the principal foreign ports in 1840, drawn up from the
consular reports to the Minister for Foreign Affairs: -
TABLE
S.-Showing the approximate Numberof Greek Vessels
arriving at the undermentioned Ports in the Year 1840.
Port•. No. of ShIp•. Remarks.
Constantinople - - 2,509 Large and small.
Smyrna - - - 1,000 Ditto.
Volo - - - 630 Ditto.
Salonica . · - 350
Ditto.
Zante - - - 350 Ditto.
Trieste - · - 230 All
large.
Tenedos - - - 120 Large and small.
Cavalla - - - 200 Mostly small.
Galatz - - . 110 All large.
Odessa - - - 100 Ditto.
Candia - - - 300 Large and small.
Heraclium - - 160 Ditto.
Marseilles - - 100 All large. . Leghorn - - - 60 Ditto.
Beyrout - - - 100 Mostly large.
Rhodes - - - 100 Large and small.
Cyprus - - - 150 Mostly small.
Kassos - - - 80 Ditto.
Scio - · - 200 Ditto.
Simri - - - 180 All small.
Samos - - - 150 Ditto.
Castelorizo · - 80 Ditto.
Enos - · - 50 Mostly
small.
Prevesa . - . 180 Ditto.
Kertch - - - 130 All large.
Corfu - - - 170 Mostly large.
Venice - - - 15 All large.
'Genoa - - ... 10 Ditto.
Tunis, - - - 15 Ditto.
Tripoli - - - 10 Ditto.
Damietta- - - 10 Ditto.
Gibraltar - - - 15 Ditto.
Alexandria - - 250 Ditto.
Malta - - - 100 Ditto.
---~----
Total 8,205
Dardanelles - - 1,500 Large and small, most of which,
however, are included in some
of the above ports, only touching
at the straits on their passage.
-- _. _..
154< NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
The annexed three Tables give a view of the Greek navigation
with Trieste, from the last of which it will be seen
that the increase in the number of ships and tonnage between
the years 1833 and 184<0 is upwards of 100 per cent., and
that it is equal to one-eighth of the whole foreign trade of that
flourishing port.
TABLE
4<. - Arrivals and Departures of Greek Vessels
at
Trieste, with the Countries from which they came, 1835184-
0.
10 5
1 0
o I
2 11
I 8 o 0 o 0
71 66
2 3
o 0 o 0 o 0 o 0
39
80 o 0 o 0
36
38
50 25 o 0 o 0
212 I 237
o8o4
11
o
o
91
4Iooo
52
o
o
36
28
Io
4
15
3
55oo
84
8oooo
40
Io
34
44
oo
243
236
2
6
2o
6
oo
66
o
o
o
oo4oI
16
40
oo
143
Arrived &t Trleste f'rom ISalled from Trieste for
lR35. 1836. 1837. 1838. 1839'1 lR4U': 1835 18~6. 1 1837 . ~J 1839. 1 lR40.
1-----=----1----1--
7 Albania - - 2 6 4 9 8 7
9 Alexandria - 13 6 6 2 2 2
IBarbary-- 490 113
3 Candia - - 2 11 8 6 6 3
5 Constantinople - 0 5
7 9 17 13 o France - - 0 0 I 0 0
0
o Genoa - • 3 0 0 0 0 0
68 Greece - - 113 137 ISO 146 147 12.';
2 Ionian Islands - I 4 16 IQ 21 39
o Dalmatia - - 2 2 2 3 1 I
o Sardinia - - 0 2 0 0 0 0 g kr~~:~rn: : g g ~ ~ g g
86 Black Sea - • 0 9 10 2 I I
o Holland - - 0 0 0 0 0 0
o Roman States - 0 0 0 I 0 0
24 Salonlca - - 2 11 5 8 5 9
23 t';;ft~ltStates: 4 16 9 6 9 5 g Venice - - g g gig g ?I
2281 Totals. 1146 223 1250 204 218_~~ I
No. 5.-Table of tIle Navigation oJ Vessels of all Nations
between Greece and Trisste, 1835-184<0.
___~rrival8
at Trieste from Gree1ce. \ Departures from Trleste for
Greece.
~ Flag. __ Ships., Tonnage. Flag. IShips. Tonnage.
1835.
r~~~~~an
Ionian
1
Papal
Total
66 7,163
22 1,984
4 265
3 161
95 I 9,578
Greek
Austrian
Ionian Turkish
Papal
Russian
Total
113 15,561
41 8,056
3 239
1 275
1 41
5 1,153
~125,325
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING. 155
Arrivals at Trleste from Greece.
Tear. I Flag.
Flag.
1836.
fGreek
Austrian -
Ionian
t
papal
Total -
84 7,673
12 1,416
4 163
1 69
101 9,321
Greek Austrian
British Ionian
Papal
Russian
Total - Total - 214 28,380
Greek -
Austrian -
... steamers
Ionian -
Turkish -
Sicilian -
1837.
1838.
1839.
{
Greek - 91 6,686 Greek - - 180 20,087
Austrian • 22 4,774 Austrian - 24 6,602
Ionian - 3 145 Ionian - - 1 58
Papal - 2 162 British - - 1 155
Papal - - 1 68
--,----1
___: T_o_ta_I__-
I
__11_8_:I__11_,_76_7_: T_ot_a_I_-_
1
_2_0_7 126,970
{
Greek - 71 5,582
Greek - - 146 14,516
Austrian - 2 210 Austrian - 28 5,864
... steamers 28 9,130 ... steamers 28 9,130
Ionian - 5 134 Ionian - • 3 447
Papal - 2 139 Other nations - 11 1,721
1
I. T__ot_al__"_:_1_0_8 1:_5_,1_9_5_: T_o_t_al_-_~_-_2~1-6---i:.=3=1-,-6-7-_8-
66 4,349 Greek - - 147 14,700
12 989 Austrian - 26 4,096
24 7,748 steamers 24 7,748
6 240 Turkish - 6 503
1 68 Russian - 7 951
2 60 Other nations - 4 382
III
113,454
----
Total - 101 113,595 Total - 178 28,592 I
1840.
Greek -
Austrian -
... steamers
Ionian -
68
7
24
2
5,314
480
7,748
53
Greek - -
Austrian -
... steamers
Russian -
Turkish -
Ionian - -
Papal - -
125 15,604
21 3,986
24 7,748
5 943
1 165
1 91
1 55
156 NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
No. 6.-Table of the Number of Greek Vessels arrived at,
and sailed from Trieste, generally, in the Years 18331840.
Arrivals at Trleste from an Parts. I! Sailed from Trleste for an Parts.
Year. I No. of I Tonnage. 1
1 Year. I No. of Tonnage.
Ships. , ,I Ships.
-----
1833 106 12,436 I 1833 112 13,671
1834 121 15,201 1834 145 19,284
1835 143 19,083 1835 146 21,338
1836 243 30,943 1836 223 28,027
1837 236 26,174 1837 250 28,817
1838 212 21,669 1838 204 20,386
1839 237 23,799 1839 218 21,545
1840 228 26,574 1840 209 24,689
The following Table exhibits the home and foreign navigation
of the principal ports of Greece for the year 1835, including
vessels of all nations:-
TABLE
7. - Navigation of the Thirty Principal Ports of
Greece, 1835.
No. of INo. of No. of INo. of
Port. Ships Ships Port. Ships Ships
arrived. salled. arrived. sailed.
Hydra - - 4,760 5,124 Skiathos - . 878 897
Spetzia - - 3,584 4,068 SkopeJos - - 847 947
Poros . - 2,834 3,011
Skyros - - 1,246 1,251
NaupJia - - 4,430 4,734 Chalcis - - 2,343 2,279
Pirreus - - 2,776 2,891 Koumi - - 538 556
lEgina - - 3,152 3,272 Santa Marina - 781 777
Syra - - 5,079 5,191 MissoJonghi - 1,023 1,057
Tinos - · 1,171 1,179
Patras - - 2,206 2,128
Myconos - - 1,188 1,239 Galaxidi - - 1,490 1,775
Andros - · 575 623 Vonizza
- - 1,727 1,864
Naxos - - 624 638 Astacos · - 548 542
Paros - - 581 606 Lepanto · . 342 338
Santorin - · 1,202 \1,245
Vostizza · - 1,001 1,007
MyJos - - 482 486 Navarin · - 509 504
Zea - - - 391 383 CaJamata - - 939 954
The next Table shows the number of vessels aboyc ten tons
burthen, arrived at, and sailed from, all the ports of Greece
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING. 157
in the year 1834, distinguishing the flag of the nations to
which they belong, and the movements of each .arrondissement.
TABLE
8. - Arrivals and Departures for 1834, of
all the
Poru qf Greece.
ARRIVALS WITH CARGO.
\ FOREIGN. . .
ArrODdlSSe.. __ ~ I~· ri I·· .~ ment. IGreek. -:::: ~; -S ...:.c::: orSi! 1·1 Total ... .. ~ !::: '0 .c:: I-~ .J~::.Sa:' Total Noafti.oalnl •.
;: g ~ I:; 3 P: t ~ 't;1 iij 0 ~ IForeign.
~ -
:::J ~ t..... ~ ~ I < ~ Z 0;0 100 z
First - '22,013 -;r-;\-;;I-;;; 1522-;-,~I~I~I-;~:22,339
Second 12,139 731 III 95
1
94 512 049
1
1 6
1
31.; 0 12 983/'13,132
'fhird -15,522 0' 51 3 4 109 0 I 0 01' 0' 0 I 0 121 5,643
F?urth 6,680 84'2137 681
1
7 630' 5, 016 8' 0 0 2,955 9,635
Fifth -, 2,553 81157 35 1 11,11111 7 8 0 4 243 I 2,796
---1-'--'--1--·--1-1-1-:-'---'---
Totals - 48,907 186 2~3 253~~~~8_61 30~~,628 ;53,535
DEPARTURES WITH CARGO.
I FOREIGN.
, 1
Arrondissc- Greek. .c I·
I I" i·1 I' Total I cl ~ .~c .s ..c S·.s llPi ... to of all
ment. .:.l 'I.~ "C .. ;;.a i I ~ ,;g : l=: I ~ ~~ i Total Nations.
1: § ~ ~ ~
Clli~'~,~ica O~,Foreign.
~ I ~ I~ ~ 'I Eo< ~1~!zl~,OOI zl
___'
:" I
'First - '24,120 !~I-;'-;;-;<;'~'211111~~I-;I~:24,426
Second '12,442 73:, 111! 95 97 512 0
1
49 6.3110,121' 98613,427
Third - '15'586 0 51 3 41 109 0 0, 01 0,0 i 0 121 I 5,707
Fourth 7,169 622101, 35 7 608
1
5; 0116'1 8 0" 01 2842 110,012
Fifth - 2,539 8; 154 34 1
1
11,1 Illi 7 8,0 1 4 239 2,778
Totals - ~'~';:m'~~'~;;;8'61';;!~:~lwl~l~
I here subjoin a special Table of the foreign relations of
the port of Patras for the year 1838, which will serve to give
a general idea of the annual trade of that rising port with
other countries:-
158
NAVIOATION AND SHIPPING.
0
2,049
65
3,652
3650 i
0
0
494
216
Country from
which arrived.
TABLE
9. - Navigation of the Port of Patras with Foreign
Countries in 1838.
ARRIVALB WITH CARGO.
r
Under Greek Flag. 'Under Foreign Flag. Total. I'
Ships. r;:-o~:a~-:-.I
Ships. I Tonnage. Ships. I;::;;;:
En-g-la-n-d--- 0 ----;;;-' 5,656 38 5,656 I
Austria 29 13 1,721 42 3,770
Papal States 1 1 71 2 136
Ionian Islands 105 34 1,402 139 5,054
France 3 1 68 4 433
Malta 0 3 222 3 222
Naples 0 4 92 4 92
Sardinia 0 1 148 1 148
Tuscany 5 0 0 5 494
Turkey 4 2 49 6 265
Totals - r 147 I 6,841 97 9,429 244 16,270
-~----'--"'----------'--
DEPARTURES WITH CARGO.
.. Total.
ipa. I Tonnage. Ships. Tonnage. Ii
,
I
3 6,464 43 6,464
2 241 12 760
1 35 I 35
8 1,191 64 2,730
0 0 0 0 I
4 296
I
5 352 1 314 11 314 I
1 108 1 108 I 0 0 I 0 0
8 1,230 I
I
18 2,318
8 I 9,849 I 155 13,081 1
4
I ~nd~Greek Flag. junder Foreign Flag.
Ships. I Tonnage. I Sh - - -------
Country of
Destination.
England I 0 0
Austria - I 10 549
Papal States 0 0
Ionian Islands 46 1,539
France 0 0
Malta 1 56
Naples 0 0
Sardinia 0 0
~~~~~~otalS ~ 1-:-:-'1'-::-:-:2-~-
8 ----_-----.:_--
No. 10. - Table showing ti,e Number of Sllips, Tonnage
mul Sailors belonging to eaell oftke Ports oftke Kingdom
071 tlte 1st of January, 184·0. '" [See opposite page.]
• As the reader may miss in this Table some ports which are known
to hove vessels, it may be well to cxplain that thcy arc included in
some other port, as follows:-
Pirmus includes lEgina and Salamis.
Hydra Gythion (Marathonisi).
Spezzia Monemvasia (Epidaurus Limera).
Sautorin Ios.
Andros Carysto and Eretria in Eubrea.
Patms Lepanto (Naupactos).
Navllrin Modon and Coron.
Calamnta - Ytilon and Majapo.
This list applies equally to the table of vessels bnilt in 1838, 1839,
and 18·10. See page 149.
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING. 159
-,
"
Port and I NU7ber o~ Shlpo. , of Tton;ge'
l
INumhe
l
r of Slallon
.
ArrODdi&&ement.\under above
l
Ve.se" I VelselA em. not em-
30 30 Total. uuder I above Total. played. played. Total.
Tons. Tons. 30 T 30 T 'I I
I------:-------~I~------------
1st Arrond. I I I I I
Hydra - 380 82 462 2,079 9,201 11,2!l0 2,250
1
3,350 5,600
Pirreus - 64 9 73 328 1,338! 1,666 350 500 I 850
Poros - 154 2 156 710 80: 190 400 ;1,200 I 1,600
Spetzia - 169 81 250 1,067 14,900 15,967 1,280
1
1,580 I 2,860
Nauplia - 100 3 103 615 3761 991 I 56 68 124
Cranidi - 217 18 135 1,442 1,708 3,150
1
1,720
1
1,600 I 3,320
Total - 1084 19511,279 i 6,241 127,603 '33,844 !6,056 [8,298 114,354
I I
I ~ I I
2d A;:;;;;;;L----I--j--I--I-I---
Syra • 211 257 . 468 2,410 '28,560 30,970 3,600 100 3,700
Paros - 17 0 17 34 0 34 I 120 30 150
Zea - 9 0 9 46 0 46 ~ 90 I 170 260
Naxos - 6 2 8 14 130 144 180, 140 320
Myconos - 78 41 119 862 4,780 5,6421 750 I' 780 1,530
Tinos - 16 3 19 181 198 379 400 600 1,000
Mylos - 73 12 85 627 I 710 1,337 624 0 624
Santorin - 78 59 137 695 I 8,040 8,735 1
11
,220 2,090 3,310
los - 4 2 6 45 112 157 401 120 160
Andros - ~I~ 121 ~I, 6'39016'943
jl,OOO :1,000 2,000
~~ 5671 ~22 989 5,467
148,920 54,387 i8,02415,03~J3,054
3d Arrond.
Skiathos - 65 45 110 255 3,345 3,600 590 800 1,390
Coumi - 55 18 73 946 567 1,613 450 459 909
Amaliopolis 73 28 101 402 1,724 2,126 532 200 732
Chalcis - 81 24 105 537 1,844 2,381 583 784 1,367
Scopelos - 91 21 112 427 2,554 2,981 784 20 804 -- 1361~i2,567 [10,134 12,701
--
Total - 365 2,939 2,263J 5,202
----------'--- 4th Arrond.
Missolonghi 73 1 74 390 49 439 206 100 306
Patras - 29 0 29 115 0 115 98 0 98
Galaxidi - 114 83 197, 1,253 7,435 8,688 I 960 200 1,160
Clarentza - 3 0 31 32 0 321 10 0 10
~~ 219~~ 1,790 7,484 9,27411,27~1 30011.574
J~~:r~ond: 55 0 551 243 0 243 170 1 0 1 170
Calamata - ~_O_~~__O_~~-_O_~
Total - 119 0 I 119 I 484 I 0 484 3751 01 375
(The Totals of this Table will be found in Table No. 2.)
FROII POREIGN PORTS, viz:.:-
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING.
NAVIGATIO
No.
11.-Table ofthe Number of Ships, witlwut
reference to thei
1837, distinguishing the Numbers at the Seven princip
to which they sailed generally.
160
following Table exhibits a general view of the home and foreig
which carried on, and the arrivals and departures
lRIVALB.
t or Arrival. i~~, Brltllh,!lonlan,j
A'lItrlan.ITurkllh,I~lltallan'INc~~:r-1 r~~f;:',
,t .;lfarine
District.
,dra - 3,858 0 12 14 62 I 1 205 295
etzia - 2,986 11 22 0 59 6 4 27 129
rlIlUS - 4,635 7 7 45 55 5 2 0 121
LUplia - 2,604 5 0 14 4 0 0 0 23
ros - 2,028 1 1 I 39 0 0 0 42 2,070
otherports 8,563 __0_~__2 1_5 0_' 0__7_1_~1 8,666
Total -124'6741~1~1 __76_1~I_l_2_1__7 _ ~1~!:J25,387
cl Marine I District.
ra - 4,618 58 62 38 266 8 18 58 508 5,126',
o~::~ll:::::I 6: I :: I :: ::: :: I:: :: 11,::: il::::::
ri/::;r;~e I I I I I I I I ports - 9,646 0 0 __0_ 1,006 __0 0 9_ 1,021
110,667
rh Marine I District.
ltras - 1,597 71 244 51 22 2 21 0 411 2,008
o:::a~o~SI :::::I1:: I:::::I~I ::: 1-+1 :: 1+1::::: I:::::
~t:;::c~e 1-\-1-1-1-1-\-\-1-\-
ports - 3,058 3 158 33 17 2 31 3 247 I 3,305 ~ ----- -----..- --f
RECAPITULATION. ------,--,--,, t District - '24,674 24 I 57 76 234 12 I
7 303 713 125,387'
I 13,762 64 80 48 898 22 46 86 1,244 14,806
I I 9,646 0 0 0 1,006 0 0 9 1,021 10.667
h 11;,358 102 2,012 65 474 2 I 62 0 2,687 8,045
h 3,058 __3 _1~__33 1_7 2__3_1 3_~ 3,305
Total -56,4981 193 12,3071 222 12,629 I 38 I 146 I 401 15,912 62,210
_.._---
NAVIGATION AND SHIPPING. 161
TO PORBIGN POllT8, l'lz. :-
0 2 8 54 0 0 148 212
26 8 1 79 9 3 32 158
3 0 9 119 5 0 0 136
3 0 6
I
12 0 0 0 21
0 0 0 141 0 1 22 164
1 13 II 25 ° 2 38 90
navigation of Greece for the year 1837, distinguishing the countries,
the seven principal ports of the kingdom specially.
OF GREECE, 1837.
Flag, arrived at and sailed from Greek Ports during tire Year
Ports, separately; andthe Countries from which they came, and
DEPART
Port of De- To
parture. ~~~~. B 11 I I I I . IF h Iltall [Not ope.' Total
1------:---. r1tIOh·I-':':I~I~I--=:'.J-:'~I~
1st Marine
District.
Hydra - 4,290
Spetzia - 3,081
Pirmus - 5,066
NaupIia - 3,082
Poros - 1,975
13 other ports 8,617
Total'· 1~--;-1---;;1-3-5-1~1~1--6 -1~~T78i"""1;
2dMarine ---1-----------------1--District.
Syra - 4,442 60 68 42 316 8 18 82 i 594
23 other ports 9,594 6 22 12 606 12 28 58 I 746 I
Total - ~I 66 I 90 I 54 I 922 I 20 I 46 1140 11,340 I~
1:~p~e-19,891 I 0 I 0 I 0 11,3051 0 I 0 I 8 [1,31311
:J!!::~~~e_ 1,581 ~1-=--1O--=---0-~--0-__=_-
10 other ports 5,318 ~ll,801 __13_~-_0-~__0_~-
Total -16,899 70 ;2,0211_2_3_1~1__0_1~1__0_1~~..1
5th Marine I I I I I I I I I
7 ~~~rict. _ 3,040 3 163 32 5 2 36 3 244
RECAPITULATION.
1st District -126,i 11 33 23 35 430 14 6 240 781 2
2d 14,036 66 90 54 922 20 46 140 1,340 1
3d 9,891 0 0 0 1,305 0 0 8 1,313 I
4th 6,899 70 2,021 23 516 0 63 0 2,773
5th... 3,040 3 163 32 5 2 36 3 244
Total - 59,m1-m-!;,m-~1_;,m_136r~;-I~I~~~
M
162 AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
CHAP. V.
AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES, AND TRADES.
NOTWITHSTANDING its mountainous regions, Greece is peculiarly
adapted for an agricultural country, as it contains
large and fertile plains covered only with bushes and underwood,
which, as they may be easily removed, leaves the land
open to profitable cultivation. Plains exist as well in the
Peloponnesus, where are to be found the beautiful plains of
Argos, of Sparta, of Tripolitza, of Calamata, and of Gastonni,
as in continental Greece, and the Island of Eubrea.
The whole of the western coast of the Morea, from the mouth
of the Alphei'us down to Navarin, presents one vast and
fruitful plain, eminently suited for agriculture, forty miles
long, and twelve or fifteen wide; whilst the southern shores
of the Gulf of Corinth from Patras up to the Isthmus, hitherto
only cultivated in small patches, contain a much larger area
than can ever be used for currant plantations, and produces
admirably every species of corn. The island of Eubrea contains
some extensive plains, which, with merely ordinary industry,
might be turned into fruitful corn-fields; and the
continent possesses the rich plains of Thebes and Livadia,
in ancient times called " the granary of Greece."
The number of persons employed solely in agriculture
is about 100,000, being nearly one half of the male, and
about one eighth of the total population, of the kingdom.
50,000 of these belong to the Morea, 30,000 to the continent,
and 20,000 to Eubrea, and the other islands. From
various causes, however, and principally from the heavy and
clumsy implements made use of, the want of cattle, and the
little improvement that has been introduced in the agricultural
system, they do not produce sufficient corn for the
supply of the home market, but are compelled to have reAND
TRADES. 163
course to importation. About 700,000 kilos of wheat
(85,000 quarters) are annually imported, chiefly from the
ports of the Black Sea, which is about one half of the consumption
of the country, the other half being supplied by
native industry.
But when the ancient and defective mode of tilling the
land gives place to modern improvements, a great increase
in the production will assuredly take place, and Greece will,
in all probablity, eventually become an exporting country.
There are 25,000 yoke of oxen in Greece to 100,000
farmers, or 1 to 4. The labour of a yoke of oxen is well
known; indeed, from its being so nicely calculated, it has
given the name of Zevgari (ZiVY<lpL! a yoke of oxen) to such
a portion of land as can be ploughed in one season by a
pair of oxen.
That agriculture in Greece is susceptible of great expansion
is clear, for if every agricultural family had but one
yoke of oxen, they could cultivate four times as much land
as they now do, and consequently produce four times as
much corn, or a quantity equal to double the consumption
of the country; and thus, not only be exempted from disbursing
four millions of drachmes annually to other states,
but might receive eight millions in return for their superabundant
produce.
But this is out of the question in the present state of
Greece: the purchase of 75,000 yoke of oxen would cost, at
400 drachmes the yoke, a sum of 30,000,000 drachmes; the
country ill still poor, and therefore such a desirable consumption
can only be the work of time and gradual improvement.
I merely mention this to show of what improvement agriculture
is susceptible, even with the present scanty population
of the country; but we have also to look at this subject in
another point of view.
The industry of the 100,000 persons engaged in agriculture,
is almost completely lost to view in the extensive wilds
of Greece; and the universal remark of tourists is _Cl What
a pity that the cultivation of the soil is so neglected I what a
rich and fertile country! what myriads of colonists might
prosper here I" and such is really the case. Were every
1\1 2
164
-
AGIIICUJ.TURE, MANUFACTURES,
agricultural family in Greece in possession of a yoke of oxen,
or even two, they could not possibly cultivate one tenth part
of the corn lands now lying waste, and covered with luxuriant
myrtles, oleander, geranium, wild roses, shumac, and other
indigenous shrubs. Greece could easily find room for five
millions of inhabitants, and furnish food for them all.
The tide of emigration, from the over-peopled states of
northern Europe, has for many years flowed towards America;
latterly, it has taken a turn in the direction of Australia;
but, by and by, it may alter its course, and set in towards the
shores of Greece, which offers many inducements to colonists.
In the first place, the fineness and salubrity of its
climate render a house almost superfluous for nine months
of the )'ear, and the settlers, on their arrival in the spring,
might, without any hardship, live in tents till they had
finished their agricultural labours for the season, and then
be able to construct their habitations, for which there is
abundance of materials, before the commencement of the
periodical rains. Secondly, they would not have to encounter
such difficulties as meet them in North America, of
clearing the ground by incalculable labour, felling tree by
tree, and then digging out the roots; but on the first day
of their arrival in Greece, by setting fire to the shrubs and
bushes, they could clear as much land as they require,
and commence pl0'.lghing the next morning. The only
beasts of prey they would find, would be the harmless
jackals, which, at the utmost, might make a midnight
attempt on their poultry. Lastly, they would find every facility
afforded them by the government. All religions are
freely tolerated, and foreign colonists coming to Greece,
with the intention of purchasing land and establishing themselves
in the kingdom, enjoy the privilege of importing free
of duty,
1. Articles of dress already worn or used.
2. Furniture, kitchen-utensils, linen, &c., for their own
use.
s. Waggons, carts, harness and horses.
4. Agricultural implements and t091s.
5. Seeds, plants, and trees.
AND TRADES. 165
6. Sheep and horned cattle, provided the colonist can
prove tbat he has purchased land, or taken any on lease.
(GOf!. Gaz. 1834-, p. 121.)
Tbe price of land, however, is not 80 low as in America
and Australia. Large tracts of now uncultivated and almost
uninhabited country, where the traveller does not see a house
in a journey of three or four hours, and only then comes to
a small village with a couple of hundred inhabitants, might
be bougbt at 2 Spanish dollars per strema, or about 25 per
acre, and perbaps for less, were an actual offer to be made,
payable in ten annual equal instalments.
In the neighbourhood of large towns, of course land is
dearer; but I am now speaking of districts adapted for colonization.
The immigrants would enjoy the pri vilege of
letting their cattle and sheep graze on the surrounding
government property, on payment of the customary pasture
tax; and they might easily select spots well watered and
wooded, which would furnish them in abundance with those
necessaries oflife.
On the whole, tbe supply of water in Greece is abundant,
though in many places, from long neglect, it is badly divided.
In some parts it has accumulated in such a manner as to
form extensive inland lakeiS; ill others, stagnant marshes;
whilst others again are, in consequence, totally deprived of
the means of irrigation, and are dependent for all moisture
solely on tbe rains of the winter season.
The rich plains which formerly supplied food for the then
populous districts of Megalopolis, Tegea, Mantinrea, and
Orchomenos in Arcadia, Stymphalus and Pheneus in Acha'ia,
and the twelve cities which surrounded Lake Copals in Livadia,
are now mostly changed into extensive marshes, which,
if recovered, would form the most fertile corn lands in Greece.
The inhabitants of the villages near the ruins of Stympbalus
have assured me that, about 25 years ago, after a very dry
winter, and early fall of tbe waters in spring, they were
enabled to cultivate a part of the land, which produced such
an abundant harvest as to return them fifty times the quantity
sown. On the other hand, the farmers of Livadia have
expressed their conviction, that if the Lake Copals were
l\l S
166 AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
drained, so as to let off the water which inundates the land
early enough in the spring, to allow them to till it, it would
be equal in fertility to the Misiri or corn plains of Egypt.
Were these improvements effected, there would be additional
arable lands regained, sufficient to employand sustain 200,000
families, about the present number of the whole kingdom.
Besides the importance of the subject, it may be added
that it is becoming a question of urgent necessity. The evil
increases every year; and as nothing is done towards drawing
off the waters, they increase slowly but regularly, and the
difficulty and danger grow greater every season. The old
men of Livadia assured me that, within the last fifty years,
the marshes formed by the inundations have approached the
city by more than three miles.
Of the twenty subterraneous channels by which Lake
Copais formerly disgorged its waters, there is but one now
open; and should that unfortunately be stopped up like the
others, it would bring back to us the times of Deucalion ;
for the inundation of the whole country would be inevitable:
it would extend to the foot of Parnassus, where the waters
would at length find a vent by the channel of the Asopus.
That which is to be feared for the plains of Breotia and
Phocis, actually happened at Pheneus. The two subterraneous
channels (Kara{;6/:lpa), by which the waters of that
lake found a partial outlet, having become stopped up, the
smaller one about thirty years ago, the larger of the two in
1821, the year in which the Greek revolution broke out,
the water rose annually, and gradually covered the surrounding
plains, and swallowed up twelve villages. This
state of things lasted till the beginning of 1833, when, in the
night of the 1st January (Old Style), a violent earthquake
was felt, and in the morning it was ascertained, to the unspeakable
joy of the inhabitants, that the larger Katabothron
was open, and the waters abating, by which upwards of
20,000 acres of rich corn land were brought into reexistence;
and since that period the water has kept to its
former level. Such inundations have happened there at
different periods: Pausanias relates that it was once stopped
for 300 years, and its rc-opening was ascribed to HerAND
TRADES. 167
cull's. The same topographer also states that, in his time, a
water mark, which is observable to the present day, SOO
feet above the present level of the lake, was to be seen on
the mountains which surround it.
Notwithstanding the calamities to which Greece was exposed
under the oppressive sway of the Turks, it must be
confessed that they kept a vigilant eye on the preservation
of the water courses of the lakes. The old men of the
valley of Stymphalus still remember the considerable works
which were undertaken by the Turkish government sixtyfive
years ago, in order to clear the subterraneous channel,
which had become stopped up. During the six Ilummer
months of the year 1776, 500 men were employed on the
undertaking. After having cleared away the mud and soil
which choked up the modern channel, to the depth of fifteen
feet, and above a hundred feet in length, they discovered regular
steps cut in the red marble rock, of which the mountain
-is composed. On clearing out the mud which covered
the twenty steps, the lowest of which was about thirty-five
feet below the level of the valley, which had risen by the
accumulated deposit of alluvial soil, they came to the entrance
of the ancient channel, consisting of two large gates,
or openings cut in the rock. The operations were then directed
to clearing these passages of the mud which obstructed
them, in the hope of reaching the point where the
ancient channel joined that through which the watcrs are at
present disgorged, and which traverses the mountain at a
less depth than the two ancient gates, but in the same direction.
Scarcely, however, had they proceeded twenty
yards with the operation, when a part of the roof of the
cavern fell in suddenly with a tremendous crash, burying
half a dozen workmen under it. The rest, who were mostly
Greeks, were so frightened that they fairly rau away, and
could not be persuaded to return, in consequence of which
the works were unfortunately abandoned.
That Lake Copais might be drained, there can be no
reasonable doubt; the only difficulty would be to furnish
the pecuniary means. Crates of Chalcis, an eminent hydraulic
engineer in the time of Alexander the Great, per-
I.r 4
168 AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
forated an artificial channel through the mountains, of
sufficient size to admit of the passage of the waters, though
increased by the winter rains, which were thus carried ofi'
into the sea, the mouth of this artificial channel being opposite
the Island of Eubrea. The length of the conduit was
about an Eaglish mile; and in order to clean it in case of
its becoming obstructed, upwards of forty vertical shafts
were sunk at different stations from the surface of the
mountain through which it passed, so as to permit of easy
access to the part where the stoppage existed.
This magnificent work is now completel)· choked up, but
the vertical shafts still exist, and the whole might be cleared
out, and thus drain the extensive plain of Copals. The inundations
are very gradual. The water begins to rise in the
winter, after the fall of the first rains, not with the boisterous
impetuosity of an Alpine mountain torrent tearing up trees,
and destroying houses, but so gently as to be almost imperceptible;
and all ancient Hellenic causeway, which is annually
submerged, appears again periodically without any
visible damage or alteration, though one half the year under
water.
But the clearing out of the subterraneous water courses,
though the most efficacious and radical, are not the only
means to be adopted, for as the water which covers the greatest
part of the country is only about a couple of feet deep, a
solid wall of not more than three feet in height would
protect many thousands of acres from inundation, the waters
of which are now only carried off and exhaled in the
summer, when it is too late to cultivate the land.
There is no doubt that in Greece the appearance of the
country has changed most materially during the last twenty
or thirty centuries; and though the position of mountains
and rivers remain the same, even their aspect must have undergone
a complete change. Herodotus says that the Athenians
hunted bears in the forests on Mount Lycabettus, where now
there is scarcely a shrub to be found a foot high. From
other writers we know that Hymettus, Pentelicon, and Parnassus,
were covered with forests to their summits. They
now present the appearance of skeletons of mountains, bare
AND TRADES. 169
rocks without any vegetation, or only producing a few
stunted trees, whose roots seek in vain for nourishment
among the soil-less crevices. The trees which formerly covered
these mountains, having died away by degrees, the
soil kept together by their roots, and increased by the decomposition
of their leaves, has, in the course of time, becn
washed down by the heavy periodical rains into the valleys,
the level of which has, no doubt, considerably risen, as is
abundantly proved by many antique ruins having been discovered
in digging the foundations of modern houses. In
the plain of Olympia the pedestals of the columns of the
Temple of Jupiter, which have lately been discovered, are
nearly twenty feet below the present surface of the ground.
That the rivers have shared the same fate is also easily
proved. The Cephissus, for instance, has dwindled down to
a little stream not sufficient for irrigating the gardens in the
plain of Attica; and yet, at one time, it was so deep as to
form a barrier to the progress of Xerxes and his whole
army, who, not being able to cross it, encamped upon its
banks. The classical Ilyssus is now quite dry, though the
buttresses of the magnificent bridge which connected the
Athenian side of the river with the Stadium, still exist,
showing that the span of the arch was fifty feet; and, judging
by appearances, the depth of water must have been at least
twelve or fourteen feet. At Sparta are still to be seen the
iron rings inserted in the stones forming the quays of the
Eurotas, formerly used for the purpose of making fast the
galleys. The water in that river now does not reach to the
knee in any part, and the Inachus, which was formerly navigable
up to Argos, is a dry torrent-bed, except during the
rainy season.
Under these circumstances, the introduction of Artesian
wells would be an incalculable source of benefit to the
country, fertilising whole provinces which now languish for
want of irrigation. Professor Russeger, Dr. Fiedler. and
other geologists, who have of late years visited Greece, have
given it as their decided opinion, that they might be bored
with every prospect of success, as the general appearance of
the country and the formation of the rocks indicate the
170 AGIUCULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
presence of subterraneous mainsprings. One or two attempts
have been made in the vale of Athens; but from the clumsy
manner in which they were undertaken, they did not prove
successful; and it is to be hoped that more energetic
measures will be taken by the government for the success of
a fystem which will be of such immense benefit to the kingdom.
Even the common pump, by which a great saving
of time and labour might be effected, is totally unknown in
Greece, and in its absence many proprietors of gardens and
lands have introduced the ancient oriental mode of irrigation
by a common well with a chain of wooden buckets worked by
an ass.
I have before mentioned that the agricultural implements
of the Greeks are exceedingly defective. The plough is
the same as that described by Hesiod 3000 years ago;
a simple piece of crooked timber, with only one shaft, and
the ploughshare made of hard wood, sometimes tipped with
iron. The harrow, the roller, the tormentor; the threshing
and winnowing machines, are perfectly unknown ill Greece.
The threshing-floors ('AX';JYLa), which generally belong to
the commune, are circular pavements of about twenty yards
in diameter, with a stake in the centre, and usually in an
elevated position to catch the wind, which is the Grecian
winnowing fan. To this stake are tied half a dozen horses,
oxen, mules, and asses, indiscriminately, and harnessed
abreast, or rather tied together by a rope round the neck.
The corn being strewed all over the floor, the cattle are
placed at the outer circumference. and driven round and
round, their circle. becoming smaller and smaller every time,
by the ropes coiling itself round the post, till they necessarily
come to a halt in the centre. They are then turned round,
each circuit then extending by the cord unwinding, till they
again reach the edge of the pavement. In this manner the
corn is "trodden out," and it may be remarked that the
Greeks rigidly observe to the letter the scriptural injunction,
" Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn."
Wheat is sown in January and February, when the ground
is softened by the periodical rains, so as to admit of its being
ploughed. The harvest commences at the end of April, and
AND TRADES. 171
is finished by the middle of May. The general average of
the wheat harvest)s in proportion to the quantity of seed
sown, as 18 to 1. A good harvest 26, 32, and even 38. A
bad harvest 8, 10, and ]2 to 1.
Indian Corn, or Maize (KaXaJl?r(J,cL), is a very profiu-ble
article to cultivate on lands which can be irrigated, or lie,in
damp situations, producing generally 600 to 700 for 1, and
in the plain of Olympia, which is liable to the inundations
of the Alphe"ius, the crops yield as much as 900 to 1; whilst
the stalks form excellent and wholesome nourishment for
the cattle. It is planted in April, and is ripe in the month
of August.
Barley is sown a good deal on the lighter soils, solely as
food for horses, being used instead of oats, which are found
more heating. Barley is generally sown in the autumn,
after the first rains. It shoots into ear in March, and is ripe
about the middle of April. It is much used just before
coming into ear for horses, who are tethered for a fortnight
in the barley fields to eat the green juicy stalks, known by
the name of grassidi (rpaC1C1l~L).
Oats are not grown in Greece. Peas and beans in vcry
small parcels.
The prices of corn at the Athenian market. which is
fully 20 per cent. higher than in the provinces, are as
follows :-
Leptas.
Wheat, good, highest price per oka 27
lowest price 22
'Vheat, inferior, highest price 24
10west price 19 .
Barley, good, highest price 21
lowest price 14
Straw, wheat 5 to 7
barley 3 to 6
Tobacco is a good deal cultivated, and succeeds in some
parts of Greece better than others. The best tobacco is
grown in the plains of Argos, Livadia, and Calamata. It
can be cultivated with success on high lands, and the slopes
of hills, as it requires no water, receiving sufficient moisture
from the night dews. It is Bown in garden beds in February,
172 AG1UCULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
and planted out in April, generally in the barley fields, as
800n as the crop is harvested. The annual produce is about
as follows:-
Plain of Argas
Livadia
Calamata
Other places
Total
Okas.
240,000
120,000
60,000
30,000
450,000
Of this quantity one ten~h is of superior quality, three
tenths middling, and six tenths inferior. The average price
is two drachmes per oka. Besides the above, 120,000 okas
are imported annually, principally from Armyros and other
parts of Thessaly.
Cotton produces a better crop with irrigation than on dry
lands, but the quality is not so good. It is not a perennial
plant as in Egypt, nor does it grow so high; the seeds are
sown every year, generally after the wheat and barley
harvest, and mostly on the same lands.
The quality of the Greek cotton, of which some samples
have been sent to London, is very inferior, being of short
staple and coarse texture, but the colour is good. About
80,000 okas only are exported, the rest being all used in the
country, and very little sold at all, as it is bowed, spun, and
woven by the women and children in the families of the peasants
who cultivate it. In ]8]6, the cotton crops produced
860,000 okas, or 2,500,000 lbs. The present crops cannot
be estimated with any accuracy.
Opium.-The cultivation of poppies has lately been introduced
with great success, and the quality of the opium is
considered equal to the Turkish, but the quantity produced
has been hitherto too small to admit of its being classified
amongst the articles of commerce.
Potatoes.-Repeated attempts have been made to cultivate
the potato, but without success. Till the arrival of the king,
this vegetable was not known in the country; and even down
to the present time, the consumption is limited to the
AXD THADES. 173
foreigners resident in the country, the supplies being sent
from Trieste.
Madder is an article which might be cultivated to a great
extent and yield a large return; but, in the present state of
agriculture, where the peasants cannot afford to wait long for
their crops, but few turn their attention to it, as this root requires
four years to arrive at maturity, and takes up a good
deal of room. 'The present exports amount only to about
40,000 drs. in value; but before the revolution it was an important
branch of commerce, and the quality of the article
very good.
Rice is cultivated in many parts of Greece, where the nature
of the soil is adapted to it. It must have a damp and
swampy land, and as the general salubrity of the country requires
the draining of the marshes, the government are not
di",posed to protect its cultivation. A royal ordonnance
(Gov. Gaz. 1834, p.295.) contains the regulations to be observed
in the cultivation of rice-fields, which, as being Un_
healthy, are not permitted to be within less than a,n hour's
walk from a town, and half an hour from a village, that the
inhabitants may not be exposed to the noxious vapours exhaling
from them, and the malaria caused in consequence.
Sesaine Seed is produced all over Greece, but the consumption
is chiefly confined to the home trade, the annnal
exports amounting only to about 15,000 okas, or 40,000 Ibs.
Currants, which form by far the most important, and indeed
the staple article of the Grecian commerce, are the
produce of a species of vine so nearly resembling the grape
vine in form, leaf, size, and mode of growth, as to show no
apparent difference to the general observer. The name is a
corruption of Corinth, in the neighbourhood of which they
grow, and which has given them the same appellation in
all European languages, in some of which it is less corrupted
than in our own; as, for instance, in French they are called
raisins de Corinthe, and in German Corinthen.
It is an exceedingly tender plant, requiring the greatest
care and attention, but well repays the cultivator for the labour
bestowed on it. Currants will only grow in some of the
174 AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
Ionian islands and on the shores of the Peloponnesus, which
consequently monopolise the trade and supply the whole
world with this article. Attempts have frequently been
made to transplant the currant vine to other countries of similar
temperature, but uniformly without success. In Sicily
and Malta they have degenerated into the common grape,
and in Spain would not even take root at all. Recent experiments
to remove them even to a short distance, as to
Attica and the plains of Argos, have signally failed.
Before the revolution the cultivation of currants was much
larger than at present, and the whole trade was nearly annihilated
during the war. In the year 1816, the crops of the
different producing provinces were as follows: -
Lepanta
lEtolia
Corinth
Patras
Vostizza
Gastouni
Calavryta
Okas.
88,000
100,000
202,400
- 3,740,000
528,000
88,000
308,000
Total - 5,054,000 or 13,645,800 Iba.
After the final expulsion of the Turks from the country,
and the guarantee of its future independence by the three
protecting powers, the Greeks began again to turn their attention
to the cultivation of -the currant. The few remaining
old plantations, which had nearly grown wild from long
neglect, were carefully manured and pruned, and fresh currant
vines planted, which, by the year 1832, produced nearly
4,000,000 lbs. Since that period the production has more
than doubled itself, as will be seen by the following table
(for which, and other statistical information on this article, I
am indebted to a highly respected gentleman, the head of
a long-established English house of business at Patras) : -
AND TRADES. 17.';
Table rif the Annual Crops of Currants in Greece, as appears
by the Exportsfrom Patras, Vostizza, ~c.
Years. Great Venetlan lbs. Britlsb Tons.
1833 - - - 6,260,:148 2,796
1834 - - - 4,952,232 2,234
1835 - - - 7,877,744 ! 3,714
1836 - - - 6,629,841 , 3,131
1837 - - - 7,424,329 3,502
1838 - - - 6,641,059 3,123
1839 - - - 8,788,700 4,133
1840 - - - 10,865,000 5,104
1841 (estimated crop) - 9,300,000 4,400
As I mentioned before, the plant requires much care and
labour, and the fruit is of an equally delicate nature. It appears
that the southern shores of the Gulfs of Patras and Corinth
are best adapted for the cultivation of currants, the other localities
being more subject to storms and heavy night-dews.
The growth of this fruit extends from Gastouni opposite the
island of Zante, along the northern coast of the Peloponnesus
up to Corinth, but seldom above two or three miles
inland.
It will be seen by the following table, that, with the exception
of a small quantity grown in the neighbourhood of
Missolonghi, the whole of the crop is produced in the
Morea:-
Tahle of the Crops of Currants in 1838, 1839, and 1840,
distinguishing the different Provinces where grown.
District. J838. 1839. 1840.
lbs. lbs. lbs.
Gulf of Lepanto - 5,871,000 7,823,000 8,800,000
Patras - - - 500,000 695,000 1,400,000
Missolonghi - - 150,000 135,000 265,000
Gastouni and Arcadia - 120,000 135,000 400,000
Total - 6,641,000 8,788,000 I 10,865,000
The crops are collected in the month of August, at whi<'h
period the coasts on the Gulf are subject to heavy thunder176
AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
Price. for best Quality.
storms, accompanied with rain, which detach the fruit from
the vines, and sometimes destroy in a few hours a third or a
fourth of the whole crop. It will be seen from the annexed
table that the prices of this article are subject to great fluctuations,
produced by the quantity of the crop, which, when
small, enhances the value of the fruit; while, on the otherhand,
in abundant seasons, the price necessarily falls, so that to the
farmers it is pretty much the same whether the crop be large
or small, as they regulate their prices accordingly.
Prices of Currants at Patras and Vostizza, in Spanish
Dollars, at per 1000 Venetian lbs.
1833.11834. !1835. 1836.11837.11838.11839.1 i840.
I-A - t -th-e-o-p-en-i-n·g--o-f-th-e-s-e-as-o-n"I-3-5- -7;T;;-ro
-;:-S;-i-;;'ro
Highest price in the year 50 72! 61 80 65 86 181! I 70
Lowest price in the year 35 60 i 56 70 55 80 75 i 60
Average price of the year 41 66 58 75 60 82' 77 65
The dime tax must be deducted from the prices noted above,
to show what were the clear receipts of the grower from 1833
to 1838. In the year 1839 this tax was converted into an
export duty payable by the shipper, and the prices noted for
1839 and 184,0 are net to the growers.
The average price of a strema (which contains 1600
square peeks, and is about one third of au English acre) of
currant plantation, in full bearing, is now about 300 Spanish
dollars, or 1800 drachmes. Each strema contains about 280
vines, and produces annually on the average 700 lbs., some
lands yielding only 400 lbs. and others as much as 1000 lbs.
The number of stremas now in bearing is 12,556; and as
fresh plantations have been made every year, the quantity of
new grounds that come annually into bearing is about 1000
stremas, which will, in a few years, considerably increase the
quantity produced. The currant vine does not bear fruit
before the sixth year, and only produces a full crop after
fifteen years, which, therefore, makes a great outlay of capital
necessary, as it requires constant and heavy annual expenses,
and the interest of the capital is sunk for so long a period,.
AND TRADES. 177
Some plantations have of late been raised on the following
terms: - The capitalist A. purchases lOO stremas of land~
at perhaps lOO drachmes per strema, and gives it to the
peasant B. to plant and cultivate at the sole expense and
labour of the latter till the sixth year, when the plantation
begins to bear; at which time the ground is divided into two
equal parts, one of which A. takes possession of, and gives
the freehold of the other to B. as a renumeration for his
labour and time. A. reserves to himself the right of selecting
which half he will retain, and it is therefore the manifest
interest of B. to cultivate the whole plantation with equal
care and assiduity. When it comes into full bearing, it produces,
at the lowest computation, and after deducting the
current annual expenses, at least 50 Sp. <S', or 300
drachmes per strema; so that A. receives for his 50 stremas
an annual revenue of 15,000 drachmes, having given for the
purchase of the whole lOO stremas the sum of 10,000
drachmes; but it must be taken into account that he has
lost the interest on that amount during the whole of the
period.
Table showing the Quantity of the whole Crop of Currants
for 1839.
..__._, Quantity in Quantit In
Country where produced. Venetian Iba. I British ¥ons.
Greece - - - - 8,788,700 4,133
{CePhalonia - - 9,260,000 4,3II
Ionian Islands Zante - - 6,982,000 2,766
Ithaca - - 600,000 290
I
Total - 25,630,700 I II,500
How disposed of. I Quantity in Venetian lbs.
I
I Shipped to Holland - . ~ I
1,273,956
... ... Hamburg - - 1,049,948
Trieste - - 1,867,923
T~W shipments to the Continent 4,191,827
... ... ... England . - - 18,464,797
... ... ... America . - . 474,076
Not sold - - - - - - 2,500,000
Total crop o~~rrants in 1839 - - - 25,630,700
N
178 AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
The following table gives a general view of the exports of
currants from Greece for t.he years 1833-1840 inclusive,
with the countries to which they were sent.
Tahk of the Annual Exports of Currants from the Morea,
calculated in British Tons.
Destination. 1833.11834.11835.II836l~837.11838.11839.11840.
England - • - 20891173511~~11334011""17"""
Adriatic - - - 563 499 566 433 162 160 285 614
Holland and the Baltic - 144 - - - - 78 :; America
- - - - - 14 59 - - - -
_______--'!'otaIs__- _2796~~I~ra;..;;-r;;;I~~133 ~
Wine. - The cultivation of the vine is another valuable
branch of Grecian agriculture and commerce. The species
and quality of the grapes are exceedingly various, there
being no less than 276 different sorts indigenous to the Peloponnesus,
the islands of the Archipelago, and Continental
Greece. The wine of the islands is by far the best; but
perhaps the mode of impregnating the wine generally on the
Continent with resin tends to make it very unpalatable to all
foreigners, giving it a strong, pungent, bitter taste. The reason
assigned for this practice is, that it tends to preserve the
wine, which, as they have no cellars, they generally keep in
sheep-skins and in warehouses above ground.
The wine known in the middle ages by the name of Malvoisie
or Malmsey, and which was much esteemed, grew at
Napoli di Malvoisia, or Monemvasia (the ancient Epidaurus
Limera), in Laconia; but it is now no longer to be found
there. The vine, however, is not lost, having been transplanted
to the Island ofTinos; and the wine is still of excellent
quality, but will not keep more than three years. Among
the best wines of Greece may be reckoned the dark red wine
of Santorin (the ancient Thera), full-bodied and fiery, much
resembling port wine. The best productions are those of the
islands of Zea, Tinos, Maxos, Andros, and Paros.
The cultivation of the vine has been greatly inrreased
since the establishment of the monarchy; but no corresponding
improvement has taken place in the quality of the
AND TRADES. 179
wine. The manner of treading it out, the process of fermentation,
of racking, and of clarifying it, are as simple as
ancient, and susceptible of great improvement. The king's
butler is the only person who has hitherto made any attempt
to improve on the old system, in which he has met with
great success, although his labours have been on a very
limited scale.
There can be no doubt that the quality of the wine depends
greatly on the treatment of the vine plant, and the
mode of dressing and pruning the vineyards. The Greek
vintage takes place in the middle of September, when the
grapes are cut and thrown pellmell, white and red, ripe, unripe,
and over-ripe, all together into the same wine-press. As
soon as the leaves fall in the autumn, holes of about six
inches in depth are dug round each vine, to expose the stem
to the air and admit the rain freely to the roots. The holes
are then filled with manure, and the vines pass the winter in
this state. In the month of February they are pruned, and
the earth between the vines is hoed up into heaps, the weeds
being carefully removed. They begin to shoot towards the end
of March, and during the following month the earth is again
weeded and replaced on a level. The crown of the vine is never
more than six inches above the surface of the ground, in consequence
of which in all the vineyards the bunches of grapes
mostly hang down and rest on the earth. Water is not necessary
for a vineyard. If it be irrigated, the quantity of
grapes is considerably larger; but if not, the flavour is much
finer, and they are ripe a fortnight or three weeks earlier.
Vineyards begin to bear the fourth year, but the vines do
not attain their maturity for three years longer. No attempts
have been hitherto made to dry the grapes, the produce
being devoted exclusively to making wine; but as the cultivation
of the vine has of late years much increased, and
large tracts of vineyard been planted, which will begin to
bear in a short time, a part of their produce will probably
be used in making raisins.
Olive trees are found in every part of Greece, and still in
considerable quantities, notwithstanding the great number
burned and cut down during the war. Before the revolution
N 2
180 AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
there were upwards of sixty thou8and large olive trees in the
plain of Argos alone, and M many around Navarin, which
have all totally disappeared. There are, however, still
some large olive groves; among others, that at Salona,
with 44,278, and that at Corinth, with 45,019 olive trees.
Both of these groves belong to the state. The olive groves
in the valley of the Eurotas, and that in the plain of Attica
round Athens, are private property.
The olive attains to a great age. There are some which
are positively known to be 400 years old, and others which,
by tradition, are double that age. As they take nearly a
century to l!rrive at maturity, and sixteen years before
they bear fruit at all, very little has as yet been done to replace
the number destroyed during the war. An olive tree
as it stands is worth, on the average, 30 drachmes; and the
IIsual crop of a tree in full bearing is 50 okas (or 137 lbs.),
which, at 12 lepta per oka, makes 6 drachmes for the annual
revenue, or 20 per cent. on the value.
In 1816, the crop of oil yielded 5,008,000 okas, or about
5000 imperial tons. In consequence of the devastation of
the trees during the war, the present production is in some
years scarcely sufficient for the home consumption of the
country; and though some of the provinces export to Trieste,
others are partly dependent on Candia for their supplies of
oil.
The method of manufacturing olive oil in Greece is still
quite in its infancy; though, according to the traditions of
mythology, Attica was the favoured country which first received
the olh'c as a boon from Minerva, who planted it
herself on the Acropolis. The olives are crushed in a common
mill turned by a horse; and the process of refining and purifying
it is completely unknown. Were hydraulic presses
and the Italian mode of clarifying introduced, the quality
would be equal to the best oil of Provence or Lucca. The
olives are gathered from the trees in December, and the oil
is made about the month of February. The price of oil
varies from 1dr. 10 1. to 1dr. 40 I. per oka.
AND TRADES.
Table sMwing the Number of Olive Trees in Greece.
181
-- --- ~- ~ -- -~---~~--- ~-
District. I National Pro- I Private Pro- I Total. I
perty. perty.
Megara - - - 99,773 99,773 I
Attica - - - 80,500 80,500
SaJona - - 44,278 - 44,278
Corinth - - 45,019 16,531 61,550
Argolis - - 36,000 15,000 51,000
Other provinces - 286,000 100,000 386,000
Total - 411,297 I 311,804 I 723,101 I
Figs form a considerable branch of commerce, and have
lately found their way into the shops of the London grocers.
The principal places of growth and exportation are Calamata
in the south of the Peloponnesus, and the islands of A<:gina
and Andros. The quality is not so good as that of the
Smyrna figs, the skin being usually tough and hard; but this
arises probably from the mode of drying them, for when
fresh they are delicious. The value of the exports is about
260,000 drs. annually, the greatest shipments being made to
Trieste, amounting in some years to 25,000 cwt.
Almonds are produced in man)' islands of the Archipelago,
but mostly consumed in the country.
Lemons.-There are s~me large groves of lemon trees in
different parts of Greece, the principal of which are at Trcezene
and near Sparta, the former containing upwards of twenty
thousand trees. This fruit finds a ready and profitable
market at Constantinople, with which the trade has become
much more regular since the introduction of steam navigation
in the Levant. It was formerly shipped in sailing
vessels, which were frequently detained, for several weeks,
at the mouth of the Dardanelles, waiting for a wind, during
which time the lemons spoiled, and whole cargoes were
thrown overboard. The value of the annual exports is
200,000 drachmes.
Persian berries grow wild in many parts of Greece; but
in that state are of no value. Some sllccessful attempts have
been made within the last two years to graft them with the
shrub brought from Asia Minor, and thc·y l11a)" consequently
N 3
182 AGRICULTURE, MANUPACTURES,
become in time a valuable ~rticle of commerce, as the price
is 12 drachmes per oka.
Gum tragacanth is gathered in the forests of Continental
Greece. It exudes from a thorny plant called the Astragalus
tragacanthUS, about the month of June. The quality is good,
and it is mostly exported to Trieste, but only in small quantities.
Valonea is one of the principal articles of Greek exports.
The quality is very good, and it is shipped in large cargoes to
France and Italy. The exports, in 1838, amounted to 60,000
cwt., the value of which was 580,000 drachmes.
Pseudo-vermilion (7rptvOICOICKL) is a small gall-apple, formed
by an insect on the leaves of the dwarf or prickly valonea
oak, and is gathered in the forests of Eubrea and Continental
Greece. It produces a brilliant scarlet durable colour, much
used in dyeing the fezis or red caps worn generally by the
Greeks, and exported for that purpose to Fez and Tunis,
where they are made. The annual exports amount to about
3000 okas, or 8000 Ibs., of the value of 160,000 drs.
Silk is another most valuable article of Grecian man ufacture.
Before the revolution, the production of silk was
much more considerable than it is at present; but this is
not to be wondered at, for during the war not only were
the mulberry trees destroyed, but the inhabitants had no
leisure to devote to this peaceful occupation, and the silkworms
have nearly all perished. In the year 1816, the silk
produced in Greece amounted to 66,000 okas, or 190,000 Ibs.,
the value of which was 75,0001.
Since the restoration of peace in the country, the inhabitants
have again turned their attention to this article; and
the value of the exports, which in 1835 was only 400,000 drs.,
rose in 1838 to 716,000 drs., and in 1839 to 910,000 drs. The
current prices of silk are, for inferior quality, 40 to 50 drs.
per oka; middling, 55 to 60 drs.; and for the best 70 drs.
The qu.ality, however, on the whole, is inferior, though that
principally depends on the manner in which it is reeled and
spun. The Greek method is extremely defective; and the
government, in 1836, unfortunately granted an exclusive privilege
to an Italian to introduce the maohinery used for
I
AND TRADES. 183
reeling in Italy, but this person, from want of capital, is unable
to benefit by the monopoly, and till its expiration, in 1846,
no general improvement on the old system can be expected.
Samples of Greek silk have been sent to London and
Manchester; but the quality did not suit those markets.
The manufacturers at Lyons have taken a more favourable
view of it; and it is nearly all sent to France, where it is used
in the manufacture of ribands, for the woof of which it is
best adapted.
Bees, which had nearly disappeared during the revolution,
are now attended to again. The number of hives in the
kingdom is about 200,000; but the quantity of wax produced
is scarcely sufficient for the consumption of Greece,
where, besides the general consumption of the inhabitants,
so many candles are used in all ecclesiastical ceremonies.
Honey is of excellent quality; and the value of the exports
amounted, in 1839, to about 35,000 drs. The price of the
best Hymettus honey is about 3 drs. per oka; but it is extremely
difficult to obtain it genuine.
