THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE 1821 TO 1833 BY W.ALISON PHILLIPS 1897

304 THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE
tacitly excluding continental Greece from all share in
the benefits won by the war. 1
The French now withdrew
from Greece, leaving only a couple of battalions
in the fortresses of Coron and Navarino to act as a
guarantee of order.
The publication of the protocol of the 16th of
November roused a storm of indignation throughout
Greece. Capodistrias himself shared the popular feeling.
The inclusion of continental Greece in the new
State was vital to its very existence as a free country;
and the President determined to press the war, in spite
of Conference and protocols.
'
I agree with you/ he
wrote to General Haydeck, '
that if we had some wellserved
field pieces and a few squadrons of cavalry
we could win our frontier in spite of the London
protocol/ 2
In prosecuting the war with vigour Capodistrias
had a double object to serve. He desired to secure
for Greece her natural boundary, and he wished also
to effect a diversion in favour of Russia, which was
now being hard pressed in the Balkan campaign.
If the inclusion of Athens and Thebes in the Hellenic
State was an article of faith, that of the island of
Crete could hardly be regarded as more than a pious
1 For text sec Prokesch, Appendix, 2 Mendelssohn, ii. 109.
ix. 45.