1826.] Letter on Affairs in general. 647 
16 
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“ high contractors,” and they, of course, have the lion’s share of the 
advantage.’ And yet, with’ all this, it is singular, all people look as 
innocent of the commission as if such a little snack had never been 
swallowed ! aver , ef 
In the minute statement of the assets and disbursements of the first 
loan, given in the Westminster Review, there is not one word said of 
the commission, though we have all the other items of interest, sinkmg 
fand, &c. &c. paraded in long and regular array before us. And it was 
not known, till Mr. Ricardo (in justification of his own profits)published 
the fact by letter, in the Morning Chronicle of the 6th September 
last —that he had only received the same commission as Messrs Loughnan 
and ‘Co. had received before him. In the subsequent statement of the 
disbursements of that loan, presented by Mr. Bowring, on the 21st of 
October, to the Greek bondholders, and avowed by that gentleman 
as his composition, appears the first direct mention of the word “ com- 
mission :” and how is it introduced ? Why not then fairly and honestly 
by itself, but mixed up with another item with which it has no natural 
connexion ! “* Commission on the loan, and Shipments to Greece, £25,746 
9s. 2d.” Now it is such a pity that this account was not more specific, 
that I will endeavour to divide the ztems myself. And good need: for 
I doubt no casual reader would ever suspect that of this £25,746— 
«Commission on loan,” and “ Shipments to Greece,” the * Commission ” 
was £25,600; and the “ Shipments to Greece” £146! Now I‘know no- 
body ever can believe that there was such a mountain of ‘* commission ” 
in the affair to such a mouse of “ shipments !”—* only one ha’porth of 
bread (as Falstaff says) to this intolerable deal of sack!"* And yet, if 
people will only take the trouble to work the simple rule of three 
question : * If the commission on two millions (Mr. Ricardo’s loan—the 
second) be’ sixty-four thousand pounds, what will be the amount of the 
commission (at the “ same rate) on eight hundred thousand pounds 
(Messrs. Loughnan’s loarni—the first) ?” they will discover absolutely such 
to be the fact! Did then the 
Ory “ little bark [the £146] attendant sail, 
29 Pursue the triumph and partake the gale,” 
for no other purpose than to hoodwink the general public as to the real 
state of the transaction; and to conceal from it the circumstance, that 
the contractors, with their friends and dependants, were actuated by 
something else than a pure and disinterested love of Greek independence ! 
* By the word * sack,” used here, I do not mean any thing libellous. 