Little has been hitherto done to improve the breed of
cattle, horses and sheep, which are susceptible of great amelioration.
A few years since the government imported 120
Merino sheep, all of which, however, died from improper
treatment. The sheep of the country, which are valuable
on account of their wool and milk, are long-legged, and
short-necked, with coarse wool. In 1839, 256,758 okas
(662,000 lbs.) were exported to Trieste and America. The
price is about 80 leptas per oka, or 3d. per lb.
Butter and cheese are made exclusively of goat and
sheep's milk; and it is only at Athens that about a dozen
cows are kept to furnish milk and fresh butter for the court.
The export of cheese in 1839 amounted to 86,814 okas,
which was sent principally to Italy.
Horses and mules are not bred in Greece, but imported
from the Turkish provinces of Thessaly and Macedonia,
and from Asia Minor and Egypt. A good riding horse is
worth at Athens from 70 to 80 Span.,%, and a very handsome
one from 120 to 150,%. Mules fetch from 80 to 90,%
each, and are much used as beasts of burthen.
. N 4
1840 AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURES,
Oxen are imported by land from the grazing countries on
the banks of the Danube, in Moldavia and Wallachia. The
price of a pair of oxen varies from 350 to 500 drs.
Of the trades and manufactures of Greece but little can
be said, as they are generally in a very backward state.
The corn-mills are of the most simple construction, and
turned by a mule or horse; the flour is consequently coarse
and husky. The bakers make use of badly constructed
ovens, which consume a good deal of fuel, and take a long
time to bake the bread. Carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers,
can only Hlake the most common and necessary
articles; whilst many trades, as those of hatters, opticians,
glovers, saddlers, watchmakers, wiredrawers, nailmakers,
&c., are totally unknown, and all their articles of manufacture
must be imported from foreign countries. The art
of printing has only been lately introduced, but it has already
made rapid progress, as well as the trade of bookbinding,
supported as they are by the extraordinary desire of the
Greeks for knowledge and education.
Paper is imported to a great extent, chiefly from France
and Italy; and no attempts have yet been made to establish
paper-mills, although the raw materials are abundant in the
country. The same may be said of leather; for hides and
skins, as well as oak-bark and valonea, are exported to
foreign countries, and then sent back to Greece in the shape
of tanned leather. The trade of coopers is quite new; but
casks and barrels are rapidly succeeding sheep-skin bottles,
as receptacles for wine and oil. Glassmaking is unknown;
and rope-walks have been but lately introduced. The pottery
trade is quite in its infancy, although Greece possesses
large quantities of excellent clay capable of making the
finest porcelain, An experiment has been made with the
manufacture of pipe-bowls, which is said to be highly satisfactory.
If it be carried on to any extent, it will render
Greece independent of other countries for this article, which
is in great demand. The annual imports of pipe-heads
from Turkey amount to upwards of a mJilion, and the value
to 100,000 drs.
AND TRADES. 185
The only trades in which the Greeks excel, or which they
have brought to any degree of perfection, are confectionary,
tailoring, and embroidery in gold, silver, and silk; the latter
being much used in the showy and expensive dresses which
form the national costume. They, however, evince great aptitude
in learning, are clever and ambitious, and easily
acquire any trade in which manual dexterity and a good eye
are required.
The state of manufactures is equally backward. The
women spin cotton and wool, and weave them with the
clumsy hand-loom into coarse cloths for themselves, their
husbands, and their children.
But Greece is not yet sufficiently advanced to render it
necessary that she should be bent on the improvement of her
manufactures. The real interest of the kingdom requires
her to turn her attention more particularly at present to the
production of the raw material, by which means she will
advance more rapidly towards prosperity and national
wealth, than by aspiring to become a manufacturing:country
like England, France, or Germany, with which she cannot
possibly compete in a whole century; whereas, by devoting
herself to agriculture, she will at once increase her means of
purchasing the luxuries of other countries, and have valuable
commodities to offer in exchange for foreign manufactures.
The following statistical tables will show the general division
of labour and trades among the male population of
the kingdom, in the year 1838.
186 AGRICULTURE, MANUI'ACTURES,
Table A. THE MOREA-.
Province.
1 !I t )i UI fll!) ~! ! i IJ~ ~ ~
I :11 ~~ ~~ I .t f! lE J ., ,;,s :l 'il
:11 '" j '" 'u'!!:I!!
ArlJoliI • 2,316 !li9II,OI81"i82i2~452l.6i7 504---;;;-7212-7-,
Hermlone - 662 97 120 - 46, S4 64 572 9 lOiG, 5 - 7 I Corinth • 4,172
982 ~ 252 2 87' 312 188 2,914 43 - I 15 12 91
I
A~baia - 1,9!W 996, 327 7 72 :U5 122 2,135 44 :;.~ 149' I 8
lEglalla - 1,291 101 I 95 - 271 - 57 260 38 4 24 3 31
,CF.YII.lenla - 4,432 1,4401 471 - 183, 919 58 1,177 75 - 16 - " ,
11 - - 5,411 1,670, 247 - 109 345 16 696 50 13 23 1 I 6
Trlpbyllla. 1,7M 899, 173 - :13 135 23 979 14 17 7 - 5
~ln~pi~ = 2,59? I,?I~ 1~8 "6 ~~ 2f~ ~ I,~~ ~I i3s J, ~ 2,
lol...enia - :::t:1o 3:0 20~ 5 57 i 83 58 2,003 40' - 2 8 :
Laced..mon 3,595 790 I 422 - 76
1
315 124' 1,906 130
1
1
- : 10 - 14
~r~:,.~ru. j 1,626 293 56 - 28 30 2 211 :u 108 16 - -!
Laconla _ 3,279 4171 455 4 136 10 57 658 5021 91 15 _ I;
Gythlon _ 1,151 227 114 10 46 - 49 722 188 &~ 4 _ _:
Manlin.... 3,946 1,246 645 - 46
1
194 - 750 175' I 51 4 4
Gortyno. - 3.250 2,03411,790 - .~1 231 I 837 961 - 1 32 3 4
Mcg.lo!.'oll. 1,938 762 72 - 23, 11 67 640 JO - ,- - - I'
Krnourla - 1•.'>49 760, 400 -1253 739 107, 1,929 23, 26: 5 2 19,
Calamata • 2,665 420 I 160 10 78: 151 49, 837 25
1
- ,- - 3:
Total • ~1i5,ii8417.292 "621i63749i'5);35 2l:i84
2075!"'i""604m49 I~ I
Table B. THE CONTINENT.
~ . . I] i. ~ E ~.; '" l-a. li
~ -3",! ~ 'I d ',,] § t ~.~ ~ ~ ~ 51 ~~ E :ll
.g ~ 1i ~~ I ~] g. ~.t ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~
~ =s i I~~ ~ ~I~ tr. 5~ ~ :S
Attic;--. 2,276 --m 62080m-;152 l.i05 320 72 253 2626
Megara _ 874 349 a.; - 11 285 160 1,178 35 130 26 - 3
Breolia 2,175 6:U 255 15 71 511 32 1,605 13l; - 46 1 1
Thebe. • 2,123 520 193 - 91 301 - 747 6., 10 13 _ _
lEtolla - 975 257 307 - 147 580 21 .'>41 114 168 24 8 3
~~k'h~~i':: I,~~g ~g'I m_I I~ ~~ ~ I,~ ~:: _I ~.!. I
Eurytanl. - 2,640 1553 385 - 64 119 8 226 126 - 8 _ _
Acaroania - 615 526 13 12 58 65 83 270 32 52 26 _ 2
Xeromero.· 1,239 1046 52 - 45 32 78 900 83 12 7 _ 2
Pboci. - 1,377 558 237 I 177 265 121 783 162 68.'i 8 _ 4
Dorl. - 2,162 1086 75 - 25 _ 26 532 266 2 3 _ _
Phthioti. • 3,172 616 533 - 175 488 48 1,.~68 264 221 30 6 3
Locri. 1,428 422 ,,3 1- 281 49 2 967 96 4 10 - -
Balto. - 1,170 723 17 - 13 30 37 483 66 - 15
Total - 24,375 9552 3WJTiii9'1359' 5284
786'13,2352iii2l3b752742'i"45
AND TRADES. 187
Table C. THE ISLANDS.
Produce:. t 1I hUJI1U ]1 j j lh ~ i -( .. '" ~ ~~ I ..,"' l
6'1; ~ ;Il
Hydr~---=- 38 --"53"""409 I4
"248!"""'i4315 201 IQ 3,1f>8 2i" -'6
~i~~a = III \g l~ 7~ ~~ I~ 8 I~~ 2 I'n~ 31 ~
Eub",a .. S,494 1096 656 4 138 393 150 2,960 125 817 44 6 10
Scopelo. • 253 4,~ 296 - 67 I!\O 30 311 13 865 23 - I
Syra - 631 77 Ill4 - 953 267 S 1,612 42 1,229 133 IO 14
Kytbno8 - 1,2B3 415 III - 57 88 14 1,953 33 61 30 - 3
Mylo8 .. 962 133 114 - 921 301 15 80 15 374 22 - -
Tbera • 1,777 89 443 _ 1961 247 67 1,016 41 1,606 23 4 4
Tlno. .. 1,666 la 740 8 92 95 10 103 44 2f>8 23 - 10
Andro. .. 1,809 _ 132 _ 521 92 - 1,780 17 1,037 14 - 4
Naxo8 • 2,748 304 372 _ 140 102 97 606 37 139 17 - 3
Total ..
i9,830"12230I""4705iM'20!i4'l997I"4a4ii"0,8i5lmlw.mI3s5"I"19I5i!
Table D. RECAPITULATION.
~
." ,
j 1· !51 5
!:! . i ~ rl ~ '-2 ~ IU I J E!iij .3~ ~ :.l
Dirldon or the Count!'). I 'e"- ~~i~ ... I H _ c 'C
j I'" - •
'"
go :p I ~ =-5 ~
<Il ;ll ~ I .. '" I·:=oa -( '" ..,"' ,"" ;ll
Morea .. 50,864 15,58417,2921--;;11637 4,!j""ib 153.~'2I,IR4
20751,604147!f49l1Qij
Continent .. 24,3761 9,552 3,346, 109 1359 5,2841786,13,235 2102 1,357
527 42 451
Island. .. 19,Il3O, 2,230 4,705 1052094 1,997 434,10,815137910,718,385
19 f>8
Tota .. 9b,009 27,366'1,~,343 276609012,196'2755'45,234 455613,679
13911liO'20S1
------------
188 FINANCE.
CHAP. VI.
FINANCF..
SECT.!. ADMINISTRATION.
FINANCE OFFICE. - The administration of the finances, one
of the most important branches of the public service, was
confided by the king to a minister of finances until very
lately, when it was put in commission. The commissioners
are three in number, who take separate departments, under
the direction of the president.
The Court of Accounts (To 'EAfYKTUC6V ~VVEOpIOV) was established
in 1833, at once for the purpose of checking the
public accounts of the different subordinate offices and of
controlling the expenditure of the state, and to propose to
government such improvements as it might deem expedient
to introduce into the system.
This court is the highest authority in the state for administrative
affairs. Its jurisdiction extends over every
branch of the service, as far as accounts are concerned;
and it has a control over all financial functionaries.
It is composed of a president, a procurator of the state
('E7rlT07rOC n)c 'E7rtKpan{ac), a vice-president, six councillors
('EAfyKrac), a secretary, two assessors (IIapfopot), four
clerks, and a messenger, besides twelve accountants (AoyttTTac)
for the revision of accounts and inspection of the different
treasuries. The proceedings of the court are collegiate, and
a quorum of four is required for a legal decision. In an
equality of votes the president, or, in his absence, the vicepresident,
has the casting vote.
The salaries of the officers of the court of accounts are
fixed as follows: -
FINANCE. 189
Drs. £
The President _ _ 7200 per annum, equal to 257
Procurator of State _ 5400 192
Vice-President _ 5400 192
Each Councillor _ 4200 150
Secretary _ :WOO 70
Accountant, 1st class - 2400 86
Ditto, 2d clasa - 2000 70
Clerk 800 30
Messenger 600 22
The Court of Accounts is independent of any minister in
the execution of its functions, though the Finance Office exercises
ovllr it a superior control, in the same way as the
minister of justice does over the courts of law. The Court
of Accounts is bound to examine and check the accounts of
all those through whose hands, either by virtue of their
office, or by special appointment, the payments or receipts of
the state, or both, pass. For this purpose all such persons
must make up their. accounts in the manner prescribed,
and send them in to the court within the period required by
law, together with the necessary receipts and other vouchers.
In case of neglect of such duty, or delay in executing it, the
court is empowered to levy a fine on the offender of from
30 to 300 drs.; and, if necessary, may send a special commissioner,
at the expense of the party, to make up his accounts,
and even in extreme cases to denounce the offender,
and petition for his removal or suspension from office.
The court may fix the period for the public offices to send
in their accounts; but is bound to see that they are produced
within twelve months of the expiration of each financial
year. The court has to examine and check all accounts sent
in, and to approve and order them to be settled. The decisions
of the court are final; and there is no appeal from
them to the civil tribunals. If the court should discover any
case of fraud, embezzlement, or dishonesty, it is bound to
report it to the ministers of finance and justice; to the
latter, in order to have the delinquent brought before the
competent tribunal. The court is bound to keep a register
of all the sales of national property, and the amount of
purchase money, and to endorse the deed of sale and title
190 FINANCE.
to the purchaser. The examination and payments of arrears
due to the state, and the particulars of all outstanding debts,
belong to the jurisdiction of the court; but their authority
extends no further back than Ist January, 1822.
The court is bound to see that the special and general
credits opened in favour of the different public offices are
not exceeded; and in case of transgression, to report the same
to the king direc~ It is the duty of the court to see that
the moneys intended for the sinking fund are properly applied.
The accounts of charitable institutions, schools, monasteries,
and communes, are under the jurisdiction of the cou~
The original formation of the Court of Accounts was
effected by royal decree of -207 ·S·e··p-t.} 1833; but some alter-
9 et.
ations were introduced by another of ~3~~:} 1836, the
principal features of which were the increase of the establishment
to the number above stated, and the subdivision
of the court into two sections; the first to examine into and
take cognisance of all accounts, debts, and reclamations
between the 1st January, 1822, and the 265FJeabn..} 1833 (the
date of the king's arrival in Greece); and the second for all
similar affairs relating to the subsequent period.
The two royal ordonnances are published at full length in
the Greek Government Gazette for 1833, p. 249.; and 1836,
p.326.
The expenses of Court of Accounts for the years 18331836,
amounted annually to 91,300 drs. (about 33001.). The
yearly charge since then has been increased, by an addition
made in the number of persons employed, to about 120,000
drs. (43001.).
The following is a table of the salaries of the members of
this Court: -
The President
Procurator-General
Vice_President
6 Councillors at 4200 drs.
Secretary
Drs.
7,230
5,400
5,400
25,200
4,700
FINANCE. 191
Drs.
19,200
24,000
2,000
4,800
720
8 Accountants, 1st class, at 2400 12
ditto, 2d class, at 2000 Under
Secretary -
4 Clerks at 1200 -
1 Messenger
Total of salaries Office
expenses
Travelling and extra expenses
- 105,820
9,000
4,900
119,720
State Treasury and Provincial Chests.-In a country like
Greece, where the circulating medium is exclusively metallic,
the establishment of treasuries for the different
branches of the government was absolutely necessary; but
it was not till the year 1834 that they were organised by
royal decree, when four classes of treasuries were formed,
according to the then division of the country in nomarchies
or provinces, and eparchies or districts. They were as
follows: -
1. Tlte Treasury General (To j'EJlt/caJl Tap.EtoJl TOV BaO'LAEtOV),
composed of a treasurer, a controller, two secretaries,
and a clerk. The treasurer with a salary of 6000 drs.
(215l.) per annum, and the controller with 3600 drs.
(130l.), were nominated by the king; the rest by the minister
of finance.
2. The Provincial Treasuries (Tap-dol' TOU Nap-ou), with
their seat in the capital of each province.
3. The District Treasuries (Tap-dol' E1l"apxt/cc) I'), formed at
the seat of government of the eparchies.
4. Special Treasuries CELot/ccl TaP.Eta), consisting of those
for the naval prefecture, for the different branches of the
army, and for the establishments of the royal saltworks, mines,
post-office, mint, and customs.
This organisation, formed by royal ordonnance of the
l~ February, 1834, which in 117 articles contains the details
of the system, and the duties and attributes of its functionaries,
was partly superseded by the present establishment in
29 July, }
tue of the royal decree of 1oA 1836, analogous ugust,
}92 FINANCE.
J
to the existing local divisions of the kingdom. According to
this, the treasury general remains· unaltered, as also the
special treasuries; but the provincial and district treasuries
are superseded by ten of the first class and twenty of the
second, which are as follows:-
FIRST CLASS TREASURIES.
1. Argolis, including the former eparchies of Nauplia,
Argos, and Hermione; seat Nauplia.
2. Mantinrea, including Mantinrea and Megalopolis; seat
Tripolitza.
3. Achaia, including Patras and lEgium -; seat Patras.
4. Messenia, including Calamata and Messenia; seat Calamata.
5. LacedlEmoTl, including Lacedremon, (Etylon~ a-nd Gythium;
seat Sparta.
9• ./Etolia, including Missolonghi and Naupactos; seat
Missolonghi.
7. Phthiotis, including Phthiotis and Locris; seat Lamia.
8. Attica, including Megara and lEgina; seat Athens.
6. Eubrea, including Chalcis and the Sporades; seat
Chalcis.
10. Syra, including the Islands of Syra, Zea, Kythnos,
Serphos, and Myconos; seat Hermopolis.
SECOND CLASS TREASURIES.
1. Corinth, including Corinth and Sycion; seat Corinth.
2. Hydra, including Spetzia, Hydra, Trrezene, and Poros;
seat Hydra.
3. Cyllene, including Calavritaand part of Dipotamia; seat
Kynetha.
4. Elis, including Gastouni and part of Dipotamia; seat
Pyrgop.
5. Triphilia, including Triphylia and Olympia; seat Kyparissia.
6. Pylos, including Methone (Modon); scat Pylos (Na.
varin).
PINANCE. 193
7. Gortyne, including Gortyne and part of Dipotamia; seat
Thissoa (Dimitzana).
8. Kynouria, including Kynouria and Prassire; seat
Astros.
9. Epidaurtl8 Limera, including the eparchy of same
name; seat Monemvasia.
10. Acarnania, including Acarnania; seat Vonitza.
11. Trichonia, including Agrinion and Apocuros; seat
Agrinion.
12. Eurytania, including Callidrome; seat Callidrome.
13. PllOcis, including Parnassus and Doris; seat Amphissa.
14. Thebes, including the eparchy of same name; seat
Thebes.
15. BlOOtia, including Livadia; seat Livadia.
16. Carystia, including Carystia and the Island Skl'ros;
seat Koumi.
17. Tinos, including TillOS and Andros; seat Tinos.
18. Naxos, including Naxos, Paros, and Anti-Paros; seat
Naxos.
19. Thera, including Thera, Amorgos, Yos, and Pholegandros;
seat Thera.
20. My[os, including Mylos, Kymilos, and Syphnos; seat
Mylos.
Treasurers are appointed for all the first class treasuries,
and for ten of the second class; the other ten (Corinth,
Hydra, Pylos, Kynouria, Epidaurus Limera, Carystia, Tinos,
Naxos, Thera, and Mylos) are under the control and
management of the respective receivers of customs.
The treasurers of the first class treasuries have the rank
and uniform of ministerial assessors; those of the second
cla.qs the same as ministerial secretaries.
The salaries are fixed as follows: -
Drs. £
First class treasurers - 230 per month, equal to 100 per annum.
Second class ditto - 170 73
In these salaries are included stationery and office-books,
o
194 FINANCE.
with the exception of the ledger, journal, blank receipts, and
a suitable office, whi?h are found by government.
SECT. 2. REVENUE.
Mode of raising the Revenue.-The ordinary revenues of
Greece are raised by direct and indirect taxes, and the annual
produce of the public establishments, and national property.
The direct taxes consist in the tithes, or tenth of all the
natural produce of the earth, and the taxes on cattle, trades,
and house-rent.
The indirect taxes include the customs, stamps, health-office,
and consular fees, and port-charges.
The public establishments that produce a revenue are the
Mint, the Post-office, and the Government Printing-office.
The national property is of a very manifold and valuable
nature, and contains resources as yet scarcely made available,
but which promise to produce a large annual income at no
very distant period.
It may be divided into two classes: viz. government monopolies
and perishable property.
Government monopolies are all lands not owned by individuals,
mines, saltworks, and fisheries.
The perishable property consists in forests, olive groves,
mulberry trees, vineyards, and currant plantations, domains,
gardens, houses, and other property.
A. DIRECT TAXES.
1. THE TITHES may be divided into two classes: viz., the
tithe proper, and the ground rent.
The tithe, properly so called (il E'Y'YElor;), is one tenth of the
gross produce of the land payable to government every year.
The ground-rent tax CS cI>opor; T~r; 'E'Il"tKpaTElar;) is the
rent
claimed by government for the use of national lands, and
which is regulated according to the nature of the tenure, as
follows: -
FINANCE. 195
15 per cent. on the gross produce of land cultivated with
the permission of government, and the produce of vines
currants, olives, mulberries, and other fruit-bearing trees
planted by individuals on national property without the
authority of government.
20 per cent. on the gross produce of national lands formerly
cultivated and planted with vines, currants, olive,
and other fruit trees, but which, having been abandoned
and neglected during the war, have come into the possession
of individuals without the permission of government•
.10 per cent. is paid by those who had authority from the
former Turk.ish proprietors to plant lands confiscated
during the revolution, and now belonging to the state;
and also by those who have received authority from the
Greek government to do so since its first establishment
on the breaking out of the revolution.
Some of these taxes are levied in kind, others in money.
Among the first are corn, cotton, dried figs, olive oil, tobacco,
&c. Those paid in money are the produce of gardens,
fruits, vegetables and other articles, the collecting of
which would .present many obstacles and much difficulty.
The tithe on wine is paid in kind, according to the law
made in 1840, if the grower does not prefer to pay the amount
in money at the current price of the article.
Of the tithes paid in natural produce, some are determined
by actual admeasurement, others by estimation made by persons
appointed by government and the tithe-payers, who name
an umpire in cases of disputes.
There are two modes of raising the revenue established by
law: viz., the sale of the produce of the tax in anticipation
at a price fixed by means of public competition, and the collecting
it by agents of the government.
The first system contains many inconveniences, for the
farmers of the taxes, not contented with the rights conceded
to them by law, frequently commit exactions much to the
prejudice of the agricultural classes. The complaints,
indeed, made against the vexatious conduct and extortions of
o 2
196 FINANCE.
the contractors are not so frequent as formerly, owing to the
establishment of the administrative courts, which take
cognisance of all disputes between the farmers and the contractors;
but it is not the less certain that it is impossible to
strictly guard against exactions and irregularities as long as
the system exists, it being a well-authenticated fact that the
peasant prefers submitting to these extortions, rather than
lose his time and neglect his fields by seeking redress and involving
himself in a lawsuit, of which the result is doubtful,
and the expenses probably amount to more than the sum in
dispute.
The second mode is more generally preferred by the agriculturists,
the receivers of the taxes who are appointed by
government, and subject to punishment for offences, rarely
committing extortions; but it is seldom that" this system is
practised, from the difficulty of finding men of sufficient probity
and capacity to go through so complicated a business satisfactorily.
It may be remarked, however, that this latter mode not
only protects the agriculturists from imposition, but greatly
facilitates the prompt collecting of the public revenue;
whilst the system of farming out the taxes causes them to be
often much behind hand, and the arrears go on increasing
from year to year, frequently without any chance of their
being ever paid up, from the fraudulent insolvency of the
contractors and their sureties.
All these circumstances combine to render a reform in
the whole system of raising the revenue not only desirable,
but absolutely indispensable. It must, however, be confessed
that the moment for such a reform is not yet arrived,
for it requires a moral and physical development of the
country, an improvement in the mode of carrying on the
business of the municipal authorities, a consolidation of the
principle of the direct taxes, and a regularity in the manner
of remitting the amounts, to which Greece is still a
strangEr.
The following is a table of the tithes received in 1840: _
FINANCE. 197
Drs. L.
- 6,000,897 87
543,070 50
133,143 60
~0,450 0
4,568 0
3,020 0
144 0
720 0
980 0
825 0
17,638 0
6,724,956 47
Corn, cotton, tobacco, and other articles
rOliVes Silk
-
N. B. All these articles Lemon trees
belong properly to the Acorns
forest department, but as Rice
they were farmed out, Potash.
they are included under Pine.apples
this head. Tragacanth
Yellow berries Pitch
-
Tithe on Currants.-A special law regulates this impost.
The tax amounted in 1840 to 540,000 drs. in addition to
the above. Down to the end of' 1838, it was collected in kind,
and consequently farmed out by public competition; but in
1839, government enacted a law according to which the tax
is paid in money, and on the exportation of the article.
This reform has tended greatly to increase the revenue derived
from this article, which, in 1838, amounted only to
296,570 drs. But the principal cause of the increase is the
progressive extension of the cultivation of the currant-vine,
of which large plantations have been made, and which increase
in produce every year.
Valonea.- To the above sum of 6,724,956 drs. 47 I. must
be added 105,459 drs., the amount of this tax in 1840.
The system adopted in regard to this article is regulated
by a special law, renewed every year, according to which
the revenue is farmed out by public auction to the highest
bidder, for the whole kingdom, with the exception of the
provinces of Laconia and Lacedremon, where the tribute is
paid at the custom-house on exportation. This law provides
that when the amount of the highest bidder does not reach
the minimum fixed, the tax shall be collected for account of
government.
Vermilion. - This was formerly an article of extensive
o 3
198 FINANCE.
commerce, but since the publication of the laws respecting
the administration of the forests, it has considerably diminished,
in consequence of the restrictions imposed on collecting
it.
It is enacted in the forest laws that this tax shall be
farmed out, 'but it was never put in execution, except in
1838 and 1839; and it may be observed that the difficulty
of collecting the impost produced but very few bidders.
To obviate these difficulties, government published the
law of the 26th May, 1840, in virtue of which the right
of collecting vermilion was declared free, subject, however,
to the payment of 2 drs. per oka export duty, when shipped,
which has caused the trade to revive, and it will probably
greatly increase. The export duty paid in 1840 amounts
to 5942 drs., showing the quantity exported to be nearly
3000 okas, or about 8000 lbs.
Produce of Laconia. - The province of Laconia was formerly
exempt from the payment of direct taxes; but it is now
obliged to furnish a part towards the contingencies of the
state, though in a very moderate degree. It is a thinly
populated and mountainous district, with but few natural
productions, and those subject. to the payment of the. following
taxes: -
Drs. L.
Valonea, called Hamade - per cwt. 1 SO
Bardiston 1 0
coarse - 0 60
Silk per oka 3 0
Vermilion ~ 0
Honey - 0 6
Wax 0 70
Oil 0 12
According to reports lately made to the government, it appears
that the total receipts of the taxes on the produce of
Laconia amount to only 32,656 drs.; and in this sum is included
the impost on the valonea of Lacedremon, received
by the custom-house at the port of Gythion. The most important
article of Laconian produce is valonea; the rest are
of trifling value, the mountaineers not devoting their attenFINANCE.
199
tion to agriculture, and, from their simple mode of life,
having but few wants, and those eaaily satisfied.
Bee-hives. - The tax on bees waa formerly regulated by a
special law every year, but it is now included in the tithes.
The produce of a hive which averages 10 Iba. of honey and
S lbs. of wax, may be considered aa a clear revenue to the
proprietor, the expenses being very triBing. This branch
of industry waa nearly annihilated during the war; and in
order to encourage its revival, the tax is made extremely
light, being only 25 leptaa (2d. sterling) per hive. The
revenue for 1840 waa 47,230 drs., showing that the number
of hives in the kingdom"amounts to 188,920.
2. TAX ON CATTLE. - There are thousands of families in
Greece whose sole occupation is that of shepherds. They
lead a wandering life, migrating from one part of the
country to another, according to the seasons, and accompanied
by immense flocks of sheep and goats. These families
belong mostly to continental Greece. They are not so
numerous in the Peloponnesus, and are not to be found in
the islands.
Besides these wandering tribes, the agriculturists and
landed proprietors possess considerable flocks; but the
breeding of the nobler species, as horses, &c., is almost unknown.
Butter and cheese are made almost exclusively of the
milk of sheep and goats, there being, as already mentioned,
but few places where cows are used for dairy purposes.
During the revolution, government raised no revenue from
the cattle, which became a prey not only to the enemy, but to
the national troops, who received at that time no regular pay.
It waa only in 1830 and -1831, under the government of
Capodistria, that a slight provisional tax was introduced,
and definitively regulated by royal ordonnance, after the
arrival of the king. It only produced, however, in 1833,
527,000 drs., whilst, in 1840, it amounted to 2,000,000 drs.
This tax was at first divided into the cattle tax proper,
and the pasturage tax, which latter was levied on cattle
grazing on state lands in addition to the first named•
• 0 4
Horned cattle, horses, and pigs
Sheep and goats -
Asses and camels -
FINANCE.
In the year] 836, these two contributions were united, and
a g~neral tax on cattle established as follows:-
Drs. L.
1 50 per head.
o 35
1 0
The principal reason for this change in the system was to
prevent the disputes which so frequently occurred between
the shepherds and the tax-gatherers, the former pretending
that their flocks grazed on private property, which the latter
maintained to be national land. The peasants and shep-·
herds pay the tax at present with great regularity, and the
former incessant disputes are no longer heard of.
The law of 1836 was however accompanied with a
manifest evil, viz., that of farming out this tax, which was
not only vexatious to the tax payers, but produced a heavy
loss to the state, from the insolvency of the tax farmers.
This inconvenience disappeared in the law of 1840, and the
evil is now completely remedied by the tax being collected
for account of government.
In 1835, during which year the cattle tax was collected
for government account, the number of cattle in the country
was found to be as follows: -
Sheep Goats
-
Oxen used for ploughing (tax-free)
Horned cattle for food -
Horses
Pigs -
Mules
Asses
Buffaloes
Camels
Total
2,186,000
1,720,000
50,040
53,018
49,991
55,31 [j
14,928
38,245
551
255
4,168,343
Since that period no returns have been made; bnt it is
fair to infer that a considerable increase has taken place in
the nnmber.
-
FINANCE. 201
3. TAX ON TRADES. - This tax (cf>0P01: TW~ 'Ou,oooflwv)
was originally introducen by the decree of the provisional
government, dated ~ February, 1830; but on the arrival of
the king it fell into disuse, and was no longer enforced.
When his majesty, on assuming the reins of government, saw
the necessity of imposing taxes for the purpose of defraying
the expenses of the state, desirous as he was to divide the
burden amongst his subjects as fairly as possible, this tax was
revived, but met with so many impediments in its execution,
and such opposition from the tradesmen, not so much to its
principle as to the collecting of it, the many vexatious and
arbitrary abuses to which it gave rise, that it was found
necessary to modify it considerably before it could be said
to work well.
The royal decree, dated fs July, 1836, which appeared
only a.'l a provisional law, ordains that all individuals carrying
on any trade or manufacture, be subject to a tax of 5 per
cent. on the gross profits of their business, after deducting
only the rent of the premises on which it is carried on.
Those exempted from this tax are the peasants, farmers,
and all wholly engaged in agriculture; shepherds and
keepers of flocks and herds; all the servants of the crown
and public functionaries, as far as their public duties are
concerned, whether they receive a regular salary or only
precarious fees, such as midwives, authors, teachers of languages,
or the arts and sciences, painters, sculptors and engravers,
and, lastly, editors of newspapers.
Every other person carrying on any trade or profession, is
bound to take out a certificate (tJ.hrAwfla), which is only
available for the person named in it, and hence every
partner in a concern must take out one separately, and
a valuation of the profits being made of the whole partnership,
the tax is levied on the share of each partner whoever
he may be. The certificate must be displayed in a
conspicuous part of the workshop or other premises, and
open to the inspection of anyone who chooses. Those who
carry on more than one trade receive a certificate for the
202 FINANCE.
principal business, but the others are mentioned in it specially
and severally, aDd the tax is levied on the gross
amount of all the trades together. The certificate is granted
by the demarch of the commune, and must be written on
stamped paper, to be paid for by the party in addition to the
trade-tax.
The finance officers in conjunction with the administrative
local authorities, are bound to make out lists of the individuals
in their commune subject to the tax, which lists must
be finished in the month of December for the ensuing year.
They are to make the necessary enquiries as to the extent of
the business of each person, in order to make an assessment
of their profits, and thu!1 raise the tax. These lists must be
laid before the municipal council by the finance-commissary,
and a copy sent to the minister of finance. The municipal
council has the privilege of examining into, and deliberating
on these lists, of making modifications, and of adding, deducting,
or altering, according to their judgment.
On the close of these examinations by the municipal
council, legalised copies of the lists are to be affixed for
public inspection in a· conspicuous part of the town-hall,
and the part.ies interested will then receive due notice of the
amount for which they are assessed. If any body thinks
himself aggrieved, and too highly rated, he is at liberty to
state objections in writing to the governor of the province.
A commission, consisting of the mayor of the commune,
the local judge of the peace, and the governor of the province,
is formed for the purpose of revisillg the lists, enquiring
if the valuations have been properly made, and
hearing the objections made by persons who consider themselves
aggrieved. This commission decides on each case by
a majority of votes. The revised lists are then sent to the
different demarchs, who make out the certificates and hand
them over to the receiver of the commune to draw the
amount.
The expense of raising tbe tax 011 trades, and of suing those
in arrear, falls entirely on the communes, for which, however,
they are allowed to deduct 20 per cent. commission: one
FINANCE. 203
tenth part of which sum is to be devoted to the local schools,
the rest being applied for general municipal purposes.
It is plain that this mode of levying the tax in question
opened a door for innumerable abuses and vexatious
overcharges. Many merchants, dealers, and shopkeepers,
whose only capital was. the credit they enjoyed, and whose
profits were uncertain and dependent on the opinion their
neighbours entertained of their resources, their capital, and
their income, were exposed to the 'tIangerous alternative
of passively subjecting themselves to a heavier tax than
their business yielded, or of proving, by their books and a
public statement of their affairs, that they were justified in
making objections - a course which must seriously affect
their credit.
This system threatened to give a death-blow to the very
essence and spirit of all commercial affairs - secreey and
credit; and had it been persisted in, would have withered
for ever the young tree of commerce but lately planted in
the soil of Greece, where it required the most judicious management
to enable it to take root, but where, under the
attentive care of a fostering government, it promised shortly
to make rapid shoots. But the country is still poor, and
the capital small; the splendid resources of the soil, the
climate, the industry and natural abilities of the inhabitants,
are not yet developed and made available. Money is very
scarce, and a gQod deal of foreign capital is embarked in
commercial enterprises; most of the houses and ships being
built with borrowed monies, for which an enormous annual
interest must be paid.
These circumstances were not taken into consideration in
framing the above law, which pressed very heavily upon a
large class of the inha;bitants. Besides the arbitrary method
of assessing the mercantile and working classes, it opened a
door to the exercise of malice and invidious feelings in the
most covert and secret manner; for anyone actuated by
motives of revenge, jealousy, or wanton ill-nature, could
wound his neighbour most severely in the dark, under pretence
of giving his advice and knowledge of the affairs and
204 FINANCE.
business of tbe other, who had no means of remonstrating
and proving the injustice of the assessment of his supposed
profits, but by exposing the state of his affairs, and discovering
to the world the secrets of his trade, his connexions, and
means, which in every mercantile community are regarded
as inviolably sacred, and ought to be touched by every government
with the utmost delicacy.
From the moment the imposition of this tax was bruited
I was convinced that ·such a system could never work well,
and that it was a most dangerous experiment to make with a
nation setting up, as it were, in business. I had several
opportunities of expostulating on the subject with heads of
departments, and particularly with the then mini8ter of
finance; but they could not at that time see the force of my
arguments, or were perhaps unwilling to abandon a measure
which, on paper, promised to yield a large revenue, and did
not take into consideration the vexatious manner of raising
it, nor the ill-will it was likely to create in the public mind.
What I prognosticated was speedily realil'led. At Syra,
Patras, Nauplia, Athens, and other commercial places of the
kingdom, the opposition to the measure was universal, and
disturbances, caused by the general discontent, broke out,
which were only put down by the military. Petitions and
deputations were sent to the king from all parts, and the
condemnation of the measure was so unqualified that the
government saw the impossibility of enforcing its execution,
and were obliged to make concessions to the public feeling,
and repeal the law.
4
A fresh ordonnance, dated 16 Nov. 1837, appeared at
length, containing a modification of the trade-tax, in which
the oppressive mode of levying it, which gave so much offence,
was omitted, and in the room of 5 per cent. on the
profits, a fixed amount was substituted. The other regulations
remain the same.
The following tables show the classification of trades, and
the amount of taxation levied on each. The sums in table
B. are payable by the respective tradesmen in cities with a
FINANCE. 205
population of 5000 and upwards. Those in towns of fronl
3000 to 5000 souls, pay 20 per cent. less; for those of towns
from 1000 to 3000, the reduction from the first is S5 per
cent.; and, lastly, those with a population under 1000 pay
50 per cent. less than the amounts specified in the table.
The sums mentioned in table A. are payable in all towns,
whatever may be their population. The tax produced, in
1840, a revenue of 260,000 drs.
TABLE A.
AT:~ : Trade. 1
1
AT~~~
~!," - ~~--- ------1 Dn.
- 375 ! Silk merchants - -I 75
150 Commission merchants· 75
100 Manufactured goods sellersI 75
100 Wholesale ironmongers - 60
100 Linen merchants - 60
100 'Wholesale flour dealers· 50
100 ... brandy merchants, 50
100 tobacco merchants 50
75 leather sellers 50
75 Horse dealers 40
75 Ship builders 50
75
Trade.
Bankers
Merchants
Jewellers
Wholesale grocers
Cotton merchants
Wine merchants
Timber merchants
Wholesale drapers
Oil merchants
Bill brokers
Wool merchants
Dealers in cotton goods -
TABLE B.
1st class (tax 75 drs. per ann.). Builders, lawyers, upholsterers,
cloth-dealers, apothecaries.
2d class (tax 50 drs.). Coffee_house keepers, with billiardtables;
retail wine dealpr8, hotel keepers, mprchants with retail
trade, hosiers, linen-drapers, tailors, &c.
3d class (tax 40 drs.) Physicians and surgeons, retail venders of
silk, cotton, and worsted, china dealers, &c.
4th class (tax 30 drs.). Grocers, booksellers, shoe-makers, bakers,
&c.
5th class (tax 20 drs.). Hat-makers, butchers, barbers, Faddlers,
&c.
6th class (tax 12 drs.). Coopers, coach-makers, carpenters, &c.
7th class (tax 10 drs.). Book-binders, locksmiths, stone_masons,
glaziers, watch-makers, weavers, wheelwrights, &c.
4. TAX ON HOUSE-RENTS. - This tax, which was established
by royal decree of31~-2l ~uly, } 1836, and imugust,
200 FINANCE.
poses a tax of 7 per cent. on all dwelling-houses let on rent,
produces annually about 160,000 drs., the greater part of
which is paid by Athens alone. This tax is, like the preceding
one, collected by the communes, for which they receive
20 per cent. of the amount for municipal purposes.
The number of buildings subject to this tax in 1839, was
11,348, and in 1840, 28,112. This great increase may be
principally ascribed to the large number of new houses built
on speculation at Athens. But the principle of the tax is in
itself highly unjust, for whilst a wealthy man builds a palace
for his own use, as large as half a dozen surrounding houses,
he pays no tax, whilst a poor man, who perhaps builds
these half dozen hous'es to make a living by the rent, has
first to pay an enormous interest for the capital borrowed,
and then the tax of 7 per cent. on the rent, before he can
clear any thing for his own profit.
Table of the Gross Annual Revenue produced
by the Direct Taxes, 1833-1840.
Year. Amount.
Drs. L.
1833 4,651,904 69
1834 6,255,538 59
1835 9,392,684 29_
1836 8,332,000 0
1837 8,760,500 0
1838 8,422,000 0
1839 9,250,000 0
1840 10,404,441 5
B. INDIRECT TAXES.
1. CUSTOMS. - The custom-house establishment was organized
on its present footing, by the royal ordonnance of
18
the 30 September, 1836; the system pursued till then being
that which was introduced by Capodistria in 1829, and continued
by the regency, with a few trifling modifications.
The line of coast and the islands are divided into twentyfive
custom-house districts (TEXWJltoJl), of which five are of
FINANCE. 207
the first class, seven of the second, and thirteen of the third.
Each of these is subdivided into under custom-houses
('Y1l"O'T€XWvla), custom-house stations CE1l"llTTclUla), and
coastguard
stations (<<I>vXaKr), as shown in the following table:-
~ ..; 8. I Establishment.
]1;l ~§ H I I 1"1 Custom.House District Class. ~~. 8"3 o~ • ~
~ ~ ~ .,;
and ~ ~ om otii _t) =o~ "5 f ~ '?
Head Custom·House. :J
S -
~ .8 ~ .8"E f ~ ~ is ~ ~ Total.
i8 ~~ ~81i518~ ~I~ "
~~ns (P;rreus) =~~ 3 6 ~ ~I i ~I~~: ;~
Astros - - 3 2 _ 2 1 1 - 2 - 3 7
Chalcis - - 2 6 3 5 1 1
1
- 7 9 7 25
Coumi - - 3 2 1 - 1 1 - 2 4 1 9
Epidaurus Limera - 3 1 3 1 1 11
_ 1 5 2 10
Hydra - - 2 2 3 1 1 2 - 2 5 10 20
Lamia - - 2 5 - 9 1 114 - 5 10 21
Nallplia - - 1 3 1 3 1 2 1 3 5 9 21
~E~~ = = ~ : : : ~ ~121: ~ 1: H
~~~~~ = = ~ =~ ~ ~ ~..2. ~ ;1 ~ 1;
Amphissa - - 3 2 - 1 1 1-
1
2 2
1
5 11
Astacos - - 3 1 - 1 1 1 - 1 2 2 7
Calamata - - 2 2 3 - 1 11--11 5 2 10
Corinth - - 2 4 -- 1 1 1
1
- 4 1 3 10
Cyllene - - 3 1 2 2 1 1 - 2 2 2 8
Gytbion - -:3 - 2 - 1 1-I 3 2 - 7
Itamos - - 3 - - 3 1 1 - 1 2 3 8
Marinoros - - 3 6 1 1 - 1 5 8
~~~{N~~;',"): : 1: ;11: 1 ::; : :!
Total - 58 I 63 33 58 2530146599 148 1 381
There are consequently 25 head custom-houses, 63 under
custom-houses, SS custom-house stations, and 58 coastguard
stations, making together 179 ports with customhouse
authorities.
That the rate of pay allowed to these officers is not sufficient
to place them above corruption, may be seen by the
following list, which is the pay for the first-class stations,
Googlc
208 FINANCE.
those of the second and third classes being 30 and 50 per
cent. less respectively:-
Drs. £
Di~trict custom-house Director 180 per month, or 77 per annum.
Controller 140 60
Secretary 120 52
Guardian 50 22
Under custom-house Director 100 48
Controller 80 85
Guardian 60 26
Custom-house station Head guard 40 18
Coast_guard station Guardian 80 18
Imports of foreign goods from abroad, and exports of
native produce to foreign parts, are, in general, restricted to
the 25 head custom-houses; but an exception is made in
favour of the following under custom-houses: -lEgina,
Amurgos, Andros, Anatolikon, Antikyra, Atalanta, Eretria't
Galaxidi, los, Karystos, Katacolon, Kea, Koronis, Kymil9~Kyparissia,
Lymne, Modon, Mylos, Manolia, Mykonos;
Naupactos, Paros, Poros, Salamis, Syphnos, Skopelos,
Skyros, Skiathos, Spetzia, TriphyIlia, and Vatika~
Free intercourse is permitted between all the respective
ports for goods and merchandise, grain, and cattle, either
the produce of the country, or of foreign growth or manufacture,
if originally imported at a legal port, and if the duty
has been paid at the custom-house, which will appear from
the manifest and clearance of the vessel.
The principal custom-houses are under the immediate
control of the minister of finance, from whom they receive
their instructions, and to whom all reports and communications
are made. The under custom~houses, &c. are under
the control of the principal one in each district.
The chief custom-houses are divided into two main districts;
the first 12 in the foregoing table in the eastern,
the otheF 13 in the western district, for each of which a
chief inspector of customs is appointed, with the rank and
pay of a ministerial assessor; the seat of the former is at
Syra, that of the latter at Patras. Their duty is to inspect
FINANCE. 209
the books and vouchers of the custom-houses in their districts.
The officers of the customs are entitled to wear the uniform
of the civil servants of the crown, as contained in the decree
of the 1
6
8 April, 1833, in the analogous grades, and with the
same distinctive embroidery, epaulettes, &c. ; and all customhouse
functionaries are permitted, ex officio, to carry firearms,
without the usual certificate from the police.
The revenues of the customs are divided into import,
export, and transit duties, and fines for smuggling.
The import duties are levied on the principle of tfm per
cent. ad valorem, and those on exports at 6 per cent., though
the tariff published by the government of Capodistria, dated
3112 MAparriCl,h,} 1830, I.S sb'11ID'",orce "lor
those",ew arb.cIes con·
tained in it. The transit dues are I per cent. for manufac
·ures, and 2 per cent. for raw materials; but this includes the
-ehouse-rent in the government bonding magazines. The
fines for smuggling are fixed at eight times the duty payable
on the goods respectively.
The revenue of the customs, since the arrival of the king,
has been as follows: -
Year. Amount.
Drs. Leptaa.
1833 2,043,500 7
1834 2,610,865 36
1835 2,407,226 77
1836 2,562,114 33
1837 2,628,831 II
1838 2,986,159 54
1839 2,704,870 65
1840 3,062,509 97
The expenses of the custom-house department are about
320,000 drs. per annum, of which 290,000 drs. go to defray
salaries; 18,000 drs., office expenses; 10,000 dr-., rent; and
2000 drs., furniture, &c.
2. HEALTH-OFFICE FEES AND PORT-CHARGES.- These
are raised on ships and passengers coming from foreign parts,
p
210 FINANCE.
who have to pay certain charges, which will be found detailed
under the head of SHIPPING. The revenue derived from this
branch of the service amounted in 1840 to 252,480 drachmes.
The port-officers are under the minister of the navy, and the
expenses are charged on the naval budget.
S. STAMPS.- The imposition of the stamp duties was
one of the happiest measures for obtaining a large indirect
tax, at a comparatively trifling expense, that was introduced
into Greece; and though, of course, considerable discontent
was manifested by the public at first, as is usual on the impo_
sition of new taxes, the system was pursued by the government
with vigour and perseverance; and, with the exception of the
stamps on bills of exchange and bills of lading, which, with a
view to facilitate commercial undertakings, were reduced a
few months later, the original law has undergone no change,
and is in force at present, producing a large revenue to the
state. There is perhaps no country in Europe where so many
petitions and protests are addressed to the king and the
different authorities as in Greece; and it was a happy idea
of M. Lassanis, then minister of finance, to subject them to
a moderate tax, partly to check the many trivial petitions
and extravagant pretensions of the Greeks, and to raise from
the rest an indirect revenue which pressed but slightly on individuals.
The royal ordonnance for the establishment of the stamptax,
is dated ~ August 1836, and the following are its principal
contents, including the subsequent trifling modifications
above-mentioned, so that the law is now constituted as follows:-
There are two descriptions of stamps; viz., the stamp of
value (xapTWULfWJI Ti1l: 'A~lar;), and the stamp of classes
(XapTWULpOJl n}c Ta~fwl:).
The Stamp of Value is composed of stamps of 30 different
prices, according to the amount of the sums for which the
documents are used, as follows: -
FINANCE. 211
INo. Value. Stamp. I No. I Value. Stamp. I
nrs. ---I--n-rs-.-L-.-1J------n-r-•.---f--n-r.-.-
L
-.
1 11 to 100 25 16 2,001 to 2,200 5 50
2 101- 200 50 17 2,201- 2,400 6-
3 201- 300 75 18 2,401- 2,600 6 50
4 301- 400 1 - 19 2,601- 2,800 7-
5 401- 500 1 25 20 2,801- 3,000 7 50
6 501- 600 1 50 I 21 3,001- 4,000 10-
7 601- 700 1 7IJ 22 4,001- 5,000 12 50
8 701- 800 2 23 5,001- 6,000 15-
9 801- 900 2 25; 24 6,001- 7,000 17 50
10 901-1,000 2 50 25 7,001- 8,000 20-
11 1,001-1,200 3 - I 26 8,001- 9,000 22 50
12 1,201-1,400 3 50 i 27 9,001-10,000 25-
13 1,401-1,600 4 - 28 10,001-15,000 37 50 I
14 1,601-1,800 4 50 29 15,001-20,000 50
15_1,8~1__2_,O_0_0 5 -_"--3_0---'-_20--',_00_1_an_d_s_bo_v_e---'-6_0__
The following documents are subject to the stamp of
value: -
A. All contracts and agreements entered into between two
or more individuals, or between individuals and the state,
communes, and public institutions or corporation!'.
B. All receipts for legal deposits, and sureties for the
honesty of civil functionaries.
C. All commissions and diplomas of civil and military
functionaries, officers of the army and navy, public notaries,
lawyers, and judicial and ecclesiastical appointments. The
value of the stamp to be calculated according to the annual
receipts, and in those cases to which no fixed emolument is attached,
the probable income to be derived from such offices
is to be taken into consideration, and specially mentioned in
the document. All other enjoyments, as glebe lands, free
quarters, &c., are to be included. In cases of promotion, an
extra stamp will only be levied on the additional payor emoluments
of the office. When military or civil officers are suspended
or discharged, the stamp is not returned.
D. All private contracts of service. The stamp to be
taken for the value of the wages for one year, if the contract
does not specify a shorter period.
E. All receipts of civil and military functionaries, notaries,
and law officers.
p 2
212 FINANCE.
F. All accounts and receipts of private individuals, above
11 drachmes.
G. Receipts of payments made to the public treasuries,
with the exception of the direct and indirect taxes of the
state, and of the communes, districts, and provinces.
H. The shares of commercial and building companies, and
their receipts for the payment of dividends. The shares of
the National Bank and their receipts for dividends are exempted
from all stamps.
1. Policies of Insurance. The stamp is payable on the
premiums, and not on the sum insured.
K. All bills and promissory notes circulated within the
kingdom, which must be stamped before being presented for
acceptance, and all bills drawn abroad on parties in Greece.
The bank notes of the National Bank are alone excepted.
[This list was modified by the royal decree of 27 ~ec. 1836
8 an. 1837,
which fixed the stamps on bills of exchange and promissory
notes as follows: -
Sums under 1,000 drs. From
1,001 to 2,000
2,001- 4,000
4,001- 8,000
8,001-12,000
12,001-20,000
Above 20,001
Drs. L.
o 25
o 5.0
1 0
2 0
3 0
5 0
10 0
Bills drawn in sets are only subject to one stamp, to be attached
to the first of exchange.]
L. Legacies and inheritances from all strangers and all
relations except those ascending or descending in direct
line. The stamp to be ,levied on the net sum, deducting
the debts of the deceased and the stamp payable to the
state.
In the calculation of sums liable to the stamp duty, the
amount is to be levied in cases of barter on the most valuable
article; in cases of loans, on the sum lent; in cases of rent,
on the annual rent multiplied by the number of years stipulated
in the contract; in agreementB for life, at twenty times
FINANCE. 213
the annual value; and for uncertain periods, at ten times the
)'early amount.
The Class-Stamp is divided into seven classes, which pay
the following stamp duty for each folio sheet: -
First Class-Duty 25 Leptas. All petitions, representations,
and complaints, of private persons, corporations,
private or public institutions, addressed to the king, the government,
or any public authorities or branch of the service.
All registers of four pages and upwards producible as lp~al
evidence kept by merchants, bankers, brokers, notaries, innkeepers,
&c. Passports for travelling within the kingdom
granted for one single journey, and in force for not more than
three months.
Second Class-Duty 50 Leptas. Documents, summonses,
and protocols of justices of the peace. Permission to quit·
the military service, from privates to sergeant-majors inclusive.
Third Class-Duty 1 Drachme. Documents of, and relating
to the courts of law, and official copies of the' same;
certificates of tribunals or notaries of papers deposited with
them; priyate arbitrations; passports for journies within the
kingdom of from three months to one year; permissions
granted to foreigners to reside in Greece for a term 01' three
months; school-certificates; certificates of births, deaths, and
marriages; bills of lading and charter-parties. [The stamp
duty on these latter was modified by the royal ordonnance of 2;;e:~' }
1836, as follows: -Bills of lading and charterparties
made out in sets or duplicates, if only two, to have the
50 leptas stamp on each; if three or more, the lowest stamp
( or that of 25 leptas) on each.]
Fourth Class - Duty 2 Drachmes. Subject to this stamp
are all sentences and decisions of the courts of peace without
exception, even if made as arbitration; all documents relating
to the district legal courts, and the tribunals of commerce, as
well as the criminal courts and higher tribunals; all registrations,
transfers, and releases of mortgage; marriage
licenses, and all decisions of ecclesiastical authorities relating
to individuals. •
l' 3
214 FINANCE.
Fifth Class-Duty 3Drachmes. The acts of notaries which
do not come under the stamp of value, and all wills made by
them; the sentences of the district courts in cases of police,
contravention, and fraud; permission to carry fire-arms: and
permission to foreigners to reside in the country from thr~e
months to one year.
Sixth Class - Duty 5 Drachmes. Passports granted for
foreign countries; the definitive sentences of the tribunals
of commerce; the preliminary sentences of the courts of
appeal in civil and criminal cases; certificates of examinations
of individuals intended for the public service;
and the diplomas of physicians and surgeons.
Seventh Class - Duty 10 Drachmes. The sent.ences of
the assize-courts, and courts-martial; the sentences of the
. Areopagus; the decisions of the council of state in disputed
cases; definitive sentences of the courts of appeal; certificates
of naturalisation.
Spoiled stamps cannot be reclaimed, and no stamp can be
used for more than one separate object.
Forgeries of stamps are punishable according to the provisions
of § 235 of the penal code. All persons selling or
manufacturing paper with the royal watermark, are liable to
imprisonment for six months, and confiscation of the paper.
A discount of 10 per cent. is allowed to purchasers of all
stamps of the value of 50 drs. and upwards, with the exception
of those for passports for the interior of the kingdom,
for which the communes are allowed a discount of 50 per
cent. Notaries, also, are allowed a deduction of one half the
value of the stamps used by them.
The net produce of stamps was in 1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
Drs.
• 200,000
- 500,000
- 700,000
- 800,000
- 900,000
But to give the reader an idea of the number of stamps used
annually in the kingdom, and the comparatively small amount
paid into the treasury, I here subjoin the special budget of
stamps for the year 1837:-
FINANCE.
Drs.
Stamps used by notaries and courts of law - 700,000
Ditto for other purposes - 320,000
Gross receipts of stamps for the year - 1,020,000
Deduct for expenses as follows: -
215
Administration
Salaries of workmen
Purchase of paper Other
materials
Carriage of paper to the provinces Salary
of an officer at the Treasury Additional
salaries to officers at the
provincial Treasuries
Sundry expenses
Commissions: -
Drs.
50 per cent. to the courts
and notaries - • 350,000
50 per cent. to the communes
for passports - 25,000
10 per cent. to dealers - 30,000
Drs.
2,500
8,000
80,000
4,000
14,000
2,000
1,500
3,000
115,000
405,000
--- 520,000
Net amonnt of revenue - 500,000
Table of tlte Gross Amount of Revenue produced by the
Indirect Taxes, 1833-1840.
Year. Amount.
Dr•. Leplas.
1833 2,282,540 21
1834 2,922,424 51
1835 2,683,912 27
1836 2,996,303 0
1837 3,544,000 0
1838 4,057,000 0
1839 3,976,616 30
1840 4,287,311 41
p 4
216 FINANCE.
C. PUBLIC ESTABLISHM.:NTS.
1. THE MINT was established in 1836, and commenced its
operations on the ~~ August of that year. Although it was
originally intended to have coined money of every description,
its operations have been confined. exclusively to copper,
the silver coin in circulation having been found to be made
at a cheaper rate at Paris and Munich.
This establishment is under the minister of finance, and
consists of a director, a controller, a secretary, and the necessary
number of workmen, which varies according to the
work to be performed.
Since its commencement in 1836, down to the 31st December
184-0, the mint has coined in pieces of ten, five, two, and
one, leptas, to the value of 662,373 drs., 71 leptas, the expenses
of which were 411,367 drs., leaving a clear profit of
251,006 drs. 71 leptas.
The expense of coinage, including the metal, is as follows:
-
Pieces of 10 lepta cost
5
2
1
Total 20
4'3555 leptas.
2'7646
1'6588
1'3444
10'1233
Thus it appears that the greatest profit arises from pieces
of 10 1eptas; whilst on those pf one lepta there is a loss of
about 30 per cent. The profit, however, on the whole shows
an average of about 100 per cent.
The stamp-office is in the same building as the mint.
2. GOVERNMENT PRINTING-OFFICE. - A national printingoffice
has existed ever since the beginning of the revolution.
Under the provisional government of Capodistria, it was remodelled;
but it was only properly organised by the royal
10
ordonnance of 22 December, 1833, which placed it under
the department of the minister of religion and public instrncFINANCE.
217
tion. It was divided into two sections, one for printing
government acts, and the other for the public. The lithographic
department was divided in the same manner. In
1835 it underwent some modifications, and again in 1838,
and was then placed under the financial department, to
which it still belongs.
The following are the works printed at the establishment:
- 1. The Government Gazette. 2. The Greek Courier.
3. The Journal of the Antiquarian Society. 4. The public
acts of all the government authorities in the metropolis, at
prices fixed by a tariff. 5. The public acts of all other au_
thorities at their demand. 6. Useful works ordered to be
printed by the government. 7. Books of instruction and
other works for the use of schools authorised by a special
order from the king. -:
The lithographic department may also work for private
persons, provided it does not interfere with the public
service.
The receipts of this establishment amounted, in 1840, to
127,891 drs., and the expenses to 74,925 drs., showing a clear
revenue of 52,966 drs.
