The Life of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, Tenth Earl of Dundonald, Vol. II

IX

Karteria, Poros, April 30th, 1827.

My Lord,

I had the honour to receive your orders of the 28th inst. Your lordship will have observed, by the letters I had the honour of transmitting to you, that the condition of this vessel is such as to render it impossible for her to put to sea immediately. Dr. Gosse last night was occupied sending you off 68-pounders, and I am happy to hear this morning that the monastery has fallen without them. I must again repeat how indispensable it is that this fleet should be in readiness to encounter the Turks, who cannot now delay long their departure.

It is with deep regret I see the extreme discontent existing on board the Sauveur brig, which seems to me to be greatly augmented, if not entirely owing to the Greeks being paid in advance and the English being in arrears of wages. In this country, my lord, I must repeat, nothing can be done without regular payments. By paying out of my own funds, when others could not be obtained, I have established the confidence of the Greeks and English in this vessel, as far as money is concerned; but I cannot continue to pay out of my own pocket. If funds are not forthcoming for the wages of this vessel, I must beg leave to resign. Whilst I am on board my people will always consider me personally responsible for their wages; and I must again remark I have suffered already much too severely in my private fortune to admit of my making further sacrifices. Besides wages for the crew, I have various expenses here to repair damage sustained by the vessel.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

P.S. – It seems to me necessary to relieve the vessels at Volo, or they will quit their station. Greek sailors on board their own ships will not remain more than a month at sea.

X

Karteria, Poros, May 6th, 1827.

My Lord,

I do myself the honour of enclosing for your perusal two different extracts from public papers sent me lately from Zante. I am now ready for sea, excepting powder, of which I have only two quarter-casks of very vile French stuff, received from Captain St. George. Mr. Hesketh, amongst the other prizes made at Napoli, has brought some flannel cartridges for our guns filled, and forty casks of powder. Would your lordship have the goodness to cause an order to be sent me to receive this powder? There is still a great quantity of the stores sent out from England missing. I have the bills of lading, and can give copies to Mr. Hesketh, if you think proper to send to Hydra, Spetzas, and Napoli again to collect them. I suspect the Hydriots have now in their possession about one hundred and sixty carbines such as I have on board.

It appears strange to everybody here that all the Commissary Department should be absent. I am informed provisions are wanted, and yet nobody comes to buy the prize provisions. As every Greek is by nature a thief, things disappear daily; and if they remain much longer, nothing will be forthcoming. Already my Greeks have petitioned me about the prizes; and everybody acquainted with Greek sailors must be aware they will not go to sea again until they have been paid their prize-money. Till now there never was no example of a ship quitting her prize until sold and the proceeds distributed. I am sorry to be obliged to remind your lordship again that on my arrival here I paid my crew one month's wages, due the 16th of last month, and in ten days more another month's wages are due, and pay I must, for, as I have frequently remarked to your lordship, no arrears can exist in this country. The wages also is not the only expense. I was obliged to purchase about one hundred tons of firewood at Scopulo. Fresh meat in harbour runs away with great sums; and when the engine works, it consumes about half a dollar a day of oil. Besides all this, I have been obliged to hire three carpenters for ten days to repair damages done in late expedition. I had a fluke shot off a bower anchor at Tricheri, and ought to have another one. I must get a new main-sail made here. It is disagreeable to me to torment your lordship with all these statements, but you must be aware that a vessel like this cannot be sailed without great expense. There are here a number of seamen from the brig who want to enter with me. I have as yet refused to receive them; but, if you thought proper to give me an order, I should then be justified in so doing.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XI

Karteria, Spetzas, May 30th, 1827.

