1827

OTTOMAN FLEET AND ALLIED FLEET.

355

Such is, however, my own expectation, although the Turks have apparently made every preparation to receive us. The French officers who were in the Egyptian ships have retired, according to De Rigny's advice, except Lettellier the chief, and are now embarked in an Austrian merchant brig. This Ibrahim, who boasted to us his humanity and complained of being called in the newspapers the 'Sanguinary Ibrahim,' is ravaging the whole country; and Hamilton, whom I sent to drive back his army near Kalamata, tells me that some of the poor houseless wretches in the country which he has desolated, are living upon boiled grass! God bless you and yours, say I; a sentiment I may I hope repeat and repeat again.

Yours, E. C.

The following day, however, did not go by with 'no fight '—the crisis had come, and the 20th of October was a day of fate to many: a full and complete detail of its circumstances and results is furnished by the following collection of official and private letters.

35,000 Egyptian troops in the Morea, 4,000 of whom came with the above ships, as stated by the Secretary to the Capitana Bey.

FRENCH.

3 line-of-battle ships.

1 double-banked frigate.

1 frigate.

2 cutters.

RUSSIAN.

4 line-of-battle ships.

4 frigates.

24 ships of war.

From Sir E. C. to the Admiralty.

H.M.S 'Asia,' in the port of Navarin: October 21, 1827.

SIR,-I have the honour of informing his Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral that my colleagues, Count Heiden and the Chevalier de Rigny, having agreed with me that we should come into this port, in order to induce Ibrahim Pacha to discontinue the brutal war of extermination which he has been carrying on since his return here from his failure in the Gulf of Patras, the combined squadrons passed the batteries, in order to take up their anchorage, at about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon.

The Turkish ships were moored in the form of a crescent, with springs on their cables, the larger ones presenting their broadsides towards the centre, the smaller ones, in succession, within them, filling up the intervals.

The combined fleet was formed in the order of sailing in two columns; the British and French forming the weather or starboard line, and the Russian the lee line.

The Asia' led in, followed by the 'Genoa' and 'Albion,' and anchored close alongside a ship of the line bearing the flag of the Capitana Bey, another ship of the line, and a large double-banked frigate; each thus having their proper opponent in the front line of the Turkish fleet. The four ships to windward, part of the Egyptian squadron, were allotted to the squadron of Rear-Admiral De Rigny; and those to leeward, in the bight of the crescent, were to mark the stations of the whole Russian squadron, the ships of their line closing those of the English line, and being followed up by their own frigates.