3. POST-OFFICE. - The importance of establishing a regular
and frequent means of communication from one part of
the kingdom to the other, was not overlooked by the government;
but, occupied as they were at first by more
weighty concerns, they had not sufficient time to direct
their attention to this branch of the service. The letterbags
in the interior of the country were carried from town to
town by foot-messengers, and the control was so imperfect
and ill-arranged, that letters were frequently lost, and sometimes
intercepted by robbers, to obtain possession of the
money contained in them. In order to deprive the klephtis
of all further inducement to attack the mails in future, a regulation
was published by which the public were informed
that for the future money-letters would not be forwarded
through the post-office; but the intention of government
was partly frustrated, as it happened more than once subsequently
that the messengers were stopped, and the letters
seized and destroyed.
218 FINANCE.
It Wa:l not till 1836 that the post-office was organised on
a proper and judicious footing; and though great praise is due
to M. Skouphos, the postmaster-general, for the reforms he
has effected, and for his still unceasing efforts to improve
the department over which he presides, there is still a wide
field for his exertions.
The royal decree for the definitive organisation of the
post-office I·S dated Athens 220 NDe-ocv~.} 1836, and contains
the regulations and establishment of post-offices in every
town, the number of persons employed, their functions,
responsibilities, salaries, rank, and uniform, the control of
the receipts and expenditure, and a general plan of the
manner in which the business is conducted.
. The whole of the post-offices of the kingdom are under
the immediate control of the director-general, who must
reside in the capital, but is bound to make a biennial tour of
inspection round an the subordinate post-offices. The director-
general has the rank and uniform of a governor of
a province; those of the other functionaries are the same
as the corresponding grades in the ministries, but without
epaulettes.
The salaries of the post-office employes are as follows:-
Drs. £
Postmaster-General per month 400 equal to per annum 171
Postmaster ~50 107
Controller ~OO 86
Secretary 140 50
Expeditor 100 43
The following is a tableofthe gross receipts and expenses of
the post-office establishment for the eight years, ending 1840.
Year. Receipt•• Expenses.
Dr.. Drs.
1833 9,624 55,836
1834 21,536 63,687
1835 43,140 100,000
1836 120,000 160,000
1837 125,000 205,000
1838 140,000 200,000
1839 160,000 200,000
___1_8~O~ } 8(1,(j(j? 200,000_
FINANCE. 219
D. NATIONAL PROPERTY.
Sect. 1. Government ]lfonopolies.
1. LANDS. - Before the revolution, the Turkish government
were well known to have been posssesed of a complete
register of the public and private property in Greece.
Every house, every field, and almo~t every tree, were
registered. All these important documents, however, disappeared
in the revolution; flome of them were burned by
the Turkish authorities themselves, others destroyed by the
reckless Greeks, without any regar1 to the future, and thus the
government found themselves almost without any documents.
According to a decree of the first Greek national assembly,
held at ~pidaurus in 1821) all lands and other property till
then belonging to the Turkish government and individuals,
was confiscated, and became Greek national property. The
only exception to this was the ble of Eubrea, where, by the
treaty of July, between the three great powers and the Porte,
the Turkish proprietors were allowed to dispose of their property,
or remain in the country.
Under these circumstances, and during those troubled
times, a large quantity of national lands was taken possession
of and cultivated by private persons; and as at that
period almost all the hodgets or title-deeds of property were
also destroyed and lost, the government cannot in every case
prove their claims, and rather prefer to forego them than
appear unjust and grasping. But every year brings fresh
property into the hands of government, as the state of things
becomes more organised, and the rights of titles are more
strictly investigated.
It is said by some that government possesses land to the
extent of ten millions of strcmata, others say twenty millions.
But these are vague surmises; for the fact is, that the government
have never had a computation made, and till a correct
survey has been taken, it is impossible to ascertain exactly
the precise amount. It is, however, certain, that it amounts
to a very large proportion of the whole of the kingdom; for
in Greece, the gQvernment claims possession of all lands; and
the onus of proving the right and title of possession lies with
individuals, not with the state.
220 FINANCE.
The national lands are available for national purposes.
The following tables will serve to show the quantity of
national property alienated by virtue of the law of endowment
of the Greek families, and the endowment of the royal
phalanx: -
A.- Table C!f Land and other National Property ceded to Individuals,
conformably to the Law uf Dotation of tlte Greek Families, from
26tlt lJfay, 1835, to 31st December, 1840.
Stremata I Portion of ~~r;~C:~f I Annual Payments. I
Number at 1000 Purchase Purchase Money IInterest andl I ~~hO:fi~~
P of square Money, in Mon~y on payable in Sinking Deem i I in this Case
nder80::d Metres Drdchmes. account of ten VeaTS Fund on p n: Total. at 3
percent
e 0". each. I Dotation. (one tenth account of a)-men. ~nuall,.. '[
each Year) endowment.
6,124 1;02,648 17,561,35314,868,528
2,712,8251;91,9891;71,2831-56-3-,-27-2+-5-5,-0-2-8-
B.- Table of National Lands ceded to the Officers of the
~ I . Royal PhalanxJrom 1-3 January, 1838, to 31st December,
1840. .
-
Number of Number I
Phalangite. who have Number Purchase
who have accepted I of Money in Remarks.
obtained the Stremata. Drachmes.
Credits. Dotation.
1,294 937 87.357
: I
13'154'9231 There are several Phalangites
who have not yet receifed
the full amount of
their credits.
C. - Table showing the Quantity of Land ceded to the Phalanx,
distinguishin,ll the dijferent Provinces, and the
Amount in each.
r of
I
Province. Number of
ata. Stremata.
----
5 Kynetha - - - 671
5 Naupactos - - - 2,232
4 Phocis and Doris - 3,103
18 Gortyne - - - 2,530
14 Patras - - - 6,533
4 Livadia - - - 6,504
3 Eurytania - - - 70
2 Olympia - - - 456
4 Triphyllia - - - 1,177
3 Modon - - - 1,704
8 Hermione - - - 126
6 Chalcis - - - 1,251
3
0 Total - I 87,357
7,50
3,20
2,35
6
10,3
3,89
1,85
36
8,38
5,00
1,10
3,39
3,44
9,56
I
:N"umbe
Province. Strem
Missolonghi
Agrinion
Mantinrea Megalopolis
Locris
Lacedremon
Phthiotis
Messenia
Corinth
Acarnania Attica
Argolis
Elis Thebes
FINANCE. 221
2. MINES. - Of the mineral productions of Greece generally,
a description will be found in another part of this
work. Those which produce a revenue to the state, are the
following: -
A. The e~ery of the island of Naxos.
B. The millstone-quarries on the island of Mylos.
C. Gypsum at Mylos.
D. Clay of Santorin.
E. E'cume-de-mer (meerschaum) at Thebes.
F. The coal mines at Koumi.
G. Marble of Pentelicon.
H. Mineral springs at Thermia.
The administration of the first five is under the finance
department; the coal mines of Koumi are under the minister
of war, and the quarries of Pentelicon under the intendant
of the civil list.
A. Emery. Government pays 95 leptas per cwt. to the
miners for extracting this mineral, which is done without
much labour, as it lies close to the surface. It might be
worked to any extent, and produce a never-failing supply;
but the government is bound by a contract with an English
house to deliver to them annually 20,000 cwt. at certain
stipulated prices, and not to sell any more of the article for
exportation during'the term of the contract, which was entered
into in 1835, and is for ten years.
The annual revenue derived from emery is as follows: -
Cwt. Drs. L. Drs.
12,000 at 5 60} .
8,000 at 3 50 (contract prICes) 95,200
Deduct expenses of production - 24,200
Net revenue 71,000
It may be observed here, that the contractors re-sell the
emery at prices varying from 20 to 40 drs. per cwt. on the
spot, and consequently, when the contract expires (in 1845),
the government will probably take the article under their
own administration, and thus make an annual revenue of at
It'ast 500,000 drs. more than at present they obtain from it.
222 FINANCE.
B. The Millstones of Mylos are obtained from quarries ..
worked in the solid rock, and are of excellent quality, not
only supplying the mills in all parts of Greece, but a gMd
many are annually exported to Italy and other countries.
The works are carried on for government account, and
the stones sold at very moderate prices fixed by a tariff, 'according
to their size.
The number sold in the year 1840 amounted to about
50,000, and the revenue produced was as follows: -
Net revenue
Gross revenue
The expenses amounted to
1,500 of 1st class at from
4,000 of ~d
4,000 of 3d
10,000 of 4th
~O,OOO of 5th
40 pair band-millstones
D. L. D. L.
5 50 to 7 50 each
~ 50 ... 3 75
1 ~5... 1 80
65... 1 0
15 0 ~3
.'> 0 1~ 0
Drs.
9,075
1~,100
5,940
7,970
3,6~0
328
39,033
18,350
~0,683
C. Gypsum (plaster of Paris) is obtained also at Mylos.
About 1500 cwt. are annually sold, producing at 4 drs.
per cwt. 6000 drs. The expenses amount.to nearly 2000 drs.,
leaving a net revenue of about 4000 drs.
D. Santorin Clay is used for building purposes, and when
mixed with lime, produces an admirable cement of extraordinary
compactness and solidity, much sought after for
making terraces, wine-presses, and other purposes requiring
to be rendered impervious to damp or fluids. The administration
sells it at 4 leptas per basket, and the annual
revenue produced is about 3,500 drs.
E. Meerschaum.- This natural production, which is principally
used for pipe-heads, and much esteemed in Germany,
and other parts of Europe, is found in a soft, spongy state in
many parts of Greece. In the year 1835, a German house
made a contract with the government to work exclusively a
large bed of this article near Thebes, at their own charge,
and pay the state a sum of 73 drs. 50 leptas for every cwt.
exported. They went to the expense of .50,000 drs. in excaFINANCE.
223
vating it; but it appearll they did not know the proper way
of preparing it for use, as, when exposed to the air, it cracks
in drying, and breaks into pieces too small for pipes of even
ordinary size. The contract, which is made for seven years,
expires in 1842, and the article will then be open to competition.
The quantity hitherto exported has not been more
than 100 cwt. altogether, and the works are now abandoned.
F. The working of the coal mines at Koumi, on the eastern
coast of the island of Eubrea, was commenced in 1835. The
quality is inferior, and indeed it hall more the appearance of
petrified timber, with a dull brownish surface, than the sparkling
look of sea coal. Some attempts have been made to use
it in steamers, but the result was not very favourable. Its
principal consumption is in the forges of the royal arsenals,
the smelting houses, iron foundry, and the mint. It is sold
at the port of Koumi at 3 leptas per oka (16s. sterling per
ton); and about 30,000 cwt. are now annually consumed.
The expenses of working it amounted, in 1840, to 53,900 drs.,
the receipts 54,800 drs., surplus 900 drs. The post-office
used to consume annually 12,000 cwt. for the post-steamer;
but as this has ceased running for the present, the supply is
no longer necessary.
G. Marble Quarries of Pentelicus. - Some of the noblest
monuments of antiquity, still in existence, are composed of
Pentelican marble, such as the Parthenon, the Erecthe'ium,
the temples of Theseus, Jupiter, Olympius, &c.; and the
closeness of its grain, and brilliant whiteness of its colour,
combine to render it eminently adapted for ornamental
architecture.
The quarries were re-opened in 1836, for the purpose of
procuring materials for building the new palace of King
Otho; but slabs and blocks of this exquisite marble are sold
to the public at fixed prices, according to their size, under
the superintendence of the controller of the king's household.
H. Mineral Springs.- The principal springs for medicinal
purposes are on the island of Thermia (Kythnos), and are
much frequented by invalids. Government has formed a
bathing establishment there; but the revenue derived from
it is scarcely sufficient to defray the expenses.
224 'FINANCE.
3. SALT-WORKS. - The manufacture and sale of salt is a
government monopoly in Greece. The salt-works are sixteen
in number, of which three are in the Peloponnesus,
eight on the continent, and five in the islands; but of all
these, only six are now at work; viz., those of Anavissos
in Attica, Missolonghi in iEtolia, Lamia in Phthiotis, Thermissia
in Argolis, Dombrena near Thebes, and Mylos in the
island of the same name.
The produce of the salt-works, in 1840, was 8,539,926
okas (equal to about 20,000 tons). The expense of producing
salt is very trifling, being nearly the result of natural
effects. The salt water is allowed to enter extensive flats,
prepared for the purpose, which, when inundated to the
proper depth, are closed; and by the influence of the sun
and the air, crystallisations are formed, which are then refined
in the salt-pits. It has been remarked, that when
northerly winds prevail, the crystals are larger, the quantity
of salt produced much greater, and the process of formation
infinitely quicker than with any other wind.
The salt is thence conveyed to the government depOts,
which are established in every town of importance, and there
sold to the public. The price for local consumption is fixed
at 8 leptas per oka, and to facilitate commerce, it is
reduced to 2 leptas per oka (128. 6d. t'terling per ton), for
exportation.
This article .produces an annual revenue of about 460,000
drs., from which 100,000 drs. have to be deducted for the
expenses, thus leaving a clear revenue of 360,000 drs.
4. FISHERIES.- The right of fishing in the rivers, lakes,
and seas of the kingdom is let to private individuals, who
pay a yearly rent to government for the privilege. They
are in generall~t for a period of five years, though there are
some few exceptions.
The following is a general view of the number of fisheries
in the kingdom, with the amount of the annual rent they
produce :-
FINANCE. 225
PronnC8. I Number of IAnnual Re'e-
Flaberlea. Due.
Drs.
Acarnania - - - - 6 4,360
lEtolia - - - - II 47,330
Bwotia - - - - 3 1,210
Thebes - - - - 3 6,580
Eubcea - - - - 1 598
Locns - - - - 3 1,929
Phthiotis - - - - 1 234
Attica - - - - 1 120
Parnassus . - - - 1 122
Argolis - - - - 7 5,426
Achaia - - - - 1 3,600
Elis and Olympia - - - 6 47,715
Pylos (Navariu) - - - 2 2,281
Messeuia - - - - 2 704
Kynouria - - - : 9 525
Lacedremon - - - - 3 734
Naupactos - - - - 1 280
Total - I 61 123,748 I
Sect. 2. Perishahle Property.
I. Woods and Forests.- The numerous abuses relative to
the felling of timber in the royal forests, which had crept in
during the revolution, and the period of anarchy which
succeeded it, induced the government, at an early period, to
interpose its authority, and endeavour to put an end to
them, by imposing certain restrictions, and exacting certain
payments for the right of using the timber of the state.
On the ~ Dec. 1833, a royal edict was issued (Government
Gazette, 1833, p.300.), in which, after adverting to
the severe losses which accrued to the state from indis_
criminately felling for fire-wood large trees which were
valuable for ship-building and house·timber, and from the
destruction by fire of extensive tracts of forest arising from
the negligence and wilfulness of the peasants and others,
the following regulations were enacted: -
" The right of cutting timber in the national forests is in
future only to be granted to such individuals as receive a
certificate of permission from the king's commissary ("El{lopol:)
of the district, in which the quantity and particular description
of timber are specified.
Q
FINANCE.
" For all timber felled and carried away in a rough state,
the government levies a tax of 25 per cent., whether intended
for fuel, turnery, house, or ship-building, and 20 per cent.
only, if the wood is cut up into beams, planks, hoops, staves,
&c.
" On charcoal made from government timber, the tax is
1 lepton per oka, which is about 15 per cent. on the-selling
price.
" On wood used in lime-kilns, and brick and tile manufactories,
as well as tar made on the royal domains, 10 per
cent. on the produce of the respective trades is to be paid to
the state.
"The exportation of timber for ship-building can only
be allowed by special permission from the king.
" The cutting down of young trees of less than three
years, as also the felling of Valonea oaks, olive and fig trees,
is entirely prohibited, and all transgressions are punishable
hy the penal code.
"To avoid the danger of fire, it is ordained that all
manufactories of tar, plaster of Paris, lime, bricks, and tiles,
shall be situated at least a quarter of a mile distant from the
borders of forests.
"Making incisions in fir-trees, to extract resin (pJlTLvi;),
and stripping off bark from any standing tree, as well as wilfully
setting fire to the forests, are criminal acts, and the
perpetrators are amenable to the criminal laws.;'
By a subsequent law, it was decreed that timber for shipbuilding
should pay to government a duty of 50 per cent. ;
but, on the other hand, that staves and hoops for casks,
barrels, and buckets, should be free of all duty. (Gov. Gaz.
1835, p.165.)
The royal forests were placed under the care and control
of an organised body of foresters, in virtue of royal decree,
dated Athens, ~ Sept. 1836, according to which they were
divided into seven districts; viz. Roumelia, Eubrea, Arcadia,
Elis, Messenia, Attica, and the Cyclades.
But the districts being found too extensive for exercising
the necessary control, the system was re-modelled in 1838;
FINANCE. 227
and the royal ordonnance of that year established the forest
administration on its present improved footing. The following
are the principal regulations of the law. which is found to
work well:-
" The forests of the kingdom are divided into twenty districts
(li.atTovojl.flov). each subdivided into five under-stations
(f),atTorpv">..alCflov), making together 100. The twenty
districts
are:-
District. 1 Headquarters. District. I Headquarten.
Pylos (Navarin). Chorais. Eubma (North). Pylm.
MegaIopolis. Leondari. ... (South). Psachna.
Lacedmmon. Sparta. Attica. Kalyvia Kassa.
Argolis. Epidaurus. Bmotia. Livadia.
Gortyne. Vitina. Acarnania. Kompoti.
Kyllenia. Calavrita. VaItos. Karvasara.
Achaia. AIi-Tslepi. lEtolia. Vrachori.
Elis. Douka. Phthiotis. Lamia.
Olympia. Krestena. Phocis and Locris. Lidoriki.
Triphyllia. Tzourtza. Eurytania. Karpenisi.
" Over each district is placed a ranger (li.atTovojl.ol:). under
whom are five foresters (li.atTorpv">..a~) for the protection of
the forests and timber. The direction and superintendence
of forests is confided to two inspectors (E1l'tlhop~TT/i:
'I,"';'V li.atTwv), who are immediately subordinate to the finance
minister, and who must travel through their respective districts
at least eight months in the year. During their
official tours they must keep a journal. in which are to be
entered all particulars connected with the forests and their
administration, and on their return to the capital their remarks
must be laid before the minister.
" The pay of the inspectors of forests, is 250 drs. per
month (1071. per annum), and forage for a horse; that of
rangers 130 drs. per month, or 571.; and the foresters,
who are to be chosen from among those men who served
their country during the war of independence, 30 drs. per
.month.
" The uniform of the forest employes is a coat of dark
green cloth of military cut (the same as the infantry of the
line), with standing collar and cuffs of black cloth, silver
buttons, and a couteau de chasse with silver hilt. The
Q '2
228 FINANCE.
rangers have three oak leaves in silver embroidered on the
collar, silver epaulettes without bullion, and silver sword-knot.
The inspectors have a similar wreath of oak-leaves round the
collar, and epaulettes with bullion; a three-cornered hat with
the national cockade, and a plume of dark green feathers.
The uniform need not be worn except on grand occasions,
but the employes are bound to wear a cap of green cloth, on
which is embroidered ill silver the king's initial, an 0 surmounted
by a crown and surrounded by a wreath of oak
leaves in silver."
All the other regulations contained in the original organisation
remain in force,
The revenue derived annually from the crown forests,
amounts to about 190,000 drs., and the expenses to 90,000
drs.- annual net revenue 100,000 drs.
2, Olive Trees.-A very valuable part of the national property
consists in the numerous groves of olive trees sca.ttered
throughou,t Greece, amounting altogether to more than
400,000. Most of these are let on lease of fifty years, and
produce to the state an annual revenue of 442,799 dra.
3. Mulberry Trees,-The numberof mulberry trees belongto
the state, which grow in the plain of Sparta, amounts
to about 120,000. They are let on long lease, and produce
an annual revenue of 64,579 drs. Others situated in dif
·ferent partd of Greece produce 4713 drs., making the total
annual receipts of this description of property 69,292 drs,
4. Vineyards and Currant Plantationa.- Some of these
are cultivated for account of the state, but the greater part
were planted by private individuals on government lands on
condition of paying the legal tax for the use of the ground.
The!le amount to 1076 pieces of property in different hands.
Drs.
The revenue of those let on 10 years' lease amounts
annually to - 48,208
The revenue of those let on short leases 7,780
Total - 55,988
5. Royal Domains and other Property.- The' royal domains
are:-
IrINANCE. 229
Daphne, producing an annual revenue of
Vochoro-Galata (let for 50 years) ditto
The Botanical garden and nursery, ditto
The Model fann at Tirynth ditto
Total
Drs.
1,840
- 10,000
8,600
8,748
- 19,183
Drs.
Gardens _ producing in 1840 - 26,293
Marshes and willow-beds 6,850
Artificial meadows 4,595
Rice grounds 2,712
Water-mills - ':' - 22,834
Oil_mills 886
House... 2,892
Workshops - - 8,881
Khans, coffee-houses, &c. 675
Brick-kilns - 497
Besides these there are the following descriptions of property,
viz.:-
Total - 72,115
From the foregoing it appears, that the net annual revenue
at present derived, from national property IS as follows:
-
Saltworks
Fisheries
_ '100,000
- 442,799
69,292
55,988
19,183
72,115
Imperishable
Property.
Perishable
Property.
Interest on sale of lands
Mines and minerals, viz.:Emery
Mill-stones -
Gypsum
Porcelain clay
{
Woods and forests
Olive groves Mulberry
trees Vines
and currants
Domains Other
property _
Drs.
71,000
20,688
4,000
3,500
Drs.
68,105
99,188
860,000
128,748
646,036
759,877
Total 1,405,413
Q 3
230 FINANCE.
The following Table will show the increase which hllB
taken place progressively in the revenue obtained from national
property during the last seven years, from which it
will be seen that it produced in 1840 nearly three times as
much as in the year 1833:-
Table of tlie Gross Revenue derived from National Pruperly,
for the eight Years 1833-1840 inclusive.
1833'11834' 1836. 1836. ~11838. 1839. I~ ------
Du. Du. Du, Dr•. Du. I Du. Dr.. Dr••
Mine. and Mi.
neraIl · 5.906, 9.735 32.652 82.145 180.643 180,000 180.000 182.000
Saltworlu · 157.809 377.000 431.000 469,000 416,OOO! 467.000 453.000 483,6.~1
Flsherie. · I~~ I~~:: I~:::: I;~= 96.000! 58.000 124,000 124,546
Forest. · 102.000, 148,000 188.000 192,484
Olive.tree. • 105,125 15,174 15,180 134,000 8,000
1
22,000 400,000 442,799
Vineyarda and I
currant. • 10,127 21.000 24'5291 ~::: 56,0001 56.000 56.000 54,000
Gardens, &c. - 40,022' 167,000 166,000 120, 100,000 26,000 26,000
26,000
Houses, mills, I
160,000
1
/kc. • - 99,981, 163,876 26,000 30'000 26,000
1
125,000, 60,000
Other property 29,878, 45,040, 135,963, 61,172 46.500 ~6,OOO 110,000
89,372
Total - ,--;98.2511,016.6751.143,944 1.195.317
1,164.1431.15&OOlH.566.000 1,620.851,
Sect. 3. National Expenditure.
Notwithstanding the various reports which have been circulated
in Europe during the last few years, of the bankrupt
state of Greece, the unfavourable pl'Ospects of her finances,
and the impossibility of her ever extricating herself from
her pecuniary difficulties, if the reader will attentively
examine the figures contained ill the following pages, I
think he will arrive at the conclusion that, so far from being
in a state of insolvency, Greece has been making great and
rapid progress every year in the improvement of her financial
system, and will be convinced that she has now happily arrived
at that period when her revenues exceed the necessary
expenses of carrying on the government. This favourable
state of things, which must prove highly satisfactory to every
well-wisher of Greece, has been brought about partly by the
gradn:al development of her national resources, the extension
of her commerce and agriculture, and the introduction of a
better system of collecting the revenue and exercising a
more rigid control over the financial department, and partly
by the introduction of a judicious economy, and a reduction
FINANCE. 231
5,298,000
4,842,000
25,060,000
of the expenses in the different branches of the public service.
On his attaining his majority and assuming the reins of
government, the young monarch found himself placed in a
state of extreme difficulty and embarrassment: - the treasury
nearly empty from the lavish expenditure of the regency
- the accounts in a state of chaotic confusion - the
taxes levied in a most loose and uncontrolled mannerexpensive
embassies kept up abroad - heavy demands on
the purse at home - the country saddled with a considerable
foreign debt, the interest of which under all circumstances
must be duly provided for - a large standing army
to be maintained - several branches of the service still to
be organised - and but very few public servants in whom
he could place confidence.
The net proceeds of the two first series of the loan guaranteed
by the three powers, were received and spent by the
regency, and out of the nominal amount of forty millions of
francs, or 44,672,000 drachmes, only 19,612,000 drachmes
found their way into the Greek treasury, more than one half
having been absorbed and kept back for the following
items: -
Drs.
LoSB of 6 per cent. on the price of negotiation, commission,
&c. _
Indemnity paid to Turkey for giving up Negropont,
40,000,000 pisstres - - 14,920,000
Interest and sinking fund for the first year, also
kept back
Of the third- series of the loan, the greater part has been
used for paying the interest and sinking fund of the two
former, and there remains but a very small portion still to
be received.
In the year 1837 Greece obtained a small loan of about
a couple of millions of francs from Bavaria, but the greater
part has already been repaid.
The old loans negotiated in London during the revolution
have not been hitherto formally acknowledged by the present
Q 4
232 FINANCE.
government; but there is no reason to doubt that as Greece
is now in a situation to provide for the exigencies of her
own state without assistance from abroad, and has a surplus
at her disposal, which is likely to increase every year, she
will at no very distant period make some arrangement with
her foreign creditors, and set apart some portion of such
surplus for the purpose of liquidating those long outstanding
debts, the nominal amount of which is 2,800,000l.
The annexed documents will 8peak for themselves. The
first is the financial report for the first three years of the
existence of the kingdom, drawn up by the then minister of
finance; the second gives a general comparative view of the
annual receipts, expenditure, deficiency, and surplus for each
year from 1833 to 1840 inclusive; and the third and last is
the detailed account of the revenue and expenses of the
country for the year 181<0.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE MINISTER OF FINANCE
FOR THE YEARS 1833, 1834, and 1835. DATED ATHENS, &OCTOBER, 1836.
Now that Greece is become an independent state, and a
new link in the great chain which connects the civilised
countries of Europe, she forms a subject of the deepest interest
not only to politicians and literati, but to all thinking
men. Everyone examines and enquires particularly whether
she really contains within herself such element!! as, when
properly developed, can secure to the state stability and independence,
or whether she can only exist by the support
and assistance of foreign powers.
In order to answer this question fairly, it will be necessary
to inquire into her financial resources,- the most important
source of pro!!perity to every state,-and consider them in relation
to the extraordinary moral powers developed and exerted
by the nation in so glorious a manner during the
period of the ever-memorable revolution and war of independence.
Political economy is to a nation what domestic
economy is to a family. A private family may be said to be
.FINANCE. 233
in good circumstances, when its head wisely directs its resources
and income, and regulates his expenses according
to his receipts. In like manner, a state is in a flourishing
condition when its sovereign, having ascertained what are
the most necessary expenses for carrying on the government,
confines them to the means which are at the disposal of such
a lltate, without imposing extraordinary burdens on the
people.
The financial affairs of Greece may be divided into three
principal epochs.
The first commences from the day when the trump'et
of liberty was first sounded, and comes down to the year
1828:
The second from the arrival of Capodistria as president,
to the beginning of 1838 : .
The third, from the arrival of the king down to the present
period.
Ifwe turn our attention to the first epoch, we shall endeavour
in vain to find any order or regular system in the finances of
the nation. That was the period of universal movement, uncertainty.
and war. Government rapidly succeeded government,
and their short duration was not calculated to build up
solidly the great national edifice - the finances of the country.
It is true that there existed at that time a finance-ministry, by
whom registers and accounts were kept; but the confusion
which existed in the financial operations of that period was
so vast, through the pressure of circumstances, that even
now, after a lapse of so many years, it is scarcely possible to
check them. On the one hand, immense sums are charged
for extrac.rdinary expenses of the state, purchase of warlike
stores, preparations for military expeditions, arming
and manning the infant navy, and the payment of the troops;
on the other, we find revenues arising from the tithes raised
on the produce of the land, from the sale of national property,
from foreign and domestic loans, subscriptions, presents,
and other pecuniary assistance. But to determine the
precise amount of these receipts and expenses, even "Supposing
that t~e former were duly paid into the treasury of
234 PINANCR.
the provisional government, and properly accounted for,
is a work of time, and must be left till the laborious investigations
on the subject are completed.
The second epoch, when, freed from the heavy rod of war,
the government had time to introduce a financialllystem, exhibits
some attempts at balance-sheets and budgets; but the
disturbances which took place towards the end of it, annihilated
at one stroke all order and systematic organisation, and
the ensuing period of anarchy, loosened so completely the
springs of the financial machinery, that it became impOllSible
to pay the regular salary of the men at the head of affairs out
of the public revenue. In order to give an idea of the state
of the finances of the country at that time, we should remind
the reader that our troops were without payor
food, and prowling about the country, levying contributions
on the inhabitants of the provinces; and that at the period
of the arrival of the king, our public treasury contained
only 229 phrenix 77 lepta "', in metal, and 1960 phrenix t in
paper.
The arrival of King Otho, in 1833; was an epoch in the
history of Greece which opened to her the most cheering
prospects of prosperity. Since that period, extraordinary
progress has been made in every department of
our public affairs; and every thing tends to make us
cherish the hope that, at no very distant period, the complicated
machinery of the state will attain perfection. That
the country contains sufficient resources in itself, which
only require to be properly developed, and placed under
effective and wholesome financial regulations, to defray all
our public expenses, will be seen from the following tables
and accounts of the revenue and expenditure of the kingdom
for the three years ending 1835, which are extracted from
the books and official documents of the finance-office and
treasury-general. We consider it superfluous to add any
explanations to these balance-sheets, but merely give them
with their principal results.
'" About 61. 128. sterling. t Nearly 561.
FINANCE. 235
Revenue.
Drs. L.
The two first series of the loan of 60,000,000 of francs,
nominal amount 40,000,000 of francs, or - 44,672,000 0
Drs. L.
Balance of the old loan 210,900 0
Advance on account of the 3d series
of the loan. 1,128,944 44
1,339,844 44
Ordinary revenue of 1833 - - 7,721,370 62
1834 - - 10,921,787 82
1835 - - 13,635,930 36
32,279,088 80
Deduct expeose of col- Dn. L.
lecting the revenue for 3 year_ - 3,798,184 73 Arrears due - 4,785,397
13
8,583,581 86
23,695,506 94
Total - - 69,707,351 38
Disbursements.
(3) Interest on the new loan (effective)
-
(4) Redemption of copper money coined previous
to 1833 -
Du. L.
5,296,070 6
14,920,686 99
4,842,620 59
39,282,220 38
64,805,441 89
463,843 87
25,523,221 51
10,432 o
131,782 40
961,851 16
159,762 45
Dr.. L.
40,147,107 38
864,886 80
(a) Indemnification to Turkey
(b) Repayments to the Powers
(c) Ditto, with interest
to M. Eynard
(d) Redemption of paper money
cancelled
(e) Amortisation of the new
loan (effective)
(f) Arrears due before 1833 -
Deduct arrears not paid -
(B) Ordinary expenses of the three years 1833, 1834,
and 1835: Dr.. L.
For 1833 - 11,821,234 27
1834 . 14,987,298 87
1835 13,338,574 4
(A) On account of the guaranteed loan, and for the
years preceding 1833: .
(I) Non valeurs of the loan; viz. loss and difference
on the price negotiated, discount, interest on advances,
colIllIlilision, coining, insurance,andfreight
(2) Repayments and sinking fund, viz. :-
Du. L.
12,531,164 54
1,125,694 44
296 $INANCE.
Receipts for the three years
Expenditure ditto
Balance
Recapitulation.
Du. L.
- 69,707,351 38
- 64,805,441 89
Of which, rest of the loan remaining in the hands of
the bankers charged with the negotiation -
Sundry acconnts not charged in the budget Payments
of arrears received in the first six months
of 1836, after deducting the expenses of collecting Cash
in the Treasury on the 31st Dec. 1835, specie -
Ditto ditto ditto assignations
Du. L.
4,901,909 49
151,893 79
184,279 39
2,631,490 92
1,810,834 49
123,410 90
4,901,909 49
It appears from the above, that the expenditure of 1899
and 1834 greatly surpassed the revenue of those years; but
in 1835 the finances made a great advance towards the grand
object of reducing the one and increasing the other till they
arrive at an equal balance. It will be observed that there
was scarcely any difference between the receipts for the year,
and the current expenses of the state, further than the
amount of charge of collection.
That the expenses of the first two years should surpass
the amount of revenue is very natural, when we consider
the nature of the extraordinary circumstances under which
we laboured, and which exercised such a powerful influence
over our whole system; and, further, that we were saddled
with the heavy expense of the auxiliary corps sent here in
virtue of the decision of the London conference, as well as
that of recruitin~ a body of volunteers in a foreign country
for the purpose of replacing the auxiliary corps, also in accordance
with the will of the great powers; to this must be
added the travelling expenses of the regency, and their functionaries;
and, lastly, sundry large outlays for repairs and
new buildings, which were undertaken not only for momentary
comfort and security, but with reference to futurity.
The expenses incurred on military buildings alone, amounted
to nearly a million of drachmes.
It must also be remembered that, at first, the government
found it necessary to purchase arms and other articles for
the army, and other branches of the public service, in foreign
FINANCE. 287
countries, and were frequently obliged to pay exorbitant
prices, as they were required for immediate use, and native
industry had not made sufficient progress to allow the
Greeks to compete with foreigners.
An examination of the state of the revenue and expenditure
for 1835, will convince every reasonable person that the
former will continue to increase in proportion to the progress
and development of our national industry, commerce, na·
vigation, agriculture, and manufactures; and that our expenditure
will be reduced, as by degrees it will be confined to the
payment of the really necessary expense of carrying on the
government, which, as we have seen above,' amounted for
the three years to about forty millions of drachmes. The
greater part of this was raised from the internal resources of
the country; out of the proceeds of the loan about fourtel'n
millions were taken; but, on the other hand, nearly fifteen
millions were applied to payoff debts incurred prior to
1833.
That the expenditure for the current service of the state
during' these three years was not disproportionally large,
may be seen by casting a glance at the number of national
wants for which it was required to provide.
The order which, as we said before, was introduced for a
short time during the second epoch, was overturned in 1832,
and the Greeks, who had scarcely recovered from the pressures
under which they had been labouring for many )"ears,
were again plunged into misfortune, and thrown back to
the state in which they were at the commencement of the
epoch of 1828. In order to reach the point at which
Greece has now arrived, it became necessary to frame laws,
and have the proper organs to dispense them with justice, as
well as a sufficient military force to suppress the spirit of
revolt and disturbance, annihilate the different factions, and
support the legislative and executive authorities.
The internal state of the kingdom was then unorganised;
the communes, the foundation of all social life, were mere
shadows, or skeletons of municipalities. The name of justice
was almost unknown. Some tribunals, indeed, had existed,
but these were encumbered with the chains of the
238 FINANCE.
Venetian jurisdiction. The government had, therefore, to
constitute proper and independent courts ofjustice, the want
of which was severely felt by all classes of society. It was
certainly a great misfortune for Greece to be morally excluded
from the other states of Europe. As a young mer·
cantile nation, she required embassies to open connections and
form alliances for the furtherance of her moral and physical
interests; and she felt the want of consuls to protect and
countenance her growing trade. Public institutions were indispensable,
such as a mint, printing-office, warehouses for
the transit-trade, health-offices, custom-houses, lazzarettos,
barracks, and prisons. We required the organisation of our
financial authorities, and particularly elementary schools,
in support of which the sum of 360,000 drs. is now yearly
paid out of the public treasury. The state stood in need of
the services of a corps whose special duty was the preservation
of order, and security of life and property. The
organisation of the gendarmerie, whose success in fulfilling
the purposes for which they were instituted does them as
much honour as it is generally acknowledged and justly
appreciated, was therefore a matter of necessity.
The country was bound to support the widows and
orphans of those who had fallen while fighting for the
liberty of the nation, and who had been plunged into misfortune
for the benefit of the country; it was bound to provide
a suitable subsistence for the veterans who had bled for
the cause of Greece. If we calculate all these wants of the
country, which are now for the most part removed; if we
compare many others which we have not mentioned with
the current expenses of the three years above specified; if
we consider the extraordinary charges incurred by the disturbances
in the provinces of Maina and Messenia; and,
lastly, if we reflect on the enormous means required to
organise a state, which during a long and wearisome perioq
of revolution, war, internal factions, and anarchy, had sunk
into a complete moral chaos, we shall be fully convinced
that our expenditure was not disproportioned to the wants
of the community.
Let us now for a moment examine whether the money
J'INANCE. 289
Bpent by the state has tended to enliven our commerce, to
increase our agriculture, and to improve our national industry,
by establishing confidence, facilitating the circulation
of capital, and showing the practical benefits which accrue
to a nation from the introduction of order and the maintenance
of peace.
In the year 1830, the revenues of the different custom-houses
of the kingdom amounted to 1,456,510 drs. In comparing
them with the yearly receipts of the same for the last three
years, we find that, exclusive of the custom-houses of Eubrea,
Lamia, and Attica, which districts wt>re the last incorporated
with the kingdom, they yielded the sum of 6.717,548 drs.
84 lepta, equal to a yearly average of 2,239,182 drs. 29lepta.
Thus, although no alteration was made in the tariff of import
and export duties, the yearly receipts of the customhouse
for the last three years exceed those of 1830 by
782,672 drs. 39 lepta.
In order to gain a clearer insight into the progress that has
been made by our national agriculture, let us compare the
amount of duties paid on exports from the country at the
above two periods.
The amount of duties paid on exports in IS:m was
228,384 drs., whilst the annual average of the same for
the last three years, and exclusive of the before-mentioned
three provinces, amounted to 510,030 drs. If we multiply
228,384 drs., the sum received in 1830 by 16i (the export
duty being 6 per cent. ad valorem), we shall find that the
value of Greek produce exported in that year amounted to
3,806,100 drs.; whereas, if we multiply 510,030 drachme~,
the average receipts for the years 1833-1835, in the
same manner, the product will be 8,500,500 drs., showing
an increase in each year of 4,694,100 drs., or 121 per
cent.
Let us now look at the corresponding receipts of the landtax;
but that we may not be accused of wishing to detract
from the past, to which attach such glorious recollections,
we will no longer refer to the period of 1830, but look at
24-0 FINANcr.
the revenues of the three years ending 1835, which are as·
follows: -
Drs.
Revenue of the land tax for 1833 4,127,92'7
Ditto ditto 1834' 5,703,100
Ditto ditto 1835 7,269,684
From this it appears, that, although the tax was not increased,
the receipts of the second year exceeded those of
the first by nearly one third, or 33 per cent., and those of the
third year three quarters, or 75 per cent., and we may properly
infer that the increase in the produce of the soil took
place in the same ratio. The conclusion, therefore, at which
we arrive is, that the peasants and agriculturists who took up
arms in defence of their country, and who remained inactive
for a period from want of security and confidence in the stability
of the government, have now returned to their agricultural
employments, and that an impetus has been given to
native industry by the introduction of foreign capital. It
cannot be doubted that the great expenses incurred by the
state have not only caused a great moral improvement in
our social relations, but have mainly tended to benefit gene-
. raHy-the state of our agriculture, commerce, and shipping,
by putting in circulation 15,000,000 of fresh capital.
Let us look, lastly, at the manner in which the property
of the state has been administered, to see whether or not
proper measures have been taken to guard against abuses.
The expenditure of the state was, and still continues to be.
regulated by special budgets, founded upon the general
annual budget, and laid before the king every month by the
different ministerial departments. No sum can be spent
which is not included in the monthly budgets, or specially
ordained by a royal ordonnance, and to be deducted from the
annual budget. The greatest caution is observed in all cases
of payment, which are only made in virtue of written orders,
attached to which are all the proofs and other documents relating
to the case, particularly the royal ordonnance autho- •
rising the payment, a special account of the items, and the
proper receipts. Without these certificates no order can be
honoured by any treasury of the kingdom.
FINANCB. 241
For the rest, the administration of the public monies is
subject to the strict.scrutiny of the Court of Accounts, created
for the express purpose of revising and controlling the expenses
of the state, of watching over the public stock, and of
detecting and punishing abuses.
(Signed) The Minister of Finances, ad interim,
LASSANIS.
3
Athens, 15 October, 1836.
Financial Account of the Receipts and E:xpelUliturefor 1833.
No. I.-GROSS RECEIPTS.
Du. L. Du. L.
Direct Tazu.
Land and farm tax . · 4,127,927 15
Cattle and pasture tax · 523,977 54
4,651,904 69
Indirect Tazes.
Customs - - - 2,043,500 7
Other indirect taxes - - 239,040 14
2,282,540 21
Public 1118titutUma.
Mint .
Post-office - - - 9,624 6
Printing-office - · 8,633 18
18,257 24
Domai1l8 and otller Natiunol Property.
Forests . - · 46,603 14
Mines and minerals - - 5,906 34
Salt-works - . - 157,829 94
Fisheries - - · 102,812 25
Aqueducts and running water - 662 80
Olive trees - - - 105,125 25
Currant plantations - · 10,127 0
Rice-grounds and marshes - 3,307 92
Model farm at Tyrinth - 1,040 25
Gardens and meadows · 40,022 72
Public buildings and workshops 99,981 39
Sale of national lands - - 19,744 91
Interest - - - 5,087 80
598,251 7I
Sundry Receipts.
Local receipts - 33,750 ll6
Collections for institutions of
public utility - - 7,535 86
Unforeseen receipts - · 18,930 46
60,216 88
Arrears.
Arrears of revenue due previous
to 1833 - - - - - 110,199 89
Total - - - 7,721,370 62
R
FINANCE.
No. 2. - EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT.
I
Public treasuries -
Direct taxes -
Indirect taxes -
Public institutions
National domains, &c.
Repayments aud overcharges
Total
Dr.. L.
65,306 82
202,657 50
268,047 9
55,836 42
203,597 75
10,853 36
- I 806,298 44
RECAPITULATION.
Drs. L.
Amount of gross receipts - - - - 7,721,370 62
Deduct cost of administration and managemeut - 806,298 44
Net receipts - - - 6,915,072 18
Deduct arrears not yet paid - 353,6Il I ------- Amount received by the
treasury • - - 6,561,461 17
Add the nominal amount of the two series of the
loan, 40,000,000 francs, or - - - 44,672,000 0
Total receipts - 51,233,461 17
..
No. S.-EXPENSES OF THE STATE.
Du. L. Du. L.
Charges on the Realization and
Administration of the Loan of
40,000,000 francs.
Loss on negotiation at 6 per
cent. 2,680,320 0
Discount on sums received in
anticipation, according to art.
10. of the Treaty 573,290 12
Commission for negotiation of
the loan, 2 per cent. 893,440 0
Commission on advances to the
Greek government - 108,175 12 Interest on advances - 267,436 44 "
Coinage of Greek coins at Munich
and Paris 107,968 28
Insurance and freight of specie
sent to Greece, engraving and
printing bonds, postage, and
other charges 139,294 26
4,769,924 72
.FINANCE. 243
Dr•. L. Dro. L.
Brought forward . - . 4,769,924 72
Repayment of Debta iftCurred before
1833.
Indemnification to Turkey,
40,000,000 of pillllters, according
to the Treaty of the
21st July, 1832 - - 12,531,164 54
Repayment to the British government
on account of their
advance to Capodistria - 381,201 12
12,912,365 66
Currtmt Expli1t8e8.
CivilliBt - - - 986,801 3
Regency - . - 719,426 54
Ministry of foreign affairs - 293,917 45
justice - - 97,327 interior - - 522,152 °2
finances - - 99,199 73
war - - 8,041,228 18
navy - - 742,297 65
instruction - 127,502 34
Pensions previous to 1833 - 191,382 33
11,821,234 27
Sundries.
Redemption of copper money
coined under Capodistria and
later - - - 81,012 68
Redemption of paper money
circulated by Capodistria - 10,432 ° 91,444 68
Arrears.
Sundry payments of arrears due
prior to 1833 - - . - 133,632 45
29,728,601 78
Deduct not yet paid: viz. -
On the expenses of administration
and management - 1,456 On the current expenses of °
the state· - - 29,000 ° 30,456 °
Total - . . 29,698,145 78
BALANCE.
Revenue of 18S3, and the two series of the loan . 51,233,461 17
Deduct the above amount of expenses - - 29,698,145 78
Balance carried to 1834 - - - . 21,535,315 39
R 2
244 ·FINANCE.
Financial Account of the Rec~ipts and Expenditure for 1834.
No. 1.- GROSS RECEIPTS.
Dr•. L. Drs. L.
Direct Taxes.
Land and farm tax - - 5,703,100 65
Cattle and pasture tax - 552,437 94
6,255,538 59
Indirect Taxes.
Customs · - 2,610,865 36
Othcr indirect taxes - - 311,559 15
2,922,424 51
Public Institutions.
Mint
Post-office - - - 21,536 50
Printing-office · - 19,714 70
41,251 20
DomJlins and other NatimwlProperty.
Forests - · - 75,255 60
Mines and minerals - - 9,735 95
Salt-works - - - 377,270 79
Fisheries - · · 142,661 51
Aquedncts and running water - 819 62
Olive trees - · - 15,174 47
Currant plantations · .• 21,069 23
Rice-grounds and marshes - 7,718 76
Model farm at Tyrinth
Gardens and meadows - 167,818 10
Public buildings and workshops 163,876 98
Sale of national lands - · 1l,045 31
Intcrest . · - 24,229 12
1,016,675 44
Sundry Receipts.
Local receipts - · 52,954 79
Collections for institutions of
public utility · - 745 56
Unforeseen receipts - · 13,283 6
66,983 41
A"ears.
Arrears of revenuc due prior
to 1833 - - .. . . 230,241 30
10,533,1l4 45
Church.
Ecclesiastical revcnues · . - 599,573 37
Total - - - 1l,132,687 82 ~--- - -- -- --~ --------~-- '- '-----
1
I
J
I,
!
I
I
~
FINANCE. 245
No. 2. - EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT.
Public treasuries
Direct taxes
Indirect taxes
Public institutions
National domains, &c.
Repayments and overcharges
Drs. L.
63,151 21
277,591 83
529,205 °
63,687 2
345,016 31
32,251 87
RECAPITULATION.
Dr•• L.
11,132,687 82
1,310,903 24
9,821,784 58
1,090,643 7
8,731,141 51
Deduct aITears not yet paid Amount
received by the treasury
Balance of the proceeds of the loan brought Corward
from last year - 21,535,315 39
______________-'!'otal rec~ipt~___=_~~.~~~456 9~
I
Amo~nt oC gross receipts - -
Deduct cost oC administration and management
Net receipts
R ~
246 FINANCE.
No. 3. - EXPENSES 01' THE STATE.
Du. L. Du. L.
Interest and sinking fund - - - 4,432,951 46
Civil list - - - 715,439 4
Regency . - - 435,089 52
Council of state - - 17,849 99
Department of foreign affairs - 478,729 66
justice - - 239,750 16
interior - - 1,221,980 55
finances - 162,190 24
war - - 9,029,921 39
navy - - 2,086,932 39
instruction - 355,608 37
Pensions granted prior to 1833 - 243,807 92
14,987,298 87
Sundry payments, including freight 19,420,250 33
and insurance of specie coined in
France and Munich, and sent to
Greece, difference in exchange,
&c. - - - - - 92,800 59
Redemption and buying up old
copper coins of theformer government
. - - . - 382,831 91
Payments of arrears incurred prior
to 1833 - - . - - 26,130 Commission on monies advanced· - - 359,264 2°8
20,281,277 11
Deduct not yet paid: viz.-
On the expenses of administration
and management - 5,371 78
On the current expenses of the
state - - - 43,973 84
49,345 62
Total - - - 20,231,931 49
BALANCE.
Revenue of 1834, and the remains of the loan - 30,266,456 90
Deduct the above amount of expenses - - 20,231,931 49
Balance carried to 1835 - . - 10,034,525 41
FINANCE. 24-7
Financial Account of the Receipts andExpenditure for 1835.
No. 1. - GROSS RECEIPTS.
Du. L. Du. L.
Direct Taxes.
Land and farmer tax - - 7,292,684 29
Cattle and pasture tax - 2,100,000 0
9,392,684 29
Indirect Taxes.
Customs - - - 2,409,943 41
Other indirect taxes - · 273,968 86
------ 2,683,912 27
Public Institutions.
Mint
Post-office . - .- 43,140 3
Printing-office · · 30,616 58
73,756 61
Domains and other Nationol Property.
Forests - - - 95,048 23
Mines and minerals - · 32,651 87
Salt-works - · - 426,569 15
Fisheries - - · 118,628 5
Aqueducts and running water 905 0
Olive trees - - - 15,180 65
Currant plantations · - 24,529 85
Rice-grounds and marshes - 6,195 89
Model farms - - - 6,000 0
Gardens and meadows - 166,175 73
Public buildings - - 4,609 22
Workshops - - - 121,397 33
Sale of national lands - - 67,993 81
Interest . - - 58,059 68
1,143,944
Sundry Receipts. 46
Local receipts . - 20,962 23
Collections for institutions of
public utility
Unforeseen receipts - - 20,338 53
41,300 76
Arrears.
Arrears due prior to 1833 - - - 39,905 25
Church.
Ecclesiastical revenues - - . 260,426 72
Total - - - 13,635,930 36
R 4
FINANCE.
No. 2. - EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT.
Public treasuries
Direct taxes
Indirect taxes
Public institutions
National domains, &c.
Repayments and overcharges
Drs. L.
100,782 38
258,029 0
544,157 98
413,884 79
324,127 94
40,000 96
Total 1,680,983 5
RECAPITULATION.
ID". L.
Amount of gross receipts - - • 13,635,930 36
Deduct oast of administration and management - 1,680,983 5
Net receipts - 11,954,947 31
Deduct arrears not yet paid - - - 3,341,143 5
Amount received by the treasury - - - 8,613,804 26
Balance brought forward from the preceding year - 10,034,525 41
Received on account of the third series of the loan. 1,128,944 44
Total receipts - 19,777,274 11
----
J
,J
FINANCE,
No. 3. - EXPENSES OF THE STATE.
249
Dr<. L. Dr<. L.
Interest and sinking fund - 2,730,457 89
Civil list - - - 891,111 8
Regency - - - 254,560 57
Council of state . · - 79,486 76
Department of foreign affairs - 543,575 29
justice - - 538,497 58
interior - - 1,287,353 27
finances - - 184,382 47
war · - 6,401,296 58
navy - - 2,279,313 11
instruction . 570,591 94
Pensions granted prior to 1838 - 308,405 39
16,069,031 98
Advances repaid · - - . 74,079 75
Repayment of debts incnrred
prior to 1833: viz.-
To the French government two
thirds of the loan of 500,000
francs advanced to Capodistria 872,226 66
Ditto to the Russian government 372,226 66
To M. Eynard one-half of the
I
sum advanced by him to Capodistria,
together with interest 131,782 40
I 876,275 72
17,019,387 40
Deduct not yet paid: viz.-
On the expenses of administration 122,685 44
On the current expenses ofthe state 2,021,337 34
-I I
2,144,022 78
Total' . - 114,875,364 62
BALANCE. I Revenue of 1835, and balance of last year - ; 19,777,274 11
Deduct the above amount of expenses - -1 14'875'364 62
Balance carried on to 1836 - . - 4,901,909 49
250 . FINANCE.
General Comparative View of the Annual RefJenue, Expenditure,
A . Tm:
I
I 1833. 1834. 1835. I ----- Du. Drs. Du.
Direct taxes · · - 4,651,905 6,255,539 9,392,684
Indirect taxes - - - 2,282,540 2,922,424 2,683,912
Public establishments - - 18,257 41,251 73,756
National propeny · - 598,251 1,016,675 1,143,944
Sale of lands · · · 19,744 1l,045 67,993
Sundry receipts - · · 150,673 885,753 273,641
Total - 7,721,370 11,132,687 I 13,635,930 I
B. THE Ex-
---1833. 1834. 1835. I Du. Drs. "Drs. I
Foreign affairs - · - 293,917 478,730 543,575
Justice - · · · 97,327 239,750 538,497
Home department · - 522,151 1,221,980 1,287,354
Religion and public instruction - 127,502 355,609 570,592
Army (including the gendarmerie) 8,041,229 9,029,921 6,401,296
Navy - · · · 742,298 2,086,932 2,279,313
Civil list · · - 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 I
Council of state · · - 17,849 79,486 i Pensions - · · 191,382 243,807
308,405
Collecting the revenue - · 806,298 1,310,903 1,680,983 I
Finance department · - 99,199 162,190 184,383 I
Interest and sinking fund · - 4,432,951 2,730,458
Sundry expenses - · - 576,559 840,678
Regency - · - 719,426 435,089 254,560 I
Total - I 12,640,730 21,592,280 I 18,699,4.10 I
C. THE DEI'ICIBNCY
1833. I 1834. I 1836.
Drs.
I
Du.
I
Dr•.
Surplus · - · - - - Deficiency - · - 4,919,360 10,459,593 5,063,650
FINANCE.
Deficiency, and Surplus for the Years 1833-1840 inclusi1Je.
REVENUE.
251
1836. 1837. 1838. 1839. I 1840.
Du. Dr•• Du. Dr•. Du.
8,652,000 8,122,000 8,422,000 9,250,000 10,404,441
2,996,000 8,544,000 4,057,000 8,960,000 4,287,311
826,900 608,790 811,000 825,000 341,644
1,195,317 1,164,148 1,158,000 1,566,000 1,620,851
290,000 389,000 820,000 860,000 678,063
.185,510 85,460 76,000 138,400 184,200
18,645,727 18,918,898 14,844,000 15,594,400 I 17,516,511
PENDITURE.
1836. I 1837. 1838. I 1839. I 1840.
Dr•.
I
Du. Du. Dr•. Dr••
848,915 378,250 371,000 453,000 350,000
589,704 575,384 683,000 758,000 812,000
1,800,000 1,577,288 937,000 1,095,000 1,155,384
440,000 442,589 450,000 440,000 418,104
4,870,000 4,799,940 5,500,000 5,467,000 5,073,580
2,000,000 2,666,160 1,652,000 1,664,000 1,456,180
1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
280,820 264,290 198,000 190,000 194,502
880,000 517,208 860,000 357,000 895,748
1,242,810 1,455,398 1,325,000 1,290,000 1,609,721
404,919 449,570 627,000 657,000 481,985
2,801,399 4,388,519 8,186,000 3,786,000 3,748,175
888,359 2,911,908 76,637 38,959 1,412 - - - - -
16,447,126 I 21,426,354 I 16,365,637 I 17,195,959 I 16,696,741
AND SURPLUS.
1838. 1837. I 1838. I 1839. 1840.
Du. Dr••
I
Dr•.
I
Dr•. Dr•. - - - - 819,770
2,801,399 7,512,961 2,021,637 1,601,559 -
252 FINANCE.
REVENUE OF GREECE, 1840.
Dr•• L. Drs. L.
Direct Taxes.
Dimes (tithes) - - - - 7,722,817 70
Dimes of 3 per cent. on the dotations - 53,908 0
Cattle tax - - - - - 2,187,923 6
Tax on trades . - - - 259,923 51
Tax on house-rent - - - · 179,868 78
10,404,441 5
Indirect Taxes.
Customs - - - · · 3,062,509 97
Stamps . - - - - 900,000 0
Consular fees, port charges, &c. - - 324,801 44
4,287,311 41
Public Establishments.
Mint - - - - - 35,434 14
Post-office - - - - - 200,000 0
Printing and lithographic offices - - 106,209 88
341,644 2
National Domains and other Property.
Mines and minerals - - - - 178,000 0
Mineral waters - - · · 4,000 0
Salt-works . - - · · 483,651 27
Fisheries - - . - - 124,545 0
Forests - . - - - 192,484 57
Olive trees - - - · · 442,799 0
Vineyards and currant plantations · - 54,000 0
Gardens and other cultivated lands - - 115,372 0
Houses, mills, and other buildings - - 26,000 0 ------- 1,620,851 84
Sale of Lands.
Annual instalments on dotations payable in
36 years - - - - - 303,821 0
Ditto, payable in 10 years - - - 295,243 0
Ditto, on sales of perishable property - 61,979 44
Anticipated ditto on dotations - - 5,000 0
Ditto on sales of perishable property - 7,000 0
Arrears on sales made prior to 183J - 5,000 0
678,063 44
Sundry Receipts.
Produce of active capital and interest - 120,000 0
Unforeseen receipts - - - - 12,000 0
Produce of property of debtors seized and sold 2,000 0
Recovery of expenses of justice and restitutions
- - - - - 50,000 0
184,200 0
Total revenue - - . 17,_516,~~~1
I
I
,j
.FINANC.e.
EXPEIlDITUBE OF GREECE,1840.
253
Dra. L. Du. L.
Foreign affairs · - · - - - 350,000 Justice - - - - - - . 812,000 °Home
department · · - · - - 1,155,334 °Religion and public instruction - - - -
418,104 48°
Army · - - - - · - 5,073,580 Navy - - - · · - - 1,456,180 4°4
Finance: viz.-
Central administration - · - 100,982 9
Court of Accounts - - · 118,373 32
Treasuries - - - - 138,419 60
Commissaries of finance - - - 91,710 Printing expenses - - · 7,500
°Donations and assistance - - 25,000 °° 481,985 1
Civil list - · - - - · . 1,000,000 Council of state - · · - · - 194,502
°Pensions - - - - - - - 395,748 46°
Foreign debts: viz.-
Interest and sinking fund of the guaranteed
loan · - - - - 3,579,885 40
Ditto, ditto, Bavarian loan - · 169,089 66
3,748,175 6
Home debt:-
Interest on caution-money deposited by
newspapers - - - - - - 1,410 Expenses of administration and collecting
the °
revenue: viz.-
Dimes (tithes) - - - - 99,000 Cattle-tax - - - - 100,000 °Tax on trades
- - · - 52,284 7°0
Tax on house-rent - - · 36,273 75
Customs - - - - 370,324 Stamps - - - - - 255,000 °Sundry minor taxes - -
· 2,000 °Mint - · - - · 40,897 62°
Printing and lithographic office - · 80,000 Post-office - - · . · -
200,000 °Forests · - - - · 89,003 °Mines and minerals • · · - 91,145 0°
Salt-works - · · · - 176,767 40
National domains - · - - 17,026 37
1,609,721 84
Total expenditure · - - 16,696,741 29
THE ARMY.