My Lord,

Having lost my two masts in a squall off Cape Malea, and having business at Poros requiring my presence, I have thought it the most expeditious way to go myself to purchase other masts at Hydra, and settle my affairs at Poros. I therefore do myself the honour to transmit to your lordship a report of my proceedings after you left me near Stamphane. At sunset I lighted the fires, and, as soon as steam was up, steered for the passage between Zante and the Morea. The wind freshening much in a contrary direction, I found myself about ten miles to the southward of Zante in the morning. About three a. m. we perceived a large vessel standing towards us from the Morea, and we went to quarters for her. I thought at first she might be the Hellas; but on approaching she stood back to the mainland, which made me conclude that it was a stranger; the wind increasing, I could not remain head to wind, and made sail under the lee of Zante. In the forenoon I saw a large ship under the land far off steering to the south, which I concluded was a Turkish or neutral ship of war. The wind abating, I steamed up round the eastern point of Zante, and not finding the Hellas on the other side of the island, I stood towards Cephalonia, opening out the two Turkish frigates laying at Clarenza. In the evening I saw a large ship very far astern coming northward, and supposed she was the Hellas and the same I had seen in the forenoon under the land. At sunset I altered course and steered for Clarenza, and in the first watch we saw a good deal of firing in that direction. The wind and sea augmenting, I was unable to keep the ship head to sea, and therefore bore up for the rendezvous of Oxia. Not finding the Hellas at this station, the wind augmenting, the starboard wheel being out of repair, and threatening to come to pieces if not looked to, the water requiring to be drawn off the boilers, &c., all these things made it necessary for me to search a port. I looked inside Oxia, but found it unsafe, and therefore bore up for the Port of Petala, where I put things to rights as well as I could; but found on examination we had but three days and a half's coals, little water, and only a few days' bread. Under these circumstances, I felt myself called upon to return whilst the means were still left me of hoping to accomplish it. Having obtained an offing west of Cephalonia, I took off the paddles and sailed, which gave us an opportunity of again repairing the wheels – again in an unsound condition – and saved our fuel. The wind and sea calming, I got up my steam; and there being every appearance of calm weather, I stood within five or six miles of Modon, hoping to meet the two frigates we saw off there when we passed northward. However, we saw nothing but a brig inside the harbour, sailing close along the land. Late on the evening of the 28th, when rounding Cape St. Angelo, a squall from the high land carried away our fore and second masts, and left us in a very unenviable situation, considering we had but a few hours' coals on board. However, a breeze favouring us all night, we arrived here at ten A.M., 29th May. Upon the foremast we lost one man – Jani Patinioti.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XII

Karteria, Spetzas, June 7th, N.S., 1827.

My Lord,

I had the honour of sending you a report of my proceedings since I left you, and hoped to have found you here on my return from Poros, that I might receive your further orders. I returned last night, having been subjected to more delay and vexation than can be imagined or expressed, respecting the prizes taken at Volo. I could only procure one mast at Poros, sold me by Tombasi – others there were both at Hydra and Poros, but the proprietors would not part with them; I have therefore been obliged to purchase one here, considerably too large and expensive, but there is no remedy. I hope to be ready for sea in three days, but fear I shall have some embarrassment about money matters. The purchase of masts, of salt provisions, sails, &c., besides the pay due to crew, puts me to considerable straits, particularly as I had lent all the ready money I possessed to Kalergy to redeem his brother; however, I shall do my utmost to get to sea, and I am anxious to know how, when, and where, I can have the honour of rejoining your lordship. A fireship that departs to-day will deliver you this letter, and your lordship may perhaps think it worth while to send a vessel here with orders for my further guidance. May I beg of you also to add a private signal by which I may know all Greek vessels at a tolerable distance by day – also a night private signal?

The British squadron is assembled at Smyrna, awaiting the admiral. The camp at Phalerum is broken up, and General Church is returned to Egina. The puppet of Government is occupied voting for the nomination of ministers, if possible more incapable than themselves; they talk of going to Napoli – Griva and Fotomana propose this. The former as usual seized upon an American ship; and Dr. Howe, charged with the distribution of the cargo, applied to Captain Patterson of the Constitution, who is now at Napoli guarding it. I am sorry to add that Mr. Lee received a letter from England announcing that the Enterprise having sailed, her boilers burst opposite Plymouth, and she was towed into that port by a brig-of-war.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XIII

Karteria, Spetzas, June 9th, 1827.

My Lord,

I had the honour to receive your order of the 7th, enjoining me to repair to your lordship without delay, if ready for sea. A variety of circumstances (unavoidable in a country deprived of even the shadow of organization) has prevented my being yet ready to sail. I received my foremast on board to-day, but the majority and best of my crew has left me. I must look for others, and intend to weigh to-night and go to Poros, where I was tormented by hundreds to take them. Here I can get men – but shall confine myself to half-a-dozen, as I find it necessary to mix my crew. In going to Poros I shall not delay anything, since I shall be occupied getting up my masts and rigging there, making sails, &c., &c., en route, and I can water more easily at Poros than here. I have informed the captain of the brig that brought this, that if I am ready to sail before any further orders of yours arrive, I shall repair to Cerigotto, and there await instructions from you; if I am not at Cerigotto I shall be found here.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XIV

Karteria, Syra, August 1st, 1827.

