and direct the war against Ali Pasha: the Souliots have revolted in favour of the latter. There are many rumours of war afloat, but between whom and where is not stated. There is great pecuniary distress at Patrass at present, owing to a levy having been made to defray the expenses of large supplies of provisions and ammunition for the Turkish army in Albania. This unlooked for and arbitrary exaction, which falls principally on the Greek subjects, has caused a great sensation, but has not been successfully resisted. Our local government has also for the same purpose borrowed money of the Russian Consul General, at a very high rate of interest. LETTER III. Patrass, 15th February, 1821. I RECEIVED a few days since, by an express footmessenger, rather a singular communication from my Consular Agent at Arcadia, Signor Anastasio Pasqualigo. He informed me that the Vaivode of Arcadia had communicated to him the contents of a letter which had fallen into his hands, addressed by a person named Colocotroni, now in Zante, to his friend in Arcadia, stating that a revolution on the part of the Greeks had been for some time organizing, and was on the point of breaking out ; that the Ionians would assist their brethren in religion, and that the writer was occupied in organizing a body of men, with whom he intended passing over to the Morea, and that he should land near Arcadia. The Vaivode lost no time in communicating the contents of this letter to the Turkish Government at Tripolizza, and also called upon the British Agent to explain the meaning of such an extraordinary declaration. Signor Pasqualigo referred the matter to me, requesting an answer. lost no time in assuring him, " I believed the letter to be a fabrication; that I had not heard of any rumour of a revolution, and that, at all events, Ionian subjects were not likely to interfere on such an occasion." I LETTER IV. Patrass, 29th March, 1821. FOR some time past there have been strong suspicions of a revolution on the part of the Greeks being in contemplation. The Turks of this place, and indeed in other parts of the Morea, have evinced great distrust and uneasiness. The dissatisfaction expressed by the Greek inhabitants of Patrass was owing to the very heavy levies made upon them by the Turkish Government, for the purchase of supplies for the army in Albania; but the authorities had apparently calmed the irritation excited by their unjust exactions. However, within these few days, appearances have assumed a much more serious aspect, and the idea universally prevails just now, among the resident Greeks of this town, that a revolution is on the point of breaking out: the Turks also appear very uneasy, and each party evidently mistrusts the other. The Greeks are engaged in shipping off or secreting their property. The Turks who inhabit houses in the town, are transporting their families and effects to the citadel, which they are putting into as good a state of defence as possible: they have compelled the Greeks to drag up some heavy cannon from the sea shore, and have put into requisition all the ovens, to bake biscuit. The Ionians residing at Patrass, who are very numerous, are also much alarmed, and have sent to the Islands many of their families, which the Turkish authorities here have endeavoured to prevent, as they issued an order that none of the inhabitants should quit the place; however, a deputation of Ionians having represented to me the injustice and risk attendant on such forcible detention, I considered it my duty to insist upon the order being cancelled, so far as regarded Ionian subjects, and my requisition has been complied with. A general order has been issued, in compliance with which, several Archbishops, Bishops, and Cogia-Bashis of the different districts, have proceeded to Tripolizza, the seat of Government. Germanos, however, the Archbishop of Patrass, on arriving at Calavrita on his way thither, has refused to proceed farther. The Turks are exceedingly suspicious of Russian influence; and, on the other hand, the Greeks have for some time past shown themselves devoted to that power. The Turks have as yet been unable to effect the overthrow of Ali Pasha, who still holds out, although nine months have elapsed since operations were commenced against him. The appearance of the |