CHAP. VII.
THE ARMY.
ON the arrival of the king and regency in 1833, the state of
the army was found to be very disorganised; and it required
no small degree of vigour and skill to form a regular military
establishment, and introduce a system of order and discipline
so essentially necessary in this branch of the service.
The remains of the tactic corps formed under the provisional
government of Capodistria were still in existence, but badly
clothed, worse paid, and miserably armed. The different
free corps raised by the great chieftains at their own expense
during the war of independence were mostly disbanded,
or destroyed by the enemy; and the few that remained
were distributed in the principal towns and villages
of the kingdom, where they wasted the substance of the inhabitants,
whom they obliged to furnish them with food,
quarters, and other requisites.
The principal fortresses of the Morea were occupied by
the French corps under General Schneider, with the exception
of Nauplia, which fell into the hands of the Greeks
at an early period of the revolution, and remained in their
possession ever since. The Acropolis of Athens was garrisoned
by Turks; the fortress of Chalcis, and indeed the
whole island of Eubrea, was also occupied by the Moslems;
and the land frontiers had to be more exactly dcfined than
the proposed line of demarcation contained in the treaty
between the powers.
Under these circumstances it was judged advisable to disband
the whole army, and remodel it on the European plan
of organisation.
. 27 February,}
The first royal ordonnance IS dated 11 March, 1833,
and contains the following regulations: -
THE ARMY. ~55
" The hitherto existing tactic corps (raICrllcd :Ewflara) are
hereby dissolved, and the soldiers to be transferred to the
army on its present formation.
" The army is composed of the following regular forces:-
El Battalions of infantry of the line (IIfO'ucd r~l: TpaflP~t;).
1 Regiment of cavalry (lancers) (AoYX0lf'OpwJI '1?rll"iwJI).
6 Companips of artillery (IIvpti{;oXLKoJl).
1 ditto train (ZfvYLrOJl).
1 ditto ouvriers (TfXJlLrwJI).
A division of engineers for the service of the staff and
technical works, with 2 companies of pioneers (M'1xa"IKOJI)
for military purposes, and to be employed in the formation
of roads, bridges, &c.
" The effective force of each corps is as follows: -
"A. A BATTALION OF INFANTRY, composed of the staff
and 6 companies.
" The Staff: I major (TaYflarapX'1l:)' 1 adjutant ('YlraO'lI"
LO'T1)t;), I captain (Aoxayot;), I quarter-master (KaraXvfla~
Tta!:), I surgeon CIaTp0l:), I assistant-surgeon, I ensign
('AJlBvlraO'lrLO'rJ)C), and 1 drum-major CApX!TVplraJl1tTTtJc).
" Of the 6 companies, I are grenadiers CElrLXiKrwJI), 4
fusileers (KiJlrpoJl), and I voltigeurs (Ev(wJloJl).
"A Company is composed of I captain, I first lieutenant,
I second lieutenant, I sergeant-major, 3 sergeants, 8 corporals,
3 drummers, 2 sappers and miners, and 100 rank and
file: in all, 120 men.
"B. THE CAVALRY, comprising the staff and 6 squadrons.
" The Staff: I colonel commandant, 3 chefs de division,
I adjutant, 1 captain, I quarter-master, I regimental surgeon,
I assistant-surgeon, I veterinary sJlrgeon, 3 cornets, I stafftrumpeter.
"Each Squadron: I captain, I first lieutenant, 2 second
lieutenants, I sergeant-major, 3 sergeants, 8 corporals, 3
trumpeters, 1 farrier, 1 saddler, 90 lancers, rank and file:
together, III men.
"C. THE ARTILLERY. Each company, I captain commandant,
1 second captain, 1 first lieutenant, I second lieutenant,
I sergeant-major, 4 sergeants, 8 corporals, 12 fireworkers
(IIvpoTfXJlLTat;), 24, artillerymen first cla8~, 40 ar256
THE ARMY•.
tillerymen second class, 3 smiths, 1 wheelwright, and 3
trumpeteN: in all, 100 men.
"D. THE TRAIN. 1 captain, 1 first lieutenant, 2 second
lieutenants, 1 sergeant-major, 4 sergeants, 8 corporals, 4
smiths, 2 saddlers, 3 trumpeters, and 100 privates: in all,
126 men.
"E. THE OUVRIERS. 1 captain commandant, 1 first lieutenant,
3 second lieutenantto, 5 work-masters, I sergeantmajor,
8 sergeants; ID corporals, 3 trumpeters, and 100
privates: in all, 152 men.
"F. THE PIONEERS. Each company, 1 captain, 1 first
lieutenant, 1 second lieutenant, I sergeant-major, 6 sergeants,
12 corporals, 3 trumpeters, and 60 pioneers: in all, 86
men.
"G. THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS. ] colonel commandant,
I adjutant, 1 quarter-master, 1 deputy quarter-master, 2
majors, 4 captains, 4 first lieutenants, 8 second lieutenants,
and 10 ensigns.
"Sundry Regulations. - The pay of the officers is divided
into that of their rank and functions. When on active
service they receive both, but when on furlough, or in the
hospital, or when at the disposal of government (alufJ{crlfWf:), ".
they only receive the pay of their rank.
"Officers receive their pay monthly, viz. on the first day
of each month for the past period. The increase of pay on
promotions begins at the end of the month in which promotion
takes place.
" A ration of forage consists in 3 okas (8Ibs.) of barley,
and 5 okas (13Ibs.) straw. When horses are turned out to
grass in the spring, the rations cease for the time.
"When officers are not found in free quarters in natura,
they receive a compensation as follows: - a colonel 80 drs.
per month, a major 60 drs., a captain 40 drs., a lieutenant
20 drs. Unmarrled officers are expected to form a mess in
their respective corps.
"Every officer on promotion is required to give up the
difference of his pay for the first three months, for the benefit
of the me!lS of his corps.
THE ARMY. 257
"The non-commissioned officers and privates are paid every
five days:'
From the peculiar nature of the war of independence,
in which volunteer corps were raised by the primates and
chieftains, and commissions easily obtained from the provisional
government, the number of officers claiming rank in
the newly organised army was so great, and the pretensions
of the greater part of them so extravagant, that it required .
no little skill to adjullt their respective claims.
By a royal decree dated ~ March, 1833, the following
chieftains Costa ~ozzaris, George Iatrako, Andreas Loudos,
Demetrius Makri, Vasso Mavrovounioti, PanajottiPanourias,
Demetrius Plapoutas, and Alexis Vlachopoulos, were appointed
a special commission, to investigate the merits
and claims of those officers who had served in the Greek
army prior to the arrival of the king, and to divide them into
six classes; a work which they executed with great judgment
and impartiality. The officers of the first class received
commissions as colonels; the second class, lieutenant-colonels;
the third class, majors; the fourth, captains; the
fifth, lieutenants; and the sixth, second lieutenants; all of
whorn were severally distributed in the different regular
corps, or otherwise employed, as was deemed expedient by
the government.
In consequence of the great expense entailed on the
country by keeping up an army, so large in comparison with
the population and resources of Greece, a reduction took
place in 1836, by which a considerable saving was effected.
This was the more easily done, as many of the Bavarians
who had enlisted for four years, having about this time fulfilled
their engagement, manifested a desire to return to their
homes. The Greek government was, however, saddled with
the expense of sending them back according to the stipulatiom
of the agreement, and almost every week transports left
the Pyrreus for Trieste.
s
258 TH& AR~lY.
A great difference of opinion exists on the policyofbringing
out any troops at all from Germany, some maintaining that
it was only a waste of money, scarcely justifiable in the pecuniary
difficulties of an infant state, and producing no benefit
to the country; whilst others assert that the measure was
absolutely necessary for the personal safety of the young
monarch, the ell;ecution of the laws, and of the measures
introduced to overawe the turbulent spirit of the factious
and illtriguing military chieftains, and for the general tranquillity
of the new kingdom.
Mr. Gropius, my worthy friend and colleague for Austria,
the Nestor of the Franks in Greece, and who, from his long
residence in the country, is minutely acquainted with the state
of affairs, repeatedly intimated to the Bavarian government
his opinion of the utter inutility of inundating Greece with
foreign troops. "If you send out a couple of thousand
oxen," he said in one of his letters to general Heidick, referring
to the languishing state of agriculture, "it will benefit
the country more than twice as many bayonets." But
the regent, who had served in the war of independence as a
Phil-hellene, had conceived such a strong opinion of the
necessity of having a large military force at the disposal of
the government, to keep in check the factious primates and
Capitani, who might otherwise become troublesome; and
demand, and perhaps enforce, concessions against the will of
the king, and having, perhaps, as an old soldier, imbibed
certain prejudices in favour .of military government, and
carrying out all measures by physical force, he used his influence
in the councils of the regency to appear in Greece
well armed, and ready for any emergency.
It is true, that, on their arrival, they found most of the
fortresses of the Morea in the military occupation of the
French, but they were ordered to withdraw on the arrival of
the young king, and regency; and the king of Bavaria was
not only permitted, but enjoined by the three great powers
to raise in his dominions a body of troops to accompany his
son in taking possession of his new kingdom.
THE ARMY. 259
With all due respect for the opinion of my highly respected
friend, I differ from him on this subject, if only on the
ground of precaution; for at that time it was impossible to
know at Munich the real state of Greece, and the public
feeling of the country at the election of their future sovereign,
nor could they anticipate the manner of his reception, or
the obstacles which might be unexpectedly thrown in their
way.
Happily these fears were unfounded, and the difficulties
overrated. Never was a prince more heartily welcomed or
more warmly received by the nation over whom he was
called to reign, than king Otho was by the Greeks, who vied
with each other in loyal expressions of attachment to his
person, submission to the laws introduced, and in taking
unreRervedly the oath of allegiance.
But after a lapse of three years, when the king having
attained his majority, had taken the reins of government
into his own hands, his natural good sense led him to the
conviction, that the loyalty and affection of his Rubjects
are a great!lr support and safeguard to the throne than
thousands of mercenary bayonets; and placed as he was, at
that time, in a situation of extreme difficulty, with an almost
empty treasury, a trifling revenue, and the heavy annual
expenses of the state to be provided for, his first means of
improving the finances was by a well directed economy in
the different branches of the public service.
The maintenance of the army on its then expensive footing
was no longer necessary or advisable; and the war department,
which cost 8,000,000 drs. in 1833, 9,000,000 drs. in
1834; and 6,500,000 drs. in 1835, was so far reduced, that
the budget for the ordinary service of the army for 1836
was fixed at 4,000,000 drs.
In the year 1838, a further reduction took place in the
infantry and cavalry, by which a saving of 780 men was effected.
The technical corps remained as before.
The following tables give a comparative view of the nus
2
260 TilE ARMY•.
merical strength of the Greek regular and irregular troops
in the three above-mentioned periods: -
1st FOR.MA.TION, 1833.
Number
of Men.
Infantry : 6 companies, at 120 men - - 720
Staff . . - - - 8 --
Each battalion - 728
8 battalions, at 728 men - - - 5,824
Cavalry: 6 squadrons, at III men - - 666
Staff - - - - - 15 -- 681
Artillery : 6 companies, at 100 men . - 600
Staff - - - - - 25 -- 625
Train - - - - - - - 126
Sappers and miners - - - - - - 132
Pioneers: 2 companies, at 86 men - - - - 172
Engineers - - - - - - . 32 --- Total of regular troops - 7,592
Irregular troops:
Light infantry, 4 companies, at 50 men - - 200
The staff - - - - - 4 --
Each battalion - 204
10 battalions, at 204 men - - - - 2,040 --- Grand total - 9,632
2d FORMATION, 1836.
Infantry of the line, 4 battalions, at 853 men - - 3,412
Irregular infantry, 4 ditto, at 378 ditto - - - 1,512
Cavalry, 1 regiment - - - - - 692
Artillery, 1 battalion - - - - . 750
Sappers and miners, 1 company - - - - 152
Pioneers, 2 companies - - - - - 324
Engineers . . - - - - 32
I----
Totals - 6,874
-----------
. THE ARMY.
3d FORMA.TION, 1838.
Infantry of the line, 3 battalions, at 853 men
Irregular infantry, 2 ditto, at 853 ditto
Cavalry, 2 divisions, at 302 ditto
Artillery, 1 battalion
Sappers and miners, (remodelled) •
Pioneers, (ditto)
Engineers, (ditto)
261
Sumber
of Men.
• 2,559
- 1,706
604
750
197
230
50
, ~__. T__ otal_s__-_6_'_,O_9._4_
Some trifling reductions have been made subsequently to
1838 in the different corps, and I shall now' proceed to state
the present force of the Greek army, extracted from an official
report of the War Office, dated 28th February 1841.
The Greek army (having an effective force of 9011 men,
including officers of all ranks, except general officers, the
aides·de-camp of his majesty,oificers on half pay, &c.) is
composed of the following corps: -
1. The Royal Greek Phalanx, forming 4 tetrarchies, with
295 officers.
2. The Gendarmerie, 1435 men, forming 10 divisions, and
123 brigades, of which 108 are foot and 15 horse.
3. The Infantry of the Line, 2254 men, forming 3 battalions
and 18 companies.
4. The Light Infantry, 1275 men, forming 2 battalions and
12 companies.
5. The Frontier GuJtrds, 1920 men, 3 corps, 8 battalions,
and 32 companies.
6. The Cavalry, 548 men, 2 divisions and 4 squadrons.
7. The Artillery, 871 men, 1 battalion, 5 companies, and I
company train, and 1 company ofsappers and miners. In this
amount are included the officers and men employed in the
royal arsenals.
8. The Engineer Corps, 212 men, including the staff of the
engineers, and a company of pioneers.
Besides these there is a company of veterans, employed in
garrison llervice in the fortress of Monemvasia, composed of
s 3
262 THE ARMY.
soldiers no longer fit for campaign duty, and not includedthe
above amount of the effective force of the arm)'.
Royal Greek Phalanz. In the autumn of 1835, the veteran
officer!! who had served in the war of independence, but
who were not able to be of use in the tactic corps of the
army, were formed into a separate corps by royal ordonnance.
It is something on the plan of the Hungarian noble guards
in the Austrian service, for the privates have the rank of
lieutenants in the army, lieutenants of the phalanx are equal
to majors, captains to colonels, &c.
When this corps was formed, it amounted to 1070 men,
all of whom consequently had the rank of officers in the
army. The support of so large a number of officers, the
greater part of whom were no longer fit for active service,
and who were more or less confirmed in their respective
grades, in consideration of the services they had rendered to
their country during the war of independence, was a deadweight
on the public treasury, and increased the military
budget by more than one fifth.
In 1836 the charge for the royal phalanx amounted to
877,298 drs., an extremd)' heavy sum, and for which the state
could expect to receive no adequate benefit in the shape of services
to be rendered to the country at any future period.
Continually occupied with the desire to reduce the public
expenditure by every means in its power, and convinced at
the same time of the absolute necessity of providing for the
support of its former warriors in 11 manner the least burdensome
to the country, the government published, in 1836, the
law concerning the dotation of the phalangites.
According to this law, any officer of the phalanx receiving
pay from the public treasury, might (and may still) commute
it, and receive a dotation of lands or other property
belonging to the state under certain favourable conditions
contained in the royal ordonnance. Such phalangites who
have acc~pted, or may in future accept the endowment, retain
their rank in the army as honorary grades, and are permitted
to wear their uniform on all occasions they may think
proper. On the other hand, the government has reserved to
THE A RlIlY• 263
.3elf the right of disposing of their services in case of any
national emergency, aRd giving them commissions in the
national guards whenever it is deemed necessary to organise
this branch of the service.
The charge for the phalanx, which still amounted in 1838
to 782,000 drs., fell in 1839 to 354,256 drs., and was reduced
in 1840 to 351,536 drs., in consequence of the measure above
specified.
Gendarmerie.- This efficient corps was organised in 1833;
and its principal duty consists in the maintenance of order
and public tranquillity, and enforcing the execution of the laws.
Though distributed in small detachments over the whole of
the kingdom, and from the peculiar nature of its duties
placed under the orders of the ministers of the interior and
war jointly, it is equipped and fully organised as a military
corps; and in cases of public emergency can be concentrated
.in a short time, and used for any specified military purpose.
The commandant of this corps must reside in the metropolis,
and the heads of divisions in the capitals of the provinces,
when extraordinary circumstances do not require their presence
elsewhere.
The Frontier Guards. - When the revolutionary movements
of the robbers and lawless bands in the northern
provinces of continental Greece in the beginning of 1836
broke out and threatened to extend into other parts, government
found it expedient to permit some of the chieftains of
Rumelia to raise troops for the purpose of putting down the
insurrection. These corps having rendered such efficient
services in this campaign, as to deserve some peculiar mark
of approbation, his majesty issued a royal ordonnance dated
26:5-pJeabn..} 1838' "III virtue 0 f Wh'leh they were
l.Ilcorporated
with the regular army under the above denomination, with
higher pay and several other privileges, forming three corps,
divided into eight battalions.
These three corps, bearing the names of three, provinces
where cmployed (Phthiotis. Eurytania, and Acarnania), are
posted along the frontiers of Turkey at the most important
s 4
.THE ARMY.
points,.and forming a double chain extending from the Gulf
of Volo to the Gulf of Ambracia.
The first chain, composed of the stations nearest the line
of frontier at the points which offer the greatest advantages
for a complete observation of all that pass in and out, forms
the line of advanced posts.
The second chain, formed of the posts of support established
in such situations as to answer completely the qualifications
required of them as positions of defence, composes
the defensive line.
The position of the frontier guards is determined by the
season of the year, and the change is made generally every
six months, but modified according to circumstances which
may require an alteration in this system of defending the
land frontiers. The most important positi(}ns, however, are
constantly occupied, the government having erected defensive
barracks of more or less strength, according to the
nature of the localities.
Complete success has sufficiently demonstrated the utility
and expediency of this measure. The nature and situation
of the border provinces required a larger development of
physical force than had hitherto been employed on this
service. To put down the repeated incursions of brigands,
who frequently crossed the frontiers in considerable bodies,
and whose ostensible object was often secondary to the views
and intrigues of a foreign policy in disturbing the tranquillity
of the country, rendering the inhabitants discontented, and
endeavouring to compromise the government, it was deemed
indispensably necessary to organise a permanent military
force, capable of neutralising such attempts in future, and
of maintaining public order and tranquillity.
The frontier troops, composed of individuals possessing a
perfect knowledge of all the localities of the borders, are now
able to frustrate all the projects of the brigands. Whole
bands have been defeated, and a great number made prisoners,
who, after being brought before the competent tribunals,
have been made amenable to justice, whilst those who contrived
to escape falling into the hands of these troops, have
:rUE ARMY. 265
Oillce",
not since dared to cross the frontiers of Greece; so that
brigandage has perfectly ceased, the ravages committed by
those lawless bands in former years occur no longer, and all
the provinces along the northern frontier enjoy at present
as perfect tranquillity as the other parts of the kingdom.
2
The Irregular Infantry. - On the 14 March, 1833, two
royal ordonnances were published, the first of which declared
all the irregular troops (qraKTa };Tpanvp.aTa), which were
formed previously to the arrival of the king, to be disbanded,
and gave the officers and men the option of returning to their
homes, or joining the new corps of light troops about to be
formed. The second contains an order for the immediate
formation of 10 battalions of irregular light infantry ('A"po~
OAtt1TWV), each of the effective force of 204 men.
The uniform is to consist of the Greek national dress (the
short jacket with open sleeves, and the fustanella), with
standing collar of red cloth, on which are embroidered the
distinguishing marks of rank as in the troops of the line.
The rate of pay is as follows:-
:f;,qU~1 Non.Commissioned I Equal
I A~ Officers and Privates. ifi!~:
I ' ----------1
Drs,I-:£I Drs, L,I~
Major per month 220 118 Ensign per diem 1 50 1 O~
Adjutant 100 43 Sergeant ma;or 72 6
Quartermaster .. , 120 52 Sergeant 56 4~
Captain 120 52 Corporal ',',', I 44 3J
_J~i~_ut_e_n_an_t~ lOO 43. Private 32 2~1
The officers have to find themselves in uniform~, arms,
board, and lodging; the non-commissioned officers and
privates receive daily a ration of 220 drams (It lbs.) of
bread, free quarters in barracks, and the following articles of
dress every year: 2 jackets, 2 fustanellas, 1 cap, 1 girdle, 2
pair of leggings, 2 pair drawers, 2 shirts, and 2 pair of shoes.
These light troops were reduced ill 1836 to four battalions,
and in 1838 to two, their present number.
Mode of recruiting. - Vacancies in the army arising from
death and other causes, are filled up by volunteers and by
266 TIlE ARMY.
conscription, in virtue of the law of conscription, which
bears date Athens, ~~ ~~::} 1837, and is as follows: "
Art. l. It is the duty of every Greek to serve his country,
either in the army or navy, under the following regulations:
-
"Art. 2. The national army will be recruited by enlisting
volunteers, and by conscription. The period of service is
fixed for four years, to commence from the day that each
individual enters his respective corps.
"Art. 3. The completion of the necessary number of men
applies equally to the continent and the islands. The islands
will be requirtd to furnish conscripts for the land service
when their number exceeds the complement required for the
navy; and such recruits shall be more immediately employed
in guarding the line of coast, or enrolled in the artillery, in
order to be removed, if necessary, into the royal marine artillery.
If, on the other hand, the inhabitants of the continent
are required to complete the contingent for the navy,
the prefercnce will bc given to those residing in the l>eaports.
"Art. 4. The number of recruits required for the land and
naval service, will be divided among the different provinces
in proportion to the amount of their population respectively,
and a subdivision made amongst the communes in the same
manncr.
" Art. 5. Beforc the definitive settlement of each contingent,
the demarch of the commune has to invite the young
men to come forward as volunteers. Such volunteers have
the right of selecting the particular branch of the service in
which they are willing to serve, provided they are physically
competent to undertake its duties, and there are vacancies in
the respective corps. The number of volunteers will be deducted
from the contingent of each commune, and the rcmainder
will be drawn for by lottery.
"Art. 6. A volunteer must have completed his 18th year,
and be under 30, but if he has already served in any corps
he may be recei.ed up to his 35th year. He must be at
THE ARMY. 267
least 1-1~u'\r metres in height, without any bodily infirmity,
and able to produce a certificate of good conduct from the
demarch of the commune where he last resided.
"Art. 7. All Greek subjects between the ages of 18 and
24, are liable to the conscription; and it is only for the first
levy that the age is extended to SO years.
"Art. 8. All who have been found guilty of any criminal
act, are excluded from the honour of serving their country.
" Art. 9. The communes are responsible for the moral and
physical capabilities of their respective recruits; and in case
of desertion within a year from the enrolment, are obliged to
find a substitute.
"Art. 10. Exceptions to the liability of conscription, are:
-). all married men, and widowers with families, who were
married before the promulgation of this law: 2. all who
have already served for four years in the tactic corps since
the arrival of the king: 3. all young men studying at the
university, the gymnasiums, or the seminary for schoolmasters,
or preparing for the sacerdotal office: 4. all clergymen,
schoolmasters, and medical men: 5. all those whose
stature is below I-fPu metres.
"Art. )). Anyone drawn for the service is at liberty to
send a substitute who fulfils all the qualifications required of
him. The agreement between them is a matter of private
arrangement.
"Art. 12. All those registered in the lists as liable, and
imagine themselves exempt from any particular circulllstances,
are at liberty to make the necessary representations
to the governor of the province, from whose decision they
may appeal to the minister of the interior."
The annual levy is fixed at present at 1200 men; but in
general the number is n'gulated according to the wants of
the army. The recruiting experiences not the slightest obstacle
in the different parts of the kingdom; and it is a fact
worthy ofnote, that the peasants and other subjects, whatever
may have been their former occupation, when placed in
this novel sphere of action. promptly acquire habits of order
and rliscipline.
268 THE ARMY.
Promotion.-In Greece, every citizen is admissible to any
rank and employment by means of his merits, services, and
talents, so that a private soldier may rise to the rank of
officer, and even to the highest military honours.
Corporals, sergeants, and sergeant-majors, are appointed
by the commanders of corps from among those indivi.
duals who possess the necessary qualifications and attainments,
seniority of service being kept in view as much as
possible.
Vacancies amongst ensigns, lieutenants, and captains, are
filled up by seniority amongst the officers of the respective
corps; but those who thus acquire the right of promotion,
are obliged to pass an examination, in which they have to
prove their capacity to fulfil the duties of the vacancy. In
cases of equality of service, whoever passes the best examination
obtains the vacancy.
Majorities, lieutenant-colonelcies, and colonelcies, are filled
up by seniority in the same corps; generalships according to
seniority in the army list.
Exceptions to these regulations can only be made under
extraordinary circumstances, or when an officer distinguishes
himself by some signal act of courage or prudence.
Vacancies in the commissariat, quartermaster, and medical
departments, are filled up by seniority in these branches
respectively.
All appointments from the rank of ensign up to the highest
military functionaries are made exclusively by the king, as
the supreme head of the army.
Administration.- The command and administration of the
army is confided to the minister of war, under the immediate
orders of His Majesty the King.
The war-office is composed of several sections according
to the different branches of the service. Heads of departments
are at the same time referendaries for their sections.
To each section are given a number of inferior functionaries
according to the business of each department.
The posts of commander-in-chief of the Peloponnesus,
and of continental Greece, which were established in 1835,
THE A Rl\! V. 269
and placed under the immediate orders of the minister of
war, were charged with the command and inspection of the
troops quartered in these two principal divisions of the kingdom,
and formed the intermediate authorities between the
commanders of corps and the minister of war, but were
abolished on becoming vacant in 1836 and 1837. Prudential
considerations, and the necessity of introducing
greater expedition in the transmission of reports and orders,
and of placing the different corps under the direct and immediate
orders of the war-office, were the principal reasons
for this measure.
A combination of forces under the command of a general
officer is only effected when extraordinary circumstances
require the development of physical strength. According to
the system at present introduced, each corps, battalion and
division is considered as a unit of force, and each is placed
under the orders of the war-office.
Every corps furnishes a contingent more or less for the
garrison service of the fortresses and other places where
the presence of tx:oops is considered necessary. This mode
of organisation is more suited to the present force of the
army, and offers greater facilities for the movements of troops
in case of emergency.
Pensions, Asylums, and Hospitals. - Wounded, infirm,
and superannuated soldiers, receive a pension suitable to
their rank, and sufficient to support them in a manner commensurate
with their station in the army. Military asylums
have not yet been established; but government has formed a
stationary company of invalids unfit for field duty, though
capable of garrison service, which occupies the fortress of
Monemvasia (Epidaurus Limera).
For the cure and proper attendance of the sick and
wounded, care has been taken to erect and establish proper
hospitals in all the principal garrison towns, with twenty-nine
surgeons, and the necessary number of inferior functionaries
for this branch of the service. Part of the above number
of surgeons is attached to the different battalions and corps on
active service.
2iO THE A.RMY.
The chief superintendence of the military medical department
is confided to a staff-physician, who is at the same
time medical referendary at the war-office.
Coum-martial. Military justice is administered in the
Greek army according to the French system. It consists
in a first and second permanent court-martial, whose
seat is Nauplia, and is placed under a council of revision
in form of a court of cassation, seated at the capital. To
each of the permanent courts-martial are attached two
officers as king's procurators, and two substitutes to conduct
the prosecutions on behalf of the crown. The first investigations
rest, however, with the commanders of corps, who
make a report to the minister of war, and the royal procurators
are then instructed to commence the prosecution as
circumstances may require.
Soldiers who commit a crime in conjunction with a civilian,
are amenable to a civil tribunal according to the laws
of the country. Misdemeanours and breaches of discipline
are punished by a court of discipline formed in the respective
corps, which submits its judgment to the commander
of the corps for his approbation. In more important
cases, the latter submits the case to the minister of war for
final decision.
The military volunteers who enlisted in Bavaria according
to the stipulations of the treaty made with that kingdom,
and who are charged with military offences, are tried according
to the military code of Bavaria, and the articles of
war established in Greece.
Uniforms. - The royal phalanx, the frontier guards, and
the light infantry, are clothed and armed in the Greek national
costume. The gendarmerie, infantry of the line, cavalry,
and technical corps, wear European uniforms and
arms.
The following is a table of the different uniforms of the
regular corps of the Greek army: -
THE ARMY. 2il
Remarks.
ditto
ditto
scarlet
- dark green crimson
I
I Epaulette••
Unironn. I c~~tfs~nd . Buttoll., I I I &c. ,
---~ ------ -----------
dark blue silver
Corps.
Cavalry
Gendarmerie dark blue
Infantry of l light blue
the line S
On the buttons a royal crown.
I{ On the buttons the numberl
of the battalion.
1 ~ Red facings ; Polish chakos: on the head, and lances l
; with a blue and white flag.
i{On the buttons two cannons
Artillery - dark blue ditto gold, crossed.
Train ditto ditto ditto i On the buttons a crown.
Sappers and1 ditto ditto ditto 1 On the buttons a grenade.
miners J
Engineers ditto ditto silver Plain buttons.
Pioneers ditto ditto ditto I{Onthe buttons a shovel and
I pickaxe crossed.
Staff ditto ditto gold Onthebuttonsthe royal crown.
Invalids - light blue I dark blue silver' }
Commandants ditto light blue dit 0 :
~.~~ suit: } ditto {I
1
da~~~~ue } di tto I: Plain buttons.
~e~ ca- ,dark blue edged with I gold
I y i scarlet.
---'~--~
Where the officers have gold and silver, lion-commissioned
officers and privates have white or yellow worsted respectively.
Cockade. - The national cockade is blue and silver. The
centre is blue to the extent of two thirds the diameter; the
outer circle silver. The sword-knot for all the troops is
white and blue.
The Royal Standard for fortresses and the land service,
is a square flag, azure blue, with the white Greek national
cross dividing the blue field into four equal squares. The
centre of the cross is occupied by a shield containing the
thirty-two blue and white lozenges, as in the royal arms of
Bavaria, and surmounted by a royal crown. (Royal ordonnance,
dated Nauplia, ~ April, 1833.)
Schools of Instruction. - The members of the different
corps learn their respective drills according to the regn'lations
made by the military authorities. Schools of theoretical
instl'Uction for privates and non-commissioned officers
exist in every corps, for the purpose of enabling every man
272 THE ARMY.
to have an opportunity-of rising in the anny. There are
also schools of instruction for the junior officers.
Royal Military Academy. - To furnish the army with
officers, theoretically and practically instructed in the qualifications
required for the different branches of the service,
the military academy at the Pirreus was organised, and is,
perhaps, the most valuable and important of the Greek military
institutions.
It was originally established by Capodistria at Egina,
under the name of "the military school for hopeful youths"
(To ~TpaTLOTtlCO" ~oXiio.· T';;V 'ElJEX'lrl~wv), but was
re-organised
by His Majesty King Otho in 1834, and shortly after
transferred to the Piroous, the original appellation being still
retained.
The roya1 ordonnance 1.8 dated NaupI"la, {139 MFeabrrcuha, ry,
1834, and contains the regulations for the establishment, of
which the following are the most interesting: -
" The object of the military academy of the Evelpides, is
to give young men such an education, that at the end of a certain
period, they may be able to enter the army as officers, not
only in the troops of the line, but also in the technical corps.
"All the exercises, service, discipline, manreuvres, and
punishments, are the same as in the army, so that young
men on receiving commissions, may be already acquainted
with their duties.
"Four junior and four senior classes are formed. The
young men enter at the lowest and pass a year in each, when
after undergoing an examination, they are placed in the army.
"All the young men educated at the military academy
are bound to serve in the army at least four years, and to be
employed, if necessary, in giving instruction in the tactic
corps, or;in the academy itself.
"TL-' -,mber of pupils is limited to 140; of which
50 are edJcliL' 1 entirely at the expense of the
state.
20 pay one quarter of the calculated expense
of 1000 drs. or
Drs.
250 per annum.
THE ARMY.
80 pay one half
20 pay three quarters
20 pay the whole amount -
273
Drs.
500 per annum.
750
1000
"The pupils are educated, clothed, fed, armed, and mustered,
without any distinction or preference. They must be
above the age of twelve years when entered, and have received
an elementary education.
"The studies of the four junior classes (which are minutely
specified in the ordonnance) comprise the ancient
and modern languages, geometry, geography, calligraphy,
algebra, history, drawing, dancing, gymnastics, swimming,
fencing, land-surveying, &c.
"At the end of four years the pupils undergo an examination;
those who pass, advance into the senior classes,
the others must quit the academy, and either enter the army
as privates, or commence a civil career.
"The instruction of the pupils in the four senior classes is
of such a general and technical nature as to fit them for the
artillery and engineers. Consequently, the higher branches
and application of the mathematics, natural philosophy, and
chemistry, fortification, gunnery, the construction of roads
and bridges, &c., form the subject of their studies.
"Only those pupils who pass their examination after the
second period of four years, can claim the right of obtaining
a commission in the army."
Attached to the academy are a library, a collection of
models, a physical cabinet, and a chemical laboratory.
Its management is entrusted to the following offi~ers and
others: -
The commandant (a field officer of the army), a s,1\b-commandant,
an adjutant, 8 inspecting officers, a quartermaster,
an assistant quartermaster, a surgeon, an ~sistall' .. ~eon,
5 professors of the first, and 5 professors of the 'dass,
ID teachers, I serjeant-major ( as housekeeper), ~4 servants
: - Total, 50 persons.
The instruction of the pupils is restricted to 8 ho~rs daily,
T
THB ARMY.
and tbe period to be devoted to each branch of study is
regulated by the commandant.
A reduction hD.II lately been made in the number of pupils
received at the academy, who are now limited to 60, that
being considered sufficient for the present strength of tbe
army. Of these, the government has reserved 22 for the
sons of civil and military employe, who have rendered important
services to tbeir country, and whose private fortunes
are not sufficiently ample to allow them to give their sons a
suitable education.
But the government, anxious at the same time to promote
the interests of the nation, has so fixed the rate of the annual
payment. for the remaining SS pupils, that persons of middling
fortune may he enabled to give their sons the advantages
of a military education at a lower sum than the actual
cost; thus:-
Drs. £
8 pupils pay 1000 per annum, equal to 36
8 750 27
9 500 18
18 250 9
Forlresse,.-The sea coasts of Greece are defended by a
considerable number of forts and fortresses, the principal of
which are Nauplia, Navarin, Coron, Modon, Vonitza, Rhion,
Anti-Rhion, Missolonghi, Acro-Corinth, Chalkis, and Monemvasia;
but tbe greater part of them would be able to offer
but feeble resistance to an enemy, from the want of the necessary
funds for repairing and putting them in a proper
state of defence.
The land frontiers towards Turkey are guarded by the
movable armed forces, for the fort of Lamia, which is
tbe only one in tbis district, is by no means in a complete
state of defence. The construction of almost all the fortresses
of Greece may be traced to the time of the Venetians,
though in many parts are found traces of Cyclopean
walls, and other indications of their having existed in. the
most remote periods of antiquity.
.,
THE t\.RMY. 275
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF NAUPLIA, THE PRINCIPAL AND
MOST IMPORTANT FORTRESS OF GREECE.
Nauplia is situated on a small rocky peninsula in the northeast
corner of the Gulf of Argos, and at the foot of the lofty
isolated rock of the Palamides, proudly denominated "the
Gibraltar of the Levant." .
The fortifications are divided into three parts, viz.: the
citadel Acro-Nauplia, commanding the town, fort Bourdgi,
commanding the port and anchorage, and the fortress of
Palamides, overlooking both.
The town is defended on the land side by a strong stone
wall of Venetian construction, forming a regular front, with
curtain and bulwarks, covered way and glacis. In the counterscarp
are mines for the purpose of countermining.
The marine side is defended by an enceinte continuee,
flanked at intervals with towers and batteries, mounted with
guns of heavy calibre; but owing to the erection of the
marine suburb when Nauplia was the seat of government, the
defences of the town are much weakened.
The citadel of Acro-Nauplia is built on a rock, inaccessible
on the three sides surrounded by the sea, and approached
from the town, which lies at its foot, by a flight of about 200
steps cut in the face of the rock, and leading to a strong
sallyport, flanked by a tower mounted with guns. The
citadel itself is divided into three parts, one higher than the
other, which affords great facilities for defence, and it is moreover
connected with the Palamides by a caponniere.
The Palamides consists of 7 detached forts, well placed
for mutual defence, and the whole surrounded by a strong
wall. These forts bear the names of Leonidas, Miltiades,
Epaminondas, Themistocles, Phocion, Achilles, and the
Commandant's Fort. The ramparts of each of these forts
are fitted with casemates, which are partly used as magazines,
and partly as prisons for civil and military criminals. Thefirstnamed
five forts were erected by the Venetians, the two latter
by the Turks. There are well-made and capacious cisterns
in the forts Commandant, Phocion, Miltiades, and Leonidas,
T 2
276 THE ARMY.
capable of supplying the garrison with a sufficient quantity
of water in the event of a siege.
The works are by no means in a complete state of defence;
and although considerable sums have been expended on them
during the present reign, a great deal remains to be done to
repair the ravages of time and enemies during the last
hundred and fifty years. At present about 10,000 to 12,000
drachmes are expended annually on the repairs of the works,
but at this rate, several years must elapse before it can be
rendered impregnable as a fortress.
On the ramparts and batteries of the different forts are
mounted at present 163 pieces of cannon, and 15 mortars
of different calibre, viz. 91 guns and 6 mortars of bronze, and
72 guns and 9 mortars of iron. These, together with 125
pieces of cannon, and 14 mortars kept as a reserve in the
arsenal, make the total number amount to 288 guns and 29
mortars of all sizes.
Nauplia is garrisoned by a battalion of infantry of the
line, and a division of light infantry, as also the artillery with
260 men, and the train company with 136 horses. It is also
the garrison of the 3d tetrarchy of the Royal Phalanx; the
head station of the division of gendarmerie for the province
of Argolis, a brigade of which is always present to keep the
public peace; and, lastly, the company of sappers and miners,
with 137 men, and a detachment of pioneers, are stationed
here.
The military establishments and buildings at Nauplia
are:-
1. The royal military arsenal, containing a large quantity
of ammunition, cannon, muskets, and other warlike
stores, to the value of about 32,000,000 drachmes (about
1,150,000l.).
2. The army-clothing establishment, for making the uniforms
and other articles of dress for the troops.
3. The artillery barracks, on the great square, capable of
holding 300 men, with kitchens and other offices. It was
built by the Venetians, and used by them as a town hall;
under the provisional government of Capodistria, it was
convprted into barrack~, and now continued as such after
THE ARMY. 277
baving been thoroughly repaired by his present majesty's
government.
4. The barracks for the sappers and miners, fitted up for
200 men.
5. The barracks of the artillery and waggon train for 150
men, with stables for an equal number of horses.
6. The quarters of the military commandant.
7. The workshops and other localities in the arsenal.
8. The infantry barracks in Acro-Nauplia for 450 men,
and another for 200 men. Both of these were built by the
Venetians, though the former was left in an unfinished state,
and only completed and fitted up under Capodistria.
9. The military hospital in the citadel, erected and fitted
up during the present reign.
10. The powder-magazines and various other buildings of
Turkish origin in different parts of the fortress.
Military establishments.- Mostof these have been founded
since the arrival of the king, and the few that then existed
have been re-organised and considerably improved. The
principal are: - The royal arsenal at Nauplia, the powdermills
and saltpetre refinery on the river Erasinos, near
Argos, the iron foundery near the Lernrean marshes, the
workhouse for military delinquents in the Palamides, the
army-clothing board at Nauplia, and the establishment for
breeding horses at Tyrinth.
Amongst the above mentioned, that for the occupation of
military delinquents merits particular. notice. Though only
recently established, it has already been attended by with
great success, and almost warrants the expectation, that it
will shortly be able to supply all the woollen and cotton
cloths required for the use of the army.
The chief object in view in the establishment of this workhouse
was to exercise a salutary, moral, and physical influence
on the criminals, and to furnish them at the same
time with the knowledge and means of honestly gaining a
livelihood by teaching them some useful trade during the
period of their imprisonment.
Besides this, the establishment possesses the following
advantages: - that of manufacturing in the country almost
T 3 .
278 THE ARMY.
all the articles required for the equipment of the army; so that
in future the government will not have to send away large
sums of money to purchase these articles in foreign countries;
that the expenses of clothing the troops will be greatly
diminished by the extremely low price at which these homemade
articles can be furnished; t.hat the charge of maintaining
the criminals'no longer falls on the country, as they are
supported by the produce of their own industry; and, lastly,
on the ground of humanity, the lot of these unfortunate persons
is considerably ameliorated, and rendered more supportableby
a healthy occupation, the employment of their time, and the
increase of their means of present and future subsistence.
Military Colonies.-In order to enable the Greeks and
foreigners who have served in the army to establish themselves
in Greece, and acquire the possession of freehold
landed property, by making them grants of national lands, the
government has formed two military colonies, one at Herakli,
near Athens, and the other at Tyrinth, near Nauplia.
The royal ordonnance on this subject decrees that each
colonist shall receive a grant of 40 stremas of land, and 124drachmes
in money to purchase the necessary agricultural
implements, besides which he receives for a whole year the
full pay that he enjoyed in the corps in which he served, a
daily ration of bread, and suitable clothing; and, lastly, he has
the privilege, in case of sickness, of being received into
the military hospital, and properly treated at the expense of
government till he recovers. Besides this, a solid and
sufficiently capacious house is built for each colonist by
royal will; in one word, every assistance is given which could
in any way tend to the furtherance of these establishments,
and give them the greatest chance of success.
In order to be admitted to these colonie!!, the candidate,
whether a native or alien, must produce testimonials that
he has served for several years in the Greek army, during
which period he has duly fulfilled the duties of his rank, and
led an exemplary life. It has been, however, deemed expedient
to give the preference to those candidates who,
before entering the army, belonged to the agricultural
classes.
THE ARMY. 279
Rewards and Punishmenu.-The former conllist in proIllotion,
pensions, and medals; the latter, principally in imprisonment
for longer or lesser periods, according to the
nature of the offence, and degradation: corporal punish:
ment does not exist in the Greek army.
Military Orders of Knightlwod.-The Order of the Redeemer
is the only order of knighthood in Greece; and the
number of officers of the army wearing the decoration,
amounted on the ~ September, 1841, to 197; of which, -
Grand Crosses
Grand Commanders
Commanders Kllights
Gold CI'OIl8eS Knights
Silver Crosses
Total
17
18
59
- 112
- 197
These are distributed in the different branches of the
service, as follows: -
War Office
Generality
Aides-de-camp of the King
Orderly Officers in WaitiDg on the King
Staff-
Royal Greek Phalanx Gendarmerie
Commands of Fortresses
Infantry of the Line Irregular
Infantry
Cavalry
Artillery
Engineers
Medical, Commissariat, and other branches
Total
No. of Knights.
7
36
1
2
55
- 20
6
22
8
4
5
3
55
- 197
The number of medals given to those who served their
country in the army during tht! war of independence, is lIS
follows: -
T 4
280 THE ARMY.
Number dis-
Description oC Medal•. trlbuted in
the Army.
---
Silver (officers) - - - - 3,461
Bronze (non-commissioned officers) . 6,329
Iron (privates) - - - - 18,615 -----
Total - 28,405
Bavarian Troops.-By the 14th article of the treaty of
London, the king of Greece was empowered to raise a body
of troops in Bavaria, for the service of the new kingdom.
In consequence of this a special treaty was signed between
Bavaria and Greece (1st October, 1832), but as the troops
could not be recruited and equipped in time to accompany
His Majesty, it was stipulated that a brigade of the king of
Bavaria's troops, consisting of four battalions of infantry,
two squadrons of dismounted Chevaux-Legers, and a park
of artillery, should be lent to the king to accompany him
to Greece, and relieve the French army which occupied the
Mores. The Bavarian brigade landed at Nauplia with the
km· g, 265FJabnuary} 1833, and I"mmed"lateIy took
possessI"Onf0 e ruary
that fortress, and the other principal fortified places in the
kingdom. This corps was sent back in detachments as the
troops recruited in Bavaria were by degrees formed and sent
out.
The recruiting service in Bavaria was divided into three
periods, viz.: -
The first,
The second,
The third,
1 3
from 13 October, J832, to 15 Ja'lll,lary, 1833.
24 March} 18.
5 April 1833, to 30 April, 1834.
19 APril} 12
1 May 1834, to 24 January, 1835.
During these three periods, 5410 men and officers were recruited,
of whom 3345 were Bavarians, and 1865 belonged
to other states, as follows: -
THE ARMY. 281
Wurtemberg • 487 Bremen 8
Switzerland - 235 Saxe-Cobur('; 7
Prussia - - 186 Reuss-Schleltll 6
BOOen • 156 Schwartzburg-Sonderhausen 5
Austria - - 135 Roman States - • 5
Hanover - · 116 Oldenburg - 3
Saxony - 103 Waldeck - 3
Grand duchy of Hesse - 76 Lippe-Detmold 3
Electorate of Hesse - 64 Turkey 3
Saxe-Weimar .' 26 Sweden 3
France - 23 Saxe-Hildburgshausen 2
Nassau - 23 Anhalt-Bemburg - 2
Frankfort on the Maine - 23 Reuss-Gera 3
Hamburg · 22 Reuss-Greitz 2
Denmark - 19 England 2
Brunswick - 14 Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1
Mecklenburg-Schwerin - 13 Anbalt-Kothen 1
Saxe-Meiningen - - 12 Lubeck 1
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 12 Holland 1
Saxe-Altenburg - - 11 Spain 1
Russia · 10 Ell"Ypt 1
Schwartzburg-Rudolstadt 10 Sicily 1
Saxe-Gotha 8 Belgium 1
Anhalt-Dessau 8
Hohenzollem-Hechingen - 8 Total - 1865
Of the above 5410 men, not above 350 are now in the
service j the greater part returned home after their four years'
engagement. while some have remained in Greece to carry
on their former trades.
FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF WAR. FOR THE
YEARS 1833, 1834, AND 1835.
In obedience to your Majesty's special commands, I beg
leave humbly to annex the accounts of the disbursements
made by the war department, and take the liberty of adding
the following explanatory remarks: -
1. On your Majesty's arrival in Greece, the clothing of
the troops was in such a deplorable state, that it became a
matter of urgent importance that proper uniforms and accoutrements
should be made for them, and the other
branches of the army newly organised or reinforced by
your Majesty's royal pleasure; and, as the magazines and
storehouses of the former army-clothing board, as well as
282 THE ARMY.
those of the different corps, were destitute of all articles of
uniform and accoutrements, and materials for making them,
large purchases were indispensable, which were obliged to be
ordered from abroad, as there existed no manufactories of
such articles in Greece, and the commerce of the country
was in such a deplorable condition, that the materials most
wanted were not to be found in the commercial marts of
Greece.
These purchases were not only made with great difficulty,
but connected with considerable extra expenses, which much
enhanced the cost, compared more especially with the present
time, when commerce having materially improved, most
of the articles required for the use of the army, if not all
manufactured at home, are to be found on the spot, and can
be purchased at reasonable prices, and when, in consequence
of the competition that now prevails, the terms of armycontracts
are greatly facilitated.
2. The arms and accoutrements of the tactic corps were,
on your Majesty's arrival, in a similar condition with their
dress. The greater number of these troops had arms which
were either totally unfit for service, or not adapted for the
corps, and without uniformity of size, length, and calibre.
In the arsenals there was a scarcity of serviceable arms, so
that it was impossible to effect an exchange, or introduce
uniformity, and a similar want was experienced respecting
the cannons, and other requisites for the artillery.
In consequence of this, large purchases of arms and ammunition
were made in France and Bavaria; the complete
mountain par~ of artillery, together with the matbiel,
waggons, horses, and harness, were bought of the French
army of occupation; and a full and complete battery of
foot-artillery, with the ammunition waggons and .articles of
reserve, as well as the perfectly equipped riding and waggon
horses, and the whole of the train, were purchased of the
Bavarian auxiliary corps at their departure.
A complete company of waggon train was formed in Bavaria,
and fifty draught horses purchased for the service of
THE ARMY. 283
the artillery, which, with the men, recruited and fully
equipped, came out to this country.
3. For the formation of the regiment of lancers, as well
as for the rest of the artillery, large purchases of horses were
indispensable, as there were none belonging to the state, and
in consequence of the great scarcity of serviceable horses
in the country, they had to be obtained from abroad, and
principally from Turkey and Asia Minor: a part of the
horses purchased of the French corps of occupation were
also used for the service of the lancers.
4. The saddles and accoutrements, as well for thc cavalry
as the artillery, were wanting also, and had to be sent from
Bavaria, to complete the requisite number in addition to
those bought of the French army and Bavarian auxiliary
corps.
5. Proper lodging for the troops was very scantily provided,
and the few barracks then existing in Greece, were
scarcely habitable. Immense repairs were therefore necessary
both in these and other government buildings applied to
the same purpose; and in order to liberate the people from
the burden of having the soldiers billeted on them, a great
many new barracks had to be erected, of which I shall speak
more fully when I come to the expenses for military buildings.
At the same time it was ascertained that there was a total
want of furniture, beds, and bedding, for the troops, the
whole of which had to be purchased new.
6. Very little attention had also been paid to the medica.
department, and the most necessary objects were every where
wanting. A few hospitals alone were in existence, but they
were in such a miserable condition, that they were scarcely
able to afford the most urgent accommodations for the
moment. It was necessary to take immediate steps to improve
the condition of this branch of the service, as the
number of sick increased with the number of the army, and
the want of proper and well arranged hospitals became more
and more apparent every day.
Above all, it became necessary to extend and properly
284 THE ARMY.
furnish the military hospitals at Nauplia and other garrison
towns, which are now in a creditable condition. Amongst
these I beg leave to mention more particularly the building
of the hospitals of Acro-Corinth, Livadia, Lamia, Chalkis,
and the extension and improvements in those of Vonitza,
Patras, and Modon.
7. In consequence of the royal ordonnance of the
19February . M h ,} 1834' conta"IDIng therfesh orgam.sa.tlOn 0 f 3
arc,
the military academy, and its transfer to lEgina, the reparation
of the building appointed for this institution became necessary,
as it was in a state of decay. These repairs alone
cost the state 24,000 drs., to which must be added the other
domestic arrangements of the school, and the first cost of
the necessary books and implements to begin with which
naturally occasioned another considerable expenditure.
8. The continual movement of troops in the years 1833,
1834, and 1835, sufficiently accounts for the items charged
in the Appendix (N. 12.) for the transport of soldiers and
maleriel, indemnifications, &c., as well as for increase of pay
to the war-footing which I:eceived your Majesty's sanction,
and which might otherwise appear exorbitant. But when it
is considered that during those three years several districts
of the kingdom were continually harassed by bands of
robbers, and that the disturbances which broke out ill
Maina and Messenia, in 1834, caused an almost universal
movement of the troops, the extraordinary disbursements
are fully justified, and we can take it for granted that peace
and order being re-established, these expenses will be considerably
diminished during the following years.
9. In order to increase the force of the standing army to
the number required by the royal edict concerning the formation
of the land service, it was deemed necessary to rccruit
in different parts of the kingdom, and a bonus of
20 drs., which was afterwards raised to lOO drs. was given
to each recruit for an engagement of four years' service.
This item, however, disappears in the following years, and
THE ARMY. 285
particularly from the end of 1835 forward, as the recruiting
ceased, and since then volunteers receive no premium.
10. I have already mentioned in par. 5. and 6., the absolute
necessity which existed at the period of your Majesty's arrival,
of erecting and repairing government buildings for the
reception of the military, which were every where wanted,
and in most places had to be sought for from the inhabitants.
The building of barracks and other localities, for the different
military establishments, the fitting up of existing public buildings,
and the repairs of the works of defence of many of the
fortresses, were positively required, and were executed as
well as the means at our disposal would allow of.
Amongst the new buildings planned and executed in 1833,
1834, and 1835, I may particularly mention the infantry
barracks at Athens, the Haugards in the court of the former
mosque Phochi, at Athens, and in the court of the royal
arsenal at Nauplia, the workshops of the pioneers, and the
sappers and miners at NaupHa, Athens, and Missolonghi,
about twenty gendarmerie barracks, partly on the northern
frontier, and partly in the centre of the kingdom, the brick
manufactories at Nauplia and Athens, two establishments
of considerable importance and profit to the state, the
barracks for the pioneers and waggon train at Nauplia, which
though not entirely new buildings, have been so much renovated,
that they may be classed amongst the most important
public works of the above epoch; and, lastly, the infantry
barracks at Callidrome, and several buildings in the fortress
of Vonitza, and on the Acro-Corinthus.
Among the most considerable repairs and fittings up of
government buildings, may be reckoned the spacious bal'racks
for the artillery on the Plantain Square at Nauplia, the cavalry
barracks at Argos, the different buildings at Acro-Nauplia,
Acro-Corinthus, Rhion, and Anti-Rhion, Navarin, Monemvasia,
and Vonitza. Then the extension of the military
hospital at Nauplia, the fitting up of a similar establishment
on the Acro-Corinthus, at Vonitza, Patras, and Modon, the
central military hospital'at Athens, the fitting up of the former
mosque Phoche, and the large Turkish bathing-house at
286 THE ARMY.
Athens, as barracks for the pioneers, the repairs and alterations
of the buildings for the military academy at lEgina,
to which I more particularly alluded in paragraph 7., the
fitting up of a Turkish mosque at Argos for the reception of
a complete squadron of cavalry, &c. &c. And, lastly, among
the most considerable of the repairs of fortresses, may be
reckoned, - the sea wall between the land battery and that
of the arsenal, the repairs of the drawbridge before the landgate,
and the counterscarp and glacis at Nauplia; and several
improvements and ext.ensive repairs of the works of Fort
Palamides aud Acro·Nauplia (ltz-Kale), Forts Rhion, AntiRhion,
and Vonitza.
For the execution of these works, extraordinary quantities
of materials and tools were necessary, a scarcity of which
existed in Greece, and the timber which was to be had, could
only be obtained at most exorbitant prices, out of proportion
to the quality and dimensions. These were therefore obliged
to be obtained from abroad, and particularly from Trieste,
and a great expense was naturally incurred; thus, for instance,
the purchases of building materials and tools at Trieste,
made by Captain von Auerweck, who was sent outon purpose,
cost the state alone the sum of 350,000 drachmes.
The sums charged in No. 16. of the supplement may at first
appear high; but when it is considered that by means of this
expenditure several large buildings have been completely
erected, and others undergone considerable repairs, extension,
and alterations, and that being now in a good condition,
they have a great intrinsic value for the state, the charge
will not be considered exorbitant, particularly as the stocks of
building and other materials in the magazines of the pioneers
and sappers and miners are very considerable, and have a
real and definite value.
ll. As regards the expenseof recruiting in Bavaria for
the Greek service, permit me, Sire, to remark that these sums
incurred in virtue of the treaty of the 1st November, 1832,
between the crowns of Greece and Bavaria, cannot be reckoned
among the usual expenses of the army, as it was an extraordinary
occurrencecalled forth by existent circumstances.
THE ARMY. 287
The same may be said of the charge for the pay, support, and
march, of the Bavarian auxiliary corps, and both of these
items ought not, properly speaking, to be included under
the expenses of the Greek army.
If, therefore, these two sums, viz.-
The recruiting in Bavaria
Expense of the Bavarian auxiliary corps
Making together
Drs. L.
2,796,424 19
4,624,133 23
7,420,557 42
be deducted from the total expenditure of 20,087,978 drs.
99 leptas, the actual amount spent on the Greek army would
be reduced to 14,667,421 drs. 57 leptas.
I beg leave to observe in addition to the above, that under
the head of charges for the recruiting in Bavaria, are included
the uniforms and other clothing, the arms and accoutrements
of the German volunteers, and that this corps arrived
in Greece fully armed and equipped, and, lastly, that a great
part of the horse furniture is included in the above SUnt.
12. The gendarmerie was organised in conformity with
the royal ordonnance 210JMunaey} 1833, and this corps was
formed partly of the former irregular troops, and partly of
individuals who had served in the tactic corps. The complete
clothing and arming of this efficient body required a
considerable outlay; and as it was a work of time, and
could only be effected by degrees, the expense is divided
amongst the three epochs of 1833, 1834, and 1835. At the
end of 1835, the gendarmerie contained an effective force of
1327 men and 164 horses, divided into 80. foot, and 12
mounted brigades, completely armed, and equipped for active
service.
But it was not merely the organisation of the gendarmerie
that required a considerable outlay; the support, too, of this
corps occasioned great expense, owing to the peculiar nature
of the service in which it was engaged, especially during the
disturbances in Maina and Messenia, and when robbers were
288 THE ARMY.
swarming on the frontiers. But now that peace and order
are restored, these expenses will of course be avoided in
future.
13. During the disturbances in Maina, several Mainotes
who had declared for the just cause were taken into the pay
of the government. At a later period when the rebellion
broke out in Messenia, several corps of national guards were
levied and organised under different chieftains. The formation
of these corps, caused the government to incnr the
expense of 602,629 drs. 89 leptas, as stated in the tables.
I believe I have sufficiently explained in the foregoing remarks,
the reasons for the apparently enormous expenses
incurred in this department; and I beg to add a few more,
which will serve to justify them.
The formation of a new army in a state, torn by factions
as Greece was, naturally demanded a great expenditure.
This expenditure, however, may be justified by a recollectior:
of the circumstances of the country, and the difficulties
in which the government was placed, as well by considering
the number and value of the different items purchased, built
and repaired. If we reflect on the state of the troops on
your Majesty's arrival, as well as the other military institu_
tions, and compare them with their present organised form,
the expenses cannot fail of appearing moderate. The army
is clothed in a proper and respectable manner, and the
magazines and storehouses are filled with the most necessary
articles and materiel. The arms and accoutrements of the
troops are in an efficient state, and ready for use whenever
required; the artillery is furnished with the needful train,
and is in every respect properly equipped.
The purchases of horses for the cavalry and artillery are
completed; and hereafter the government will only have to
bear the annual charge of their food and forage. Care has
been taken for the proper lodging of the troops; and in most of
the garrison towns barracks have been either built or fitted up
for thei' use, and furnished with the proper furniture, beds,
cooking 11tensils, &c., so that the state possesses a large
THE ARMY. 289
number of military buildings, of considerable intrinsic
value.
For the preservation of order and security, we have a well
organised corps of gendarmerie, nearly 14-00 strong, properly
clothed and armed. The cavalry brigades, as appointed by
the royal ordonnance, are all mounted, and furnished with
all necessary equipments.