My Lord,

In hopes of seeing your lordship here I have waited two days, since which, although not finished, all the work of our machinery can be done on board. There are two things which retain me, namely, money, of which I require about seven hundred dollars, and the fire-bars, which they continually civilly refuse me – acting the true Greek or in other words, the dog in the manger. If your lordship remains long absent, I shall be sadly puzzled how to act. Without new fire-bars we cannot steam again. The local authorities here are so afraid of the Hydriots and Spetziots that they dare not take any steps against them. To leave this without the fire-bars is useless. If I can obtain these bars, and your lordship does not arrive, I will pay myself the necessary sums to get the vessel out of this port, hoping you will reimburse me – but to go without the bars is only going to return again. What I can do to forward the service I will readily perform, and anxious enough I am to get away from this place.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XV

Karteria, Poros, August 19th, 1827,

My Lord,

On my arrival here I wrote to Hydra to request the local authorities there to send me the necessary coals, since you do not wish the last cargo to be used. I have received no answer, and upon inquiring yesterday from persons arrived from Hydra, I find they are not taking any measures to forward them to me. My officer wrote me under date of the 15th from Napoli that he hoped to be able to cast the bars there, in which case I shall have to wait for the coals from Hydra. The impertinence of these shopkeepers has at length attained a pitch that is scarcely endurable – it is to be hoped your lordship will make them send the coals – [The remainder is lost.]

XVI

Karteria, Poros, August 20th, 1827.

My Lord,

I am delighted to find you have an expedition in progress. This vessel shall be ready to accompany your lordship, whether I can get the bars cast at Napoli or not. The ones we now have can be made to answer for twenty-four hours. I shall write to Napoli to order the engineers to be here by the 23rd, whether they succeed in casting the bars or not. The coals I wrote for from Hydra are Government coals; and it is well they should be used the first, as I have been informed they are greatly diminishing without our consumption. I should like to complete as speedily as possible, and there is no time to spare between this and the 24th for shipping 100 tons of coal from Hydra.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XVII

Karteria, Poros, August 22nd, 1827.

My Lord,

I am making a sail according to your lordship's plan, to becalm the hull of the ship, but want sailcloth for completing it. I understand M. Koering has some in store; would your lordship be kind enough to allow me to take a hundred piques? I have a good deal of very bad French powder on board, and even of Turkish, I suspect, put into French barrels, which I received from Methana – could your lordship permit me to exchange it against English powder? It is of very great importance that our cartridge powder should be good.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XVIII

Karteria, Gulf of Lepanto, Sept. 27th, 1827.

My Lord,

I have the honour to transmit you a report of my proceedings from the day I left you till this moment. Captain Thomas, of the Sauveur, joined me the 21st, and proposed with much gallantry to go into the Gulf in the daytime. The wind being usually out at night I consented with some difficulty, in consequence of the little dependence I can place on my engine, which might render it impossible for me to follow him immediately. The Sauveur, with gunboat Bavaroise in tow, and accompanied by two schooners (you had left to keep the blockade at Missolonghi, but who, contrary to my knowledge, thus disobeyed your orders), passed into the Gulf the evening of the 21st in most gallant style, in despite of the enemy's very formidable batteries and one brig of war and two schooners at the Morea Castles, and several vessels at Lepanto. I attempted to steam in that night, but the engine failed me within two miles of the Castles. The next day, the wind being strong in, I attempted to sail in, but when within gunshot of the Castles the wind failed me, and it was not until the evening of the 23rd that I could get passed, towing after me the Philhellene gunboat, of whose commander I have always had particular occasion to be satisfied. All our damage amounted to a few ropes cut. On communicating with the Morea, the 24th, I was informed that the enemy had nine vessels at Salona, and there were three Austrians there, that Captain Thomas had attacked them the 23rd, but in consequence of unfavorable weather he had not made any impression, and that he retired to Loutraki. I immediately despatched a mistico to desire Captain Thomas to join me with all the vessels he could collect; but not seeing him on the 26th, and fearing that the Turks might strengthen themselves during a delay, I stood in on the 26th with the gunboat Philhellene; but we no sooner approached than the wind came so strong out that we could not keep the ship head to wind, and found it necessary to retire. The Turks have at Salona a very fine Algerine schooner brig, of fourteen guns, brig of sixteen guns, bearing an admiral's flag, three smaller schooners, two armed transport brigs, and two large boats with guns, and they have a battery on shore. There are also three Austrians. While under their fire one of my engineers was slightly wounded. I am now waiting for the arrival of Captain Thomas, for whom I have sent again, and preparing for a final trial.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XIX

Karteria, Loutraki, Oct. 7th, 1827.

