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

EVACUATION OF HELLAS BY THE TURKS 341
decided.
The revolution of July, with all the vast and
pregnant issues which it raised,
distracted the attention
of the European
Cabinets from the affairs of
Greece. The London Conference, indeed, still continued
to devote an occasional thought to the question,
and on the 1st of July a protocol w r as issued confirming
that of the 3rd of February, and appointing commissioners
for the delimitation of the boundary.
Very
little, however, was done. The Turks demanded 300,-
000 Spanish dollars as compensation, before they
would evacuate Attica and Boeotia; and the Greek
Government had no money
demand.
with which to
meet the
Failing the payment of this sum, the Ottomans,
in the summer of 1830, systematically devastated
the country, and it was reckoned that half the
olive trees in Attica were destroyed.
At last the 22nd
of January was fixed on as the term for the evacuation
to be carried out; but this proceeded, even then,
very slowly. There were a thousand questions of compensationj
and the like, to be settled and the ; unhappy
Mussulmans were naturally reluctant to leave their
homes and their beloved country. A touching incident
is told, which may serve to illustrate this aspect
of the war and its results. A Turk, who was starting
on his sad journey, turned once more to gaze for the
last time on the Piraeus. Overcome with emotion, he