The military buildings erected and repaired during the
three years, the purchases of materials for the artillery,
building, tools, and other articles, with which the stores
are abundantly supplied, may be valued at three millions of
drachmes at least. If this sum be deducted from the
14,667,421 drs. 57 lepta, as shown in Art. ll., the total expenses
are reduced to 1l,667,421 drs. 57 lepta, making the
average annual budget for the army about 9,890,000 drs. :
and, considering all circumstances, the want of the most
3quisite articles of clothing, arms, barracks, hospitals, &c.,
necessary for the formation of a new army; and the expensive
expeditions made partly to exterminate the bands of
robbers who every where harassed the inhabitants, and partly
to put down disturbances, more particularly the revolutionary
movements which broke out in Maina and Messenia,- the
expenses incurred in the military department in the first
stage of civilisation of a new state like Greece, cannot appear
exorbitant; moreover, the great outlay having been already
incurred, and a well-regulated system of eC0!10my being now
introduced into tbe administration of the service, the annual
charge will be greatly reduced in future.
With due respect, &c.
(Signed) SCHMALTL.,
Minister of War.
26 Nov.}
Athens, 8 Dee: 1836.
u
1833. 1834. 1835.
Dra. L. Drs. L. DrB. L.
1. Pay of officers and men - 922,356 65 2,109,961 24 2,444,129 65
2. Food and rations for the troops 135,593 75 342,479 87 365,427 45
1
3. Forage for the horses - - 51,683 49 178,565 23 207,324 32
4. Uniforms and clothing - - 368,354 39 592,704 31 322,352 28
1 5. Arms - - - - - 617,328 73 620,606 59 276,635 881
6. Purchase of horses - - 26,268 49 15,509 20 63,045 0
7. Equipment of mounted troops 12,123 65 19,461 4 18,531 57
8. Barracks - - - - 32,353 66 83,477 20 100,049 31
1 9. Sanitary institutions (hospitals) 74,320 59 105,107 0 164,318 O.
10. Instruction - - - - 43,870 74 78,426 18 117,450 11. Office expenses
- - - 34,498 23 47,020 82 68,419 2~1
12. Marching expenses, transports,
&c. - - - - - 129,774 26 262,384 49 139,538 25
1 13. Recruiting service - - 80,J 74 82 30,444 7 35,243 3°1
14. Rewards for services rendered 13,932 80 3,472 0 5,380 0
15. Extra expenses for arrests - 3,371 56 5,297 33 21,898 471
16. Building - - - - 193,341 1 338,218 43 498,889 26'
17. Pensions and half-pay - - 40,702 29 54,196 98 50,093 501
18. Cash deficiencies - - - 254 92 3,795 23 - -
19. Surveys and map of Greece - - - - - 29,653 671
20. Recruiting in Bavaria - - 1,220,582 17 1,371,431 49 204,410 53!
21. Pay of the former tactic corps
till reorganized - - 58,965 59 - -
72
1
22. National guard - - - - - 17,223 585"OS - 17
23. Gendarmerie - - - 222,388 57 487,142 70 698,587 821 24. Bavarian
auxiliary corps - 2,746,067 71,740,282 95 137,783 211
Totals - 17,028,207 43~8,505,208 87'6,554,563 491
Table of the Expenditure of the War Department for the three
Years, 1833, 1834, and 1835.
290 THE AllMY. jIII
.
III 1!1~
THE ARMY. 291
Dn. L.
Real expenditure of the war department for the
three years - 22,087,978 99
Amount charged by the minister of finances in his
financial report . - i23,437,946 15
Showing a difference of - I 1,349,967 16
The above difference is accounted for as follows:-
Dn. L.
1. At the closing of the finance office books, the
war department is debited for 1833, as the accounts
and documents prove, with more than the
expenditure, for which they are credited in 1836 320,000 0
2. In 1835, the war department was credited with
sundry items, by his Majesty's commands, which
belong to other departments, and for which they
are credited in 1836, amounting to 136,473 16
3. In the accounts of the bankers, Messrs. Eichthal
at Munich, was an item charged before and credited
in 1836 41,280 11
4. Surplus amount of the credit opened for the purchase
of materials, tools, and implemeuts at
Trieste, not made use of 160,023 9
5. Paid to Messrs. Eichthal, at Munich, by the Bavarian
auxiliary legion, to the credit of the war
department 123,916 79
N. B. These last two items are also accounted
for in the budget of 1836.
6. 1'he balances of cash in the hands of the different
military departments amounted, on the 1st of
January, 1836, to 568,274
and will be accounted for in the budget.
Total 1,349,967 16
u 2
A.- Table of the effective Force of the Greek Army on the ~Decemher,
1840.
t-!l
(l)
t-:)
.>..i
tlQ
>:=
il:
:<
Remarks.
717
870
553 637
622
66166111501541711152 487
6 6 12 46 12
661112212277122
2 16 26 2
66
6
" <3
~
::l
General I Field
Olficers. Officers.
~ 1"'1"'1"'1
1
1
1
... 1 1
- ... 1 I
{
1st batt.
Line. 2d batt.
3d batt.
{
4th batt.
Light. 5th batt.
Branch of Service.
Infantry.
Subalterns. Non.commhs~on{"dOfficpu ."
'0 and Privates. 'g"g
~ E~
,g ri.,; I ~ ~ ri
c~ 1V-J 8- . ~,iJ ~• "• ~.I;z~~ .~ .b- ~. ~"j -,.j"";
,.; ~u~ ~ 01E ~ I~
C,.j " , ~ ; .S ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t § ~ .~ ~ ~O.;: ~
~ .§ ~ .~:; ;5 ~ ~ gO.~ ~ .~ Q.I &..~ ~ o~p.. -
~ 0 c:i - '--' go ~ .0 - ...; ;5 ~ loo = ';: - c ~ U - ,e "'0 n III
"'0 E-* W I "I ' 01) t.. " 0 _ .... .J 0 ,.-- ..... < - - C'I
~.... """'l VJ U fI!:. I 1""1 f0-l"''-l
______________'_1___ _ , _
War office - [... I .. } 1 1...... 31~1"""'" 6
Generals 1 "l" 1 3 The aides-de-camp of the
Aides-de-camp to the king "l" .., ..·I{~~~gs~~~:J~~~~:~~:IO~;.
Staff - - 1 2... 1 1... 5 8
Inspectors of the a.rmy - - "'1'" 1............ 1 '1'" 3
Ofprovlllces -I'" 71 .. · .. · .. · .. · 7
Greek phalanx ~ - ... 8
1
9
1
32 ... 53 70121
1
293... ... ... ... ...... ... ... I 8 --1--\-----1--1-1--1-----
Garrisons.
- , ... I... ... 1 2 1 6 6 111 27 3 6 5 12 48 18 594 686 6 Nauplia.
I {
MiSSOIOnghi, Patras, Rhi-
- , ... I ... 1... 1 11 2 1 6 6 111 27 2 61 7 121 46 12 619 704 5 on,
Anti-Rhion, Tripolitza,
and Sparta.
5 Athens.
3 Chalcis and Lamia.
3 {Navarin, Modon, and Ca!
amata.
r'\
QQ
0.:3
'"'
'1'~t.l of the infantry
'l
-----I
toO
~
c..:>
>oj =t<I
>:=
::
:<
2
2
II
4
6 2
I
2 I
I I
3 ...
2 I
I I
1
... 1..• 1••• 1111 2 . ::: I··~ ::: ..~ ..~ ..~ .
•.. .•• I .•. 11 •••
... ... ... 1
... 1... 1 .
..,I'" "'1 1
... ... ... ..1. .1
... 1 "'/"','" ··1 1 "'1'" "l" ... 1
... 1 2, ... , .,. ,... , ... , ... , ... -""1'" ...
"'1"-\-.. 11...... 1
.:.:.:. .:.:..:...:..:..:.:..:..:.CC_l l-'.:..:....:.:..:..._-.2.____
'-,--'----,
- ,· .. 1 .. · 11 21 3: 6 91 1 2 24 8 ... ... ... ... [... ." I...
17
~I~~~~I~-II~~~~~~-..·~~-..-.1-"-'~
... ... ...1... I... 3
1
3 4 LI... 4 9 10 4 200 227 2
'... 1 1 3 3 4 12 ... 4 8 14 1 2031 230 2
.. .I. .. 1 I 4 2 4 12... 4\1... 8 14 6 195 227 3
111 ...... 1 1...... 3 1 ...... :... ...... ... I... 3
...... I I 4 3 4 13... 4... 9 II 8 214 246 3
...... 1 I 3 3 4 12 ... 11 ... 16 8 8 212 245
...1... I I 3 3 2 10... 3... II II 5 183 213! 2
_1"'I"'I:::I..~"i ~ ~"2"6 1~ ::: "2 :::
...6 'i6"8 'i60 'i921 2
- 1 I I 3 3 5 13... 4... 4 16 8 181 213 3
____1 - _
-, ... 1 ... 1 21 11 810 301 22 331061 I 261
... 71100 481 1,54811,7941 25
Totals
Totals
.rClass 1. Atbens and Pyrrous
gj j Nauplia - -
~ Class 2. Chal.cis - -
;; LamJa - -
~ Missol.onghi-
"-0 Navarm - -
" Modon - -
~ Class 3. Vonitza
@ Anti-Rhion
~ Rhion-
§ L Monembasia
U Ac:ro-Corinth
.; Ir {S1tsatfbfatt. Phthiotis. 2d balt.
'2 I 3d batt.
Ceo {S4ttahffbatt. ~ ~l Eurytania. 5th baIt.
.~ 6th batt.
~S; {Staff Acarnania. 7th batt.
8tb batt.
CJ
o
~
n
Table ofeJfective Force - continued.
loO
~
'"l :::
to:!
>
"le :<
Remarks.
arrison.
Moncmvl\siu_. _
Garrisons.
Engineers at Athens, Lamia,
Nauplia, and Missolonghi
j pioneer company,
Athens.
Garrisons.
The staff and 3 companies
at Nauplia j I comp. at
Athens j ] comp. at Navarin
j detachments at
Modon, Rb.ion, Missolonghi,
and Lamia; ouvrier
comp. at Nauplia.
2 41 1 31 ... 1 101 ID 2 133 159, ...
Totals
Totals
Branch of Serdce.
~~I~I~rril' 511OIU2816jlI21~ 21 1331~ 4
Invalid company - -1 ... I~~~[I~C-:l~]-;-;-;I-;[I~~i-lL IS! 56 ...
{
Staff -
Engineers. Pioneer company
General I Field I SUbalterns., I Non-commissi.oned Officers ...:.~
Officers. Officers. '0 and PrIvates. E;
I -- ~~'I -- §E~.
•• ...i E ~ ~. ,u~ ~
cc,; <5 . ...; ..,j ..... .;? v ..,j 0 ..,j ~ ~ .,; .,; alE: ~ o 0
"ii (".l ~ ~ .:: ; .§ ;z;s c g ~ a ::: .§ I ~ cO·~ I 0
:=:. .~... .0§ I~~ ._~ .;.... I [~ ~::s D~ O3°'e~ ~.... '0§ Q~ gloo
,.;::l .eloo C-Ci-gP- == ~ ~ ~'I ~ '" ~ U !j ;, (' '" rI~ 00 8);: ~
~.~
Gendarmerie - -~~~~I~~iTlr~~I~~~I~I~~17~~~-..-.II,238 ~7i213 .
Ua 1 {1st division- - -..-. ~CC~I~I-;-;-~---;I-;I-;~I.~15 ~I--;;~~~;;-;
Athens. Garrl;;olls.
va ry. 2d division _ _ ...... 1...\1
1
,,, 1 2 4 4
1
12 1 2 3, 4 161 61 221 253195 Argos,
Totals .. ~I-..-·~1~lll~-;-f~,-;;I-;I~~I-;~---;~1 503
1
407
I .' {B~ttalion - - -'~~1~1~111-;; -7~i 351~:71~1~1-~ 5141-;;-;;IW
AIllllcry. Alsenal - - "l" 1 ... 1 3... 6 10 5 - ... 2 2
1
", 8 19 1
Sappers and Miners -
~.:.~_1.:.:.C:.:.:I.:.:..:.I_l_I--=I~I~I~IJ~I~I--=~~I~~I~~
_'"U~jj~I~I!2I~~1121~lj~I~I~I~I~I188
CJ ... 1... 1...111 11 4 9 9 24 4 31 ... 1 21 41 ... 1 ... I 131 4
o
o
~
n
~
L
RECAPITULATION.
IGeneral Field Subaltern., Non.commissioned Officers
Officers. Officers. ~ and Privates. .:l.., 0 SIii
----- '" S~
I g
~.i 0,"
Branch of Service. .; ~ '0 , .; I'l ~ ii S'" f C"""
l,lj ;: ,,8 0 ~ ~ ~ .;
~ 015.... Joo c c" ;; u ~ C ~ Zi8 ~ 'i? ~ 'E ~ 1=:0 ~ 0 " '. 3
" ;:l gO ~ <0; c...~~ = ':J ~ .9 d .~ ~ ~ ';; " 0 .. 0 ~ "
1i' ;, " ~ " ~ E- :; "C
o~~
~ 'i? o " ::. '0' " "" 0 " 0 Po< 315
.>-< ::. U ;:l < U ;:"l C"IJ Eo< ~ CIJ U ::. ~";Q
CIJ
War office -
Generals - -
Aides-de-camp to the king
Staff - - Inspectors
of the army Provincial
inspectors of ditto
Royal Greek phalanx ICommanders
of fortresses
Gendarmerie· -
Infantry - -
Frontier guards -
Cavalry - -
Artillery - -
Engineers - -
Invalid company
Totals
-1-'-------1---1----
1
-I ... I '" .. ·1·· I I... .•. Si......... ... --61
- I I 1... 1 '" 3,
- '" 11 2 ... I I... 5 1...... 8
- I '"1''' ... ... .,. 1... ... ... 3
- 7............ 7.................. 7
• 8 9132... 53 70121293... 8
- I 2 3 6 9 I 2 24 8 8 17[
- 1 11 1 16 11 6 46, ... 69... 70... 1,23811,377 213
• .. 5 7 4 30 26 621134111 3030 61238 69 2,875 3,~14 22
- 2 I 810 30 22 33
1
106 1 26 ... 71100 48 1'548[1"94
1
251
- .. '1'" 1 I I 5 7 9 24 3 4 4 8 31 12 441 503
1
407
- 1 2 1 10 8 27 49112 17 7 35 58 16 643 788188
- 1 1 5 10 11 28 5 6... 12 14 2 133 172 4
..:.:.:....:.:.:..~~C~..:.:.:....:.:.:..~----=I--= 3 ~ 201~_ 1
~I~..:.:.:..I
-, 1 I I 119121'6725'160'156'274'724'42'15541'2771453148 6,896'
8,0121911
Remark.,
..,
:t
l'O
>;:
l a:
~
t-O
~'"
296 THE ARMY.
B. - Table of Officers emplnyed on Special Temporary Service,
and tlwse not belonging to the Effective Forces.
How emplo)'cd, Remarks.
Mines
Civil Branches.
Embassies
Go!'eral I Field I IOillcers. Officers. Subalterns.
- I---I ~ .8w
§ Q ./ ~ I . ~ .; ~ li ~~ ~
~ I~ ~ 8 ~ ~ '3 g ~ '3~ r4
;CJ :2; o0 g.I:s'"'1< I~c.. -g .D.. ~00
~I;oIVI.:l1 ~ ril
lIfilitar-y-E-s-ta-b-l·i-s-'h-m-e-n-ts-.--'--- ---1-1-- -- -+----,------
War office ... 1... 4
:\Iilital'Y academy, Pil'lCUS - I 1 1 5 9
Army clothing board, Nau· "'1'" I I I
plia ... I...... 2 3
Permanentcourt-martial, ditto 2 1... 4 4 11
Prisoners' workhouse, ditto - I 1
Military administration '... 3 3
Total - ~.-,-..-.I--;--;i3~-;,-;M~I-'
Nun-Active Phalanx. - --1- -1-'-'--1-1-1--1-
Ydemns - 1 2 2 4.. . 8 7 12 35 I
I
Retired on grants - 161752 ... 165172320742
Total . '-..-.1~.-118-;-; ~1~,173~9 332 777[-
Officers retired ll'abl-e to b'e ~-..-.1~~2~~~1 71-71~1-
Ditto retired, but I
I
called out I 3 4 4 6 17
Ditto pensioned : I::: ::: 2"i "71::: 191 101 71 46 3
Ditto it la suite - -=-_l_~~j~':':'I~_~I~I~'~
Total 2 1 6 410 ... 401 29 361281 7 , I I I -... 1..-. ~~C[I~.-----~I~~
In London.
I ' I ~ ~hee~~t~'l ~ .'r"fr' ... 3lk:!~~' at
Mint - '...... 1 I
Home-office, as architects, &c. 1
'
1...1... 2, 1 4 7 8,'
I' ,
Total ~1~~~~CCI-;-;-6-;~'~
RECAPITULATION.
Total
Military establishments---I'~-:I"-' -2~2 3 1-5 2 16~1
NOD-active phalanx - - I'" ... 18 1956 ... 173179332777 ...
Ditto of other corps - - 2 1 I 6 410... 40 29 36128 7
Civil branches - -1"'1'" ,...,,,.,...:... 2, 2 6, 10
1
11,
-;-'-1- 2625 69 ~ 22~212390 946 ~I
,q", 0 yGooglc
-~
THE ARMY. 297
General Field
Ofllcef5. Officers.
c. - Table of Comparison between the Strengtll of the Army according
to the Law of Organisation, and its present ejJective Force.
Subal......• I o::..~J:::=. '!1j ---: --I~·. it':
.. .1 3 I:. i~ a. si·1j rE~ 1
~~~~I!%tl~~!'o~I'~·jl·t 1 ~ iU ~
3 ~ 8 !( <31 ~ ~ I ! (' Jl :ll ;I; ~z~
, A.i~~~~~~ge.tOt~~Y~r:; 1-'---'-l-I-'-I-I-'-'-'-'-~'--I-Iought
to consi.t of _ I
1
1
1
26 22 67 30 169167'281; 768
1
47 16272277 492189 8,Oll 9,200 l,l~
Dut the effective force i. I I I I I I I I I
only - - - '_~~f~::~I~II60II56I~~I~'~~O:~I2774681148~ 8,012 ~
Fonnlnga reduction and I I I I I I I I ! I I I I I saving of _ - ... ...
7 I ... 1;. 9 II II 44 I; 731... 39 41 1,111; 1,IllS 214
Or 44 officers or different ranks, 1,188 nOll.commissioned officers and
privates, and 214 horses.
Table ofthe Pay of the Tactic Corps of the Greek Army.
(Government Gazette, 1833, p.52.)
."...c. .. d/ ,,~
~" o.g § Total Equal in British
Corp•. Rank. 'o~ ~tl~ per Money to Remarks.
,.,~ I'. § ~ IMonth.
"'" ",,,
1'."- "-
Drs. Drs. Drs. £ s. d.
per annum.
Infantr),. Major - - 75 225 300 130 0 0
Adjutant - - 30 100 130 55 0 0
Quartermaster - 40 100 140 60 0 0 All
Surgeon - - 40 100 140 60 0 0 these en-
Assistant-surgeon - 30 70 100 43 0 0 joy free
Captain - - 50 150 200 86 0 0
First lieutenant - 30 70 100 43 0 0 quarters.
Second lieutenant 25 55 80 35 0 0
Younker - . 20 28 48 20 0 0
per diem.
Sergeant-major - ... ... 1'20 0 0 11
Drum-major - - ." '" '68 0 0 6 All
Sergeant - - ... ... '72 0 0 6t these
Corporal - - ... '" ·60 0 0 5 receive
Bugle, 1st class - ... ... ·60 0 0 5 rations
2d ... - ,. ... '52 0 0 4! of bread
Drummer, 1st class - ... .., ·44 0 0 31 daily.
Privates - - ... , .. '40 0 0 34
Googlc
298 THE ARMY.
ls .... c-5 I
~" 0.9 c Total Corp•• Rank. d~ ~~~ per Equal in British Remark••
... ~ Po< " ~ Month. Money to .,,, f>.8, Po<'"
---
Du. Du. Drs. .£ ,. d.
per annum.
Cavalry. Lieutenant-colonel · 120 320 440 190 0 0
Major - - 75 235 310 133 0 0
Quartermaster - 40 100 140 60 0 0
Regimental Burgeon - 40 100 140 60 0 0
Assistant surgeon - 30 70 100 43 0 0 With
Adjutant - - 30 110 140 60 0 0 free
Captain - - 50 170 220 95 0 0 quarters.
First lieutenant - 30 90 120 52 0 0
Second lieutenant - 25 75 100 43 0 0
Cornet - - 20 28 48 20 0 0
Veterinary surgeon - 30 70 100 43 0 0
per diem.
Sergeant-major - ... ... 1'28 0 0 lIt Staff trumpeter - ... ... 1'16 0 0
10
Sergeant - - ... ... '80 0 0 6 With
Brigadier - - ... ... '68 0 0 5 rations
Smith - - ... ... '80 0 0 6 of bread
Sadler - - ... ... '90 0 0 6Jl. daily. 4
Trumpeter - - ... ... '80 0 0 6
Privates - - ... ... '48 0 0 3t
,---
Lieutenant-colonel
per annum.
!Artillery. - 120 320 440 190 0 0 1 Major - - 75 235 310 133 0 0
Adjutant - - 30 110 140 60 0 0 With
Captain commandant 50 170 220 95 0 0 free
Second captain - 50 110 160 69 0 0 j quarters.
First lieutenant - 30 90 120 52 0 0
Second lieutenant - 25 75 100 43 0 0
per diem.
Sergeant-major - ... ... 1'40 0 1 It
Smith - - ... ... '80 0 0 6
Sergeant - - ... ... '92 0 0 7!1Corporal - - ... ... '68 0 0 5! W>ili
Bombardier - · ... , .. '54 0 0 rations 4! Jof bread. Trumpeter - - ... ... '80
0 0 7
Artilleryman, 1st class .., ... '52 0 0 3J! 4
2d ... ... ... '48 0 0 3!
Captain
per annum.
Train. - - 50 160 210 90 0 0 } With
First lieutenant - 30 80 110 48 0 0 free
Second lieutenant - 30 60 90 40 0 0 quarters.
per diem.
Sergeant-major · ... ... 1'28 0 0
"11 Sergeant - - ... ... '80 0 0 ~ With Smith - - .., ... '80 0 0
Saddler . - ... ... '90 0 0 7t rations
Corporal - - ... ... '68 0 0 5 of bread.
Trumpeter - - ... ... '80 0 0 6
Private - · .., ... '48 0 0 3t
THE ARMY. 299
~.c ~ g-5
~" o~ I=l Total Corp•. Rank. 'o~ ~~~ per Equal In British Money to
Remarks. ... ~ Po< " ~ Month.
il:8. ~"---'"
Dr•. Drs. Drs. £ .. d•
per annum.
Pioneers. Captain commandant 50 170 220 95 0 0
Second captain - 50 110 160 69 0 0 } With First lieutenant - 30 90 120
52 0 0 free
Second lieutenant - 25 75 100 43 0 0 quarters.
per diem.
Sergeant-major - ... ... 1'40 0 1
'11
Sergeant - - ... ... '92 0 0 7 I
Corporal - - ... ... '68 0 0 5. 1 With
Pioneer, 1st class - ... ... '56 0 0 4 I. rations
2d ... - ... ... '48 0 0 3! of bread.
Bugle, 1st class - ... ... '80 0 0 ~! 2d ... - ... ... '60 0 0 4 --
per annum.
Sappers, Captain commandant 50 170 220 95 0 0 1
Miners. Second captain - 50 110 160 69 0 0
First lieutenant - 30 90 120 52 0 0
Second lieutenant - 25 75 100 43 0 0 With
Workmaster, 1st class ... ... 100 43 0 0 free
2d ... ... ... 80 34 0 0 quarters.
Officer for plans and} 25 75 100 43 0 0 drawings
Accountant - - 20 40 60 26 0 0
per diem.
1
j
}
Sergeant-major - ... ... 1'40 0 1
Sergeant - . ... ... '92 0 0 7! With
Corporal - - ... ... '68 0 0 5! rations
Trumpeter - - ... ... '80 0 0 6~ of bread
Sapper, 1st class - ... ... '56 0 0 4! daily.
2d ... - ... ... '48 0 0 31
300 THE NAVV.
CHAP. VIII.
THE NAVY.
IN the same manner as a special committee was appointed
to investigate the claims and services of the officers of the
army, with a view t.o render justice to their merits, and give
t.hem a suitable rank in the new organisation of the land
forces, a commi~sion for a similar purpose, with reference to
the officers of the Greek navy, was appointed by royal decree
dated Nauplia, 2; ~:;:} 1833, consisting of the following
persons, whose names are well known all over Europe, and
whose bravery tended greatly to the discomfiture of the
Ottoman naval forces, adorning the fame of Grecian valour
with a laurel wreath, and showing to the world that the descendants
of the naval combatants at Salamis andlEgospotamos
were still inspired with the courage of their forefathers:
- president, Admiral A. Miaulis; members, G.
Saktouris, G. Androutzos, N. Apostolis, C. Canaris, A. G.
Kriezis, and Elias Thermisiotis. The labours of this committee
of inquiry issued in the adjustment of the claims for
naval rank of all those who had rendered services to their
country by sea during the war of independence.
The Greek navy was called into existence by the force
of circumstances; the ships were originally peaceful unarmed
men;hantmen, not built or fitted up for war, and their captains
and crews were engaged in the lucrative carrying
trade from the Levant and Black Sea to the coasts of Italy -...-
and Spain, the vessels sailing mostly under Ru~sian and
Austrian colours, and in many cases realising large fortunes
to their owners.
Practically acquainted with the details of navigation, the
captains and crews atoned by their courage and zeal in the
cause of their country for their want of knowledge, and inTHE
NAVY. SDI
experience in the art of war; and exposed as they were to a
great disadvantage in having to contend agaiust an enemy of
greatly superior physical force, with more ample resources,
larger ships, practised gunners, trained crews and heavier
metal, they were obliged to have recourse to artifice and the
exercise of their nautical skill. Unable to meet the enemy
hand to hand, or broadside to broadside, they were content
to unite the forces of their swift cruisers to attack and cut
ofi' a heavy-sailing Turkish frigate. or employ the more subtle
and dangerous method of setting her on fire by means of
their numerous fire-ships.
This was a mode of naval warfare in which the Greeks
peculiarly excelled, and in a very short time they had so
firmly established their fame in it, that the Turkish and
Egyptian large ships of war were more in fear of the little
fast-sailing craft and fire-ketches, than of meeting a vessel
of their own size and calibre, and submitting their fate to
the issue of a fair contest.
The captain of a Greek merchantman is generally the
principal owner, and the ·officers and crew not unfrequently
his sons, brothers, and nephews, who have likewise shares in
the vessel, receiving no regular pay for their services, but
participating in the profits arising from their speculations,
and the freight made by the voyage. The crew of a Greek
merchant ship may be considered as a migrating trading
company; no discipline is observed on board, but every
one is addressed by the familiar epithet of 'AOEXepE, or
brother, and the captain is only looked up to as the head of
the family, or most experienced sailor among them. In all
cases of importance, a council is held on the quarter-deck,
where the whole of the crew squat themselves down in a
circle to deliberate perhaps on the propriety of accepting a
charter for corn from Odessa to Leghorn, or investing the
joint capital in the purchase of Egyptian cotton at Alexandria,
and carrying it for a market, free of freight, to
Genoa or Marseilles.
But when the revolution broke out and spread rapidly
over all Greece, the islanders were not behind their countrymen
in the Peloponnesus and continent in courage and
302 THE NAVY.
daring spirit, and gladly brought their offerings to the shrine
of their country's liberty, fitting out and manning their
merchant vessels as ships of war at their own expense, and
placing them at the disposal of the provisional government;
Hydra, Spetzia, and Psaria were three of the most flourishing
islands at that time; all of them rugged barren rocks,
selected on that very account as offering no inducement to
the Turks to come and settle among them, nor any appearance
of wealth to stimulate the rapacity of the CapudanPascha,
when he made his annual visit to receive his usual
tribute-money, which was paid by the Greeks to the Sublime
Porte for the privilege of carrying on their trade unmolested,
and appointing their own local authorities from among their
primates.
Those men, however, after being engaged in a long and
bloody naval war, in which they had sacrificed their ships,
their fortunes, and the lives of their relatives and friends, for
the good of their country, might reasonably be expected to
have lost their former taste for quiet trading voyages,. and
even if they had not, they were incapacitated from entering
into any mercantile undertakings from want of capital, and
might well put forward a claim on the gratitude of their
country, to whose independence they had so much contributed,
and demand a remuneration for their services, or at
least active employment in that sphere for which they were
more particularly adapted, and ~o which they had become
habituated.
A glance at the map will suffice to convince anyone that.
the geographical situation of Greece is such as to entitle her
to take a prominent rank among the maritime powers of
Europe. With a host of islands, and a long line of sea-coast
deeply indented with numerous ports, roadsteads, bays, and
creeks, situated as she is at an equal distance from three of
the quarters of the globe, with which she carries on a lucrative
and increasing trade, it is evident that she requires an
armed force for the protection of her commerce, and that
she possesses sufficient ports and naval stations to which
her ships can run in for shelter from storms, or to refit
after suffering damage.
THE NAVY. 303
To adjust the conflicting claims of so many individuals,
was one of the difficult problems reserved for the king to
solve; and that he effected it with much judgment, and
without giving offence, cannot be doubted. The composition
of the court of enquiry gave the naval service a
guarantee that due investigation would be made into the
merits of each individual case, and that every claimant
would receive, with the most rigid impartiality, the rank to
which he was justly entitled. Nor were they disappointed.
The royal decree for the new organisation of the navy is
dated ~ April, 1833; it establishes six grades of officers,
besides the medical and administrative departments, which
are as follows:-
Vice_Admiral CAn'tl'avapxor;).
Captain of Ist class (II'\'oiapxor;).
2d
3d
Lieutenant CY7l'o7l'Aofapxor;).
Ensign or Midshipman (~7Jllawtp6por;).
Medical Officers: -
Surgeon 1st class Clarpt}r;).
2d
Surgeon's mate ('Y7l'o'iarpor;).
Administrative Officers:-Commissary
1st class (l1>ol'TtO'TI)r;).
2d
Provision Clerk (TpotpooorT/r;).
The petty officers are classified as under:Boatswain
(NavI<:,\,7Jpor;).
Sailing-Master (II7Joa'\'wvxor;).
Gunner (IIvpo~o,\,tO'TI)r;).
Armourer C07l''\'o7l'otor;).
Carpenter (' ftpXt'\'f7l'rOvpyor;).
Storekeeper ("0 E7l'l rwl' 6.pJlfVWl').
Caulker (Ka'\'atpaTtO'TI}r;).
And the sailors are divided into three classes, to which are
added drummers, fifers, cooks, servants, and cabin-boys.
304 THE NAVY.
Art. 4. Contains the regulations for rating the appointments
of officers, which are briefly as follows: -A vice-admiral
can only be employed as minister of the marine, naval
prefect, or commander-in-chief of a fleet. A captain of the
first das!! to the command of a line-of-battle-ship, or a firstrate
frigate. A captain of the second class to a frigate under
44 guns, a steamer of 8 sixty-four pounders, or a corvette.
A third class captain or commander in the navy to a gabarre,
a brig of war, a schooner of 12 guns, or a smaller steamer.
Small brigs and schooners to be commanded by lieutenants,
and cutters and gun-boats by midshipmen.
A captain of the first or second class in command of a
squadron takes the temporary title of commodore (Mo[papX0l:)
whilst so employed, and receives additional emoluments and
table-money. The command of a naval station in time of
peace gives no claim to the rank of commodore, but
belongs to the senior officer of the ships composing the
squadron.
Art. 6. Provides for the filling up of vacancies in the
command of squadrons and single ships, in cases of illness,
death, or legal absence, and which are to be taken by the
respective senior officers next in rank to the one causing the
vacancy.
Art. 7. Orders that the table-money of the naval, medical,
and administrative officers, and the provisions and rations of
the petty officers and seamen, cease with their service afloat.
The latter only, when employed in the charge of vessels in
ordinary in the royal arsenal, receive rations of bread daily
besides their pay.
Pa.y. The pay of officers and seamen in the Greek navy
is divided into two classes, viz: - that of rank (MltTOOC TOU
t';aOJlou), and of duty (T~l: inr1jpEtT[ac). They enjoy the former,
whether employed or not, but receive the latter only when
afloat or in active service, which is equivalent to full and halfpay.
as they are equal in amount.
The following is a Table of the full pay of officers, petty
officers, and seamen, with the value in British money: -
Du. Du. Drs. 'Lb. Oz. Lepta. Dr.. L.
250 200 1,5009 6 I 40 1 50 1 El ,l
2001200 11,4008 12 25 0 87! ;;.,'3
... 75 3752 6 70 0 65~ ... ;:: ~
... ... 1500 15 60 0 22! ~cio c
60 50 220 1 6 30 0 16~ ~ ~ ~
... 40 160 1 0 I 70 0 27 _ g ...
40... 12010 12 40,0 12 ~ ~71 ~
8 ... I 16
1
0 1!1}1l0 0 10.1 _&...
3 3 210 2 I 4" 8 ~~
20 10 I 9010 9 10 0 2t ~ go,;:
5... 1010 1 I 20 0 ! ............ 0
150 150 1,05019 6 2! 0 6! ~ ~
...... 150 1~ 101 iJE-ltn
X
THE NAVY.
Table-
Ful1 Pay Money Total Total ~uaIln
Rank. per extra per per BrltiJ Money
Month. when Montb. Annum. to
alIoat. ------- £. ,. d.
Dn. Dn. Dn. Dn. per annum.
Vice-admiral - - 500 500 1,000 12,000 428 0 0
Captain, 1st class - - 380 150 530 6,360 227 0 0
2d ... - - 300 100 400 4,800 171 10 0
3d ... - - 200 50 250 3,000 107 0 0
Lieuteuant - - - 100 40 140 1,680 60 0 0
Midshipman - - - 80 25 105 1,260 45 0 0
Surgeon, 1st class - - 200 50 250 I 3,000 107 0 0
2d ... - - 100 30 130 1,560 55 15 0
Surgeon's mate - - 80 20 100 1,200 43 0 0
Commissary, 1st class - 200 50 250 3,000 107 0 0
2d ... - 100 30 130 1,560 55 15 0
Provision clerk - - 60 30 90 1,080 38 10 0
Boatswain, 1st class
lP"rmonth. - - 80 ... 80 ... 2 17 0
Gunner ... - - 70 ... 70 ... 2 10 0
Armourer ... - - 50 ... 50 ... 1 15 0
Carpenter ... - - 60 ... 60 ... 2 3 0
Storekeeper ... - - 60 ... 60 ... 2 3 0
Caulker ... - - 50 ... 50 ... 1 15 0
Sailor, 1st class - . 36 ... 36 ... 1 7 0
2d ... - . 30 ... 30 ... 1 1 6
3d ... - - 24 ... 24 '" 0 17 0
Table of Rations allowed per Week to each Petty OJlicer and Seaman
in the Greek Navy, when afloat. (Royal Decree of!r, Nov. 1833.)
[400 drams make 1 oka, and about 10.= 1 oz. avoirdupois.]
~ =>, • Total I ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Total i.n Retail Total Amount
'8 '8 ~ ~ - "0 I - r British Price per Man ~ ~ ~ ~ .a ~ ~ I~k.
:uv~r; per Oka. per Week.
_______--__~~ IWeigbt·I . _
Dn.IDr . Ors. Ors. Dr5.
Biscuit - 200200 200 250 200
Wine - 200 200 200 200 200
S~tedmeat 75\ 75 75 ... , 75
Rice - - 50
1
" . 50.. . 50
Vegetables I'" 50 ... \ 60
1
...
Cheese - 40... 40... 40
Olives -... 40... 40 .
Eating oil ... ... ... 8 .
Lamp oil - 3 3 3 3 3
\
Onions - 10 10 10 20 10
Vinegar - ... ... ... 5 ...
I!~~wood_1.~~ll.~~ 1.~~ 1.~~ll.~~
Googlc
THE NAVY•
.ddminiatration.-The direction of the navy is vested in
a secretary of state for the navy, whose duties are specified
in the -following articles, as contained in the royal decree
:-
Art. 1. The formation, improvement, and keeping up of
the navy; the preservation of discipline; the employment
and movements of the ships; the building, repairing, and
fitting out of vessels of war; and the preserving of the honour
of the national flag.
Art. 2. The recruiting for the necessary number of seamen
and marines, and the care of their being properly clothed, ..
armed, paid, and fed. ..
Art. 3. The recommendation for appointments, pensions,
and dismi8sals of naval officers and functionaries, and the ..
regulations about their pay and uniform. ~
Art. 4. To keep up the regulations and punishments in- •
fticted for offences in the navy, and the superintendence of .,
the tribunals appointed to try such cases. \
Art. 5. The rcpairs and improvements of the ports and
harbours, marine arsenals, magazines, and the barracks for
the sailors when not afloat.
Art. 6. The care and superintendence of the institutions
for the practical and theoretical instruction of sailors, gunners,
and naval officers.
Art. 7. The execution of the necessary measures for regulating
the health of the navy.
Art. 8. To grant permission to merchant vessels to carry
the national flag.
Art. 9. The condemnation of prizes, and the division of
prize-money.
Art. 10. The superintendence of the charitable institutions
of government connected with the navy, such as those for
invalids, widows, orphans, &c.
The Marine Prefecture (To E'Il't rWJI Navm:wJI ~tEv(Jvvr~ptOJI),
or special direction of naval affairs, was established atPoros by
royal ordonnance dated ~~July,t } 1833. It consists of the
ugus.
prefec t (~tEVBvVT~'), a port- captain rEtflopo, rov XtJlEVOV)' an
inspector-general rEtpopo, rwv "E'Il'tBEWP'IfJ'EWJI), a director of
306
THE NAVY.
dockyards rElflopof: Toii NEWp{OV), and a comptrollerCEXl'YKT'If: ).
who are all officei'll in the navy; besides whom are the following
civilians: - a keeper of the ordnance and stores, a
keeper of provisions, a paymaster, a secretary. a keeper of
the archives, two accountants, four actuaries, and three
clerks.
The duties and attributes of the marine prefect, who
stands in point of rank inferior only to the secretary of
state, and with whom he is in direct and constant communication,
are briefly, - to direct and superintend the works in
the naval arsenal; the fitting out, laying up, and repairing
of ships of war; the purchase of materials, as timber,
anchors, cables, sails, &c.; the examination of the lists of
officers and men for monthly pay, which must be signed by
him; to send to the minister a detailed account of every
thing going on in the arsenal and dockyard; estimates of
expenses to be incurred on particular ships or buildings, &~.
To assist him in the execution of his duties, three naval
officers of experience are appointed, who, together with the
comptroller, form "the Prefectural Council," of which the
president is the prefect. The members of this council
have only the power of deliberating, and giving their
opinion.
The naval prefect has to take the necessary steps for purchasing
and making contracts for stores, ammunition, provisions,
&c., which are in all cases to be advertised previously,
and put up to public competition.
The prefect has to lay before the king every year, through
the medium of the minister, a statement of the conduct
(lrdJEtTtl: r~(; Ata'Yo'Y~l:) of all naval officers and functionaries,
which is also to be added on recommendations for promotion,
• rewards, and leave to retire from the service.
The port-captain's duty is to superintend the police, and
maintain order in the dockyard and arsenal. Under his immediate
orders are placed the officer of the naval-artificercompany,
acting as police officer, the ordnance-keeper, the
store-keeper, the head of the rope-making department, the
keeper of the provisions (under whom is also the baking establishment),
and an actuary. The port-captain keeps the
x 2
THE NAVY.
keys of the arsenal, and has to open the gates every morning,
either in person or by deputy, to let in the workmen,
read the muster-roll, re<;eive the reports, &c., and lock
the gates, making a report to the prefect. The portcaptain
has the special superintendence of those magazines
and warehouses containing ropes, sail-cloth, casks, &c., and
has also to superintend the shipment of provisions to the
men of war in the port. When a vessel is ordered to be
fitted for sea, he has to furnish from the magazines under
his control the necessary quantity of guns, ammunition,
provisions, water, and stores, and see that they are in good
condition, and properly sent on board. In the same way,
when a ship is ordered to be dismantled, he has to receive
the guns and stores, and deposit them in the magazines.
At the end of every month he has to examine the stock on
hand, and check the books of the storekeepers. He has to
see that the royal standard is hoisted every morning in the
arsenal, to place the guards and sentinels at the gate, and
have the Hag struck at sunset.
The royal ordonnance then goes on to detail the duties of
the other different officers, which are much the same as those
of the French arsenals and marine prefectures.
Dockyard and Arsenal. These establishments are situated,
as well as the prefecture, in the little island of Poros in the
lEgean sea, to the west of lEgina, and so close to the coast
of the Morea, that there is scarcely sufficient water for vessels
to pass through the strait which separates it from the main
land.
For a long time the Russian government had a depot on
the islaYJ.d, for the purpose of refitting their ships of war in
cases 0' accident'; but since the arrival of the king, they have
withdrr ..eir station, and received from the Greek governme
:~ indemnification for the stores and buildings
they por J.
The v; ~ of naval stores in the royal arsenal at Poros, on
the lstoJ lDuary, 1841, amounted to I,OI3,740drs. 841eptas.
They are s follows: -
THE NAVY.
Drs. L.
365,662 25
3.'i8,037 03
75,740 66
212,116 22
2,184 S8
Total - 1,013,740 84
Materials for ship-building -
Ditto for rigging and fitting out Clothing
-
Ammunition and arms
Provisions -
The money in the treasury of the arsenal at the same
period amounted to 453,120 drs. 58 lepta, in specie.
Uniforms and Distinctions of Rank. The uniforms of the
Greek navy were fixed by royal ordonnance dated Nauplia
1
3
5 November, 1833. The following are the principal regulations
: -
The uniforms of the naval officers consist in a coat of dark
blue cloth, with standing collar and cuffs of scarlet. The cut
of the coat is the same as that of the infantry of the line.
The buttons are gilt, and bear a foul anchor in relief, sur·
mounted by a royal crown. The trowsers are of the same
cloth as the coat, the outer seams covered by a stripe of gold
galoon down to the foot, and half an inch in width. In summer
officers are to wear plain white trousers.
The distinctive sign of being on duty (To ~TJI.(f.tOV nle
'Y1r7JpuTlar;), for the naval officers, is a striped scarf of blue and
white silk, containing seven stripes (3 white and 4 blue) each
stripe half an inch wide, worn round the waist as a sash.
The officers wear a cocked hat of the same form as those
worn by British naval officers, ornamented with the national
cockade of blue and silver, silver tassals, and a gold agraffe
(atTTpoEt oir; E1rII.:' tTJl7JJla). The officers wear a sword with
English hilt; the blade and sheath the same as the infantry
officers. The sword is suspended to a girdle of bJ".c;~ varnished
leather, fastened round the waist with a L 'in the
shape of an S, and ornamented with two lions' r hf gilt
metal. The parte-epee, or sword-knot (;; aopTYip T. . (aOYi,,),
the same a..'l that of the land troops. c;
Distinctions of Rank. - Midshipmen (l:.lmJloL) \ar the
uniform of officers, but without epaulettes or em', oidery,
and no bullion on the sword-knot. Ensigns wear a gold
x 3
510 THE NAVY.
galoon, half an inch wide, running round the top of the
collar, and two gold epaulettes with thin bullion, as in the
French navy. They rank with lieutenants of the line.
NatKJl Lieutenant" a gold galoon as above, under which is
another of two thirds the length of the collar, the open space
being at the back. Epaulettes as above. They rank with
first-lieutenants of the "line. Commanders have a third
galoon on the collar, epaulettes the same, and rank with
captains in the army. Captains of the second cia" are distinguished
by a gold galoon round the hat, and two gold
epaulettes with massive bullion, in addition to which they
have a gold galoon of three quarters of an inch in width,
running round the collar; on each side of the collar is a foul
anchor embroidered in gold, and the cuffs are trimmed with
gold galoon, three fourths of an inch wide. They rank with
majors in the army. .
1. Post captains. - The same distinctions as the last, but
with a second gold g&loon on the collar and cuffs. They
take rank with lieutenant-colonels of the line, and with full
colonels when t'mployed as commodore~. Vice-admirals
wear gold embroidt'red collar and cuffs, and a silver crown
on each epaulette.
In general, naval officers may wear uniform jackets or
frock coats of the same colour as the full dress unifonD, but
with red collars and cuffs, with the distinguishing marks of
their respective rank, and a cloth cap with an embroidered
crown, as the officers of the land forces.
2. The sailors wear a double-breasted dark blue cloth
jacket, with two rows of gilt metal buttons, bearing the foul
anchor and crown; white trowsers of Russia duck in summer,
and in winter of navy blue cloth." A round glazed or straw
hat like the British sailors, on the band of which is painted
the name of the ship to which they belong.
3. The petty officers wear on the arm a foul anchor of two
inches and a half in It'ngth embroidered in gold.
40. 1Jfedical qfficers wear the same uniform and distinctions
as those in the land service, and have one grade above them
in rank.
5. Commissaries of the second class wear the uniform of
THE NAVY.
naval officers, but with silver metal buttons, silver embroidery
on the collar, but no epaulettes. Commissaries of the first
class the same, but with the addition of an anchor embroidered
in silver on each side of the collar. Pro"iaion clerb
the uniform of midshipmen, but with silver buttons, and no
sword-knot.
National Flag. - The royal ensign for ships of war of the
kingdom of Greece (no~fflLIO) vavTuc~ u7Jflala) consists in
nine horizontal stripes of equal width, of which five are
light blue and four white, the outer ones being blue, and
the others alternately blue and white. The flag is twentyfive
feet long, and eighteen feet broad. In the upper corner
the royal arms are introduced, consisting of a white equilateral
cross on a field of light blue: in the centre of the
cross is displayed the shield of the royal house, containing
the thirty-two blue and white lozenges of Bavaria, surmounted
by a royal crown. The arms are to occupy one
third of t.he length of the flag, and five stripes of its breadth,
so that underneath are only four perfect stripes, viz. two
white and two blue.
The pennant (;) 'E1rLlTflwJI) is light blue, sixty feet long,
and with a white cross in the corner nearest the mast.
The national ensign fo.r the merchant service rH ifl7rOpud/
67Jflaia) is the same as that of ships of war, but without the
royal arms in the centre of the cross, and merchant vessels
are prohibited from using the pennant. (Royal ordonnance
dated Nauplia, ~ April, 1833.)
Promotion is analGgous to that in the army.
Recruiting is effected under the conscription law, which
Ilee under the head of " ARM.Y,"
Punishments are the same as in the army.
Port-officers. - In the twenty-three principal ports of the
kingdom, naval officers are stationed as port-officers, to examine
the papers of all vessels entering and clearing, &c.
Lighthouses. - There are five of these on the coast, viz.
at Syra, Pirreus, Spetzia, Zea, and lEgina, the two former of
which are built and kept up by the government, the others
by the communes where respectively situated.
x 4
312 THB NAVY
Manu Ouvrier Company. - A corps of artificere under
thie name, consi8ting of 115 men, officers included, was organized
in 1836, for carrying on the nece88ary works in the
arsenal at Por08. T.he uniform ie nearly the same aB that
of the artillery. The company is composed of five sections,
viz. 1. carpenters and joiners; 2. blacksmiths; 3. Ropemakers;
4. armourers; and 5. cannon founders. Every
ouvrier must undergo an examination by a special commi88ion
before he can be received into the company.
General View ofthe GruA Navy on the lstcif' January, 1840.
Remark.
7
4
4
2
2
2
4
4
)
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
32
4 54
- 2 5 I 56
2 1 16
- lill-;Sl 942
Cutter.
Cutter
(Km,pov).
6. Lady Codrington 110
7. Matbilde - 10
8. Leda - - 8
9. Argos _ - 2
10.' Karaiskaki 6
11. Nelson 6
12. Nauplia 1
13.1 Number 3 1
14. Glaucus 8
15. Nautilus 4
16. Zephyr 2
17. lEolus - 2
18. Lion
Gun-boat 119. Kriezi.
(KavovIJ4>6pos). 20. Androutzos
'21. Kanaris
22. Apostolis
3. Sacbtonris
24. Cochrane
5. Miaulis
26. Tombasis
27. Tsamados
28. Number 11
29. Number 12
30. Hastings
Gabarre 31.1 Pbrenix
(raCdppa). 32.1Mars
Ketch (B,AAov).33.' Samos - I
Ship.. I I Name. ,~~·16~~ r GUIlJI· ..lcrew·1
1
_
corvette---I ~ Ludovicus 26 Not yet in commis ion.
I
(KopUr'l'a). 2. Amalia 22 8 130 Coast of Morea.
Steamer I 3. Otbo 6 6 59 Pirreus.
CA'jt&".AOIOV). 4. Maximilian 1 3 26 Packet service.
Brig (BpIKIOV). 5. Minerva - 12 5 71 Archipelago (commodore).
54 West coast, ditto.
44 Poros.
33 West coast.
23 Transport service.
Dismantled.
Ditto.
11 Poros.
13
1
Ditto.
44 lEgean sea.
44 Ditto.
... Dismantled.
Ditto.
61 Pirreus (king's yacht).
25 lEgean sea.
25 Ditto.
25 Ditto.
25 Ditto.
25 Ditto.
25 Ditto.
8 Guardship at Syra.
25 West coast.
25 Ditto.
25 Gllardship at Poros.
25 Archipelago.
Fitted with diving-bell.
Transport service.
Ditto.
Poros.
Schooner
(roAma).
I
I
,-----------Total
Googlc
THE NAVY. 313
Rank.
Total
The Greek navy on the 1st January. 1841, consisted of
the following ships: - 2 corvettes, 2 steamers, 1 brig, 2
barks, 7 schooners, 5 cutters, 10 gun-boats, 1 ketch, and 1
cutter fitted with a diving-bell: - Total 31 vessels, mounting
149 guns, with 866 men including officers.
Decorations. - The following is a table of naval officers
who have received the order of the Redeemer up to the 1st
January, 1841 :-
Knillhts 1
1
,Knights ,KnightsI Grand Knights I of the I of the T tal
Commanders.ICommanders., Golden Silver. 0 •
I Medal. I\ledal.
I'C-ap-tai-'n-s-,-ls-t-·C-Ia-s-s-.- I
I
·--1--1---4--:-..-.-!-..-.- --5-
2d 13 36 49
3d 25 25
Lieutenants - I 6 6
Ensigns - ! I 2 2
4 1-1-3-~1--;;-
The medal for those who have served in the war of independence
has been distributed in the navy as follows:Silver
medal (for officers) 539
Bronze medal (for non·commissioned officers) - 671
Iron medal (for privates) - 1,385
Total - 2,595
FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE NA VAL MINISTER FOR THE
YEARS 1833, 1834, AND 1835.
The annexed tables which I have the honour to present to
your Majesty, contain the details of the expenses for the
service of the navy during the three first years of the existe~
ce of the royal throne.
On taking the reins of government, your Majesty was
soon led to the conclusion, that, for two important reasons, a
naval force on a respectable footing was indispensably necessary
for the prosperity of Greece; and this induced your
Majesty to turn your attention to the formation of a national
fleet, and the establishment of an arsenal destined to contain
the elements of that improvement and progress which alone
can raise our naval service to that state which is required for
the interest and dignity of the nation.
THE NAVY.
But your Majesty's government had to provide for maDy
other wants of the state; many new institutions were to be
founded, and the means necessary for the development of
our navy could only be applied by degrees, and regulated by
economy and wisdom, so as to bring about its perfect organisation
by gradual steps.
On your Majesty's arrival, in the beginning of 1833, our
naval service, if it could even lay claim to that appellation,
was in a most pitiful and deplorable state. The greatest
part of the vessels were little better than wrecks; the rest required
extensive repairs; and but very few stores of any
description were to be found in the arsenal, in which not a
trace of mechanics or organised artillery was to be met with.
The ships were without disciplined crews; rank and uniforms
were irregular and arbitrary, instruction was neglected, and the
service altogether in a state of anarchy and insubordination,
totally different from the high discipline so essentially necessary.
It was reserved for the young and powerful government
of your Majesty to meet these difficulties. The internal organisation
of the kingdom, the safety of the coasts, and the
advancement and protection of commerce required the existence
of a naval armed force in the Grecian waters; and
for this reason the few remaining serviceable ships were
fitted out, which were afterwards replaced or reinforced by
others built in Greece, or bought in other countries.
The royal navy now consists of thirty well appointed
vessels of different sizps, twenty of which were bought and
built during the first three years of your Majesty's reign;
the rest, which were frequently in need of repairs, are still
in a ..eaworthy state, but will shortly be replaced by others
built in the royal dockyards.
The naval prefecture was then formed for the purpose of
introducing discipline and order, to facilitate ship-building,
regulate the mode of manning the fleet, and improve the
condition of the navy.
The dockyards, which were placed under the authority of
the prefecture, contained but little that could be considered
as serviceable; and it therefore became necessary to make
purchases of stores, to establish technical corps of ouvriers
and mechanir.s, to turn an attentive eye to the. artillery, to
THE NAVY. 315
obtain the necessary tools, build workshops, magazines,
barracks, and docks, - in one word, to create the first principles
of life of a maritime and naval power.
But the attention of your Majesty's government was also
directed to another equally important object. The naval
heroes who had shed their blood and sacrificed their property
for the honour and independence of their country,
reposed all their hopes on your Majesty, and expected with
confidence the well earned indemnification for their losses,
and reward for their patriotic services. The defenders of
the country were not deceived. Your Majesty, honouring
their sentiments of patriotism, and in consideration of their
good services rendered to the state, rewarded them with distinctions
and pensions commensurate with the resources of
the country; they were appointed to suitable situations in
the different ports of the kingdom, companies of invalids
were formed, and the veterans thus properly cared for.
Above 400 officers, partly in active employment, and
partly on half pay, receive their means of living from the
hands of government; and ~bout 2,000 petty officers and
seamen are serving in the navy, the dockyards, and ports.
The instruction of the navy has also not been neglected:
many of the children of those who had fought for their
country's liberty have been sent for naval education to
England and other countries, at the expense of the government;
fifteen others are placed at the military academy at
lEgina for instruction in the art of navigation, &c., at the
naval branch of that establishment, and a number of other
children of Hellenic parentage are learning useful trades in
the arsenal and dockyards.
A naval hospital was formerly not in existence, but the
benevolence and careful attention of your Majesty towards
this branch of the service duly provided for such an institution,
which is now on the point of being completed and
fully organised.
Building and repairs of ships, the interior economy of the
dockyards and arsenal, repairs of buildings, instruction, and
the introduction of various useful trades, and the support of
the sailors; - these are the principal objects to which the
expenditure has been applied.
316 THE NAVY.
In the current year still more will be accomplished; new
vessels will be launched and fitted out, and it is in contemplation
to build a new dockyard on a scale adequate to the ~
footing of your Ma;jesty's navy.
The minister of the marine,
(Signed) A. G. KRIEzrs.
4
Athens, 16 December, 1836.
(ApPENDIX.) - List of ships built and purchased in 1833,
1834, and 1835.
1 18
3 18
2 {68
18
{
68
18
f68
24
18
12
18
18
18
18
18
6
- 10 guns 12-pounders
4 18
4 ... 18
2
]
2
1
1
1
]
1
2
- 10
ditto
Tombasis, ditto
Apostolis,
Brig of war Nelson, purchased -
Cutter Nautilus, built
GlaUCUB, ditto
Lion, purchased for the use of
His Majesty as yacht.
Gun-boat Miaulis, built
Hastings, ditto
Tsamados, ditto
Bellou
Schooner
Cochrane, ditto
Sachtouris, ditto
Androutzos, ditto -
Kriezis, ditto
Canaris, ditto
Endecaton (No. 11.), built
Dodecaton (No. 12.), ditto
Samos, purchased
Mathilde, built-
Nauplia, ditto
Dikroton Emanuel, purchased.
Bought in London two bagging-engines and a diving apparatus
for fishing up sunk ships, guns, &c.
Two large buildings for the workshops of the ouvrier
company were erected in the arsenal, as well as barracks and
other houses in the dockyards.
The Russian magazines at Poros, containing a number of
stores, were purchased by government.
THE NAVY.
Expenditurefor the Navy, 1833.
317
Drs. L.
Salary of the minister of the marine, and the other
employes at the admiralty, office expenses, &c. - 22,848 67
Naval staff - - - - - 27,831 25
Pay and rations for the crews of ships in commission,
and the mechanics employed in the dockyard
- - - - . - 320,508 65
Pnrchase of stores, building-timber, &c. - - 493,229 17
Repairs and building of vessels of war - - 25,297 76
Purchase of stores for the naval artillery - - 272 38
Clothing and uniforms for the sailors - - 5,794 21
Bvildings and repairs in the arsenal and dockyard - 1,480 31
Purchase of ships - - - . . 34,264 50
Pensions and presents - - - - 400 0
Expenses of diving for stores in the harbour of
Navarin - - - - - - 8,418 65
Sundry expenses - - - - 2,856 48
Balance in hands of the treasurer of the navy - 8,567 81
Total - 951,769 84
Expenditurefor the Navy, 1834.
Admiralty.
Salary of the naval minister, the secretaries,
clerks, &c.
Office expenses
Naval Prefecture.
Salary of the prefect and council
Salary of other officers, secretaries, &c.
Naval Pay.
Pay of the sailors
Pay of the marines
Pensions to widows and orphans
Food.
Rations of sailors and marines Clothing.
Pay of employes
Purchase of clothes
Materiel.
Purchase of ships
Purchase of stores and expenses on them
Pay of workmen
Artillery.
Expenses and purchase of cannon
Buildings.
Erection of the new arsenal
Repairs of old arsenal
Hospitals.
Staff
Expenses for the sick - -= I Purchase of drugs and medicines
Purchase of apothecaries' stores, &c.
Drs. L.
15,709 17
5,539 84
32,920 0
33,369 40
295,185 18
52,636 89
2,397 41
155,249 70
39,946 95
2,891 10
83,000 0
878,191 89
181,725 12
5,728 48
6,747 83
9,626 44
3,861 60
1,806 89
3,804 83
6,570 54
318 THE NAVY. ~
Y
I Navigation Sclwol.
Dn. L. .~
General expenses 9,008 6 ~
Rent.
Rent of houses employed for the nary - 1,424 43 ~.
Sundry Expenses.
Freight 34,509 55 ~
Travelling expenses 1,977 35
Carriage of sundry objects 452 56 Justice. I
Legal expenses 106 56
~ Recruiting.
