I do not think the Greek Prime Minister's request to Tony Blair at the recent EU summit for the return of the 2,500-year-old marble carvings to help him win next year's Greek elections (October 5) will be looked upon with favour in Britain.

Lord Elgin paid for the marbles which he removed from Greece when that country was part of the Ottoman Empire.

Lord Elgin also made payment to the sponge divers who recovered the marbles from the vessel Mentor which sank off the island of Kyther, Greece, in a storm in September, 1802.

It took two years to recover the marbles at an estimated cost by Lord Elgin of £70,000.

Once the marbles were recovered Lord Elgin had to ask Sir Alexander Ball in Malta to send a ship to collect his cargo for transportation to England.

Ball first had to request permission from Lord Nelson who in a letter dated September 2, 1804, on board HMS Victory, authorised a small transport to go to Cerigo in Greece, and transport the marbles to Malta.

The Napoleonic war was then at its height. Therefore the Elgin marbles were kept at Malta until they could be shipped in a convoy to England.

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