A.D. 1770. his command in the Mediterranean. He retired shortly after with the fleet to the harbour of Naussa, in the Island of Paros, whence, after giving directions for the constructing an arsenal and raising defences for the winter, he repaired to Italy on his return to Russia. He was received by the Empress with the most extravagant congratulations, and obtained in honour of his victory the title of Tchésmensky. In the beginning of the ensuing year he again set out for the Levant, with the specious intention of prosecuting his designs in Greece, and seconding the exertions of the rebels in Egypt; but, in reality, on an enterprise much more congenial to his disposition. The author of the "Narrative," to which I have before referred, mentions, that at this time ElphinA.D. stone, who was still at Paros, received orders from Alexis to repair secretly to Leghorn, where he and his sons passed their quarantine under the assumed name of Howard. The circumstance is mentioned with some surprise by its narrator, but the subsequent tragedy of the unfortunate Princess Tarakanoff, who was forcibly carried off from Italy by Orloff, and subsequently drowned in an inundation of the Neva, sufficiently ex 1771. Jan. 11th. * Castera, v. ii. p. 77. 1770 plains the mystery.* Elphinstone, however, A.D. was not the agent of this atrocious transaction; between him and Orloff there had ever existed the most bitter aversion, hatred on the one side and contempt on the other. He passed from Leghorn to St. Petersburgh, where he was received with coldness by Catherine, and having finally quitted her service, he retired to England in disgust. The fleet continued for some time to harbour at Paros, till an epidemic making its appearance amongst the men, the station was abandoned, the arsenal dismantled, and, on the peace of Kainardji, in 1774, the expedition returned to the North. * See the particulars of this nefarious transaction in the Histoire de Russie, par M. Rabbe, p. 396, &c. and in the second vol. of Castera's Memoirs of Catherine. + Rulhiere, v. iii. p. 455. CHAPTER XVI. A.D. 1770. 1771. Ali Pacha.-The Suliots.-Russian war, A. D. 1789–92. -Progress of Education in Greece.-Rhiga.-A. D. 1774 to 1798. THE successes of the Russians in the campaign of 1770, both on the Danube and in the Mediterranean, though brilliant, were far from being decisive; and the events of the following A.D. year, coupled with the domestic disturbances of the empire, and the bursting out of the plague at Moscow, induced Catherine II. to listen to overtures of peace. The negotiations at Foksani, however, terminated unfavourably, A.D. and in 1773 hostilities again commenced. But the Empress was now too deeply engaged in her plans for the dismemberment of Poland, to pursue with ardour her designs against Turkey: the operations of Romanzoff were at first unsuccessful; but in 1774, having worsted the Vizier Muhssin Zadé in almost every engagement, and 1773. 1774. 24, at length enclosed him with his army in Shumla, A.D. a peace was concluded, on terms highly advan- July tageous to Russia. It was signed at the village of Kutchuk Kainardji, in Bulgaria, on the 21st of July; and by one of its most important articles, the Mediterranean conquests of the Czarina were restored to the Sultan, with stipulations for the pardon and security of the insurgent Greeks.* In consequence of this treaty, the Russian fleet evacuated the Cyclades, and returned to * "Traité de paix entre la Russie et la Porte Ottomanne, conclu le 10 (21) Juillet, 1774. Au Camp près la ville de Chiuscino Cainardgi. "ART. XVII. L'empire Russe restitue à la Sublime Porte toutes les Isles dans l'Archipel, qui néanmoins sont sous la domination de Russie. En revanche, la Porte promet de son côté, "1. D'observer religieusement les conditions, stipulées dans le premier article à l'égard de l'amitié et de l'entier oubli de toutes sortes d'accusations et de soupçons formés contre les sujets comme s'ils s'étoient comportés au préjudice de l'intérêt de la Porte. "2. Que dès maintenant et à jamais, la réligion chrétienne ne sera plus exposée à la moindre persécution, ni défendu d'améliorer et de rebâtir ses églises, ni que ses ecclésiastiques soient jamais raillés et persécutés, de quelque manière que ce puisse être. 6 "3. Que dans deux ans à compter du jour de la restitution de ces isles, qui ont été au pouvoir de la Russie, il ne sera exigé de leurs habitans aucune imposition pour cause 1774. A.D. St. Petersburgh. Its presence in the Levant, especially, after its defeat at Lemnos, had been productive of the most frightful disorders: Spiritoff and his officers had made frequent descents upon the islands, but without effecting any object beyond partial plunder, which was sure to be followed by the indiscriminate massacre of the unfortunate Greeks. Candia, Cyprus, Negropont, and Stancho, had been thus attacked in 1773: in the former, the Pacha had retaliated by assailing the villages of the Sfacchiotes, which he reduced to ruins, and compelled their defenders to submit to a tribute to the Porte, which they had long successfully refused; and in the latter, the Turkish commandant, after the departure of the Russians, de dommage et de dégâts, soufferts pendant le cours de la présente guerre. “‘4. Qu'il sera libre aux familles, qui voudront quitter leur patrie, d'emporter leurs biens et ce qui est à elles; et qu'afin qu'elles puissent convenablement mettre ordre à leurs affaires, il sera accordé le terme d'un an, à commencer du jour de la ratification de ce traité. "5. Qu'au cas qu'au départ de la flotte Russe, lequel devra avoir lieu en trois mois après la dite ratification, elle ait besoin de quelque chose, la Porte fournira tout ce qui pourroit lui manquer.'" Martens, Recueil des Traités, v. i. no. 44. p. 507. See also Eton's Survey, c. ix. p. 351. Histoire de Russie, par M. Rabbe, p. 402. Thornton's Turkey, v. i. p. ccxxii. Rizo, Hist. de la Grèce Mod. P. 2. c. i. p. 90. |