General expenses 42 86
Sundries.
Indemnifications 915 0 ~
Other expenses not anticipated 3,541 89 J Ports.
Pay of port-officers 64,790 9
Office expenses and rent 25,096 16 ~
Building and repairs of boats 10,712 34 Reserve Fund. 'J
Balance 51,384 47
Total - 2,015,014 97 ~
...---~-~~~--~-. - ----~-_.----
Expenditurefor the Navy, 1835.
:\
Du. L.
Admiralty.
. Salaries of officers and secretaries, &c. 16,830 0 ~
Office expenses 6,759 41 j;
Naval Prefecture.
Salaries of the prefect and councillors - 18,474 0
Salaries of other officers 23,889 64
Office expenses 3,964 61
Ports. ...
Salaries of port-officers and men 138,623 38
Office expenses, &c. 76,167 30
Arsenal. ~ Pay of officers and men employed 69,280 45
Purchase and repairs of ships - } ,
Day labourers, building, &c. 316,534 82 I Ships in Commission. Pay
of the crews 516,360 86 1
Clothing of the crews • 28,526 82
Food of the crews 243,523 12
Pay of the marines 9,151 69 I
Clothing of the marines 26 4
,
Food of the marines 434 36
Other expenses of the marines - 369 20
Ouvrier Company.
Pay 38,305 42
Clothing 2,338 5
Food - 2,966 87
Other expenses 442 18
Veterans.
General expenses 25,279 4~
THE NAVY. 819
Dr•. L.
H08]Jitala.
Staft' 8,465 82
General expenses 1,977 71 I Medicines and attendance on the sick - 4,686
93
Instruction.
At home 4,000 0
Abroad 12,044 37
Justice.
Legal expenses 2,191 22
Buildings.
Repairs 1,190 3
New buildings - 21,884 74
Pensions.
Pensions and indemnifications - 2,523 40
Reserve Fund.
Balance in hand 419,491 14
Total - 2,216,966 82
Budget. From the foregomg financial report for the first
three years of the existence of the kingdom, it will be seen
that the organisation and keeping up of the naval establish.
ment cost the country for that period upwards of five millions
of drachmes. Since then considerable reductions ha~e
been made, and the annual expenses for that branch of the
service now cost but little more than a million and a half of
drachmes.
The following are the official estimates for the navy for
the year 1841 :-
L.
292,327 24
Dra.
6,000
5,000
10,000
4,000
7,627 24
245,500
4,000
1,200
8,000
1,000
Rent of offices and expenses of the naval ministry
of the marine prefecture •
for the port-officers
Building and repairs of boats for ditto
I.ighthouses
Repairs of buildings
Different naval establishments •
Travelling expenses and recruiting
Rents of hospitals, purchase of medicines, &c. Rents
of the naval tribunal, and office expenses
Total of material expenses
Pay of officers and men as detailed
in the annexed table • 1,348,216 16
Total • :1;"640--;-54340
In closing the subject of the navy, I subjoin a table showing
in detail the number of officers and men employed in the
naval department, the special branch of the service in which
employed, and the annual personal expense of each department.
320 THE NAVY.
General View of the Persons employed in..
J.I£II t' 11 ,.I, il]
~ :: : ~ § ~ ~ ~ u t3 -=1 ~ . ~] ~ j ~:
~ 6 c3 en !:e < '0 E~ ~ ~ ~ ~ cO ~ ! ~ "5 & ~ i z <00
"'l:' ~ C < '0 I .., < QJ ~ ~ C) f:S C d < Q,) Z Col - .. , cp I
Branch or Service on - .... ~_ ~ ~ '0 .., C ... ~ ~ ; Cl E g ~ _ UJ _ ~
.!: ~ ..c ..t
which employed. a,; ~ ~.., ~ ~ ~ - "5 "5 ~ ~ ~.:; ~ :; ~.. ~ ~
:: ..
"; ._.... ~.5 C'Il ICol c " .... UJ - ... ~ 0 Q,) ... ... C (3
c c:::r I Q.~a a~g·ff.~·~·§~~cn~:;?~:i ~~ , ~"~ ~~r·IJIJI·a ~1~l"1
~~: I-------,-_J ---- - I~
Ministry of marine II 1 J. 1
1
1 ' I .1...1... 3 '3 In., Maritimeprefecture 1 11 11... 4
""1'" 11 4 3 1.. -1-.. S, ! I
Direction of arsenal... 1 1 / '" 6 .
Employed in ditto ..1'"1''' 1 1 "l" '" .
~:~~oln~~ia :;~ ..l·I..· '"1'''[''' ..
c~~~"';' or: -.,lrr;,:I',' ....1·;:/:,:••••:.:::::::: I
Naval artillery - 1 1 .
Port-officers - -1'''12 3 S 10 1 ' ..1 1 "'134 I Lig~thouses -
-1·..1· .. ·.. ''', .. ·1..·..· "'1'" 1 1
1
1. ..1.. .1. ·1·· ..·..·..·
I
AC~lve duty afloat - 1 31 51 9 36 1 2 22 / 1 "T" ..
Chiefs of squadrons 2 1: 1 1 2 .. .I... 1 I
On half pay - - 50
1
32 ,4127 I.. } 1 I 1 1 1 "lI
lnstruc~on at home 1 • .. 1.. · .. · 1 ·1· 2 "'1'" 4
-----;:[nstruchon .abroad I /... 4 1 "'1'" 1 , 3
Nav~1 hospitals -... 1 / , "l" 1 I'" .., 1 2 .
~~~~f:;~~c;rs i~ ::: :::I::f: ::: /:::
1
::: :::I:::I:::::::I:::I::r:i:~:II:::::: ::: ::: '\:l~ :::
.e.a senal ,,,., · .. '· .. 1.. ·/· .. • , , ' , '
"'1"'\'"
ReltglOn -
.::..:.:..:.:.:.:..:..::..:.-.:..:..:....::..:.C.::..:..::..:.I.:.:..:..::..:..::..:..::..:..:.:..:..:.:.:.I.::..:..:.:..:..::..:.:..:.:.:.:..:.~.::..:.I
...
Totals - 5 564693 IS412 1 /211 1 I61s 12511 1311 13131211 1 5371
Googlc
THE NAVY.
1
Greek Na'Vlf on the 13 January, ISH.
S2I
Annual
Expenses
for Pay.
ProvisionsJ Clothes,
&c. &c.
--I-------n-'--I-'-IJ"----I- Dr.. L.
... .. /1 1 1... 10 35,480 0
::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :::1
1
::: :::1:::/:::1:::/:::1:::1
::: :::c:i:::11
"7 i~ ~~:~~~ g
l
'" 4 4 28 44 14 2 1 1 ..1. ..1. .1...1...... 100 67,075 28
......... 3 5 6 12 ..1. ..1.. .1. 1. ..1. ..1...... 26 17,348 71
...... "'1'" 12 151611032321231...1... 115 81,651 35
I 1 4 7 25 .I. ..1. ..1. I.../... 44 27,587 0
••• ••• .. •.. 1 1 I j I.. .I. ..I 1 1... ... I 816 0
I... 10 46 .. .1. ..1. ..1. ..1 1 ..1. 1...... 113 90,600 0
... 1 .I. 1
1 1 1 1 1 .1. ..1...1 4 4 1,920 0
'\:::I.~. ~.t~ .~~ .~~ 2.~: 1.~.6 ~.l~/{y\::i:::i::: :::1:::1:::1:::1:::
86~ 6~;:~~~ ~~
.. ·1..· ..· 4 10 'I'·T · ..· ..· "'I''' '"1''' '"
'"1''' 300 215,040 0
, 1 1 1... 21 21,492 0
,.. .I. 1.. .1. ..1..+..1..+....1... 7 21,966 0
, 1... . ..1 .. .1. 1 ..1 4 9 8,880 0 ....\ , ''':'''1'''11''':'''11
..+ : '" 3 5,280 0 :~'~I::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :::::rr:::rrr:
:::1:::
1
::: .~. ::: 1: ::::: 4:
~!~I~I~I~~I~'~';~I;ld~lddil~!dd~I~I~I~I~~ld~
y
Iql1' 0 yGooglc
322 JUSTICE.
CHAP. IX.
JUSTICE.
THE judicial establishments in Greece are formed on the
model of the French, with but few alterations.
Civil cases are tried before the following tribunals: -
1. The Courts of Peace ('EtP7/.0!3tICEiov), composed of a
judge, two assessors, and a secretary. This court gives sentence
without appeal, to the amount of 40 drachmes, and, in
the first instance, in matters up to the value of 300 drachmes.
1 .
(Royal ordonnance of 13 February, 1838.) These courts
are empowered to enforce the execution of their sentences
as well as those of the tribunals of commerce, and all arbitrations
whose amount does not surpass their own competence.
The judges of the courts of peace may also undertake the
following voluntary duties: - Sealing up and unsealing
houses and documents in dispute, &c.; acting as public
notaries in places where there are none appointed; the keeping
the book of registration of mortgages; the convocation
of, and presiding at family councils; the nomination of
guardians and trustees for widows, orphans, &c.
2. Tribunals ofprimary Jurisdiction (IIpwro~tICEiov) composed
of three judges (including the president), a king's procurator,
and a secretary. Besides these, there are substitutes
appointed for each, in case of the illness or absence of any of
the ordinary members. Some of these courts are divided
into two sections; for instance, those of Nauplia, Athens,
and Tripolitza.
The jurisdiction of .these courts extends over all that
does not belong to the courts of peace, and the tribunals
of commerce. Appeals from the inferior courts form
also a part of their duties; and they can give judgment
JUSTICE.
in all cases brought before them without reference to the
amount, either by the prerogatives of the court, or by way
of arbitration.
They give judgment without appeal in all personal and
movable property cases up to 500 drachmes; in cases of immovable
property where the annual value is not more than
25 drachmes; and in all cases of arbitration brought before
them, and subject to their decision without appeal.
3. The Tribunals of Commerce ('Ef'7l"0POOLK£ioJl) exist
only at Nauplia, Patras, and Syra. In all other places commercial
disputes are brought before the courts of primary
jurisdiction, observing the same forms as those laid down for
the commercial tribunals.
These courts are composed of a president (who must belong
to the legal profession), four judges, two supernumerary
judges, and a secretary. The judges and substitutes are
appointed by the government out of a list of candidates
elected by the majority: at a general meeting of the local
merchants. The presence of three judges, including the president,
is sufficient to constitute the court legally.
The competency of these courts is laid down by the law
of the ~May, 1835, and which, with a f~'w trifling modifications,
is the same as art. 631. and 639. of the French commercial
code. They give sentence without appeal to the
amount of 800 drachmes, and also in all cases brought before
them as arbiters; but they have not the power to enforce the
execution of their sentences.
4. The Courts of Appeal (TWJI 'Erp£TWJI), of which there are
two, are composed of a president, five judges, three assessors,
a secretary, an attorney-general ('ELO'a'Y'YE~£1)!:), and his
substitute.
They give judgment in cases of appeal from the
sentences of the courts of primary jurisdiction, of the tribunals
of commerce, and in arbitrations of analogous value.
Five members of the court, including the president, secretary,
and procurator, are indispensably necessary to form a
court for legal proceedings.
5. The Areopagus CHApED!: llu'Yo!:), forming the summit of
the judicial edifice, is composed of a president, a vice-presiy
2
JUSTICE.
dent, 6 judges, S assessors or substitutes, a secretary~general,
and an attorney-general with his substitute. The presence of
7 judges (including the president or vice-president), the secretary,
and the king's procurator-general, constitute a
quorum.
This tribunal has the right to annul the sentences of the
inferior courts, and to send the cases before another tribunal.
The following table exhibits a view of the number of the
civil courts in the kingdom:
I
Supreme CourtJ of ITrlbunals of rlmaryJ INPuemabceeruonfdCeroueartcshof
Jurladiction. Appeal. Jurlsdlctfon. Tribunal of ~ritnary
JUrisdiCt10D.
rh~ -· Sym - - 2'4}
A~~{ Athens. Chal~is - · : 59
Lamla • ·
Missolonghi - 10 {NTr.iI.JP<!ll;i'tza - ·· H10}
Nauplia. Patras - - 1~ 48
Sparta • -
Calamata - · 10
Total . I 2 I 10 I 107
The following tables A, B, and C, show the number of
causes brought before the different courts of the kingdom
in 1839.
A. THE AREOPAGUS.
Causes pendhlg Causes brought I Total
I
Number
I
Still pending
I at the end of before the Number of disposed of. at the end of
1838. Court in 1839. Causes. 1839.
47 107 I 154 I 97 I 57 I
B. COURTS OF APPEAL.
ICauses pend. Causes I Total Number s~~::s
Court,. ~:3~;f~~. Introduced In Numberof disposed
1839. Causes. of. of 1839.
Athens :I 128 316
I
444 300 144
Nauplia 475 296 771 273 498
Total . I 603 I 612 I 1,215 I 573 I 642
JUSTICE.
C. TRIBUNALS OF PRIMARY JURISDICTION.
325
ICauses pend- Brought be_ I Total INumber IPending at
Courts. ing at the foretbeCourts Number of disposed the end of
end of 1838. In 1839. I Causes. of. 1839.
Nauplia - 649 444 1,093 514 579
Patras - 659 282 1,041 294 747
Calamata 187 315 502 320 182
'l'ripolitza - 248 200 448 285 163
Sparta . 156 211 367 127 240
Athens - 816 821 1,187 466 671
Syra - 356 481 787 888 899
Chalcis - 65 232 297 182 115
Lamia - 118 196 314 166 148
Missolonghi 107 888 490 288 202
Total -I 8,861 I 8,015 I 6,476 8,080 I 3,446
Besides the above ordinary tribunals, there are also Courts
of Administrative Competency established in the capital of
each province, composed of the civil-governor or sub-governor
of the district as president, the mayor of the commune,
and the justice of the peace where the court is formed.
These tribunals take cognizance of all cases having reference
to the collecting of the taxes, the tithes, and other
branches of revenue. Their decisions are liable to appeal,
when the cause in dispute amounts to more than 200 drachmes,
before a superior tribunal formed for that purpose in the
metropolis, whose decisions may, in like manner, be annulled
by the judicial section of the council of state.
CRIMINAL COURTS.
According to the Greek laws, there are three sorts of
penal acts, viz.: - Transgression of police regulations,
misdemeanours, and crimes. The penalties inflicted for the
first are, arrest and fines; for the second, fines and imprisonment;
and for the third, according. to the nature of the
offence, solitary confinement, imprisonment with hard labour
( travaux forces), and death.
The penal courts are as follows:-
1. The Courts of Simple Police (IIraIO'parOaUCfiov), composed
of the justice of the peace, his secretary, and the mayor
y 3
326 JUSTICE.
of the commune, or the police-commissary, acting as public
accuser. This court tries all cases of infringement of police
regulations.
2. The Correctional Tribunals (IIX'1pp£XuoauciioJl). taking
cognizance of all misdemeanours, composed of a president,
four judges, a secretary, and the king's procurator.
3. Tire Court ofAssizes (Kamvp'Y£waoIC£7oJl), convoked periodically
(every three months), and consisting of two parts,
viz., the assize-courts proper, and the jury-courts. The assize-
courts are appointed by the minister of justice, and consist
of three judges selected from among the members of the
correctional courts, and a secretary. The jury ("EVOpICOL) is
formed as follows: - at the commencement of the year a
list is made out by the governor of each province of all the
natives above the age of 25 years, who possess a private fortune
of the value of 5000 drs. at least, or an annual revenue
of 1000 drs. Professors, schoolmasters, physicians, practising
surgeons, and notaries, are admitted ex officio into these lists,
which are posted in a conspicuous place to undergo the
scrutiny of the public and the competent authorities. From
these lists twenty individuals are chosen by the governor,
and as many by the town council, and their names transmitted
to the president of the court of appeal, who, in a public
sitting of the court, draws by lot thirty of these names,
who form the members of the jury for the ensuing assizes.
Of these thirty individuals, twelve are chosen by ballot as the
jury for each case brought before the court.
The verdict of the jury has only reference to the fact,that
is, as to the guilt or innocence of the accused; it being
the business of the court to order the liberation or punishment
of the offender, as the case may be.
In all the criminal courts the trials are open to the public,
and the accusation and defence are made orally.
The sentences of the courts of simple police are subject to
appeal when the value of the fine amounts to more than ten
drachmes, or a corresponding imprisonment; such appeals
are carried before the correctional tribunals, and their sentences
ill turn to thc areopagus, or supreme court, which gives
tinal judgment.
JUSTICE• 327
.Martial Law.-In addition to the above·mentioned ordi~
nary tribunals for final causes, the government has admittell
the introduction of extra courts-martial ("ElCTulCTov
:r.rpurot5LKEtOV)
in certain cases of crime, such as rebellion, murder,
arson, piracy, and highway robbery. The king appoints the
members of the court after hearing the opinion of his council
of ministers, or, in case of emergency, the court may be
formed by the governor of the province, in concert with the
president of the correctional tribunal. The court is formed
of civilians and military officers, and has an exclusive jurisdiction
in all matters for which it is formed. It gives summary
judgment, and can punish with death any individuals
found gUilty of the crimes which come within its competency.
Its sentences admit of no appeal to any higher tribunal, and
are carried into immediate execution, provided the court
do not think proper to submit the case to the king, and
await the royal pleasure.
Court ofCassation. - The supreme court, both in civii and
in criminal cases, is that of the Areopagus, above described.
Prisons.- Only the prisons for suspected and accused
criminals come under the jurisdiction of the minister of
justice. There are ten such in the kingdom; but most of
them are private property, rented for the purpose. Only
those at Chalcis, Nauplia, and Athens, belong to government.
There are prisons for convicted offenders at Nauplia,
Chalcis, Rhion, and Navarin; but the penitentiary system
has been no where properly organised, except at Nauplia,
where the criminals are employed in the manufacture of
cotton and woollen cloths, although, for want of room, the
plan has not yet been sufficiently developed. Those prisoners
who have the means are permitted to maintain themselves;
those who have not, receive a daily allowance of 35 lepta.
Lawyers.- When parties do not choose to appear them-
. selves before the tribunals, they can only be represented
according to the laws, by relations of a certain degree of affinity
(which is laid down and minutely defined), individuals
equally interested with themselves in the case, or lawyers
(AUC1l'y6po!:). Lawyers are appointed by the governytlcnt,
y 4
328 JUSTICE.
and permitted only to practise after undergoing an examination
before a commission nominated ad llOc. They are considered
as public functionaries attached to the differen t
courts in which they plead, and are under the authority of
the minister of justice. Their number has hitherto not been
limited; but it is only at the capital that parties have an opportunity
of selecting a lawyer to defend their cause, for the
number in the provinces is extremely small, and confined to
individuals of but little education, and possessing merely a
knowledge of the forms and routine from practical experience:
those who have gone through a regular course of
studies in France or Italy, preferring to establish themselves
either at the seat of government, or the places of secondary
importance, viz. Nauplia, Patras, or Sym. The total
number of lawyers in the kingdom (not including those who
practise at the courts of peace) is about eighty.
Huissiers (KAJlTOpa).- These civil officers are appointed
for the communication and execution of judicial sentences,
summonses, and other legal documents. They are nominated
by the minister of justice, and a certain number is attached
to each court. Their number is not limited, but depends on
the business of the tribunals. There are at present about
200 in the kingdom.
Notaries C~:vfL(;ov>..aLO'YpacpOL).- The duties of public notaries
are performed in by far the greater part of the kingdom
by the justices of the peace. It is only in the following
places that they are to be found: - the greater part of them
were appointed before the arrival of the king.
Total number of notaries - 21
Athens
8yra Ch,~
cis
Na. ',.
'fir
La~J: •
. l\1j,J''llonghi
4
2
2
2
1
1
1
Vostizza
Patras Pyrgos
Tripolitza
Nauplia
Hydra -
2
2
1
1
1
1
01fices.~.~r tlte Registration of Mortgages.- The books of
mortgage, which are open to the inspection of the public, are
JUSTICE. 329
kept by the justices of the peace, except in the larger and
more important places, where their jurisdiction is more extended
than that of the local justices; and in these there are
offices on purpose. These latter amount to 14, and the total
number of pla.ces where books are kept for the registration
of mortgages is at present 89.
Salaries of the principal Law Officers.
Drachmes Bri~~U~I~~ling I
per
Month. to per Annum.
------
£ .. Supreme Court (Areopagus).
The president - - · 600 257 0
Procurator-general - - - ! 600 257 0
A jUdge - • - - 350 150 0
Substitute of the procurator-general. 350 150 0
Secretary - - - - 200 85 0
Courts of Appeal.
President - · - - 500 215 0
Procurator-general . - 500 215 0
Judges and substitutes - - 300 129 0
Secretary - · - · 175 75 0
Tribunals ofprimary Jurisdiction.
I
President - - - · 300 129 0
King's procurator - - • I 300 129 0
Judges and substitutes -
: I
200 85 0
Secretary - · . 150 64 10
Tribunals cif Commerce.
President - - - - 300 129 0
Secretary - - - - 150 64 10
Courts of Peace.
Justices, 1st Class - - · 40 17 0
2d ... - - - 30 12 15
3d ... - - - i 20 8 10
The justices of peace receive likewise one half of the value
of the stamps on all legal documents used in their reap ctive
courts. ··r
Annual Expenses and Budget of the Law Depar nt.The
yearly charge for the expenses of the legal dep;u. ment
of the kingdom of Greece, amounts to about 800,000 .,~._
The following is a copy of the budget for] 84], ~ Jwing
the amounts of the different credits, and the ob} ,ts for
which granted:-
330 JUSTICE.
Budget of tlte Legal Department of tlte Ki-ngdom of Greece
. for tlte Year 184-1.
n.... Dr•.
The Minister of Justice and chief Establishment.
Salaries - . - - - 31,200
Office expenses - - - - 6,530
Supreme Court (Areopagus). 37,730
Salaries - - - - - 50,040
Office expenses . . - - 5,000
Courts of Appeal. 55,040
Salaries - - - - . 80,520
Office expenses - - - - 8,700
Courts of Assizes. 89,220
Office expenses - - - - 2,000
Indemnification of the members of the court
and jury - - - - - 18,000
Tribunals of primary Jurisdiction. 20,000
Salaries - - - - - 269,040
Office expenses - - - - 37,840
Tribunals of Commerce. 306,880
Salaries - - - - - 21,960
Office expenses - - - - 3,800
Courts of Peace. 25,760
Salaries - - - - - 59,760
Office expenses - - - - 7,076
Prisons. ---- 66,836
Rent of buildings - - - - 4,000
Repairs of ditto - - - . 3,000
Salaries of jailors - - - - 6,216
Food of the prisoners - - - 39,000
Criminal Courts. ---- 52,216
Extra salaries of judges - - - 5,000
Travelling expenses of ditto - - 6,000
Rent of offices - - - - 1,000
Indemnification of witnesses - - 136,000
Expense of removing prisoners - - 2,000
Expense of summoning ditto - - 100
Execution of sentences - - - 8,000
Construction and Repairs of Government Buildings. 158,100
Building judicial edifices ... prisons
Repairs - - - - - 1,000
Unforeseen Expenses. 1,000
Mortgage registration offices - - 250
Sundries - - - - - 8,000
Secret service money - - - 1,000
9,250
Total - - . 822,032
Statistics.-The late minister of justice, M. Pa'icos, devoted
considerable attention to the statistics of his deIJartment,
and published a set of tables for the year 1838,
I
J
JUSTICE. 331
which have unfortunately not been continued, and it is .on
these alone that any statistical observations can be founded.
This little work was divided into 5 parts, containing altogether
48 tables.
The first part related to all the criminal courts, from
which it appears that 4215 criminal cases were brought before
them, of which 4186 prosecutions were made by the crown.
The second part contains the statistics of the courts of assizes
and the extra courts-martial. It is shown that in the
former, 129 prosecutions were made against 271 persons, and
in the latter, 64 causes against 233 individuals, making a
total of 193 cases against 504 persons. It appears that of
these, 271 were acquitted, and the rest condemned as follows:
- 61 to death, 14 to imprisonment with hard labour
for life, 67 to hard labour for different periods,47 to solitary
confinement, 38 to different correctional punishments, and 6
to punishments of simple police.
The particulars are very fully given in the tables of
the crimes committed in each province: crimes against persons,
against property, and mixed; the length of the preventive
imprisonment of the prisoners acquitted; the nature of the
crimes and misdemeanours which resulted in condemnation
according to the verdict of the jury; and, lastly, the nature
and extent of the punishments inflicted. Other tables indicate
the age and sex of the prisoners, their trade, and the
state of their education; whilst others, again, show the numher
of criminals as compared to the populatioR of the provinces,
and the kingdom generally, as also the proportion of married,
unmarried, and widowed. The other tables give the particulars
of the number of crimes committed in each month, the
motives of some of them, the means and instruments made
use of, and the number of witnesses examined, which
amounted to 1366.
The third part relates to the causes brought before the
correctional tribunals, which amounted, it appears, to 786, in
which 1460 persons were implicated. of whom 1381 were
men, and 79 women. It is further shown that 733 persons
wcre acquitted, 718 condemned, and 9 sent to another
tribunal.
332 JUSTICE.
In the fourth part is shown the business for the year of
the courts of simple police, before which 2537 cases were
brought, involving 3585 individuals, 915 of whom were acquitted,
2625 punished, and 45 escaped, owing to the courts
declaring the cases to be beyond their jurisdiction.
The fifth and last part contains two tables, showing the
result of the labours of the court of cassation, before which
tribunal 133 cases were brought. They gave judgment in
113 causes, in 38 of which they revoked the decisions of the
inferior courts.
Some of the most interesting of these tables will be found
at the end of this chapter; and I shall close this subject with
a few remarks founded on them.
In comparing the number of prisoners committed for trial
with the population of the kingdom, we shall find 1 in every
1590 inhabitants. But the proportion is much greater in
some provinces; for instance, in Phocis and Locris, they
amount to 1 in 364; in Argolis and Corinth, 1 in 756 ;
in Eubrea, 1 in 1510; and in Attica and Breotia, 1 in 1535.
The large proportion of accusations in the two first-named
provinces is explained by the extraordinary circumstances in
which they were placed, when armed bands of freebooters
threatened the security of the inhabitants, and obliged the
government to adopt the most stringent measures to preservc
the peace.
The departments in which the average proportion has not
been reached, are six in number. The smallest proportion
is found in the islands of the Cyclades, being only 1 in
7462 inhabitants.
If we compare the number of accused persons with that
of the accusations, we find them in the proportion of 26
prisoners to 10 accusations; in other words, we find that
crimes are seldom committed alone, but in company; - the
average being 5 persons for 2 crimes. This may be subdivided
into 25 to 10, in crimes committed against persons;
17 to 10, against property; and 32 to 10, in crimes against
both.
Of the 50'1< accused, only 20 were females, or 4 per cent.
In Francc thc proportion is 19 in 100.
JUSTICE.
- =:::= . ...
333
It appears from the tables giving the ages of the offenders,
that out of 100 persons brought before the assizes and
courts of martial law, 50 were under 25 years, 30 between
25 and 35, and 20 above 35. In France the proportion
is about the same, the figures being 35, 31, and 34, in 100
respectively. Crimes against property are mostly committed by
the more youthful prisoners, crimes against persons are almost
exclusively confined to those of riper years.
Amongst the 504 accused, 292 (or 57 per cent.) were unmarried,
199 (qr 40 per cent.) married, and 7 widowers,
which is nearly the same proportion as in France.
Of the above 199 married persons, 126 (or 63 per cent.)
had children; and 73 (or 37 per cent.) had none. It has
been proved that 30 of the accused were foreigners, who
having crossed the northern frontiers were taken while engaged
in their predatory incursions.
With reference to trades and occupations, labourers and
agriculturists are most numerous, forming one half of the
total number, whilst it is only a quarter in France. Tailors,
and tradesmen of.a similar occupation, were least numerous.
As respects the education of the accused, the proportion
of totally illiterate is 78 in 100. (In France it is 59 per
cent.) Those who could read and write a little, form one
fifth, and the other two classes, those, namely, who could read
and write well, and those who had received a superior education,
furnish each 1 in 100.
Of 100 persons accused, only" 40 were convicted, a proportion
very unsatisfactory, particularly when one compares
it with the sum in France, which is in inverse ratio, showing
39 acquittals, and 61 convictions in every 100 accused.
But it ought to be taken into consideration, that France has
only arrived at these results after fifty years' experience
of trial by jury, and that as late as 1831, the report contained
46 acquittals and 54 convictions in every 100; and,
secondly, that in Greece this proportion has not always
been the same; for in the report of the royal court of
Athens, we find 54 convictions out of 100 accused; and
334 JUSTICE.
there is every reason to believe that the present year will
furnish very different proportions.
Of the 61 condemned to death, the royal clemency has
been extended to 27, and the rigour of the law commuted
in other cases. Besides ,these, the greater part of the 47
condemned at Hydra by martial law, have obtained a mitigation
of their punishments agreeably to the king's pleasure;
others have received a full pardon; and, again, others will be
soon released.
The crimes for which the accused were acquitted, were
principally disobedience to the royal authority, fraud, theft,
and rebellion. The most numerous condemnations were for
murder, assassination, and highway robbery.
In turning to the business of the correctional tribunals, we
find 786 causes implicating 1460 prisoners accused of misdemeanours,
of whom 75 were women, or about 5 in 100.
This is about the same proportion as in France.
As respects the age of the parties, we find 19 under 14
years, 199 between 14 and 21; 614 from 26 to 30; and 615
above 30 years of age.
The proportion of these to the population of the kingdom,
is as 1 to 549 inhabitants. In France, it is 1 in 187. In the
province of the Cyclades, remarkable for rarity of crime, we
find the smallest number, the proportion being 1 in 1274.
The largest proportion is found in Messenia.
The most numerous crimes and misdemeanours were personal
violence and wounds, amounting to about one fifth
of the whole; next, wounds inflicted in self-defence, about
one seventh; and, lastly, theft, about one eleventh. In
France theft is the most common and frequent of the
crimes committed in that country, being equal to one fourth
of the whole. In .the province of Messenia, where crimes
in general are more numerous than in other parts of
Greece, was found the greatest number of charges of personal
violence; in Argolis the largest amount of wounds
inflicted in self-defence (voie de fait); and in Mantinea the
most numerous cases of theft.
The proportion of acquittals is 50 per cent. The royal
court of Athens shows the greatest number of condemJUSTICE.
335
nations, where, among 100 accused, only 37 were acquitted;
after which come the tribunals of Eubrea and Argolis.
giving 56 condemnations to 44 acquittals in 100. The
province of Phocis exhibits the smallest number, the figures
being 34 found guilty and 36 acquitted in 100.
Of the 71S persons found guilty, 45 were condemned to
imprisonment for more than a year, 633 for less than one
year, and 40 to fines. The correctional tribunal of Athens
displays the most rigorous sentences, one half of .the condemnations
to imprisonment for more than a year having
loo been made by that court.
Table of tIle Trials at the Assizes and Courts-Martial in 183S;
specifying the Nature and Number of each Crime, the Punishments
inflicted, and Acquittals. ~
.5. ~'" ~ai I Condemned to
"'2l
o~ e:a p.~ ;; ~ ca:s " . " c; .... ,; . ~"
0:= o . oS Crimes. ~g '" "" ~c. ~'" ..; .c~ .c~
1:''' o . 0" 0'" ~.§ "u ,,- "" .. S .~~ ,.,S ~~ e.~
.c" ~ ..<..< ..<f-< ~~ u-" S~ e~ ~" f.!!
"'" "" z ,,§ i=l "'~ "' .. is s" z:i:
"'~ ;cE ~a "'§ ~§ ~'"
:I: U Up. ------------------
Murder - - - 6 6 2 ... ... ... 3 1 ... 4
Attempted murder - 3 3 1 ... ... ... ... 1 1 2
Resistance to the laws - 4 17 15 ... ... ... 2 ... ... 2
Fraud - - - 3 6 5 ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1
Rape - - - 3 3 ... ... ... 1 2 ... ... 3
Attempted rape - - 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1
Elopement - - 3 7 5 ... ... ... 1 1 ... 2
Seduction - - 5 7 5 ... ... ... 2 ... ... 2
Violation of children - 2 2 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Attempted ditto - - 4 4 4 .., ... ... ... ... ... .. .
Bigamy - - - 3 4 3 ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1
Infanticide - - 1 2 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1
Sedition - - 3 33 33 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Cutting and maiming - 7 13 9 ... ... ... 2 2 ... 4
Assassination - - 11 17 7 6 ... 1 3 ... ... IO
Attempted assassination - 3 3 1 ... ... 2 ... ... ... 2
False witness - - 1 2 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Perjury - - - 1 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Abortion - - - 1 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... .. . ...
Robbery - - - 39 71 35 '" ... 3 18 12 3 36
Forgery - - - 1 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Concealment from justice - 1 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1
Brigandage - - 69 229 114 49 13 42 5 4 2 115
Attempted brigandage - 7 14 10 1 1 ... 2 ... .. . 4
Brigandage and murder - 3 5 ... 5 ... ... ... ... ... 5
Sedition and murder - 8 51 14 ... ... 18 4 15 ... 37
Piracy - - - 2 2 1 ... 1 ... ... ... .. . 1
1----------
Total - 193 1504 1271 I 61 15 I 67 I 47 I 38 I 6 I 233
Googlc
SS6 JUSTICE:.
Tahk ofAfJ" oflA' P"'.... i"dUUd/or C,iminnl
Off"""', bifo" I
tile Assizes and COUT18-Martial, 1838. I,
Descril'tlonorCrlmes, Nur::rerl Under 14 20 25 aJas'40 4J50lsJ60!65'iO:
Bud the competent Pt-nons 14 to to to to to to to to to to to to ~
Courts. Indicted'l-=:~ 25. 30. :140·C50rrrrtl
c~im~:S~:a~~~r~~r_1 I I I I I
60ns _ - 132 I 29 37 30 1211 6 3
1
1 1 .... " 1.
Crimes against pro- I I I I pcrty - - 73 2 26 17 9 717 2 1" !
Crimes mixed - ~__I_~~~~~,~J~~J.::l:~
Total -1~1_4_1 82 1651_~_~J26;:2.:j_i~"':~I:":':lt
2.. Courts-ft:Tarlial. I I I I I I
Cnmes agamst per- I \
sons - - 51 ... I'" 7 12 7 8, 3 3 3... I I ... 6
Mixed crimes - lb:! 6 49 40 37 13 9,9 81 2 4 1
1
,,, I 3
Total - -;;---6- -;;- ~I--:;-I;ol~i2llif51-;1-;'l\~~
1-------
REeAPITULATION. I
Assize courts - 2il I 4 I 82[65\ 55126'211 81 4 21 11 ".1... I!
Courts-martial -1~__6_~~~120:~112 ~~~Ij~ 19
Total - 504 I 10 11::111121104!46'38'2015 7151 2' 11211
Ages according 10 I I I Provinces.
Attica and Breotia - 43 I 18 9 8 4 3 " ..
Eubrea - - 3J ". 4 5 7 4 51 211 II!
~h~~~~e:nd Lo~ris ~ I~~ "fi 4~ 4~ 3~ 11~1"91~ ~"i"4
::: :::/::::::
~~~~fi~n~~~ug~~~:;a I~~ ::: I~ 2~ 2~
i'2dl"s"4"4"i"i"i :::[ ~ I
Mautinea - - 49 2 I,'; 9 I~ Ill, ... 2 2". I , I 2
T.aconia - - 31 8 5 • 8
1
2
1
1"." '"1'''
Messenia - - 19 4
1
6 1 3 3 I 11 1 "',
Acha'ia and Elis - 25 I 7 9 5 2 1'''',... 1 ,,1 (.;."
Total - ~I-I-o-lml~1104 146'38 20'1517I--;\-;1~12~
'0'" 0 yGooglc
.,.J
JUSTICE. 337
Table ofthe Ages of Criminals of both Se:res tried by the
Assizes and Courts-Martial, 1838.
Number condemned to
Age.
10
67
49
54
18
14
4
4
4
3
1
1
1
6
8
8
4
4
5
1
9
15
13
4
3
------1---------
Total
Women,
14-20
20-25
25-30
30-35
35-40
40-50
50-60
Age unknown
5 3......
58 23 8 16
61 10 2 13
45 17 3 16
26 4 1 4
2:l ... 6
16 I 1 3 I'" ... ... 10 2......... 2 .
3 ... ... 3 ... 1 .
~ ::: ::: I ::: I ::: "i :::
1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
; ::: ::: 1"4 "2 "i ::: "i
----------------
- 257 I 60 14 65 47 35 I 6 232
• -5-1-..-. - ..-.-11-..-. - ..-. - ..-.1-
1
-
- I ,.. .., 1 ,.. 1
- 21 2 3
- 2 '" ...
- 1 .., .. ,
- 1 . ..
• 1 '" /..
• 1 . .. I 1 ... I..· ..· 1
___T_otal~_.--L--~-14=___-__!I=_;1~-~._'_.-._'_I_=-=,-_-12-.=.=-
.:_-3_1=-._.-.---,1=~6:_1
Men.
Under 14 years
14-20
20-25
25-30
30-35
35-40
40-45
45-50
50-55
55-60
60-65
65-70
70-80
Age unknown
RECAPITULATION.
Men
Women
Total
2~~ \ 6~ ~.~ \6; ~.~ 3~ ..~ 123~
- 2nT6~ U:I~ ~ S;--6-12'38
z
'0'" 0 yGooglc
JUSTICE.
Tabk di.tingui.hing tM NumW of Crimina" unnaa1'Tied, married,
and widowed, cu:cwed k.fore the A,ftze8 and Courts-Martial,
aecording to Crimu and Prooincu, 1838.
'Oil Married. Widowed.
!~ ]
~.9 ~ r:i ~c :3 £~ ~r:i Crimea and Court•. :q: B .c.~. 0" 0o~"
:3 knoowtn. -0 " .-:::;:! E~ 0 -." ~;g ~:a 0 S· ;:> ~:E E-o E-o ~~
0 ~i3 0 ~i3
-------------------
1. Assizes.
Crimes against persons - 132 78 28 23 51 ... 3 3 ...
... ... property - 73 50 10 9 19 1 ... 1 3 ... ... both - 66 40 9 13 22
... 1 1 3 ------
Total - 271 168 47 45 I 92 1 4 5 6 ------
ii~l~ 2. Courts-Martial.
Crimes against persons - 51 17 30 4 I 34
Mixed crimes - - 182 107 49 24 73
Total - 2331124179"--;;-1 107 1 I 1 2 I ...
RECAPITULATION.
Assizes - - -1271 11681 47
1
45 "WJ 4
5 6
Courts-martial - - 233 124 79 28 107 1 _1_. 2 ...
Total - 5041292 11261~ 199 2 I 5 7 6
According to Provinces.
Attica and Breotia - 43 33 6 3 9 1 ... 1 I
Eubrea - - - 31 7 3 16 19 ... 1 1 3
Cyclades - - - 14 7 4 2 6 ... 1 1 2
Phocis and Locris - 167 98 41 24 65 1 1 2 ...
Acarnania and lEtolia - 16 14 ... 2 2 ... ... ... ...
Argolis and Corinth - 109 54 49 13 62 ... 1 1 ...
Mantinea - - 49 31 16 2 18 ... ... ... ...
Laconia - - - 31 19 2 9 11 ... 1 1 '" Messenia - - - 19 6 13 ... 13
... ... ... ...
Achaia and Elis - - 25 23 ... 2 2 ... ... ... ...
Total - 504 29:2 126 7;-11991-21-51-71--6--
'0'" 0 yGooglc
JUSTleE. 339
Table ofthe Trade, and degree of Education of the Criminal, brought
before the A,Bize, and Courts-Martial, 1838.
Degree or Education
of the accused.
Number of
Criminal•.
Accu,ed of
Crimes.
Trade. and Profession•.
~
~ I--,-,-I-------,-I--,--,---,-c:;-·I
~ . Condemned to .' 0
o.;~ ~ § 4)'Z
... ~ CIJ • e "D D. 5.
.8 Cl,) go -g ~ s= ~ =_~ ~ eg-6
~ ~ ~ >( • g 8~ ~ "3 ~ ~5 ~
z co ... ;;:: '5,,~ ~ t-a s:: g' ~ s= 0
- Q .E ,e, - cd ~ Sl < ~ ~ 8-6"5 ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~c§.~ ~ :: C;W ~
< < :t rn ~ ~ (5 0
\--------1-------0-------------
hepherds - - 131 24 9 98 20119 5 8 791261 5
AgricuJturallabourers 91 26 3 62 1514 7 3 52 73 18
Gardeners - - 2 1 1 .. . 1 1 2 .
Tar-boilers - - 4... ... 4... 4 ... ... 4 .
Day labourers - 8... 1 7 2 2 3... 1 8 .
Rural guards - 4 1 ... 3 1.. . 1 2 4 ..
Masons - - 7 3 .. . 4 2 2 1 2 6 1
Carpenters and shipbuilders
- - 6 5 1 . 1 3 2 6 .. . .
Curriers - - 1... 1 . 1...... 1 .
Armourers and smiths 6 1 4 1... 1 2 3 5 1 .
Silk-reelers - - 1... 1 1... 1 ..
Dyers - - 3... 3 .. . .. . 2 1 3 .. . .. . .
Bakers - - 5... 4 1... ... 2... 3 2 3 .
Millers - - 2 2 ... ... 1......... 1 1 1 .
Butchers - - 8 4 1 3 1 2 3 ... 2 5 3 .
Tailors - - 8 1 4 3... 2 4 2 7 1 .
Shoemakers - - 4 3 1 .. . ... .. . 4 3 1 .. . .
Barbers - - 1 1 ... .. . .. . 1... 1 .
Shopkeepers - - 23 16 3 4 2 2 19 8 14 1 .
Wine-sellers - - 1 1 .. . . .. . 1... 1 .. . .
Grocers - - 2 1 .. . 1... ... 2 2 ... .. . .
'Waggoners - - 6 1 ... 5 1 4 .. . 1 5 1 .. . . ..
ailors - - 52 41 5 6 12 6 7 27 41 11 .
Captains of ships - 19 14 3 2 2 1 5 11 14 5 .
Coffee-shop keepers - 4 2 2 ... . ... ... 4 3 1 .. . .
Servants - - 29 6 10 13 8 2 3 3 13 19 10 .
Public functionaries - 5 3 1 1... 2 ... ... 3 1 3 1 .
Soldiers - - 21 3 2 16 7 5 6... 3 15 6 .. . .
Proprietors - - 6 3 1 2... 2 ... 4 3 3 .. . .
Editors - - 2 2 . 1 1... .. . 2
Scholars - - 3... 3 . 2 1.. . 2 1
Actors - - 1 1 1 1 .
Without an)' trade - 18 7 4 7 2 2
1
3 1110 14 3 1 .
48~11721~1243·~ 791~ii" 257~1~-3-1-;-
Women - - ~~_4 5_-.!.--=I_._.._J~~ __5_ ... .:.:...~
Total - 50411831 73 1248 61811 47 14412713961 102 -3-1 3
z 2
(;oogk
JUSTICE.
Table of tJre Number of Persons cu:cused of Crimes before the
A8,;ze8 and Court8-Martial and tJre Correctional Tri/nmals
in 1838, according to tJre Promme8; and 8/wwing the Ratio
ofecu:h to the Population oftJre Kingdom.
" ~ ~ .~-; ~~.: ~ L~ :; 0 ;;. ~';·E Cioo, ... .=: ... ~t 0"
'os 0 .8~ d ~lfIl)ce'" • Co>
0...: ,,- o<~ ~ o fc; c 0"
.,,~ 0 .. e~.g CO .. " "5 Ccu I Q) .9i S'; "'- Province.
.~~ ct: ~'e " 0"" •
"" f:!'! ~i~~ r -= § Z_ ;; ,,0 ,,- -;:;l ""c -;;0:
8~ '30 g g.1 ~~ E<: ~ g.-g8 § Co o < oc
0 ...." "'=OC >0 '" --<------Eo<
--"',,-,,""--P-i-Yu,-g r<--..-
Attica and BOlotia - 66,101 43 194 237 1,538 340 277
Eubrea - - 46,808 31 61 92 1,510 770 509
Cyclades - - 104,458 14 82 96 7,462 1,274 1,088
Phocis and Locris - 60,634 167 70 237 364 866 255
Acarnania and lEtolia 87,110 16 104 120 5,444 834 725
Argolis and Corinth - 82,487 109 134 243 763 665 340
Mantinea - - 108,998 49 306 355 2,225 356 307
Laconia - - 71,260 31 115 146 2,299 620 488
Messenia - - 77,795 19 233 252 4,095 334 308
Acha'ia and Elis - 95,603
1
25 161 186 3,824 596 514
Total - I 801,254
'
---- 504 1,460: 1,964 1,590 I~I 408
Table of the Accused and Convicted in proportion to tJre Populah'OU
Qf the Kingdom and ecu:h Province, and the Ratio of Married a7ld
Unmarried, tried before tJre Assizes and Courts-Martial, in 1838.
Province.
Pro- Proportion of the Proportion
portion Convicted, per Cent. of Accused,
of Ac- per Cent.
P~~ull~~n ~~~1~~ Crime. Crime.
pulatlon agaln.t a~~~~t Jl"::'~ Un- M~~ed
o~~:~ Penon.. perty. married. Widowed,
21
68
50
40
13
51
37
39 I
68
8 I
79
32
50
60
87
49
63
61
32
92
42
16
86
87
7
53
42
42
32
8
14
16
42
44
35
16
22
6
23
68
78
8
13
85
33
42
16
24
Attica and BOlotia - 66,101 1,538
Eubrea - - 46,808 1,510
Cyclades • - 104,458 7,462
Phocis and Locris - 60,634 364
Acarnania and lEtolia 87,110 5,444
Argolis and Corinth - 82,487 763
Mantinea - - 108,998 I 2,225
Laconia • - 71,260 12,299
?<Iessenia - - 77,79514,095
Achaia and Elis - 95,603 3,824
I
1----------1----1------------------
I
Total - 1801,254 11,590 I 36 1-1-5-1--.w-1--;---41-1
'--- ---------''--_....:....------------'----'--_...:..:...--:
'0'" 0 yGooglc
JUSTICE. 34-1
Tahle of the Charges of Mi.demeanours brought before the Correctional
Tribunals, showing the Se;,; and Age of the Accused, and the Number
of Acquittals and Condemnations, with the Nature of the Punishments
inflicted, 1838.
J. faturc of the Charges.
c~
:;;
oS
~o"
D
8 " Z
Sex of the Age of the
Accused. Accused.
Condemned
to
I ...
8 ...
3 ...
77 ...
86 .
20 .
1 .
1 .
2 .
3 ..
2 . ··1..· 1
1
'"
2 ..
I .
1 2
2 I
1
3 3
I
6 4
97129
9 6
1 ...
3
.,.~I"~ , ..
2 . 1 •..
1 ..
199 17 ... 21 97
26...... 1 16
1 ... 1
3... 2
2 ..
4 .
7 .
1 .
6 .
2
1
216
26
1
32
4
71
6
Insult to the person of the king 4--4--4~~----;I-I-;---;,C
Tearing down government
advertisements 3 3 3 I 2 2 I ...
Imitation of government seal I I I I ... I
Insult towards the government 103 158 153 5 2 8 66
1
76 81
Resistance to the legal authority
14 25 24 3 8 7 7 II
Secretly removing sequestrated
property 7 19
2
1
2
7 ..2. ...... 3 :1::°1 2
6
Robbery of sequestrated pro- 52 II
perty I
Sedition I I I ... ... I I
Illegal liberation of prisoners 10 24 23 I... 7 10, 5 13 II ..
Concealment of prisoners 3 4 4 ...... I I 2 2 2 .
Attempt at liberation of prisoners
1 1
1
'"
Alteration of voting registers I ... I
Wilfully destroying voting
registers 1 3 3 3... ... 3
Disturbing the public peace 2 7 7 3 4 7
Disturbance in church I I I I I
Insult to clergymen I 1 I I I
Disturbing domestic peace - 18 31 30 I... 3 16 II 15 2 14 .
Insult to corporations 6 26 26 ...... 3 9 14 20 6 .
Taking the law into one's
own hands 97
Aggression 15
Duelling I
Assumption of authority 3
Defrauding the revenue 2
Defrauding the tribunals 2
Uttering false coins 3
Falsification of coins - I
Forgery of signatures 5
Attempt to obtain a passport
illegally
Perjury
(;oogk
842 JUSTICE.
Sex of the Age of the
Accused. Accused.
Condemned
to
Nature of the Charges.
1-----------------------------
5 ...
7 .
1 .
5·..
27 4
79 6
5 .. ·
7 .. ·
16 .. •
3···
9 .
3 .
11 .
25 5
1 ...
3
1
1
2
8
1 .
1 .
8
3
1
1 .
1 ..
1
1 ...
71 96 .
5 1 .
37 42 .
47 45
1 3 ..
4 12 .
1 2
7 8 ...
42 38
2 1 ...
3
6 10
... 1... 1 .
4 4 3 7 5 ...
50136100 96 1 17322
1 ...... 2 ...
3 2
8 11 ..
3 1 .
4 16 12
... 2
2 6
... 5
23 15
... 3
... 25
... 1
8 29
22 66
2 ...
3 14
... 5
7 4
8 18
6 .
1 .
1 .
1 .
8 9 ..
.. , 1.........
... 1 ...
12... 1
281 11 5
2... 1
5 .
16 .
8 .
3311 2
3 .
96 .
6 .
66 8 ..
133 5 2
2 1 ..
21 .
6 .
17 2 1
67 2 1
1 1... ... ...
6
1
1
1
17
1
1
12
292
2
5
16
8
44
3
96
6
74
138
3
21
6
19
69
2
Totals
False evidence before tribunals r;
Immodest conduct - - 1
Unnatural crime - - 1
Attempt at ditto - - 1
Adultery - - - 9
Child murder - - - 1
Child stealing - - 1
Homicide by negligence - 8
Wo nding in self-defence - 184
Corporal inj ury - - 1
Spreading pestilential diseases 1
Illegal detention of property 13
Illegal detention of persons - 5
Abduction - - - 20
Attempt at abduction - 2
False denunciation - - 1
Calumny - - - 6
Slander - - - 40
Robbery - - - 91
Petty larceny - - 2
Concealment - - - 10
Fraud - - - 6
Arson - - - 13
Damaging others' property - 31
Usury - - - 2
Damage caused by revealing
secrets - - - 1 1 1 ... ... .., 1... 1... .
Neglect of duty - -: 2 2 2............ 2 2 ... .. .
Bribery - - - 5 12 12
1
......... 2 9 9... 2 1
Oppression - - - 3 6 6
1
", 5 1 2 ... 4 .
Violation of duty - - 1 1 1 1 1... ..
Abuse of authority - - 2 3 3 1 2... ... 1 2
~:~~::~ ~~ teon~n:;:i~~~e = ~ ~ ~ I·.. ~... ~. .. ......
Violation of the tariff - 1 1 l:: ::: 1 ::: 1 ::: ::: :::
Quackery - - - 1 1 11 ...... 1 1 .
Damage caused by inundation 1 6 6 :::...... 5 1 6 ::: ::: .
_____1 -----
- 78611,46011,381
1
79191996146151733 45 !633!40
'0'" 0 yGooglc
JUSTICE.
·
343
rable 0/ the Business brought before the Correctional Tribunals in 1838,
distinguishing the Sex and Age of the Prisoners, and the Number of
Uwse acquitted and condemned, according to each Province, and the
-whole Kingdom.
Number Nu::}ber Se". Age. t=1 Province. of Perlons 10 [14 21 Ac-
Con-
• Causes. Im- Male. Female. to to to A~e quilted. demoed.
1 .I Pllcated. ~~~__·_ i__
Attica and 1keotia - 149 194 183 11 6 54 87 47 71' 123
Eubrea - - 38 61 54 7 4 7 20 26 27 34
Cyclades - - 62 82 73 9 9 37 30 37 45
Phocis and Looris - 47 70 69 1 6 36 26 46 25
Acarnania and lEtolla 50 104 99 5 1 23 43 37 62 42
Argolis and Corinth 63 134 120 14 ... 13 59 62 59 73
Mantinea - - 113 306 294 12 11 30109 166 178 128
Laconia • • 60 115 112 3 6 20 47 41 61 I 46
Messenia - - 112 233 225 8 11· 17103 112 114 1119
Achaia and Ells - 92 161 152 9 .. , 20 73 68 78 83
-------------:.---------
Total - 786 1,460 1,381 79 1911996141 615 733 I 718 i
Table of the Number of Highway Robberies committed in
Greecefrom 1833 to 1839.
----
Provinces. 1..!!~ .!! ... Year. ;1'0 ;I.:i .; .; ::i .;
~ ~ Total.
11 'c 1:1 .., 'il ~~ ~8 0 .g ~ l:: l;! ~ ii ~
<;I < I~l...:I ..:I I>l t/ < <
""1-'"1------- -------- ... No returns.
1834 4 25 7 23 4 3 8 6 5 5 84
1835 8 20 10 25 3 5 10 6 6 93
1836 10 8 12 11 1 18 4 56
1837 \ 3 7 7 5 4 3 4 5 5 43
1838 2 4 6 2 4 3 5 11 4 41
1839 ... 2 4 1 1 8
z 4
RELIGION.
CHAP. X.
RELIGION.
STATE OF THE GREEK CHURCH ON THE KING'sARRIYAL.-It
is well known that, after the introduction of Christianity into
the Roman empire, and its confirmation by the Emperor
Constantine, the Archbishops of Rome, Byzantium, Alexandria,
Antioch, and Jerusalem, were respectively regarded
as the spiritual heads of their separate extensive ecclesiastical
provinces, and honoured by the title of Popes and Patriarchs.
Under their immediate authority were placed the metropolitan
archbishops, to whom were subjected the bishops, who, in
their turn, were placed over the inferior ,clergy, and over
lluch monasteries as were not under the immediate jurisdiction
of the metropolitan or patriarch.
The provinces of which the pr~nt kingdom of Greece is
composed, formed part of the immense diocese of the patriarch
of Constantinople, and comprised eleven archbishoprics,
- viz. those of Athens and Thebes on the continent;
Corinth, Patras, Nauplia, Christianopolis (now Tripolitza),
Olenus (Elis), and Lacedremon, in the Peloponnesus; and Euripos
(Eubrea), Tinos, and Naxos, in the islands.
The patriarch of Constantinople, whose seat was the new
capital of the eastern empire, received the title of (Ecumenos
(oucovpivT/), because the Romans considered the countries
submitted to their llwayas the whole of the inhabited world:
but the patriarch of Rome, as the head of the church at the
ancient capital, claimed the title equally; and this was the
beginning of that fatal schism which extended afterwards to
articles of faith, and ecclesiastical rites, and finally ended in
the separation of the two churches. In vain were several
attempts made to conciliate and reunite them. They went
so far as to excommunicate each other; and Constantinople,
RELIGIOl", 345
abandoned by the West, soon after fell into the hands of the
Turks.
When the schism took place, the patriarchates of Constantinople,
Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria, formed thc
Oriental church, but in the interior ,of Egypt, Syria, and
Asia Minor, Christianity succumbed almost entirely under
the persecutions and cruelties of the victorious Mussulmans.
The greater part of the archbishoprics and bishoprics disappeared,
so that their sites are almost unknown at the present
day, and their revenues were seized and appropriated to
the support of the mosques.
Mahomet H. seated at Constantinople on the ruins of the
eastern empire, had sense enough to perceive that the Greeks,
though Christians, might be made useful and even necessary instruments
for the consolidation of his throne, and accordingly
proclaimed a general amnesty, granted a toleration of religious
creeds, and even undertook to re-establish the Greek
church, though nearly annihilated by the fanaticism of the
infidels. There being no longer a patriarch at Constantinople,
.the sultan authorised the Greek clergy to proceed to the
election of a new one; and Gennadius Scholarius, a man of
learning and piety, was raised to that dignity; whilst Mahomet
himself, usurping the privilege of his predecessors the
emperors, installed him as patriarch, and acknowledged him as
head of the Greek church.
This conciliatory measure preserved Christianity amongst
the Greeks of Europe and the coasts of Asia Minor, and saved
them from the fate of their fellow Christians in the interior
provinces of Asia and Africa. It is true they were still exposed
to numberless humiliat.ing mortifications; but they
succeeded at length in organising the church; that is, in
placing bounds to the hitherto arbitrary authority of the
patriarchs, in subjecting the clergy to a salutary discipline,
and in regulating the finances of the ch urch in such a manner,
that, in cases of urgent necessity, they were able to find means
of appeasing the anger and gaining the favour of the Turkish
government.
According to their constitution, the church was governed
by a synod, composed of all the archbishops; but so large a
846 RELIGION.
body producing troubles and inconveniences, their number
was reduced to eight. These were the Archbishops of
Cizycus, Nicea, Cresarea, Adrianople, Larissa, Thessalonica,
Ephesus, and Smyrna, to whom were afterwards added two
more, viz. the Archbishops of Chalcedony and Dereon, whose
dioceses were situated near the capital, and who generally
resided at Constantinople.
When the Russian church declared itself independent of
the patriarch of Constantinople, and broke off all connection
with him, this rupture gave an opportunity ~f more clearly
defining the dogmas of the orthodox church than had
hitherto been the case. In order to bring about this important
object, Peter Mogilas, the Archbishop of Kiow, drew up,
in the year 1642, an exposition of the orthodox faith, and
submitted it to the inspection of the bishops of his diocese.
After having receiveditheirlapprobation, he sent it, under the
title of "the Exposition of the Russian Creed," to the
patriarch
of Constantinople, requesting his sanction to it, and
that of the church under his control. The patriarch, in
consequence, appointed a committee of bishops, and sent
them to Moldavia, where they held a meeting with the deputies
of the Archbishop of Kiow, in which it was agreed to
under the title of " the Orthodox Confession of Faith, of the
Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ." ('OpBo~o~or;
oJ-loXoyla Tijr: "aBoXuer,r: Kat b:rrOtTTOXtKY,r: hKX1JtTlar; TOV
XpttTTOV.)
It was then sent to the four patriarchs of Constantinople,
Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, and approved of by
their respective synods, who affixed to it their official seals,
the three first in 1648, the last not till 1672. In 1721 it
was received and acknowledged by Peter the Great, when
he promulgated the ecclesiastical law, definitively regulating
the clergy and synod of the Russian dominions.
