On the 25th of March, 1817, notwithstanding the solemn promise made to
the Parganiotes, when they admitted the British troops, that they should
always be on the same footing as the Ionian Isles, a treaty was signed
at Constantinople by the British Plenipotentiary, which stipulated the
complete and stipulated cession of Parga and all its territory to the
Ottoman Empire. Soon there arrived at Janina Sir John Cartwright, the
English Consul at Patras, to arrange for the sale of the lands of the
Parganiotes and discuss the conditions of their emigration. Never before
had any such compact disgraced European diplomacy, accustomed hitherto
to regard Turkish encroachments as simple sacrilege. But Ali Pacha
fascinated the English agents, overwhelming them with favours, honours,
and feasts, carefully watching them all the while. Their correspondence
was intercepted, and he endeavoured by means of his agents to rouse the
Parganiotes against them. The latter lamented bitterly, and appealed
to Christian Europe, which remained deaf to their cries. In the name
of their ancestors, they demanded the rights which had been guaranteed
them. "They will buy our lands," they said; "have we asked to sell them?
And even if we received their value, can gold give us a country and the
tombs of our ancestors?"

Ali Pacha invited the Lord High Commissioner of Great Britain, Sir
Thomas Maitland, to a conference at Prevesa, and complained of the
exorbitant price of 1,500,000, at which the commissioners had estimated
Parga and its territory, including private property and church
furniture. It had been hoped that Ali's avarice would hesitate at this
high price, but he was not so easily discouraged. He give a banquet for
the Lord High Commissioner, which degenerated into a shameless orgy. In
the midst of this drunken hilarity the Turk and the Englishman disposed
of the territory of Parga; agreeing that a fresh estimate should be made
on the spot by experts chosen by both English and Turks. The result