This confession is based on the seven (Ecumenic councils,
the validity of which it fully recognises. Conformably to
its decision, it admits of two sources of faith, - viz. the
sacred writings, and oral tradition handed down from the
time of the Apostles, and confirmed at different periods by
the councils. It is grounded on the primitive symbol of
Niceus, and that of the Apostles, making the Holy Ghost to
RELIGION. 347
proceed from the Father alone, and not jointly with the Son,
and considers the edifice of faith as completed, allowing
neither the patriarchs nor any future councils the power of
altering the old, or of introducing new dogmas.
I t acknowledges the government of the church by means
of patriarchs, and regards the superior rank of those of Rome
and Constantinople as an accidental dignity granted to them by
the emperors, as being the seats of government of the eastern
and western empires. It holds the dogmas of the church to be
of divine origin, 110 that they cannot be revoked, or even
doubted, but on pain of eternal perdition. The seven
sacraments are admitted; baptism is effected by total immersion,
because they are persuaded that if the whole body
is not purified, original sin cannot be completely washed out.
The sacrament of confirmation is administered at the same
time as baptism, of which it is considered the fulfilment.
The doctrine of transubstantiation is taught; the bread is
prepared with leaven, and the wine mixed with water. No
one is excluded from the Lord's table, not even children.
The laity receive the sacrament in both forms, and indeed
at the same time, for the bread is steeped in the wine, taken
out of the vase with a spoon, and thus given together to the
communicants. In addition, they hold that the sacrament of
the Lord's supper can be administered profitably for all
orthodox Christians, whether they be living or dead. As respects
extreme unction, they anoint with the sacred oil not
only dying persons, but others not dangerously ill, and young
children for the recovery of their health, the remission of
their sins, and regeneration of their souls. Prayer must be
used to obtain the intercession of the angels, the saints, and
especially the Virgin Mary. Images, pictures, and reliques,
are objects of veneration; but pictures only may be used in
churches. The sign of the cross made in pronouncing the
name of Jesus, is believed to draw down a divine and salutary
power on both body and soul. Oral confession of sins to the
clergy is imperative, and absolution is necessary previously
to taking the sacraments, but the doctrines of jutltification
by works, indulgences, and purgatory, are not admitted.
On the arrival of the king, the universal wish of the clergy
348 RELIGION.
to declare themselves independent of the patriarch of Constantinople
was openly manifested; in consequence of which
a special committee was appointed at Nauplia (the then seat
of government) to enter into negotiations on the subject with
the prelates of the kingdom, which ended in the declaration
of independence of the church of Greece.
The following are translations of the three important documents
which were published concerning the subject in
question; - viz. I. The result of the labours of the special
committee, and protocol of their negotiations with the prelates
: - 2. The declaration of the independence of the Greek
church; and, 3. The royal ordonnance, containing the appointment
of the permanent synod.
No. 1. (GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 1833, p.I74.)
" The secretary of state for religion and public instruction
hereby gives notice, that, in virtue of a royal decree of the
~ July of this year, a special committee WI\S appointed for
the purpose of conducting the negotiations with the metropolitan
archbishops and bishops of the kingdom, invited and
required to meet here by circular ofAJuly. In consequence
of this a meeting was held, which was attended by all the
prelates to the number of thirty-six, who voted unanimously
for the independence of the Greek church, and the establishment
of a permanent synod of the kingdom.
" The protocol of the meeting follows below, with the
list of the prelates present, without prejudice to their rank
and precedence, but in the order in which they are signed.
" Protocol of the Conference held between the Special Committee
and the Metropolitans, Archbishops, and Bishops of
the Kingdom, respecting the Political Independence cif the
Greek Church and the appointment of a Synod.
" This day, the ~ July, 1833, at 10 o'clock of the forenoon,
the undermentioned metropolitans, archbishops, and
bishops of the Grcek church of this kingdom, invited and required
to assemble in this city, held a conference with the
special committee appointed to conduct the proceedings,
RELIGION. 349
consisting of Spyridion Tricoupi, His Majesty's secretary of
state for church and school affairs, and the two ministerial
councillors, Constantine Demetrius Schinas, and Scarlatos
Byzantius.
" The meeting was opened by tne president of the com·
Inittee communicating to the prelates assembled the object
of the conference, and the purpose for which they were invited
to attend, after which the other two members of the
committtle explained to the meeting fully and circumstantially,
-
" That His Majesty's government intended to improve, by
every means in their power, the state of the Greek church,
and ensure its stability for ever; that the government was
striving, especially, to replace the Greek church on that respectable
footing towards other powers which it formerly
enjoyed before the conquest of the country, and which the
interest and prosperity of the church itself imperatively demanded;
that the principal means of attaining this great
end, which was, in certain respects, the basis of its future stability
and importance, consisted in the following acts: 1.
The solemn and irrevocable declaration of the (already de
facto existing) perfect independence of the Greek church
from any outward power or foreign influence as respects its
exterior relations, without prejudice to the unity of the faith
as recognised from time immemorial by all the churches of
the oriental creed; and, 2. The appointment of a permanent
holy synod, to be nominated by the king, which should form
the supreme ecclesiastical authority, in imitation of the Russian
church; and that although the committee appointed
on the ~ March to examine into the state of the Greek
church, as well as the whole of the secretaries of state, were
unanimously of this opinion, yet the government did not
think proper to take any decisive measure, without having
first heard the opinions of the venerable prelates of the
kingdom on these two points; and that this was the object
of the meeting, and the reason of their being invited to attend
it.
" The undermentioned prelates having listened attentively
350 RELIGION.
to this communication, deliberated on the proposal, when the
secretary of state for church and school affairs intimated to
them the propriety, and even necessity, of their consulting together
in private on such an important case of conscience;
and for this purpose quitted the room with the other members
of the committee.
" After a considerable space of time, they returned at the
invitation of the assembled prelates, and gave further information
about the subject under discussion which they
required, and then, at their request, retired again from the
room to leave them to deliberate freely and without interruption.
" On their return the second time, which was also at the
instance of the assembly, the committee were informed, on
the part of the prelates, that the questions proposed met with
their unanimous concurrence, and that they therefore most
fervently wished that the government would boldly publish
to the world, -
" 1. That the orthodox oriental and apostolic church of
the kingdom of Greece, in acknowledging as its spiritual
Head none other than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is
free and independent of any foreign power, without prejudice
to the unity of the faith hitherto recognised by all orthodox
oriental churches; and concerning the temporal affairs
of the church, whose business belongs to the throne, it
acknowledges His Majesty the King of Greece as its temporal
head, since this is in accordance with the ecclesiastical law;
and,
"2. That a permanent synod, consisting exclusively of
prelates appointed by the king, be constituted for the purpose
of directing the affairs of the church, according to the
ecclesiastical laws."
" This protocol having been duly read, was signed by the
following prelates: -
KYRILLOS, Metrop. of Corinth.
PA'jSIOS, Metrop. of Thebes.
DlONYSIUS, Metrop. of Rhion.
JACOB, Metrop. of Eubrea.
GERASIMOS, Metrop. of Egina and Hydra.
RELIGION. 351
KYRILLOS, formerly Metrop. of Larissa.
NICODEMUS, Metrop. of Zea and Thermia.
JONAS. Bishop of Damala.
NEOPHYTUS, Bishop of Talanti.
AGATHANGELOS, formerly Metrop. of Ankyra.
MAKARIOS, formerly Metrop. of Selyvria.
DIONYSIUS, Metrop. of Tripolitza.
KYRILLOS, Bishop of Caryopolis.
IGNATIUs, Bishop of Adramerion.
P AislOS, Bishop of Elis.
MELETIUS, Bishop of Argos.
CALLIMIKOS, Metrop. of Syphnos.
JOASAPHUS, formerly Metrop. of Bizya.
ANTHIMOS, Bishop of Heliopolis.
JOHANNIKIOS, Bishop of Rethymna.
GREGORIUS. Bishop of Eudokias.
PROCOPIUS, formerly Bishop of Paramythia.
GREGORIUS, formerly Bishop of Mendenitza.
BARTHOLOMlEUS, Bishop of Moschonisi.
PORPHYRIU8, Metrop. of Naupactos.
ANTHIMOS, Bishop of Athens and Livadia.
GABRIEL, Bishop of Tinos.
JOSEPH, Bishop of Androussa.
NEOPHYTUS, Bishop of Carystos.
DANIEL, Bishop of Lacedremon.
DANIEL, formerly Bishop of Chios.
SOPHRONIU8, Bishop of Myrrhina.
GABRIEL, Metrop. of Zarnata.
THEODORU8, Bishop of Bresthena.
ANTHIMOS, formerly Metrop. of Belgrade.
~IONYSIUS, Metrop. of Andros and Syra.
" The special committee: -
S. TRICOUPI, President.
C. D. SCHINAS.
S. BYZANTIUS.
" Nauplia, }~ July, 1833."
352 RELIGION.
No. 2. DECLARATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE
GREEK CHURCH.
" Otho, by the Grace of God, King of Greece:
"In compliance with the unanimous wish of the metropolitans,
archbishops, and bishops of our kingdom here
assembled, to declare the independence of the Greek church,
and establish a permanent synod, with the consent and advice
of our ministers of state, we have ordained and ordain as
follows :-
• "THE ORTHODOX ORIENTAL ApOSTOLIC CHURCH OF
THE KINGDOM OF GREECE CH op(Jooo~oc 'AJlaTOAtKq 'A7rotTToAtKq
EKKA1Jula TOV BaUtAElov n)l: 'EAXaool:), in acknowledging
as its spiritual Head none other than our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, and in its temporal and ecclesiastical concerns
the King- of Greece, is free and independent of any foreign
power, without prejudice to the unity of the faith hitherto
recognised by all orthodox oriental churches.
"The highest ecclesiastical power under the supremacy of
the king is vested in the hands of a permanent synod, called
THE SACRED SYNOD OF THE KINGDOM OF GREECE CIEpa
~VJlOOOl: TOV BaUtAElov Tql: 'EAAaOOl:).
" The king will appoint a secretary of state to exercise in
his stead jurisdiction over the church, and to whom in this
respect the synod is subject. The seat of the synod is the
metropolis of the kingdom, and it has the privilege of using
its own seal, consisting of the Greek national cross, sur·
rounded by the motto, 'Sacred Synod of the Kingdom of
Greece.'
"The synod is composed of five members,-viz. a president
and four councillors. The king reserves to himself the right
of appointing supernumerary members to carry on the
business of the church during the illness or absence of the
ordinary members. The president and councillors must be
either metropolitans, archbishops, or bishops, but the members
may be presbyters, archimaudrites, or hieromonachs
(IEpo/loJlaxo,). The synod will be constituted every year,
but the members may be re-appointed.
supernumerary
the presence of
RELIGION.
cc The procedure of the synod ii collegiate, and all
questions are decided by a majority of votes. When the
numbers are equal, the president has the casting vote. All
the members are bound to sign the decisjons thus ilarried,
though they may dissent from the measure; but are at Hbertj
to enter their protest in the minutes of the sitting•
.. A royal commissioner (BaulXuwe 'E7TlrpcnrOI;) is attached
to the synod, as also a secretary, both of whom are appointed
by the government: the inferior functionaries may
be chosen by the synod, but must be confirmed by the king.
The secretary has the right of attending the sittings, at which
he may deliver his opinion and give his advice; but he has
no vote. The commissioner is bound to attend the sittings,
at which he has to represent the interest of the government,
and any decision agreed to in his absence is null and void.
He has also the right of making propositions to the synod,
either e:x officio, or on the part of some branch of the government,
and to require them to deliberate on them, and
put them to the vote.
.. The president, the members, and
members, must take the following oath in
the king:-
.. I swear fidelity to the king, obedience to the laws of the
kingdom, the conscientious discharge of the office entrusted
to me, the true and faithful maintenance of the rights and
liberties of the orthodox oriental apostolic church of the
kingdom of Greece, the preservation of its independence
from every outward power, the conscientious furtherance of
its well-being, with a careful absence of all private con.
siderations, and the punctual fulfilment of all the duties con"
nected with my office."
(,OfLvVW 7TLtrn1V Ell; TOV BauLXia, v7TOTa'Y'1v llc TOVe vOfLove
TOU BOULMOV, lvuvvElaT/TOi! lK7TX.qPWULV TWV aLa'ltLUTwtJivTll1J/ fLOV
xpiwv, 7TldTT}v otarllPT/ULV TWV aucaLwfLaTwv /Cal 1rpOVOfLLWV Tqe
optJooo~ov 6:vaTIJXL~1; 6:7ToUToXt/CJ}e l/C"XT/lTlae TOU (3auLXElov
TT)e 'EXXaaOI;, aLaT.qpT/ltLV TJ}e llv~~apTfJITLae Tqe 6:7TO 7TaUT/1:
~iJiT/e
E~ovulae, ~vtJpEfLoV V7TEpau7TLuLv TWV UVfLcpEpOl/TWV IWTql:,
a7TOXJ1l"
":n:u 7TaJITOI; 7TXa')lLOV U"O'll"OV, /Cal 6:"PL~q'
l"tiXEULV oXwv ~v')Iiv£t,
I:allv fLipEt ~JlOI: l"auTov TWV mtJT/.OJlTWJI TJ11:
v'Il"lipEulal; fLOV:)
AA
llELIOION,
" The royal commissioner, secretary,-and other functionaries,
'must take the usual oath of allegiance before the as-sembled
synod.
cc In all the spiritual concerns of the church the synod is
perfectly independent of all temporal authorities.
"Among the spiritual concerns are reckoned - 1. The
articles of faith; 2. The forms and ceremonies of Divine
.ervice; S. The proper administration of ecclesiastical offices;
40. Religious instruction; 5. Church discipline (fKKX'ItJ'tallTua)
7l'Ej6apxla); 6. The examination and ordination (XEtporovlu)
of the clergy 1 7. The consecration of vessels and buildings
for religious purposes; 8. The competency of a religious
tribunal to decide in all purely ecclesiastical cases, .such as
the fulfilment of religious duties according to the doctrines,
dogmatic books, and the constitutional principles founded on
them, cases of conscience, and other similar affairs.
cc The synod has to watch over the preservation of the
purity of the articles of faith received and acknowledged by
the oriental church, and especially of the books treating on
religious subjects intended for the perusal of the clergy or
young persons; and as soon as it ascertains that anyone
attempts to make innovations on the church of the kingdom,
either by new doctrines, proselytism, or in any other manner,
it is bound to require the aid of the temporal authorities
to repress the evil. The synod further keeps a vigilant 'eye
on the punctual obser"ance of the ecclesiastical customs and
regulations, the sacred rites and ceremonies, and of every
thing else belonging to the public worship (7l'ipt r'lv a'lp'oulOv
>..arpElav); it must also maintain the respectability of the
clergy, watch over their welfare and improvement, and take
care that they do not interfere in temporal concerns in violation
of the ecclesiastical and civil laws.
cc All the affairs of the church, besides those relating to
articles of faith, come also under the province of the synod; but
they cannot pronounce a decision on them without the
consent of the government, Under this category are the following
: - 1. The regulations as to the time, place, and frequency
of church service; 2. The prescription, suppression,
or reduction of the number of monastic regulations, cere-monies,
processions, festinls, &c,; 3, The filling up of vaRJl:
LIOION. 855
cancies in ecclesiastical offices, and granting permission for
the ordination o( priests and deacons; 4. The division of. the
parishes of the different dioceses; 5. The rules to be observed
~n .the institutions for preparing young men for the church;
6. Regulations for the preservation of health in the ecclesiastical
establishments; 7. Extraordinary church ceremonies,
particularly on work-days, and beyond the walls of churches ;
and, 8. The laws of marriage when they do not concern the
civil contract.
"Decisions and regulations on subjects of a mixed nature, .
made by the synod and confirmed by the state, have the force
of laws, and are to be published as such in the government
gazette.
" All the bishops of the kingdom are subject to the synod,
receive their instructions from it, and make their reports to
it of all that concerns its jurisdiction. The number and extension
of the bishoprics will be settled by government after
hearing the opinion of the synod. The bishoprics will be
endowed in a proper and respectable manner, and the bishops
appointed by government on the recommendation of the
synod; and, in canonical cases, removed, suspended, or dis~
missed at their instance. The division and endowment of
livings, and appointments to ecclesiastical offices, will be
fixed by future ordonnances.
"In purely religious matters the synod exercises the
powers of the highest tribunal over the clergy and laity; but
in temporal affairs the clergy are subject to the temporal
laws, and the civil and criminal courts of justice. Amongst
the temporal affairs are included -:- 1. Contracts and agreements,
testamentary dispol.'al of property, and the other
worldly affairs of the clergy; 2. Disposal of moveable and im.
inoveabl~ property, rents, annuities, fees, and other emoluments
of monasteries, churches, and the clergy; 3. Sentenocs
and decisions on the acts of the clergy, which may be con.
8ider~d as crimes, misdemeanors, and infringement of police
regulations; 4. Marriage laws, as far as regards the civil
contract; 5. The regulations of the registers of births,
deaths, and marriages, and other church books and parochial
documents; and, 6. The general plan for the building and re·
pairs of churches and other ecclesiastical edifices.
A A 2
RELIGION'•
..The synod, the bishops, and all other ecclesiastical authorities
and persons, are strictly prohibited from holding
direct correspondence with any foreign power. All such correspondence
must be transmitted open through the medium
of the secretary of state for religion and public instruction•
.. Provided the ecclesiastical authorities keep within the
sphere of their own duties, they have a right to the protection
ofthe temporal powers of the state, who will receive the necessary
instructions to render them all necessary aid and assistance
in defending their rights and privileges.
Cl Every Greek. is at liberty to claim the protection of the
g{)vemment, if he considers himself unjustly treated by any
clerical authority.
"The govemment has the right of appointing public
prayers or thanksgivings on particular occasions, through
the medium of the synod; as also to appoint ecclesiastical
councils to be held, and to nominate the president and secretary,
but without reference to the tenets or doctrines to
be proposed for discussion.
.. The president, royal commissioner, and the councillors
of the synod, as well as the supernumerary members, have
the rank of members of the council of state.
"In all church ceremonies,' the bishops, after praying
for the king, are to pray for the synod in these words: Cl
Remember, 0 Lord lour holy synod, if it please Thee! ..
(Mv~lT8'7Tf KYPIE, r~c ifpiic #ipwv 1:vv6oov, liv x6.pllTTal.)
Given at Nauplia, 4 2~~;:Is't, }1833.
In the name of the King.
The Regency: -
(Signed) COUNT ARMANSPERG, president.
VON MAURER.
VON HElDECK.
(Countersigned) The secretaries of state:S.
TRICOUPI, president.
A. MAVROCORDATO.
G. PSYLLAS.
G. PRAiDES.
I. COLETTI.
VONSCHMALTZ.
aELiGION.
No. 3. THE ROYAL ORDONNANCE NOMINATING TRIC
MEMBERS OF THE SYNOD.
557
OtM, by the Grace of God, ~c.
We hereby appoint and nominate as follows:KYRILLOS,
metropolitan of Corinth, to be president of the
synod.
C. D. SCHINA8, to be royal commissioner in the same.
P AisIOS, metropolitan of Thebes, }
ZACHARIAS, metrop. of Santorin, to be members
KYRILLOS, formerly metrop. of Larissa, of the same.
JOSEPH, bishop of Andrussa,
Rev. THEocLITus PHARMAKIDES to be secretary of the
same.
ANTHIMos, bishop of HeliOpolis,} to be supernumerary
NEOPRYTUS, bishop of Talanti, members of the same.
The annual remuneration for these functionaries is hereby
fixed as follows : -
The President
The Royal Commissioner
Each Member
The Secret.ary
Drs. £
- 8000 = 107
- 2400 = 86
- 2400 = 86
- 8000 = 107
The royal commissioner is to be paid out of the state
treasury; the rest of the synod from the ecclesiastiCal
funds.
Given at Nauplia, 62~ July, } 1833.
ugust,
Administration. - The ecclesiaStical affairs of the state
fonn a separate section of the business of the minister f~r
religion and public instruction, which section comprehends,
1. The clergy; 2. The convents; and, 3. The administration
of the church property.
Cler!1!l' - The whole body of the clergy, as hQS been
shown above, are subje-ct to the royal authority, and are
only dependent on the permanent holy synod as far as concerns
the exercise of their functions and ecclesiastical duties.
A A 3
3513 REL[GlOll.
of the bishoprics as constituted
20 NoVember}
ordonnance of 2December',
The clergy are divided into the dignitaries and inferior
clergy; under the former are comprehended the bishops, and
under the latter the priests and deacons.
Bishops. - The prelates of the kingdom, as regards their
spiritual power, are placed under the supreme jurisdiction of
the synod, from whom they receive their orders, and to
whom they make their reports in all ecclesiastical matters.
The appointments to bishoprics are made exclusively by the
king, as the supreme head of the church, and the priests and
deacons of each diocese are under the immediate orders of
their respective prelates.
According to the ecclesiastical organisation of 1833, it
was decided that there should be ten permanent bishoprics,
equal in extent of diocese to the then division of the
country, with the cathedral in the capital of each province
(vopo.;). But as there were at that time forty bishoprictl in
Greece, the government, in order to be just towards all,
decreed that there should be thirty suffragan or provisional
bishoprics till the law should come into operation by the
death or resignation of the supernumerary prelates. It was
further ordained that in cases of vacancy, the provisional
bishoprics should not be filled up, but be incorporated with
the principal one of each nomos, so as eventually to reduce
the number to ten.
The following is a list
provisionally by the royal
1833:-
Argolis and {
Corinth.
Prm:ince.
Achaia
EHs.
Menenia. {
Diocese. Province. D1oc:eM.
Corinth. Mantinllea.
Argolis.
Arcadia. Megalopolis.
HJ·dra. Erymanthia.
I Patras.
Gortyne.
Lacedlllmon.
! Elis. Sellasia.
, lEgialaia. Epidanroa Limen.
KynethlE.
Laconia. Gythion.
I Asine.
Kyparissia.
I
<Etylon.
Messene. Zyg08.
Modon. Kardamyle.
D1oc:eae.
Cyclades.
1I Provlnc.. I 1----------1
11 Eubma.
'.1 Eubma. SCkaorpyestloias..
Skyros.
Cyclades.
Andros.
Kythn08.
Mylos.
Thera.
Naxos.
1
Provln.... I Dloce...
Phocis and {I Phoc~s ..
"
Locris. Phth.lOtlS.
I Locr18.
I Attica and { Attic~
'Bamtia. Bre~l1a. I lEglOa.
l '
Acarnania {. Acarnania.
Il_~d_~.!.()lia._ I Kallidrome.
But it was found that this measure could not well b~
c:uried into execution. On the publication of the law, the
bishop of Gortyne resigned his mitre, and his diocese was
united to that of Erymanthia, under the title of the see of
Gortyne. The same thing occurred with the bishopric(of
Elis and Cardamyle; the former being incorporated with the
see of Achaia as capital of the province of that name, and
the latter united to the diocese of Lacedremon, capital
of the province of Laconia. But on the demise of the metropolitan
archbishop of Corinth, his diocese was not incorporated
with that of Argos, the capital of the province ;
for the archbishop of Eubrea dying about the same time,
the law was discovered to be defective, the 3d article ordaining
the union of the provisional sees to those of the
capitals, but making no provision in the case of a vacancy
occurring in the diocese of the capitals of provinces.
To remedy this defect, a proposal was drawn up and
laid before the council of state, where the subject was discussed
with great bitterness and irritation, which tended to
destroy completely the existing ecclesiastical diviBion of the
kingdom; and as they could not agre~ on the su~ect, no alteration
has yet been made, and the original law remains in
force. In the mean time death has considerably thinned the
ranks of the prelates, and their number is 1l0W reduced to
twenty-six having dioceses, and five retired on pensions.
The bishops who have died off' since the promulgation of
the law are nine in number,-viz. those of Corinth, Eubrea, Zygos,
and ffitylon, in 1886; of Skyros and Naxos, in 1837; of
Acamania, in 1838; of Gortyne, in 1839; and of Achaia, in
A. A. 40
RELIGION.
1840. If we add to these the bishop of Modon, who
resigned his office in 1836, and was placed on the list of
pensioned prelates, the sum of bishoprics de facto vacant, and
provisionally governed by a commission of priests, will amount
to ten, or one fourth of the whole.
Of the 40 bishoprics in the kingdom, 16 are possessed
of landed property; but of these the only ones which produce
any considerable revenue are the dioceses of Corinth,
Them, Lacedremon, Acarnania, Attica, lEgina, Naxos, and
Skyros; whilst the other eight are very triiling, and 24 are
not endowed at all.
Churckesand Parochial Clergy.-The priests of the Greek'
church are not allowed to marry as mclt, but as deacons
they may; and no oqjection iil made to married men becoming
priests, though such cannot be raised to the bishoprics.
There are 2905 parish churches in the kingdom, the ecclesiastical
rites in which are performed byS12S priests and
deacons, of whom 2690 are married, and 433 unmarried.
Besides these, there are 201 priests and deacons belonging
to 'convents, but living in the world by the special written
permission of their respective bishops, and employed either
8ll preachers, parish curates, or teachers. The churches belong
properly to the domains of the communes, according
to the municipal law ; and as such, but in this respect only,
are under the minister of the interior. The revenues of the
parochial clergy in Greece are uncertain, and depend on the
fees paid for attendance in sickness, and for marriages, baptisms,
and burials, as well as the voluntary contributions
by the parishioners. On the whole, they are very trifling,
and in some of the poorer parishes are barely sufficient for
the maiftYluaDce of the clergy.
Monasterre,. - Numerous monasteries of importance formerly
existed in Greece; but in consequence of the great reduction
which war and death had made in their inmates, a
law was passed in 1834, suppressing all those with less than
five monks, who in this case were transferred to other CODvents
at their choice, and the revenues of such monasteries
were applied to general purposes under the title of the ecclel5iastical
fund. The number of monasteries thus suppressed
amount! to 332.
l
r
RELIGION.
The following is a list of the remaining convents: -
361
Prmince. No., ProYince. INo. I Province. ' No. PrGTlnce. No.
-~
Argolis . 7 Messenia . 3 Eurytania ! 2 Tino8 - 4
Corinth - 2 Mantinea - 12 Phocis - 4 Syra . 4
Hydra - 8 Gortyne . 2 Phthiotis 2 Nax08 - 1
Achaia . 14 LacedaJmon 4 Attica - 7 Thera - 3
Cynethlll- 8 lEtolia - 3 .B<Ilotia - 10 Skiatho8 - 1
,Elis - 5 Acarnania - 1 Eub<ea - 14 -- Total - 1121
----~--
The government, however, has since thought proper to
reinstate the following convents in their former rights and
privileges, at the pressing desire of the inhabitants: - viz.
Dimniora in Messenia; Lokou and Caltizon in Ml1ntinrea;
St. Theodore and St. Jolm the Baptist in Gortyne; Gola in
Lacedremon; Angelocastron in lEtolia: which seven, added
to the above, make a total of 128 convents, containing 1646
monks, besides a considerable number of novices employed
in their respective convents as servants, field labourers, and
shepherds.
Nunneries.-There are now only four monastic establishments
for females in Greece,-viz. one in the island of Thera,
one at Tinos, and two in Acha'ia (those of Agia Monea and
Pepelenitza), containing in all 151 nuns, all of whom are
at a very advanced age, and live on the moderate resources
of their respective establishments, the produce of their manual
labour, and the alms that are occasionally given them.
The nunnery of Thera alone possesses sufficient property to
support its members.
Besides these there are still to be found in the islands of
Naxos, Andros, Paros, and Myconos, pseudo-monastic establishments,
inhabited by aged nuns, who belonged to
the nunneries in those islands suppressed by the law of
1834, who' live on charity, and which are therefore more
deserving the appellation of almshouses or charitable in_
stitutions. These poor women so earnestly implored the king
to allow them to pass their few remaining days in their native
islands, that they have been tacitly permitted to do so, and
the law obliging the nuns to select a retreat from among the
JU:t.1G 10 ~:
four nunneries retained has 110t been enforced as respect.
them.
Administration of ComJents.-The direction of the conM
vents is confided to an abbot (~'YOV""EJlOt;:) and two
councillors,
elected annually from among the fraternity of each
convent by a majority of votes, whose nomination is confirmed
by the synod. They are charged with the administration of
the whole of the property of their respective monasteries, and
the cultivation and improvement of their lands, under the immediate
surveillance of the governor of the province in which
they are situated. All monks are subject to the bishop of their
diocese and the synod, as far as concerns their spiritual and
ecclesiastical duties; but ~ regards their temporal concerns,
they are under the civil authorities, to whom they are bound
to make an annual report of the state of their affairs, which,
after being certified by their diocesan, is transmitted through
the provincial governor to the minister of the interior.
Twofold Tithes. - Like all other subjects of the crown,
the inmates of convents are liable to the payment of direct
taxes to the state and communes; those monasteries only
whose annual revenues are not adequate to their necessaryex.
penses are alone exempted from the municipal taxes, and the
number of these is but few. But besides these taxes, a second
tithe for the benefit of the ecclesiastical fund is levied on all
monasteries, with the single exception of that of the Cenobites
of Skiathos, who are exempted from this twofold contribution,
in consideration of the extra expenses to which they are
occasionally put by the banishment to that solitary spot of
those ecclesiastics condemned to punishment by the synod.
Until the year 1838, the twofold tithes for all the other
monasteries were farmed out by p~blic competition collectively;
but the contractors gave the monks such annoyance,
that the government ordered this tithe to be fixed for
the two following years at the average of 1836, 1837,
and 1838. This measure satisfied the monks, who paid,
without murmuring, the sum fixed, and even undertook
to make considerable improvements and rear new plantations,
in the hope that, at the lapse of two years the government
would adopt the same measure for the future.
j
-I
j
III
I~
llELIGION.
Ecclesiastical Fund. - This fund was established by royal
ordonnance of ADecember, 1834. Its revenues consist in,
1. The annual produce of the property of the suppressed con·
vents, let, some for a term of years, and otheI1! to yearly
tenants; 2. The amount of the twofold tithes paid by the still
existing monasteries; 3. The produce of the sale of the ecclesiastical
lands; and 4. Legacies and donations.
The.lands let on long lease produce annually 47,500 drs.,
and those to annual tenants 90,000 drs.; twofold tithes
50,491 drs.; total, 187,991 drs.
The s.ales of ecclesiastical lands alienated conformably to
the law of ~ November, 1836, dnd payable in ten equal
annual instalments, produce 33,000 drs. per annum. This
sum is not, however, considered in the light of an annual
revenue, but as a portion of the capital set apart, and which
will at some future time become sufficiently large to provide
by the interest alone for all the expenses of this branch of
the service.
The legacies hitherto made are the following: - 1. That
of Varvaki, 1,142,520 Russian roubles in assignations; I
2. That of Bozzo, 100,000 Russian roubles; 3. That of Bellio, \
30,000 florins of Austria; 4. That of Soterius JohannolJ,
10,000 florins of Austria; and, 5. That of Zozimas, 50,621
Turkish piastres.
The ministry has already taken the necessary steps for
having the amount of the three first of these transmitted to
Greece, being already in possession of the others.
The ecclesiastical fund is also legatee of several bequests
not yet positively assigned to it; for instance, the legacy of
Pontiki, in dispute; that of the archimandrite Neophytos of
Wallachia, consisting of 2000 Austrian ducats, payable at
the death of the testator; the legacy of Fleva, contested by
his relations; and, finally, that of Gerasimos Tybaldo,
19,250 roubles, also in dispute.
When all these sums shall have been received and invested
at only 5 per cent. per annum interest, as well as those
arising from the past and future sales of ecclesiastical domains,
the church fund will derive an annual interest of
S64 RELIGION.
10,060
Drs.
30,960
6,190
100,000 drs.; and thus, with the 188,000 drs. revenue of
the twofold tithes and other resources above mentioned,
the certain and fixed revenue of the ecclesiastical fund
will be nearly sufficient to cover one half of its expenses,
which are 604,400 drs. per annum; - viz. 146,770 drs.
for the branch of religion, and 457,630 drs. for public instruction.
In the mean time it is to be hoped that the expenses will
by and by be reduced, and the receipts increased, either by
the progressive improvement of the ecclesiastical property, or
by donations and legacies which may in future be made for
this purpose, so as to be able to cover all the charges of this
branch of the service by' the produce of its own legitimate
resources, without having occasion to apply for assistance to
the state.
The annual e:L'Pen8es of the ecclesiastical department are
as follows: -
Salaries and office expenses of the synod
of the ecclesiastical fund Pensions
to ecclesiastics who took part in the war of independence,
and are no longer able to execute their
sacerdotal functions - 99,560
Expenses of superintending the ecclesiastical property,
and legal proceedings to recover the bequests in dispute
Total l4.6,770
Holydays and Festivals. - The festivals formerly kept by
the Greeks far exceeded in number those of any other nation.
On our first arrival in Greece we found more holydays than
working days; but as this was justly considered highly
detrimental to the morals of the people, and a great incentive
to idleness, the government put down a great many,
and by degrees reduced them to the following, which are
the only festivals recognised by the Greek church, and
during which it is prohibited to open the bazaars: - Easter
Sunday and Monday; Whit-Sunday; the 29th June, the
Apostles' day; 15th August, the day of the Virgin Mary
RELIGION. S65
(llavayla); Christmas-day; the Epiphany; and the 25th
March, the Annunciation of the Virgin.
Besides these church festivals, there are others kept as
half.holydays at all the public offices viz. ;-All the Sundays
.. th h 25 Jan. . . f hid' ,
In .e year; t e 6 Feb., III commemoratIOn 0 t e an mg ID
Greece of His Majesty King Otho; Good Friday, and the
Saturday following; Easter Monday; Whit-Monday; St.
George's day; Ascension-day; S1. Spyridione; the Ascension-
day of the Virgin Mary; the festival of St. Demetrius ;
and the two days after Christmas.
There are, it is true, other saints' days still partly kept by
the people in celebration of their own individual patron
saints; but as this is equivalent to keeping ()jle's birthday in
Protestant countries, neither the government aor the ecclesiastical
authorities can well interfere. The principel of these
are, - St. Michael, St. Athanasius, St. Basil, St. Ni~holas,
St. John the Baptist, St. Gregory, St. Pantaleone, S1. Gabriel,
the Prophet Elijah, St. Chrysostom, St. Dionysius, St. Anas.
tasius, St. Luke, and St. Jerome.
Catholic Religion.- The free toleration of all religious
opinions constituted a fundamental principle of the independence
of Greece, and is expressly mentioned in the
first manifesto of the Greeks assembled in congress at Epidaurus.
The present kingdom of Greece, which during the
middle ages counted S4 Roman Catholic bishoprics, now \
contains but four sees, with about 25,000 Catholics, the greater
part of whom inhabit the islands of the Archipelago, and
consist partly of native families, and partly ofthe descendants
of the Genoese, French, and Venetians, who settled at different
periods in the country. The Catholics of the Morea
and continental provinces are principally Italians, Germans,
Maltese, French, and Maronites.
The Catholic hierarchy in Greece is divided as follows:1.
The archbishopric of Naxos (including the former
bishopric of Paros); with 5 priests, 5 churches, and S96
members. The archbishop is Nicholas Cangoni of Corfu.
2. The bishopric ofTinos, with 37 priests, as many chapels
366 .I\ELlGIOS".
~nd churches, and 11,237 members. The bishop is Jacob
Gabinelli of Tinos, who is also administrator of the two
dioceses of Andros and Myconos, extinct since the yea.r
1787.
3. The bishopric of Santorin (Thera), with 9 priests and
652 members, besides a church and 50 members at Myloa.
The bishop is Francisco di Cigalla of Santorin.
4. The bishopric of Syra, with 31 priests and 5723 members,
of whom 317 live in the town of Hermopolis. The
bishop i;Aloys Blancis, a Piedmontese. This prelate is also
apostolical delegate for the whole of Greece (appointed in
1838), to whom are subject in spiritual matters all the
other Catholics of Greece not included in the above three
bishoprics, amounting in all to about 7000 souls.
Of these there are 1834 at Athens, where there is a church
with 2 priests; and an oratory at the royal palace, with a chaplain
(the Rev. Dr. Arnett).
At the Pirreus is 1 church, with a priest and 52 members.
At Patras there is a parish church, with 367 members and
2 priests, who have the pastoral care of the Roman Catholics
of Missolonghi and Vostizza.
At Nauplia there are 423 Catholics, with a priest, who
performs the ecclesiastical rites for the Catholics of Argos
and Tripolitza.
At Navarin there are 153 Catholics, with a chapel, and
a priest, whose functions include Modon and Coron.
The Catholics in Eubrea (of whom there are 236 at
Chalcis and Coumi), Poros (115), Hydra, Spetzia, Lamia,
and Calamata, are without any resident spiritual pastors.
The regular ecclesiastical orders have the following establishments
in Greece: -
1. The French Lazzarists (7), with colleges at Naxos and
Santorin.
2. The Jesuits (5), with colleges at Syra and Tinos.
3. The Capuchins (3), with convents at Syra and Naxos.
40. The Franciscans (2), with a convent at Tinos.
5. The Ursulines (11), with a school establishment at
Naxos.
At Syra and Tinos there are seminaries for the clergy,
and at Syra three Catholic parochial schools (two for boys
RELIGION. 367
and one for girls). .{t Santorin are also two parochial
schools.
Protestants.- There are but few Protestants in Greece,
and those few confined to the foreigners resident in the ca-
.pital. Her Majesty the Queen belongs to the Lutheran
church, aud has a private chaplain. The Protestant Germans
at Athens are permitted to attend divine service, which is
held at the palace.
The English episcopal service has been hitherto performed
at the hotel of the British legation, or at the reside~ceof the
Rev. H. D. Leeves, B. D., the highly respected agent of the
British and Foreign Bible Society; but a new church, in the
Gothic style, has been lately commenced, and will be shortly
completed. It is being erected by private donations, to
which the British government has added a contribution of
800/.
At Athens a Protestant burial ground has been formed
through the public spirit of Mr. Bracebridge, an English
'gentleman of fortune, who has property in Greece, and occasionally
resides at Athens.
Missionaries.- There are several agents of British and
American missionary societies established at Athens, Syra,
Argos, and in other parts of Greece; but their labours are
chiefly confined to distributing tracts and establishing schools,
all attempts at proselytism being strictly prohibited by the
lawt'o
EDUCATION.
CHAP. XI.
EDUCATION.
IT is natural to conceive that the Greeks, engaged as they
were for so long a period in a war of which the issue was
to be 'Perfect independence or absolute slavery, should have
had but little time to devote to the education of their
children; and consequently the rising generation at the
close of the revolution, and on the establishment of peace
and order, werc found exceedingly backward and deficient
in even the most ordinary branches of knowledge.
The late president Capodistria, it is true, turned his attention
to the subject, and during his short administration,
primary schools were established to a certain extent in different
part.., of Greece; but they were completely annihilated
during the reign of anarchy which intervened between his
death and the arrival of the king, who at once undertook
the introduction of a regular system of education into the
country.
Before this, however, could be effected, it was indispensable
to find proper persons to be employed as schoolmasters
in the different establishments; and for this purpose
The Royal Seminary for Sckoolma8ters was founded by
royal ordonnance of ~8 Fl:bruary, 1834, which has been attended
with great success. Eight professors are now engaged
in teaching the prescribed course of studies for forming
teachers at the primary schools, embracing sacred history,
the catechism, ancient Greek, history in general and that of
Greece in particular, arithmetic, geometry, drawing, calligraphy,
geography, the elements of physics and natural history
as applied to agriculture, gymnastics, vocal music, and
the science of teaching, the practical application of which is
demonstrated in a normal school attached to the seminary. The
EDUCATION. 36H
periodical course of instruction is fixed at two years for
those pupils who have a previous knowledge of ancient
Greek, and three for those who have not that advantage.
The number of young men frequenting this establishment
varies from 60 to 80 at one time, 40 of whom are supported
by government. Down to the end of the year 1839, the total
number of those who had received diplomas as elementary
teachers amounted to 265.
Elementary Schools.-At the close of 1839 there were
225 regular schools established, of which 26 were for
girls exclusively; and the total number of pupils of both
sexes amounted to 20,506. In the course of the year 1840
upwards of forty petitions were addressed to government for
the establishment of similar schools in populOUS places where
the want of them was much felt, in consequence of which
27 were formed in that year, with about 1500 pupils; making
the total sum of the schools 252, and of the scholars
22,000. ,
But besides these regular establishments, other elementary
schools are found in different parts of the kingdom, principally
in the poorer communes which have not the means of
establishing regular schools. These are generally kept by
the parish priest, or some other person who can scarcely
read and write, and who is consequently incompetent to give
instruction even in the first rudiments of education. This
mode of tuition, though not permitted by the laws, is connived
at by government, which considers it preferable to allowing
the children to grow up in total ignorance, and acquire
habits of idleness anq dissipation. The number of children
frequenting these schools amounts to about 10,000, which,
added to the above 22,000, makes in all 32,000.
The proportion of pupils at the primary schools, as compared
with the population of the kingdom, is about 4 per
cent.; and in comparing the number of pupils in each of the
three great divisions of the conntry, we shall find that elementary
instruction is more general in the islands than in
the Peloponnesus or on the continent. The Morea, which
contains alone about one half of the population of the kingdom,
has scarcely one third of the whole number of children
B B
EDUCATION.
at the schools. Some whole provinces - for instance Messenia
and Laconia - have but three or four schools altogether,
and these but thinly attended. In Continental
Greece elementary instruction has made still less progress.
With the exception of the elementary schools at the capital,
the rest of the pupils amount to less than one fourth of the
whole number of children at the schools throughout the
kingdom.
There are three degrees of elementary teachers, according
to their respective acquirements. Those of the first class
are paid 100 drs. per month, those of the second 90 drs.,
and the third 80 drs. Government finds them moreover in
free quarters; and each of their scholars whose parents are
not absolutely indigent pay a trifling sum of from 10 to 50
leptas per month.
Uniformity of instruction is rigorously enforced in all the
schools; and the system of mutual instruction has been introduced
with good effect into the classes for reading, writing.
and arithmetic. The other lessons are taught by the simultaneous
system. In all these schools the pupils are instructed
in reading, writing, arithmetic, sacred history, and religion.
Besides these, lineal drawing, grammar, Grecian history,
geography, morality, and the first rudiments of physics and
natural history, are taught in the schools of the provincial
capitals and some communes of the second rank. Vocal
music and gymnastics are taught in some others.
The necessary books of instruction on all these suhjects
have been published; some in detail for the use of the
teachers, others abridged for the benefit of the pupils. These
latter form an encyclopredia of uSf:ful knowledge for children,
and are sold complete for the very moderate sum of 15 drs.,
so as to be within the reach of the most indigent scholars;
for during the three 01' four years of their preliminary
studies, the expense of books does not cost them more than
from 3i to 5 drs. per annum.
Although it canIlot be denied that the number of schools
and their pupils increases greatly from year to year, and
that the art of teaching becomes daily better known and understood,
it must be confessed that the improvement dor.~
EDUCATION. 371
not correspond to the absolute necessity of general education
experienced throughout the kingdom. But if we consider the
nature of the war in which the people of Greece were so long
engaged; and, on the other hand. the short timethathas elapsed
since they have begun to enjoy the blessings of liberty, peace,
repose, and an organised govel'nment,-itcannot be denied that
elementary education has made rapid strides, and that its
present state is worthy of a nation thirsting fol' knowledge,
and stimulated by the recollection of the glory of their forefathers.
The great obstacle to the general diffusion of instruction
throughout the kingdom is the excessive poverty
of many of the communes, which hinders them from erecting
and supporting regular establishments; and not from
the apathy or indifference of the parents, who, though
themselves illiterate, acknowledge and appreciate the blessings
of education, and are most earnest in their desires and
endeavours to procure for their offspring the advantages to
be derived from instruction and knowledge.
Girls' Schools. - Amongst the 252 primary schools there
are 28 exclusively devoted to the education of girls, where,
besides the usual branches of instruction, they are taught
sewing and other female work. These schools are at Athens,
Syra, Tinos, Thera, Chalcis, Lamia, Patras, Missolonghi,
Tripolitza, Argos, Nauplia, Hydra, and other more important
places. -In some of the communes, and especially in the
islands, boys and girls are educated at the same schools.
The law imposes on the communes the obligation of establishing
and supporting the primary schools, which are considered
as the first elements of national prosperity, but it
requires all the weight and authority of the state to carry
out the measure generally, and hence the government has
reserved to itself the power of assisting the more indigent
communes. Of the 252 primary schools, 67 are wholly, and
25 partly, supported by government; 128 teachers are
paid eutirely by the respective communes, 7 primary schools
are supported at Tinos by the convent of Evangelistria, and
25 others by private individuals. The government supplies
a certain number of books of instruction gratuitously for the
BB 2
3i2 EDUCATION.
use of the schools, and sells the others at reduced prices to
the communes, who have also to defray the expeDses of the
furniture, stationery, and other articles in use at the schools.
Government annually expends 100,797 drs. for the primary
schools; viz. 4447 drs. for the support of the seminary for
teachers, and 96,350 for the salaries of the schoolmasters at
the primary schools.
On the arrival of the king the only establishment for the
higher branches of education was the central school at lEgina,
founded by the late president Capodistria, and directed by the
most learned masters that could then be found. In 1834 the
gymnasium or high school at Nauplia was established, but before
doing so in other places it was necessary to find professors.
To facilitate this a royal ordonnance of :0 January, 1834,
appointed a special commission to examine all those who
were willing to teach at the public schools. On the 25th of
March, 18:35, ten other schools were established at once,
seven more at a later period of the same year, and subsequently
several others; so that at present there are four gymnasiums
and 54 Hellenic schools, including those supported
by private persons.
The four gymnasiums are at Athens, Nauplia, Patras, and
Syra.
The Hellenic schools are distributed as follows: - 20
in the Morea; viz. • Tripolitza, - Sparta, ... Calamata,
Sopotos, '* Sellasia, Andritzena, • Demitzana, Nymphasia,
Stavropegion, Akrata, ·Corinth, Argos, -Epidaurus Limera,
• Leonidi, • Pyrgos, Areopolis, Vostizza, Cyparissia, Thyrea,
and • Patras. 15 in Continental Greece; viz. • Missolonghi,
• Amphissa, • Lamia, Lepanto, • Livadia, • Hypatis,
"'Pirreus, Salamis, ala, "'CEchalia, Marathon, .Eurytania,
Agrinion, PIatanas, and'"Athens. 19 in the islands; viz.
"'Hydra, Spetzia, "'Syphnos, ·Paros, ·Naxos, ·Thera, Serphos,
Mylos, Panormos, Emporium, Callysto, • Andros,
Myconos, Tinos, • Chalcis, • Coumi, Carysto, ·Scopelos,
and .Syra.
Of the above schools those marked with an asterisk are
EDUCATION. 373
supported entirely at the expense of government; the others
partly by the local communes, and partly by legacies.
Several provincial councils have voluntarily come forward
to establish similar institutions, and have endowed them at
the expense of the commune. Thus the provincial council
of lEgialia voted a sum of 20,000 drs. for the purpose of
building a schoolhouse at Vostizza, and 7,000 drs. annually
for the support of three professors. The provincial council
of Messenia acted in a similar manner towards the town ot
Nisi.
The schoolhouses are ill general furnished by the communes.
In those places where there are buildings belonging
,to the state, government has given them up for the purpose.
Chalcis alone forms an exception; but in lieu of this, a sum
of 500 drs. per annum is allowed for rent of the schoolhouse.
Of all the schools and gymnasiums in the kingdom, those
at Athens have the greatest number of professors, there
being eight at the Hellenic school and ten at the gymnasium;
and from their superior talents they are capable of advancing
the youths under their charge much more than in other
places. The gymnasium at SYl'a has five professors, and the
Hellenic school three. The gymnasium at Nauplia has five
professors, and thc Hellenic school four. The directors of
the establishments at Athens, flyra, Nauplia, Amphissa,
Chalcis, Lamia, Tripolitza, Sparta, and Thera are called
scholarchs (ox6Aapxo~), and have assistant-masters. Those
of all the rest have the title of masters (oLoa"."aAo~).
The salaries of the professors have not yet been definitely
fixed; and even those of the same grade are not of equal
amount, which gives rise to perpetual complaints and petitions.
The gymnasiarchs receive from 240 to 350 drs.
per month; the professors 200 to 280; the seholarchs
200; the masters 140 to 180; and the under-masters 40 to
60. All these salaries together smount to 1I ,580 drs. per
month, or 138,960 drs. per annum. An uniformity of
emoluments, or at all events a greater equality in their respective
salaries, can only take place when his Majesty
BB 3
374 EDUCATION.
shall have sanctioned the plan already drawn up and submitted
for royal approbation.
According to the royal ordonnance concerning the gymnasiums
and Hellenic schools, the course of education in the
latter comprises the ancient Greek language, the catechism,
sacred and profane history, calligraphy, geography, arithmetic,
the elements of physics and natural history, and
French and Latin for those who intend to continue their
studies at the high schools. In the gymnasiums are taught
the ancient Greek authors, the higher branches of physics,
natural history, mathematics, French, Latin, &c.
Government provides every thing necessary at the gymnasiums
of Athens and Nauplia; at the others it is found at
the expense of the communes. In general the books are
furnished to the schools out of the public library, and from
time to time fresh supplies are forwarded on application
being made to the minister of public instruction. The gymnasium
at Syra alone possesses a library of its own, formed
by the voluntary contributions of the friends of the country
and of literature.
The number of pupils at the gymnasiums and Hellenic
schools, according to the catalogues in the possession of the
minister, is 4366; but as nearly one half of these lists is of
old date, we may safely put down the total number at 4500.
Of these about 750 belong to the gymnasium at Athens,
255 to that of Syra, and 124 to the high school at Nauplia.
As compared with the population of the kingdom generally,
the number of pupils at the upper schools is in the
proportion of 5i- to 1000 inhabitants, or rather more than
i- per cent. The greatest number are found in the islands;
for instance in Syphnos alone there are 115 pupils, or 5 per
cent. of the number of inhabitants.
The schools and gymnasiums are subject to the inspection
of commissioners appointed for that purpose, composed of
the governor of the province as president, a priest or some
other public functionary of education, the demarch or mayor
of the commune, and two citizens nominated by the municipal
council.
EDUCATION. 375
Government has established a certain number of scholar·
ships in three of the gymnasiums; viz. 12 at Athens, 12
at Nauplia, and 6 at Syra. These bursars receive each
30 drs. per month, and are proposed by the respective gymnasiarchs
as deserving assistance both from their poverty and
steady application to their studies. But besides these there
are others proposed by the minister, or appointed directly by
the king in consideration of the services rendered by their
relations to the state. The total number of ordinary and
extraordinary bursars amounts to 54, and the sum of 18,720
drs. is annually allowed for their support.
One of the most useful institutions for improving the
youths of Greece is the Polytechnic School at Athens. It is
already enriched with a numerous collection of models and
a museum of natural history; amongst which may be mentioned
the interesting cabinet containing specimens of all the
mineral productions of Greece, which is well worthy the inspection
of travellers, and for that purpose it is open to the
public every day till noon. Public lectures are held on
Sundays and holydays on drawing, sculpture, chemistry, and
experimental physics as applicable to manufactures and com.
merce; and it is highly gratifying to observe the avidity
which the young Greeks evince for improvement, and the
regularity with which they attend the lectures. There are
also regular classes of painting, architecture, sculpture, calligraphy,
and the practical application of the trades of carpenters
and locksmiths. The number of pupils amounts to about
700. A distinguished philanthropic French lady, who resides
at Athens, and has already done a great deal for the improvement
and education of the rising generation, has
lately endowed this institution with a school of painting,
and engaged at her own expense a French artist of great
merit lo instruct the pupils in the higher branches of this
science.
I cannot omit to mention in this place the American
Schools at Athens, the excellency of which is too well known
in England, and their philanthropic object too generally appreciated,
to require any encomium from my humble pen.
BB 4
376 EDUCATION.
They were instituted in the year 1831 by the Rev. J. H. Hill,
an American episcopal clergyman, who, with his excellent
lady, superintend the whole of the establishment, which by
degrees has become widely extended, and has rendered
incalculable benefit to numerous families at Athens.
They now consist of two infant schools, two elementary
schools (one for boys, the other for girls), a school rather
above these for females of the middling classes, a school of
industry for indigent females; and a high school for girls, in
which are taught all those branches comprised in the term
liberal ellucation, to which is attached a boarding establishment
for females, containing sixty inmates. The number
of children now frequenting these schools is upwards of
700.
A highly respectable Scotch gentleman long resident in
Greece has lately established a classical boarding academy
at Athens, which already contains the sons of many of the
most distinguished native and foreign families, and promises
to become the first-private school in the kingdom.
The University at Athens was founded by royal ordon-
31 Dec. 1836} 3
nance of 12 Jan.-IS37 ,and was opened on the 15 May,
1837. In honour of its illustrious founder, it is called" The
Otho University." It consists of four faculties; viz. theology,
medicine, law, and the arts and sciences; including
philosophy, philology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, astronomy,
natural history, geography, statistics, and history,
with their different ramifications.
Each faculty has a head, called the dean (IlX6XaPX7Jl.-), who,
with the rector of the university, form the legislative as.
sembly for all that concerns the internal arrangement, discipline,
and regulations for students. The rector is the
executive power.
Every student at his matriculation, both native and foreigner,
is obliged to subscribe to the usual oath-that he will
not belong to any secret society of whatever name and purpose,
and that if he has belonged to any such he will renounce
it formally for the future.
EDUCATION. 377
The course of studies is fixed at five years; viz. three for
general studies, and two for the particular faculty the student
may choose to select.
The annual studies are divided into two semesters or
terms; and there are consequently two vacations, the one
15 15
from the 27 July to the 27 SeptembH, and the other from
the beginning of the week before Easter to the Monday
after the Easter week, according to the Greek calendar.
Duelling, either among themselves or with townsmen, is
strictly forbidden to the students.
Besides the regular students who have matriculated, the
lectures are regularly attended by individuals of full agp.,
who are anxious to improve their knowledge, and who may
be denominated out-students. Many of these are in government
offices, and they devote their attention chiefly to the
study of the law..
The following is a table of the students at the university
of Athens for the summer term of the year 1841, distinguishing
those of each faculty:-
I I Medicine. Theology. Arts. Law. Total.
Regular students
=1
49 20 37 53 159
Out-students 3 - 16 114 133
Total _i 52 20 53 167 I 292 I
~
Of the 159 students 90 are natives of the country, and
69 are from Wallachia, Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Asia
Minor, and other provinces of Turkey, as well as from the
Ionian Islands; so that the university appears to fulfil the
honourable purpose for which it was founded, - viz. to become
a rallying point for the education of the youth of all
the Hellenic races, and the medium of communication between
the east and the west. The average age of the
students is 18, ranging from 15 to 21 years.
The total number of professors is 36; viz. 2 for the
faculty of theology, 10 for law, 8 for medicine, and ]6 for
philosophy. There are fom' grades ot' professors; viz.
378 EDUCATION.
ordinary (raKrtKOl; Ka(JlI'Y1/TI/l;), extraordinary (f.A.TaKTOl;),
honorary (f7rtrt}1Ot;), and private teacllers (lolwrtKol; olMKrwp).
The last of these lecture gratis. Of the ordinary professors
8 receive 350 drs. per month, two 250 drs., six 200 drs.,
and three 100 drs. Honorary professors are paid 100 drs.
per month; with the exception of M. Nicola'ides Levadiefs,
who accepts no remuneration for his services. Of the extraordinary
professors, one receives 250 drs. per month, and
the others 100 drs. per month each. The total of the salaries
of the professors amounts to about 80,000 drs. per annum.
It is to be remarked, that the same disproportion exists in
the salaries of the professors at the university as in those of
the gymnasiums and Hellenic schools, which will probably
continue till both are definitely organised.
Of the above 36 professors, 20 are ordinary, 3 extraordinary,
8 honorary, and 5 private teachers.
The following is the list of the professors at the Otho
University: -
Rector, Professor Ralli.
Theology. - Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Apostolides.
1. Apostolides, Ord. Prof. of Dogmatic Theology.
2. Kontogonis, Extr. Prof. of Sacred History and Hebrew.
Law. -Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Peric1es Argyropoulos.
3. Hertzog, Onl. Prof. of Roman Law.
4. Mavrocordalo, Ord. Prof. of the French Civil Law.
5. Argyropoulos, Extr. Prof. of Common Law.
6. Ralli, Hon. Prof. of Commercial Jurisprudence.
7. Pillicas, of Criminal Law.
8. Feder, of Civil Proceedings.
g. Saulzo, of Political Economy.
10. Strumbo, Private Teacher of French Civil Law.
I I. Kalligas, of the Law of Nations.
12. Papparigopoulos... of Roman Law.
Medicine. - Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Lef'kias.
13. Vouros, Ord. Pror. of Pathology and Therapeutics.
14. Lefkias, of General Nosology.
15. Damianos, of Anatomy aud Physiology.
16. Olympios, of Surgery.
17. Costis, of Midwifery.
EDUCATION. 379
18. RaUi, Ord Prof. of Forensic Medicine.
19. Treiber, Hon. Prof. of Practical Operations and Ophthalmy.
20. Livadiefs, of Hygei'a.
Arts and Sciences.-Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Domnalldo~.
21. Benthylos, Ord. Prof. of Philology.
22. Gennadios,
23. Domnandos, of Natural History.
24. Ross, of Archreology.
25. Ulrichs, of Latin.
26. Bambas, of Philosophy.
27. Vouds, of Physics.
28. Landerer, of Chemistry.
29. Negris, of Mathematics.
30. Pharmakides, of Philology.
31. Schinas, of History.
32. Fraas, Extr. Prof. of Botany.
33. Phillippos, Hon. Prof. of Philosophy.
34. Manousi, of General Statistics and Geography.
35. Masson, Private Teacher of Philosophy.
36. Strumbo, of Experimental Physics.
Independently of the regular course of medical studies
properly so called, the faculty of medicine includes pharma_
ceutics; and the professor of midwifery directs an establishment
founded by government, and designed to receive as
inmates indigent females during the period of their pregnancy.
This establishment has also served to teach a great
many women the theory and practice of midwifery.
The professors lecture generally from their own manuscripts;
and the students spend a great deal of their time in
making notes and copies, for down to the present date the following
books only have been published for the use of the
students: - 1. Commercial Law. 2. Synopsis of the Greek
Laws. 3. The Principles of the Roman Law, translated from
the German of Mackeldey by Ralli and Renieri. 4. History
of the Roman law by Gibbon, translated by Hertzog and
Papparigopoulus. 5. Chemistry, by Prof. Landerer. 6.
Synopsis of Mathematics, by Prof. Vouri. 7. Experimental
Physics, by Psychas. 8. Essay on Anatomy, by Dr. Mavrocordato.
9. Elements of Philosophy, by N. Bambas.
380 EDUCATION.
Government paid 5000 drs. per annum for the use of
a convenient building till the new university was finished.
The foundation stone of the new building was laid by
the king on the ~l}u~;,e,} 1889; and it was so far completed
that the lectures were first delivered in it after the
summer vacation of 1841. It is erected from the designs
and under the direction of M. Hansen, a young Danish
architect of great ability.
The expenses were defrayed by voluntary subscriptions of
both Greeks and foreigners at home and abroad.
The following is a summary of the contributions received
down to the present time for the erection of the new university
building, taken from the lists published in the gov. gazette:-
, A. COI.LECTED IN GREECE.
;..
-I Dra. L.
rward 72,475 II
rinth - 35 0
osymne - 6 0
drea - 18 0
ine - 13 0
achnreon 63 0
idaurus - 100 0
rmione - 21 74
itos - 66 0
r08 - 226 0
on - 32 0
huos - 110 0
gaspelreon 656 0
nethre - 85 0
parissia - 150 0 - - 200 0 - - 200 0 - - lOO 0 - - 1,500 0 - 100 0 - -
150 0
os - 100 0 - - 300 0 - - 100 0 - - 300 0 - - 400 0 - - 3,000 0 - -
11,875 30
ece - 92,382 15
I
1 I Dr!. L. Athens - 39,974 80 Brought fo INauplia - 2,287 30 Convent of
Ty
I Naxos 423 56 Pr
Syro 17,605 0 Mi
Pyrgos 585 0 Ar
Kynethre 200 0 Ar
Triphyllia - 150 0 Ep
Sparta 405 0 He
Emporium - 56 0 Mas
JEates 100 0 Po
CaUysto 134 0 Mod
Laconia 251 0 Syp
Patms 2,353 0 Me
Messenia 215 0 Ky
Calamata 399 45 Cy
Hydra 313 0 rHYdra
Tinos - I 902 0 'cl Calavrita
Andros - 1 381 0..!l Carysto
Thera - 1 999 0'<3 Vostizza
Amphissa - 211 0 o§ Akraiphno
Galaxidi - i 40 0 U Levadia
JEchalia I 294 0 .. Orchomen
Chalcis 150 0 .S< Thebes
Livadia - ' 339 (J .:: Naxos
Eurytania - 367 0 § lArgos
Lamia 2,995 0 ::<l Tripolitza
Agrinion 102 0 LAthens
Chespire I 243 0 Other places
Carried over I 72,475 11 Total in Gre
--_._-._----_._--~-----~~-
EDUCATION.
B. COLLECTED ABROAD.
381
Carried over 55,837 40
Trieste
Leghorn
Naples
London
Manchester Frankfort
Cologne
Bonn
Berlin
Munich
Leipzig
Amsterdam Vicnna
Pesth
Moldavia
Marseilles
})r.. L.
1,300 0
200 0
60 0
5,533 70
281 20
200 0
150 0
820 80
2,080 80
774 40
338 0
275 0
17,972 50
20,660 0
571 0
4,420 0
Brought forward
Oldenburg (H. R. H. the
Grand Duke)
Malta -
Corfu Cephalonia
Zante Alexandria
801yrna
Tened08
Dardanelles
Constantinople 8alonica
Ibrail -
Jassy •
Bucharest
Galatz -
-~-------
I
Drs. L.
55,837 40
2,000 0
150 0
160 0
5,000 0
4,393 0
31,966 14
3,387 50
150 0
313 16
7,662 0
300 0
6,048 28
5,795 0
1,238 75
5,316 0
Total abroad • 129,717 23
Dr.. L.
The total reccipts are:-
In Greece - 92,382 15
Contributions from abroad • 129,717 23
Legacy lately received from Calcutta - 37,000 0
The portico of the building in the Ionic style of
Pentelic marble, a present from his Majesty the
King of Greece, the expense of which is - 41,000 0
Making a Total of - 300,099 38
The expenses of the New University, exclusive of the
23JUlY,}
portico, amounted on the 4Aui 1841, to - - 228,229 57
To which add the charge for the portico - 41,000 °
Total - 269,229 57
Balance in the hands of the treasurer for finishing
the building - 30,869 81
300,099 38
The university library consists of about 3000 works, a great
number of which, particularly those which treat of law and
literature, were purchased by the government, who appropriated
a sum of 10,000 drs. for that purpose. Most
of the others were presented to the university by different
friends of Greece, among whom H. R. H. the Grand Duke
382 EDUCATION.
of Tuscany may be reckoned as the principal benefactor.
Honourable mention may also be made of the celebrated
printer M. Didot of PariJ, and also of the Academy of
Sciences at Berlin, who from time to time send valuable presents
of books to the Athenian university. Several individuals
in different parts of Europe are so zealous in the cause
of education in Greece, as to receive presents of books and
forward them to Athens. We must also consider as a
valuable acquisition some works of Asiatic literature which
a learned Athenian of the name of GaUenos, lately deceased
at Calcutta, where he had long resided, has bequeathed to
the university of his native place. Some of thE-se are of
great interest.
Attached to the· university are the following institutions:1.
A physical cabin€t, containing the most necessary instruments
of this branch of science, presented by his Majesty
King Otho, who expended the sum of 18,000 drs. for this
purpose.
2. A chemical laboratory and apparatuR has been also
formed by the paternal solicitude of the King of Greece, who
appropriated 10,000 drs. for the purchase.
3. The anatomical cabinet possesses also the necessary instruments
for the use of the professors and students, and is
continually increasing by the application of the sum of
] 000 drs. allowed annually for the expenses of the course
of lectures on anatomy.
4. The botanical garden. A part of the large gard~n
near Athens formerly belonging to the Turkish VOlvode,
and known by the name of Hesseki, has been hitherto used
as a botanical garden; but now that the new university
is finished, it is proposed to plant a new one in the neighbourhood
of that building for the exclusive purpose of
medico-botauy, and for the use of the students.
There are six scholarships at the university, founded by the
king; viz. one for the faculty of medicine, one for mathematics,
two for law, and two for philosophy.
Several legacies have been left to the university, some of
which, however, have not as yet been received; amongst which
EDUCATION. 383
1. Collection presented by the brothers Sakelll1rius
2. by Baron Bellio
3. ... by the brothers Zozimas
4. purchased by government of Postolakas
5. Library of the late regency
6. Books presented by his Majesty the King
7. Sundry collections presented by different persons
8. Manuscripts
9. Maps and charts -
may be mentioned that of the Athenian, M. Gallenos, who
lately died at Calcutta, as stated above, and who, besides the
sum of 37,000 drs. and his library, has also bequeathed to
the university a museum formed by him during his residence
in India. Further, a rich and valuable collection of corals,
pearls, and ancient and modern coins and medals of gold and
silver, bequeathed by the brothers Zozimas, and estimated
at 150,000 roubles in value. Lastly, about 20 paintings of
the best masters of the Italian school, left to the university
by a Greek merchant at Venice deceased.
Public Library.-According to the most recent catalogues,
the number of books in the public libr~ry is as follows:-
Vols.
5,39fj
1,886 \,
1,005
1,990
840
190
3,88~
86
99
Forming a total of - 15,373
These books have been hitherto deposited in a church, and
a private house rented for the purpose; but they were recently
transferred to the new university, where they will remain
till an appropriate building is erected.
Depot of Books.-In addition to the above library, there
are several thousands of useful works in the possession of
government, presented by different philanthropists, and
de~tined for gratuitous distribution in the schools and among
the students at the university.
Government &holarships Ahroad.-The king had scarcely
arrived in Greece before he established, by royal ordonnance
of ~ September, 1833, a Greek school at Munich, with 24scholarships.
Besides these, several young men have been
sent abroad to finish their studies at the expense of the state.
384 EDUCATION.
There is also provision made for 16 youths to prosecute
their studies in Germany, each of whom receives 50 florins
per month; 1 in Italy with 100 drs. per month; and 1
in France with 60 drs. per month. Most of these young
men devote themselves to literature and the legal profession,
two study painting, one the oriental languages, and one is
learning at Paris the art of mutual instruction.
Orphan Asylum. - This charitable institution was originally
founded at lEgina by the late president Capodistria;
but was subsequently transferred to Nauplia, and served
as an asylum for the poor orphans whom he found on
his arrival in Greece. The conditions under which chil.
dren are received becoming every day more difficult to
fulfil,-viz. the limitation of their age, and the production
of certificates that their parents were killed during the war,
- the number of orphans in the asylum has fallen off
very considerably. In order to make this establishment generally
useful, all orphans ought to be admissible; and the
minister proposes to submit to the king a project for organising
this philanthropic institution on a better footing. In
thc meantime the children are instructed in reading, writing,
arithmetic, and some particular trade by means of which
they can earn their livelihood on quitting the asylum, which
is fixed by the statutes on their completing their sixteenth
year. The institution is superintendp.d by a director, having
under him an accountant, a teacher, and four subaltern employes,
which cost the state 20,345 drs. annually, besides
a monthly subsidy of 30 drs. paid to master-tradesmen for
receiving the lads as apprentices.
Society for tTu) Promotion cif Elementary Education CH
'ETa/pia cI1t;\at'll"atOfVTt"~)'-This society was incorporated
at
28 August, }
Athens by royal ordonnance of 7· September, 1836, on
the proposal and by the efforts of the director-general of the
normal schools, and has received greater support than the
most sanguine hopes of its projector ever anticipated. Its
object is to educate young girls for the profession of teachers,
governesses, and schoolmistresses; and for this purpose a
l•
,'"
\
\
•1
I
j
EDUCATION. 385
certain number of young women who have the will but not
the means are received into the establishment, and educated
for the profession, on condition of remaining afterwards in
the academy as teachers. Ten young women are thus educated
at the expense of the society, and five more at that
of government; besides which there is a girls' school attached,
where 150 children receive instruction in the most
necessary and usual branches of female education.
This society boasts already of 696 regular subscribers and
members spread over all parts of Europe, but more particularly
in Greece and Turkey. The receipts for 1840 amounted
to 36,710 drs.; besides which it possesses a capital of 33,330
drs., which is laid out at interest. It frequently receives
presents of books, and has just obtained from the two Greek
churches at Vienna a donation of 1500 volumes.
Society of Natural History, founded by royal ordonnance
of ~.~ April, 1835. It consists of 56 ordinary members, 10
honorary members, and 25 corresponding members; in addition
to whom 26 benefactors have contributed by presents to
the object of the society, and there is already a considerable
museum formed, consisting of plants, minerals, birds, fossils,
shells, reptiles, fish, and other objects. As, however, but
few of these eollections have been classified, it is impossible
to state the number of specimens. Lectures are held at the
museum by the professor of natural history of the university.
The museum is open to the public on Sundays and Thursdays;
on which days also the scientific journal called" The Iris ..
is published by the society. The regular receipts of the society
are, 1. the annual contribution of government 4600
drs.; and 2. the subscriptions of the 56 members at 36 drs.,
making 1816 drs.; total, 6416 drs. per annum.
Medical Society, founded by royal ordonnance of ;4 September,
1835, consists at present of about 30 ordinary members,
each subscribing 15 drs. per annum. It published a
medical journal called "The lEsculapius," but was obliged to
suspend it for want of' funds. A petition ha» been made to
government for pecuniary support, which, if granted, will
allow the publication of the journal to be continued.
cc
Pharmaceutic Society, established by royal ordonnance of
~ April, 1838. The members are not numerous.
Archmological Society. - This society, which has for its
object the discovery and restoration of the an.tiquitie~ of
Greece, was incorporated by royal ordonnance of ~ JaDuary,
1837, and has met with very general support, not only in
Greece, but all over Europe and in America.
It is natural to suppose that the enlightened and paternal
government of Greece, whose name alone inspires every
classical and cultivated mind with such a sublime association
of ideas respecting the fine arts, more especially sculpture
and architecture, should feel strongly inclined to encourage
the revival of that talent and genius which have been
lying dormant for so many centuries, and evince a praiseworthy
ambitio~ to repair and restore, or at all events preserve
from further destruction and wanton mutilation, the
splendid remains of antiquity which are to be found more or
less perfect throughout the country.
The spoliation of works of art commenced in the time
of the Roman emperors, and ended only in the present
century. It is asserted that Nero carried away upwards of
2000 statues from the Acropolis of Athens alone, most of
which are either lost or destroyed, although every museum
in Europe boasts of some specimen of Grecian sculpture.
The British Museum and the Bodleian Library may well be
proud of the Elgin collection and Arundel marbles; and the
British nation may congratulate themselves on their possession,
for they will not have another opportunity of making
a similar acquisition; as all the antiquities of Greece now
belong to the state, and their exportation is most rigidly
prohibited.
Under the rule of the Turks, the antiquities suffered severely;
for many instances occurred of the most beautiful
columns, and even bas-reliefs, having been destroyed merely
to furnish building materials for the modern residence of a
pacha or aga, as the mutilated fragments which are still
visible in the walls abundantly testify.
386 EDUCATION.
,
.\
I,f
tI
\,
'\
EDUCATION. SS7
It is much to be lamented that many beautiful remains of
antiquity were destroyed by the Greeks themselves, who,
during their late struggle for independence, sometimes demolished
in one day the work of many years, and pulled
down columns (as in the case of the temple of Jupiter at
Nemrea) merely to extract a few pounds of lead to make
into bullets.
The Parthenon, as is well known, was destroyed in the war
between the Venetians and Turks by the explosion of a
powder-magazine erected within it; and many of its beautiful
columns, still standing, were chipped and broken by the
cannon balls fired at it from the batteries on the opposite
hill of Philopappus.
But yet, amidst the work of desolation that has been going
on for centuries, there remain still in the country inexhaustible
antiquarian riehes. The Acropoli~ of Athens is in
itself a museum; the beautiful temples at lEgina, Sunium,
Athens, and Bassre, though deprived of their former orna·
ments, still exist; and Sparta, Megalopolis, Corinth, and
Olympia, no doubt contain treasures preserved intact from
being covered by the soil, and requiring only to be excavated
to restore them to their pristine state.
The king of Greece, who inherits a large share of the antiquarian
. spirit of his royal father, and who has naturally
imbibed a considerable twte for every thing classic and
elegant, has already expended considerable sums in clearing
away the rubbish, and restoring many of the Hel1enic ruins
in Athens and other parts of Greece; and there is no reason
to doubt that he will continue to pursue the same course
even to a greater extent, as the finances of the country become
more and more flourishing.
In the mean time the Archreological Society of Athens has
been formed as a means of attaining to the same end by
the united efforts of private individuals; and it must be
confessed that it has met with great success and encouragement,
both in Greece and in Europe generally, as may be
seen by the following figures: -
cc 2
388 EDUCATION.
Arclueological Society, incorporated 183i.
-~--- --
I I 0 di I Honorary and Year. r nary Corresponding Receipts for
IDisbursements I Members., Members. the Year. in the Year..
-------
\
I I
Drs. L. Drs. L.
1st year, 1838 189 98 709 48 450 50
2d ... 1839 207
I
129 2,761 0 2,662 0
3d ... 1840 I 335 , 141
I
2,777 81
I
2,513 61
4th •.• 1841 I 386 178 4,208 97 3,721 52
Preservation of Antiquities. - A royal ordonnance of the
~~ May, 1834, contains the regulations for the excavation
and discovery, as well as the preservation of antiquities
in the kingdom, the principal of which are the following
ones :-
" All Hellenic antiquities existing in Greece, or discovered
after the promtllgation of this law, are considered as the
public property of the nation.
"All ruins or antiquities on government lands, whether
above or below the ground, on the sea-shore, in rivers, lakes,
and marshes, are the property of the state.
"The definition of private antiquities is, 1. Ruins or
antiquities in the possession of individuals or private collections;
and, 2. Ruins or antiquities on private property,
whether above or below the surface of the ground, reserving
the fulfilment of the next article.
"All antiquities discovered on private landed property
after the promulgation of this law, whether in walls or ruins,
cisterns, wells, or caverns, above or below ground, found by
chance or otherwise, belong to the state and the owner of
the land where found, jointly and in equal moieties.
" Local officers, called 'conservators of antiquities,' are
appointed in every province, the whole of whom are under
the 'conservator-general" (rEJlUCOl: "Epopol:), who is
subordinate
only to the minister of public instruction.
"Whoever finds antiquities either in excavating, digging
foundations, boring for wells, pulling down buildings, laying
out roads, or in any other accidental manner, is obliged,
under penalty of a fine of from] to 50 drachmes, to report
EDUCATION. 389
the same within three days to the local conservator, or in his
absence to the eparch or other authorities; and to permit the
conservator, or anyone deputed by him, to examine such
discovery, and take a copy, drawing, model, or cast of it.
" All antiquities discovered in future, or known at present
to exist in Greece, are strictly prohibited from being exported
to a foreign country without a special licence from
the government, under the penalties contained in Art. 702
of the Penal Code.
" If a private individual discovers antiquities on his property,
and wishes to sell his share or interest in them, he is
obliged to give the preference to the state.
" Private possessors of antiquities are forbidden to destroy,
mutilate, or otherwise damage ruins and objects of art on
their property, such as remains of ancient roads, aqueducts,
baths, tombs, &c.; or to make any domestic use of temples,
sarcophagi, tombs, &c.; as habitations, stables, drinking
troughs for cattle, &c., although no immediate or visible
damage is likely to arise from it.
" No one is allowed to excavate for antiquities, whethel
on his own land or elsewhere, without a permission in writing
from the conservator-general, under penalty of a fine of
from 25 to 200 drs. and confiscation of the antiq\l.ities
found.
" Besides works of sculpture and architecture, the following
are considered as antiquities, and come under the mean.
ing of this law: - masses and fragments of sculptured
marble and other stones, of whatever shape or colour;
paintings, mosaiCS, arms. vases, bottles, lamps, ornament.s,
and other articles of metal or pottery-ware; and rings, seals,
engraved stones, coins and inscriptions of every sort.
" Those objects which were made in the lower or middle
ages are equally subject to the above regulations:'
Administration. - The administration of every thing
bearing reference to the morals and education of the
people is confided to the minister of religion and public
instruction. This office is divided into two sections, one of
which embraces the clergy and all ecclesiastical matters, and
cc 3
390 EDUCATION.
thc other the university and all the lower schools and seminaries.
The annual expense of this public office, including the
salaries of the minister, the heads of sections and inferior
functionaries, rent of offices, stationery, and other charges,
amounts to 34,000 drs.
The budget for the department of public instruction for
the year 1841 amounts to 457,630 drs., of which the following
are the estimates for the different branches of the
service: -
7,032
4,735
Drs.
80,000
4,500
1,200
2,400
906
4,600
35,000
3,000
11,300
7,200
13,200
7,200
4,447
20,000
12,000
3,600
138,960
96,350
I
uni- j -,
- II
- I
- I
=II
- I
Salaries of professors, and other expenses for the
versity
Expenses of the gymnasium at Athens Rent
for the two schools
Salary of the librarian -
Salary of the sub-librarian
Annual subsidy to the society of natural history
Scholarships in Germany and other foreign countries
Scholarships at the university of Athens
Scholarships at the gymnasiums of Athens, Nauplia, and
Syra -
Scholarships at the gymnasiums (supernumerary)
Boarders at the girls' school at Athens -
Boarders at Mr. Hill's establishment at Athens Boarders
at the school of the society for the promotion of
elementary education
Salaries of the professors at the Hellenic schools
Salaries of the teachers at the elementary schools
Expense of the seminary for schoolmasters and the normal
school attached to it
Expense of the orphan asylum Excavation
and preservation of antiquities
Salaries of the inspector-general of antiquities and his
deputy
Reserve fund for extraordinary expenses
. Total 457,630
EDUCATION. 391
Tables showing the State of Education, 1838.
A. THE MOREA.
---_._--- ~~~~---
I Professors, I Pupils at IMen who I Priests
Department. i Schoolmasters, the different can read and
I and Teachers.! Schools. and write. Monks.
Argolis
= i
20 1,113 1,399 88
Hermione 3 275 339 30
Corinth 11 523 1,500 114
Achaia 21 763 1,315 109
lEgialia 6 277 629 64
Kyllenia 9 500 2,968 314
Elis 8 464 1,295 243
Triphyllia 10 382 583 87
Olympia 8 244 707 32
Pylia 4 281 518 25
Messenia 4 365 729 157
Lacedremon 19 957 1,488 123
Epidaurus Limera 3 139 281 35
Laconia 3 574 1,565 140
I Gythion 1 287 982 86
I :YIantinrea 6 937 1,392 103
, Gortyne 10 1,260 1,722 137
, :YIegalopolis 1 61 259 28
Kynouria 12 1,272 1,708 65
CaIamata 1 116 676 82
~~-----~~---
Total 160 10,790 21,855 2,062
B. THE CONTINENT.
,--
I Department. I sct~~:~~~:~11 I Pdllls at i Men who I Priests
the "fFercnt l can read and
and Teachers. Schools. and write. . Monks.
: Attica 31 907 2,155 75
Megara 3 254 167 43
Breotia 4 335 892 71
'fhehes 1 199 411 65
lEtolia 10 622 718 42
Naupactos 1 220 728 161
'frichonia 1 178 483 37
Eurytania 5 497 1,191 197
Acarnania 1 150 122 14
Xeromeros 8 361 628 32
Phocis 5 709 1,182 78
Doris - 1 99 646 74
Phthiotis - ! 13 614 1,218 III
Locris 2 129 278 50
VaItos -I 1 56 387 27
Total 87 I 5,330 11,206 1,077
CC 4
392 EDUCATION.
C. THE IsLANDS.
- -- -~~---- --------
Schoolmuten P':/lll. at I Men wbo Priest. D~partment. aud Teacben. the
trerent can read and I Scbool.. I and write. Monks.
t
Hydra - - 3 556 741 54
Spetzia - - 10 280 300 18
iEgina - - 3 230 160 14 I
Enbcea - - 12 619 1,438 265 : Skopel08 - - 3 353 , 210 12:J Syra - . -
26 2,053 I 1,650 67 I
Kythn08 - - Il 522 598 47
Myl08 - - 20 490 956 66 I
Them - - 7 885 2,055 230 ,
Tin08 - - - 2 740 904 288
Andr08 - - 3 309 654 176
NU08 - - Il I 812 877 158 I ,
Total - III i 7,849 I 10,543 1,506 I
D. RECAPITULATION.
Prle8ts
and
Monks.
Men who
can read
I and write.
Schoolmasters 'i th~dr~:r~~t
and Teacben. I Scboolo.
-= I 160 1'--10-,-7'9-0- 1-2-1-,8-5-5-1--2,-0-62- 1
87 I 5,330 Il ,206 1,077
III 7,849 I 10,543 1,506
Continent
Islands
I
Dlvlllon of tbe
Kingdom.
Morea -
Total - I 358 I 23,969 I 43,604 I 4,645
THE COURT, ETC.
CHAP. XII.
THE COURT, ETC.
The Royal Family.
393
OTHO FREDERICK LOUIS, King of Greece, Royal Prince of
Bavaria, born 2
1
_O
J
l\!ax,} 1815; elected King of Greece by
une,
the treaty of London of 7th May, 1832; arrived in Greece
~;::} l833, with the regency appointed by the King of
Bavaria to exercise the royal authority during His Majesty's
minority; took possession of the reins of government
20May,} . d ID N
I--J-- 1835; marrle 22 ovember, 1836, to
une,
- 9
AMELIA MARIA FREDERICA, born il December, 1818,
eldest daughter of H. R. H. the reigning Grand Duke of
Oldenburg.
The Royal Arms.
The royal arms consists of an equilateral quadrangular
shield pointed at the bottom, containing the Greek cross
argent on a field azure. In the centre of the cross is a
small shield containing the family arms of the royal house
of Bavaria-; viz. twenty.one lozenges, of which eleven are
argent and ten azure. The shield is surmounted by a royal
crown, and the supporters are two crowned lions proper.
The coat of arms is suspended under a royal canopy of
purple velvet relieved by ermine, the top of which is also
surmounted by the royal crown of Greece.
PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF THE KING'S HOUSEHOLD.
Clwmberlain and Master of the Ceremonies. - Charles
Soutzo, Lieutenant-Colonel on the Staff, Knight of the
394 THE COURT, ETC.
Gold Cross of the Redeemer and the Sw('dish Ore
of the Sword.
Aides-de-Camp. - Kitzo Tzavellall, Major-General. Gral
Commander of the Order ofthe Redeemer, and CODunand
of the Spanish Order of Isabella. Johannis ColocotroIJ
Colonel in the Greek Phalanx, Grand Commander of' tb
Order of the Redeemer. Baron Von Hess, Colonel of' .If:
fan try, Commander of the Order of the Redeemer. Gardi
kioti Grivas, Colonel of Irregular Infantry, Commander 0
the Order of the Redeemer. George Sachini, Captain of' thE-:
First Class in the Navy, and Marine Prefect, Commander 01
the Order of the Redeemer. Charles Soutzo (see above).
Orderly O.fficers in Waiting. - Baron Von Steinsdorf, Captain
in the Artillery. Baron Von Wiirtzburg, Captain of
Lancers. Demetrius Mavromichalis, Lieutenant in the
Light Troops, Knight Silver Cross of the Redeemer.
Physician in Ordinary. - Bernhard Roeser, Esq. M.D.
Knight Gold Cross of the Redeemer.
Chaplain to the King.-Rev. W. Arneth.
Keeper of the Privy Purse.- Baron Von Stengel, Knight
Silver Cross of the Redeemer.
Private Secretaries. - A. Graf, Ministerial Assessor, and
Knight of the Red Eagle of Prussia. F. Wendland.
THE QUEEN'S HOUSEHOLD.
Chamberlain to the Queen. - Charles Soutzo (see above).
Mistress of the Ceremonies. - Baroness Von Pliiskow.
Keeper of the Keys. - Baroness Von NordenfIycht.
Maids of Honour. - Baroness Von Wiesenthau.. Miss Catharine
Botzaris.
Chaplain to the Queen.
THE CORPS DIPLOMATIQUE AT ATHENS.
AUSTRIA.- Chevalier Prokesch Von Osten, Minister Plenipotentiary.
M. Von Wallenburg, Secretaryof I,egation.
Hypolite Von Sonnleithner, Attache.
BAVARIA. - Count Von Bray, Minister Resident. I. Faber,
Secretary of Legation.
THE COURT, ETC. 395
BELGIUM. - Chevalier de Mary, Charge d' Affaire~.
FRANCE. - M. de Lagrene, Minister Plenipotentiary. Count
de Sartiges, Secretary of Legation.
GREAT BRITAIN. - Captain Sir Edmund Lyons, Bart. R.N.
G.C.H. K.C.B. Minister Plenipotentiary. Philip Griffith,
Esq. Secretary of Legation. Bickerton Lyons, Esq.
AttacM.
PRUSSIA. - M. Brassier de St Simon, Minister Resident.
RUSSIA. - M. de Katakazi, Envoy Extraordinary. M. Persiani,
1st Secretary. M. Fok, 2d Secretary. M. Lenz,
3d Secretary. M. Rachette, Attache.
SPAIN. -Don J. de Concha, Charge d'Affaires.
SWEDEN.- Chevalier de Heidenstamm, Charge d' Affaires.
TURKEY. - M. Mussuris, Minister Resident.
THE CONSULAR CORPS AT ATHENS.
AUSTRIA. - George Gropius, Consul-General.
BAv ARIA. - Frederick Strong, Consul.
BELGIUM. - Octavius Metivier, Consul.
DENMARK. -John Travers (ad interim) Consul-General.
GREAT BRITAIN. - John Green, Consul.
HANOVER. - Frederick Strong, Consul.
NETHERLANDS. - John Travers, Consul-General.
PAPAL DOMINIONS. - H. D. Moretti, Consul-General.
PORTUGAL. - J. Pacifico, Consul.
RUSSIA. -John Papparigopoulos, Consul.
SAXONY. - Francis Feraldi, Consul-General.
~ARDINIA.- Fraucis Feraldi, Consul-General.
TUSCANY. - Spiro Balbi, Consul.
Two SICILIES. - Chevalier de Morelli, Consul-General.
UNITED STATES. - G. A. Perdicaris, Consul.~
GREEK LEGATIONS AT FOREIGN COURTS.
CONSTANTINOPLE. - Minister Resident (vacant). Councillor
of Legation, Em. Argyropoulos.
PARIS. - Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary,
Johannis Colettis, Commander of the Order of the
Redeemer. Secretary of Legation, J. Soutzo.
396 THE COURT, ETC.
LONDON. - Envoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiAry,
Spyridion Tricoupi. Secretary of Legation, PhocioD
Roque.
SECRETARIES OF STATE (September, 1841).
President oftlie Council. -Jakobaki Rizo.
Minister of the Interior. - D. Christedes.
Foreign Affairs and King's HouseJwld. - J. Rizo.
Religion and Puhlic Instruction. - J. Rizo (provisionally).
Finance. - G. K. Tessaminos.
Army. - Alexis Vlachopoulos.
Navy. - A. G. Kriezis.
Justice. - G. A. Ralli.
THE COUNCIL OF STATE.
(Ordinary Members.)
George Conduriotti, Pres.
Pietro Mavromichalis, V. P.
Nota Botzaris.
Andress Metaxa.
Johannis Mexis.
Anagnosti Delijanni.
Theodore Colocotroni.
Panutzo Notara.
Richard Church.
Constantine D. Schinas.
A. Monarchides.
Nicolas Bota&sis.
George iEniao.
Basili Boudouris.
Rigas Palamedes.
Athanasius Lidoriki.
Tadgi Mangina.
Nicolas Zacharitza.
Michael'soutzo.
A. Mavromichalis.
F. Mavros.
J. Campanis.
Constantine Caradja.
N. G. Theocaris. ""'"
Benizelos Rouff'os. •
J. Renieri.
Jakobaki Rizo.
S. Tricoupi.
A. Palcos.
G. Provelengios, Sec. Gen.
(Extraordinary Members.)
J. Coletti.
N. Sillivergos.
A. Mavrocordato.
-Mavromatis.
S. Calogeropoulos.
Constantine Canaris.
THE COURT, ETC. 397
- ChloDaris.
- Praldes.
DemetriuB TzamadoB.
N. ZographoB.
George ArgyropouloB.
G. SachturiB.
A. Polyzoldes.
George Psyllas.
ConBtantine Schinas.
HEADS OF PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS AT ATHENS.
War Department.
Military Commandant of Athens and Pirteus. - Lieut.-Col.
Von Auer.
Commandant of the Artillery (Nauplia).-Lieut.-Col. Hiitz.
Commandant of the Arsenal (Nauplia).- Major Neumayer.
Commandant of the Gendarmerie. - Lieut.-Col. VlachopouloB.
Commandant of the Engineers.- Major Smolenitz.
Commandant of the Cavalry, 1st Division. - Lieut.-Col. Kalergi.
Commandant oftlte Cavalry, 2nd Division. - Major KalogeropouloB.
Commandant ofthe Military Academy (Pirteus). - Lieut.Col.
Spiro Mylio.
Director ofthe Army Clothing Board (Nauplia).- (Vacant.)
Quartermaster- General. - A. Guerin, with the rank of
Colonel.
Physicimt-in-Chiif to the Porces.- Dr. Treiber, with the
rank of Lieut.-Col.
Director of the Military Hospital. - Dr. Lindermayer, with
the rank of Captain.
Director of the Polytechnic School.- Captain Zentner of the
Engineers.
Naval Department.
Marine Prifect (Poros).- J. Sachini, Captain, 1st class.
Paymaster-General of the Navy (Poros). -Kolbe, with the
rank of Captain, 2nd class.
Captain of the Port (Piraus).-Leon Badin, Commander
in the Navy.
398 TilE COURT, ETC.
Finance Department.
Treasurer- General. - - Spaniolaki.
President of the Court of Accounts. - N. Silivergos.
Director of the Customs (Pirceull). - - Lucopoulos.
Printing Office. - Rizo Rangavee.
Mint. - Lieut. Reiehenbach, Royal Artillery.
Home Department.
Governor ofAttica. - N. Levendis.
Demarch (Mayor) of Athens. - Anargyros Petraki.
Director-General of the Posts. - N..Scouffos.
Central Medical Committee. - Dr. Roeser, Dr. Treiber, Dr.
Vouro, Dr. Lefkias, Dr. Kosti, M. Mahn, and Professor
Landerer.
Law Department.
The Areopagus or Supreme Court. - Christodoulos Chlonaris,
President. A. Polyzoides, Vice-President. Johannis
Somaki, Judge. Demetrills Scordelis, Judge. F. Feder,
Judge. Theodor~Manoussi, Judge. Kyriakos Diomedes,
Judge. Spiro Pillikas, Judge. pemetrius Soutzo, Procurator-
General.-Festa, Secretary.
Court ofAppeals.- Ralli, President.-Drossos, Judge.-Karamanos,
.Tudge.-H enieris, J udge.-Christodoulos JEnian,
Jlldge.- Galatis, Judge.- Pitzipius, Procurator-Fiscal.Zacharita,
Secretary.
Department of Religion.
Tlte Synod faT 1841, 1842. - Cyrillus, Metropolitan of Argolis,
President.
Gerasimus, Bishop of HYdra}
Zacharia, Bishop of' Thera Ordinary
Theoretis, Bishop of Sellasia Members.
Neophyte, Bishop of Phocis
Jonas, Bishop of Elis } Extraordinary
Neophyte, Bishop of' Attica Members•.
I..
THE COURT, ETC.
Department of Public Instruction.
President of the Antiquarian Society. -.T. Rizo.
Conservator- General of Antiquities. -.T. Pittaki.
Rector of the University. - Professor Ralli.
Director of the Gymnasium. - Dr. Gennadius.
S99
Order of Knight/tood.
The order of the Redeemer was instituted on the
21° .TMay~} 1833 (His Majesty's birthday), by a royal orune,
donnance bearing the same date, and containing the statutes,
regtlations, and privileges of the order, which are as
follows: -
Art. ]. An order of merit for the kingdom of Greece is
hereby instituted, which shall bear the title of the" Order of
the Redeemer" (Taypa TOU }lwTijpOl:), in commemoration of
the wonderful and glorious liberation of Greece under the
direct influence of Divine Providence.
Art. 2. The order of the Redeemer is divided into five
classes; viz.
Ist class, Knights of the Silver Cross,
2d Knights of the Gold Cross,
3d Knights Commanders,
4th Grand Commanders,
5th Grand Crosses.
Art. 3. The number of' knights of the first class is unlimited;
that of the second limited to 120; that of the third
to 30; that of the fourth to 20; and of grand crosses to 12.
But princes of the blood royal and all foreigner3 are not
included in these numbers, which apply only to our subjects.
Art. 4. The insignia of the order consists in a cross of
white enamel with eight points, surmounted by the royal
crown. The centre of the cross, ornamented with a wreath
of oak and laurel, bears on one side the Greek national cross,
with the royal shield in the centre, as contained in the royal
coat of arms, surrounded by the motto, "H .:\E%IA }lOY
XEIP, KYPIE ~E.:\O%A}lTAIEN I}lXYl" (Thy right hand,
THE COUllT, ETC.
o Loru, ill glorified with power); and on the other, the head
of the royal founder ofthe order, with the surrounding motto,
"aOON BA~IAEY~ TII~ EAAA~a~" (Otho, King of
Greece).
Art.5. The knights of the silver cross wear the decoration
of the order enamelled on silver, and suspended on the left
breast hy a light blue watered silk ribbon, edged with white.
The knights of the second clallS wear the insignia in the same
manner as the former, but with the distinction of the cross
being enamelled on gold. Commanders wear the same cross
as the second class, but suspended tound the neck by a
broader ribbon of the same colour. Grand commanders
wear the gold cross round the neck, the same as commanders;
but on the right side of their coat on the breast is Embroidered
a ~ilver star of 8 points, on which is a cross as
described in art. 4., and with the same motto in gold letters
on blue enamel. The diameter of the star is 7 centimetres
(French). Knights grand crosses wear the insignia of the
order enamelled on gold, suspended by a broad ribbon of the
I?Rme colour and texture hanging from the left shoulder to
the right side; and a star on the left side of the coat of lO
centimetres diameter, and the same form and materials as
those of the grand commanders.
Art. 6. All knights of the Order of the Redeemer, who are
Greek subjects, are required to wear their respective insignia
whenever they appear before the king or princes of the
royal family, or are invited to take part in any public procession
or on any state occasion. The grand crosses, grand
commanders, and knights commanders are allowed to wear
the decoration in the same manner as the knights gold
crosses, if they do not wear their particular insignia at the
lIame time.
Art.7. The king is grand master of the order, and may
wear the insignia of an~' class of the order as he may think
proper. The grand master has the exclusive right of conferring
the order.
Art. 8. The order is conferred for life. On the death of
any knight the insignia are to be returned to the minister of
the king's house and foreign affairs.
THE COURT, ETC. 401
Art. 9. The Order of the Redeemer may only be conferrel,1
as follows:-
A. On Greek subjects who either during the war of independence
distinguished themselves by their services and
contributed to the safety and preservation of their country,
or who may afterwards have rendered important services to
the throne, the honour of the Greek name, and the welfare
of their country in any branch of the public service, whether
in the army or navy, law, diplomacy, finances, or public
instruction; or in the arts and sciences, commerce, agriculture;
or who may distinguish themselves in any other civil
capacity (~1 U6xov 1I"oXlrudjl; apfriil;).
B. On foreigners who may possess any of the above distinguishing
qualifications, or whose extraordinary merit may
appear calculated to further the honour of the order.
Art. 10. No Greek subject can be promoted to a higher
rank without having gone through the lower classes; the
sole exceptions are the orders conferred at the institution of
the order.
Art. 11. The oider can only be given to, and promotions
conferred on Greek subjects, by a royal decree, signed by the
king, and countersigned by the secretary of state for the
king's household and foreign affairs, in which the claims of
the party to distinction are set forth.
Art. 12. In due time the Order of the Redeemer shall be
endowed in a proper manner, so as to form an annuity for a
certain number of each class of knights. The regulations for
the honorary distinctions of each class will be made the subject
of a separate ordonnance.
Table showing the Number of Greek Knights of the Redeemer
1
on the 13 January, 1841.
i I: Grand I Knight, gntght8!Knlght,I ~.
IBranch of the Service..cGrand .command-jcommand- Gold Silver Total.
rones'l en. era. Crosses. Crosses.
1
1
~r:::_. ~ '-~-I~I ill: TII~~ II:~
Civil service - 5 i 6 2 90 79 182
, Total ·1-6-1-14-1 24 I·~I~I~
DD
402 THE COURT, ETC.
Table showing the Total Number of Knigltts of the Redeemer
on the AJanuary, 1841, distinguishing Greek Subjects
and Foreigners.
~_._--- -- --- : IGrand I Grand Knight. Knlghta Knight. I
Crollel ,Command~ Command. Gold Silver Total. I
'I ers. era. CrolSeI. ~---I
Foreigners - - 98 I 74 85 118 150 525 I
Greek subjects - 6 I 14 24 162 260 466 :
---
I
--I
Total - 104 I 88 109 280 410 I 991 I
Amongst the above 98 grand crosses conferred on foreigners,
are 18 crowned heads and reigning princes, and 15
princes belonging to different royal families.
THE l.\fEDAL FOR THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE WAR OF
INDEPENDENCE.
The regency, at an early period of their labours, conceived
the plan of decorating the brave defenders of their national
liberty with an honourable mark, to distinguish them from
those who were absent from the country, and took no part
in her struggle for independence; but as the Order of the
Redeemer was instituted in the year of the king's arrival, the
plan was deferred till 1834, when they took the opportunity
of the rejoicings on the anniversary of His Majesty's birthday
to issue a decree intimating the royal pleasure to give a commemorative
medal to all Greeks and Philhel1i!nes who took
part in the war, to be worn on the left breast. The execution
of the plan was, however, delayed till the following year;
when His Majesty having attained his majority, and taken the
reins of government into his own hands, made sundry modifications
in the former regulations, and took active measures
for carr~'ing them into effect. The proclamation was pub-
18 "
lished on the 30 September, 1835; and the following are
the principal clauses: -
" The memento which we intended giving to all those
who took part in the war of liberty and independence, and
which was to be in the form of a medal, is hereby altered
THE COURT, ETC. 403
into a cross of the shape of the Greek national cross entwined
with a wreath of laurel; on one side of which stand the
words" oeON BA~IAEY~TIU EAAA~O~" (Otho, King
of Greece), and on the other " TOI~ rENNAIOI~ TU
nATPI~O~ npOMAXOI~"(to the heroic defenders of the
country), and which will be worn on the left breast suspended
by a plain dark blue ribbon. _
"The cross will be distributed to all officers, non-commissioned
officers, and privates of the army and navy, who
can produce the proper testimonials of their having served
their country during the war; and the officers are to prove
satisfactorily to a committee of inquiry appointed for the
purpose, that they bore a commission from the then existing
provisional government prior to the date of 1st December,
1831. Foreigners who served the cause of Greece as Phi!belIenes
previous to the above-mentioned date are at liberty
to claim the right of wearing the cross.
"The officers will receive the cross in silver, the noncommissioned
officers in bronze, and the soldiers and sailors
in iron.
"No claims can be allowed from those who have been
tried and punillhed for criminal acts, nor those who have
quitted Greece subsequently to the king's arrival, and settled
in foreign countries, or entered the service of other powers
without the express consent of His Majesty; but the king
reserves to himself the right of extending exceptions to such
of the latter as he may think proper on their return to the
kingdom.
" The following privileges are conferred on the wearers: _
1. The right of carrying arms without the usual particular
licence from the police; 2. Precedence at all municipal
elections; 3. The privilege of taking precedence at all municipal
processions and other public ceremonies immediately
after the local authorities; 4. Exemption from liability of
being called upon to serve in any public function, either civil
or military, against their will; and, lastly, military honours
will be paid to the wearers of the silver cross by His Majesty's
land and naval troops.
" The right o( wearing the cross will be forfeited under
THE COURT,' ETC.
the following circum~tances : - 1. By all those who are sentenced
for criminal acts, according to the particulars laid
down in-article 22. of the new Penal Code; 2. By emigrating
from the kingdom without the consent of the king; and,
lastly, by entering the civil or military service of a foreign
power without His Majesty's sanction."
Ta,ble of the Number of Crosses for t!lOse ~()ho served their
CountTJI in the War of Independence, distributed in the
Army and Navy.
Branch of the Service. I Silver Crosses. Bronze Crosses. Iron Crosses.
Total. I
Army - 3,461 6,329 18,615 28,405
Navy - - 539 671 1,385 2,595
Total - 4,000 I 7,000 I 20,000 31,000
Medal of Epidaurus.
On the ~ September, 1835, a royal decree was published,
by virtue of which a silver medal was coined and distributed
to all the surviving deputies at the first Greek national
congress held at Epidaurus on the 5th March, 1822, and to
the families of those who have died since that epoch. The
medal is three fourths of an inch in diameter, and presents
on one side a symbol of Epidaurus, with the motto"H EAAA~
EYrNOMONOY~A" (grateful Hellas); and on the other,
"E8NIKH ~NEAEY~I~AOKB'" (to the national assembly
of 1822). These medals are worn on the left breast with a
green ribbon.
Of the 64 members who signed the memorable declaration
of independence, only 44 were alive to receive the medal;
but it was given also to th~ families of the deceased 20, to
be preserved as an heir-loom among them.
THE END.
LONDON:
Printed by A. SPOTTIRWOODE,
Now-Street-Square.1923
ΣΗΜΕΙΩΣΗ
Παλαιός συνάδερφος και αγγλομαθής, φιλίστωρ
και πολιτικό όν, προερχόμενος από τον τραπεζικό κλάδο, πολύ καλός στον τομέα
της δουλειάς που του είχε ανατεθεί, ο Γιάννης Π……. μου πρόσφερε πριν μερικά
χρόνια ένα μικρό στικάκι. Μου λέει: «έλα να δεις τι μου έστειλε ένας φίλος μου
από την Αμερική από την Βιβλιοθήκη του Αμερικάνικου Κογκρέσου. Ξέρω ότι αγαπάς
την Ιστορία και θα σου αρέσει. Πρόσεξε τις σελίδες που αναφέρονται στην πόλη
σου τον Πειραιά». Αφού τον ευχαρίστησα, που μου αντέγραψε σε ένα cd ολόκληρο το βιβλίο, ανοίξαμε τις
σελίδες του και περιδιαβήκαμε στα γρήγορα τα περιεχόμενα. Το βιβλίο αναφέρονταν
στα «Δάνεια της Ελληνικής Ανεξαρτησίας». Είχα μία ιδέα για το ιστορικό αυτό
ζήτημα κα διαβάσει παλαιότερα την Ιστορία της Ελληνικής Επανάστασης
του Διονυσίου Κόκκινου, του Σπύρου Μαρκεζίνη, του Δημήτρη Φωτιάδη, του Τάσου
Βουρνά και φυσικά, την μελέτη-που είχα κάποτε στα χέρια μου- του εξαιρετικού
και σημαντικού φιλόλογου και θεατράνθρωπου Τάσου Λιγνάδη. Ενός συγγραφέα και
θεατρικού κριτικού που εκτιμούσα και εξακολουθώ να εκτιμώ τις εργασίες του και
να διαβάζω τα κείμενα και τα βιβλία του. Όταν επέστρεψα στο σπίτι τοποθέτησα
την δισκέτα στον υπολογιστή και με τα λίγα αγγλικά κολλυβογράμματα που ήξερα
προσπάθησα να διαβάσω αποσπάσματα από τα κεφάλαια του μελετήματος. Με ενδιέφερε
πρωτίστως να δω, τι ανέφερε για το πρώτο λιμάνι, τον Πειραιά. Μάλιστα, όπως είχα πει στον Γιάννη, τον
παλαιό συνάδελφο που μου δώρισε το σε ηλεκτρονική μορφή βιβλίο, σκεφτόμουνα να
μεταφράσω και αντιγράψω αυτά που αναφέρονταν στον Πειραιά, δίχως ασφαλώς
πρόθεση σχολιασμού μια και δεν είμαι ιστορικός, αλλά διαθέτοντας γενικές
ιστορικές γνώσεις που, όσοι ασχολούνταν συστηματικά με την ιστορία της Πόλης
μας γνώριζαν. Αναφέρομαι στον στρατηγό της Ελληνικής Επανάστασης τον Γεώργιο
Καραϊσκάκη, μιλώ για τις εργασίες του Παρασκευά Ευαγγέλου και ορισμένων άλλων
σύγχρονων Πειραιωτών ιστορικών οι οποίοι ασχολήθηκαν με την ιστορική περιπέτεια
της Πόλης μας τα ηρωικά χρόνια της ελληνικής παλιγγενεσίας. Όπως, όλοι μας
γνωρίζουμε-αναφέρομαι στους Πειραιώτες που ενδιαφέρονται για την ιστορία του
Πόρτο Λεόνε, ο Πειραιάς την μεγάλη αυτή περίοδο μετά την Ρωμαϊκή κατοχή, ήταν
ένα μικρό ψαροχώρι, δεν είχε ζωή. Οι πηγές αναφέρουν ελάχιστα για αυτήν την
μακρά περίοδο από τον 2ο αιώνα μετά Χριστό έως περίπου την
Επανάσταση. Τα διάφορα Πειραϊκά Λευκώματα μας δίνουν ελάχιστες μεν, αλλά
χρήσιμες για τους ιστοριοδίφες πληροφορίες ώστε να σχηματίσουμε την μικρή κίνηση γύρω από την Δογάνα αλλά, και να
σχηματίσουμε την εικόνα της έρημης και «γυμνής» από κίνηση ακόμα Πόλης μέσα στο
κάδρο της ιστορικής και οικονομικής και πολιτικής της εποχής, λίγο πριν και
μετά την απελευθέρωση από την Οθωμανική αυτοκρατορία και την ίδρυση του
ελληνικού μικρού στην αρχή ελληνικού κρατιδίου. Ο Πειραιάς, σαν επίνειο της
πρωτεύουσας αυτοπροσδιορίζεται στα πρώτα του βήματα, σαν ένας γεωγραφικός
χώρος, μία αυτόνομη γεωγραφική μονάδα οικονομικών και εμπορικών προδιαγραφών.
Ένα διαμετακομιστικό κέντρο προϊόντων, από τα διάφορα νησιά του Αιγαίου και
χώρες του εξωτερικού, πολυποίκιλων εμπορικών και άλλων συναλλαγών, προς και από
την Αθήνα και άλλες μεγάλες πόλεις της ηπειρωτικής ελλάδας. Όμως, ας μην
επεκταθούμε σε πράγματα ιστορικά γνωστά μας και «χιλιοειπωμένα», πληροφορίες
και στοιχεία, τεκμήρια τα οποία οικοδόμησαν το ψηφιδωτό της καθόλου εικόνα της
Πόλης και στην πάροδο του χρόνου από την ίδρυση του Δήμου και κατόπιν,
σχημάτισαν και καλλιέργησαν αυτό που ονομάζουμε Πειραϊκή συνείδηση και
βιομηχανική και αστική ανάπτυξη του πρώτου λιμανιού. Του Πόρτο Δράκο. Από την
στιγμή, που ο καλός συνάδελφος μου πρόσφερε το αγγλικό κείμενο, είχα μερικές
ενστάσεις για την δημοσίευσή του. Δεν γνώριζα πως αποκτήθηκε ηλεκτρονικά το
βιβλίο, αν είχε την δυνατότητα κάποιος τρίτος να το αναδημοσιεύσει ολόκληρο και
μάλιστα, προερχόμενο από την Αμερική όπου εκεί- σχεδόν τα πάντα υπόκεινται
στους νόμους της αγοράς. Κατόπιν, υπήρχε ένα ουσιώδες και σοβαρό ζήτημα. Η
ορθογραφική και ιστορική επιμέλεια του κειμένου. Η διασταύρωση πληροφοριών και
στοιχείων, η αντιβολή με άλλες όμορες διαφορετικές πηγές πληροφοριών της ίδιας
χρονικής περιόδου που γράφτηκε η μελέτη αλλά, των κατοπινών δεκαετιών όπου
συμπληρώθηκαν τα ιστορικά και ερμηνευτικά κενά, αναθεωρήθηκαν απόψεις,
προστέθηκαν νέα ιστορικά δεδομένα στην διερεύνηση των Αρχείων του Ελληνικού
Κράτους και άλλων χωρών. Φυσικά, θα
μπορούσε κανείς να το ανατυπώσει δίχως σχολιασμούς και άλλες-ορθογραφικές και
μη παρεμβάσεις-όπως έχουμε δει να συμβαίνει από διάφορους εκδοτικούς οίκους και
παλαιοπωλεία. Ιστορικές σειρές, ένα πανόραμα τίτλων, ιστορικών μελετών, αυτοβιογραφιών
και μονογραφιών χρήσιμα σε εμάς, το ευρύ αναγνωστικό κοινό, το οποίο δεν
ενδιαφέρεται για πολλές ιστορικές λεπτομέρειες. Στο εμπόριο εδώ και δεκαετίες
μετά την μεταπολίτευση, κυκλοφόρησαν ανατυπώσεις και αναστυλώσεις Απάντων και
Απομνημονευμάτων εκατοντάδων ιστορικών και λογοτεχνικών έργων. Έτσι το μικρό cd με το ηλεκτρονικό βιβλίο έμενε σε
ένα συρτάρι και που και που, το άνοιγα και προσπαθούσα να κατανοήσω ορισμένες
από τις θέσεις του συγγραφέα. Έχουν περάσει σχεδόν δέκα χρόνια από τότε, το βιβλίο
επανήλθε στην σκέψη μου, όταν το τελευταίο διάστημα αποδελτίωσα το περιοδικό
ΑΜΦΙ και ποιο συγκεκριμένα την παρουσία του ελληνοαμερικανού ποιητή και
μεταφραστή Νίκου Σπάνια. Τα αποδελτιωτικά αυτά σημειώματα-αν και δεν έχω σχεδόν
καθόλου ιδέα από τους ηλεκτρονικούς υπολογιστές, παρατήρησα ότι μπήκαν και
διάβασαν την ιστοσελίδα μου Λογοτεχνικά Πάρεργα, πάνω από 450 άτομα (;) μόνο
από την Αμερική. Δηλαδή η επισκεψιμότητα των αριθμό από μόνο την Αμερική,
υπερέβει αυτή από την Ελλάδα, που είναι περίπου 400 με 450 κάπου εκεί σε μια
σταθερή ροή. Το γεγονός αυτό, που σημαίνει, ότι οι εξ Αμερικής αναγνώστες
βρήκαν κάτι χρήσιμο και ενδιαφέρον στα τελευταία αυτά σημειώματα με χαροποίησε.
Εκ μέρους μου, ήταν μία μικρή ασήμαντη οφειλή σε όλους αυτούς και αυτές, έλληνες
και αμερικανούς ή άλλων χωρών διαμενόντων ή σπουδαζόντων στην Αμερική, οι
οποίοι αγαπούν τα ελληνικά γράμματα, διαβάζουν την ελληνική λογοτεχνία και
ιστορία και την μεταφράζουν στην μεγάλη και πλούσια αυτή ήπειρο. Είναι μεγάλη η
οφειλή στις εκεί ελληνικές και μη κοινότητες, στα πανεπιστήμια και την εκεί
ορθόδοξη εκκλησία, φορείς και πρόσωπα τα οποία φροντίζουν να διατηρούν δεσμούς
με την μητέρα πατρίδα. Είναι των ελλήνων οι μεταναστευτικές πρώτης και δεύτερης
γενιάς, και τρίτης γενιάς κοινότητες οι οποίες δεν έκοψαν τις ελληνικές ρίζες
τους. Τις διατηρούν, τις συνεχίζουν και αγωνίζονται να τις επεκτείνουν. Αυτός ο
μακροχρόνιος και επίπονος καλός αγώνας των ελλήνων μεταναστών, όχι μόνο στην
Βόρειο Αμερική αλλά και στη Νότιο, την Αφρικανική ήπειρο, την Ασιατική
επικράτεια, την ήπειρο της Αυστραλίας και ασφαλώς της Ευρώπης, είναι το
πρεσβευτικό άλας της διάδοσης και επέκτασης του ιστορικού Ελληνισμού. Της
ελληνικής γλώσσας, της θρησκευτικής και εθιμικής παράδοσης, των γραμμάτων και
του πολιτισμού. Μιάς Ελλάδας η οποία για πολλές δεκαετίες αγνοούσε ή και
έδιωχνε, εξόριζε τα παιδιά της, ζώντας περίκλειστη μέσα στην αυταρέσκεια της
βαλκάνιας επαρχιωτίλα της. Αρνούμενη να δει την ιστορική και πολιτική
πραγματικότητα των καιρών, και παραβλέποντας τις ευθύνες της που ανάγκαζαν και
εξακολουθούν να εξαναγκάζουν ένα μεγάλο και πλούσιο ελληνικό ανθρώπινο δυναμικό
να μεταναστεύσει και ίσως να μην επιστρέψει ποτέ ξανά πίσω. Δυστυχώς το εδώ
πολιτικό σύστημα στρουθοκαμηλίζοντας μπροστά στα οικονομικά και άλλα προβλήματα
και αδιέξοδα αδιαφόρησε σε μεγάλο βαθμό για τους έλληνες του εξωτερικού. Τους
θεωρούσε δεδομένους πρεσβευτές και υποστηρικτές των ελληνικών διπλωματικών και
ιστορικών δικαίων, αγνοώντας ότι ένα πληθυσμιακά ισάριθμο πλήθος ελλήνων,
ελληνίδων και ελληνικών οικογενειών, σταδιοδρόμησε και έζησε και εξακολουθεί να
ζει στα πέρατα της Οικουμένης. Ίσως και αναβιώνοντας το του αρχαίου Ομηρικού
Οδυσσέα της περιπέτειας ταξίδι. Δυστυχώς-και μπορεί να κάνω λάθος-ακόμα και
σήμερα-το νόμιμα εκλεγμένο από εμάς τους πολίτες πολιτικό προσωπικό μας θεωρούν
«πρόβατα» στο ατομικό τους κομματικό ή ιδεολογικό «μαντρί». Το όραμα μιάς άλλης
σύγχρονης και μοντέρνας Ελλάδας, μάλλον απουσιάζει και από το πολιτικό
«υπηρετικό» προσωπικό μας και από εμάς τους εκλογείς. Στον καθρέφτη της πολιτικής
σκηνής καθρεφτίζεται το συλλογικό μας αδιέξοδο και οι διαχρονικές πολιτικές και
κοινωνικές παθογένειες. Όμως η Ιστορία και η Παράδοση, η Πολιτική και η
Θρησκεία- Εκκλησία, δεν είναι στατικά και αναλλοίωτα μέσα στον Βιολογικό κύκλο
της Ανθρωπότητας. Κάθε γενιά οφείλει να ζει και να απολαμβάνει τα όνειρά της
και τα οράματά της. Ούτε με τους αρχαίους, ούτε με τους βυζαντινούς, ούτε με
τους οθωμανούς μπορούμε να ζούμε δεσμευμένοι και «φυλακισμένοι». Ή θα
φτερουγίσουμε στους σύγχρονους λαβυρίνθους της παγκόσμιας ιστορίας ή θα βουλιάξουμε
σε ένα εθνικιστικό ή αυτοκρατορικό «σπήλαιο» όπως ο αρχαίος Πολύφημος, που θα
μας κρατήσει δέσμιους και αιχμάλωτους σε ένα παρελθόν μόνο ως τουριστικής κατανάλωσης
προϊόν. Μιάς εμπορευματοποιήσημης κοινωνικής σκοπιμότητας. Η Ιστορία των ανθρώπων
κάθε φορά θραύει το καλούπι της και το επαναπλάθει.
Σε αυτούς τους άγνωστούς μου
αναγνώστες που μπαίνουν και διαβάζουν, αντιγράφουν, χρησιμοποιούν, αυτά τα
σημειώματα που αναρτώ, αφιερώνω το ηλεκτρονικό αυτό βιβλίο που μου χαρίστηκε
κάποτε και αναφέρεται στα Δάνεια της Ελληνικής Ανεξαρτησίας. Ευχόμενος να μου
επιτρέπεται η συνολική ανάρτηση του βιβλίου. Και ελπίζοντας κάποιος ιστορικός ή
ερευνητής, αναγνώστης, εφόσον το διαβάσει και το βρει ενδιαφέρον να το
μεταφράσει στα ελληνικά για το ελληνικό αναγνωστικό κοινό.
Γιώργος
Χ. Μπαλούρδος
Πειραιάς,
23 Νοεμβρίου 2023
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