My Lord,

Captain Thomas arrived here after our affair at Salona with the prizes, and sent off immediately to Poros for provisions and ammunition. I could not (notwithstanding your orders for him to remain only seven days in the Gulf) allow him to depart in the state he then was – having only five days' provisions, and four cartridges a gun. He received some powder and provisions yesterday, and in consequence of your order of the 27th, which he received yesterday, departs immediately. If the length of time Captain Thomas has remained in the Gulf is contrary to your intentions, I am alone responsible; he was always anxious to depart. My crew is in a very discontented state, in consequence of the month being expired without their receiving their wages. Twelve have left me, and if I do not get money I fear the whole crew will follow their example. I have sent an officer to Poros for provisions, ammunition, and money, if possible. I understand the English are about to prevent any offensive operations of General Church, and if not, he would never be able to undertake any, situated as he is for money and provisions. This seems to render my remaining here any longer of no use. As soon as I can get any money and provisions and arrange about the prizes I will quit the Gulf; but as I have no orders from you where to go, I shall return to Poros unless you contrive to send me some directions in the interim.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XX

Karteria, Loutraki, Oct. 8th, 1827.

My Lord,

I have the honour to receive your letter of the 3rd, and am happy to hear that the Enterprise is arrived. I have also received one thousand dollars with the stores, &c., which are very acceptable. I despatched the Sauveur yesterday, according to your order of the 27th ult. I still retain the gunboats, which are very useful. I wish further orders from your lordship to know whether we are to remain in the Gulf, and if you wish us to go out. There is yet at the Castles a brig and three or four Turkish schooners. I do not exactly know their position. I intend to run down there one of these days and see what can be done with them; if close under the walls of the Castles, which are very strong, we could burn them some dark night if you would send me a dozen rockets. I would go with a small boat close to them and do their business. Mr. Hane announces to me that your lordship proposes coming up to Corinth, in which case I will do myself the honour of waiting upon you, and receiving your further orders. I have despatched a gunboat to General Church to inform him of your intention, and to bring him here if he wishes to confer with your lordship.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXI

Karteria, Loutraki, Oct. 14th, 1827.

My Lord,

Mr. Hane writes me that the Turkish fleet is off Patras. From time to time I have received vague accounts of vessels off there, but nothing certain. I shall fortify myself either here or at the port on the other side, under the village of Pera ora – I think the latter. I want fuzes for shells. A box was sent (I suppose in mistake for fuzes), but it contained blue lights. Pray give an officer an order to send me at least five hundred fuzes. In my last to your lordship I mentioned of what service rockets would be to us as means of attack on the enemy's vessels at the Castles; they will be of no less service as weapons of defence. Pray, my lord, let me have as large a quantity as possible. I understood you were coming to Corinth, which has detained me here, or I would by this have been at the other end of the Gulf to gain information, and see after the brig, for I fear Thomas is not too prudent. I have just been informed that much cannonading was heard in the quarter of Lepanto the day before yesterday. I hope no misfortune has befallen him. I have the two gunboats and one mistico out to bring me information, and I can receive nothing. Pray let me have the rockets.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXII

Karteria, Port Strava, Gulf of Lepanto,

Oct. 17th, 1827.

My Lord,

Not having received any orders from your lordship, I am still in the Gulf. In consequence of an order from your lordship to Captain Thomas, I despatched the Sauveur on the 7th inst., and sent the gunboat Philhellene with her with letters to General Church, and orders to wait and bring me information how the Sauveur got past the Castles; for I was a good deal anxious on her account, and should have gone myself to give her any assistance in case of need, but that I understood you intended coming over to Corinth. Mr. Hane bringing me letters for General Church, I despatched the other gunboat, Bavaroise, with these, and also some for the Sauveur, in case she was still in the Gulf. Mr. Darby, the commander of the Bavaroise, had directions to bring General Church if he was anxious to communicate personally with your lordship. Day after day I awaited anxiously an answer, till at length the mistico I had sent three days ago to General Church, to learn something of the fleet outside, which Mr. Hane wrote me for certain was Turkish, returned yesterday evening, informing me that the Sauveur and two gunboats had gone out on Wednesday. General Church writes me that he positively intends passing into Roumelia, and wants my aid; but I am now quite alone (except the mistico, with whom I know not what to do). He continually applies to me for provisions, and will soon probably for money. What am I to do about him? Although wishing to aid General Church and the service in all I can, I must acknowledge I have no confidence in his intended movement, more particularly as he tells me he has no provisions, and wants me to seize by force what I find in boats. All I could get by this discreditable way of raising provisions would not certainly feed one hundred men for three days, and therefore could not aid General Church, and would be a gratuitous vexation of these miserable peasantry. If General Church had money and provisions, much is to be done in Roumelia, but without these nothing can be achieved anywhere. As soon as I have got the prizes back to Loutraki, and formed batteries, I will go and visit General Church, and learn more particulars. But I am very anxious for some orders from your lordship, having received nothing but the official letter of thanks since I left you. I write in haste, and beg your lordship to let me have an answer as soon as possible.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXIII

Karteria, Loutraki, Oct. 27th, 1827.

My Lord,

I am ready to do all and anything for the good of the service, but I fear General Church has no means. I had him on board for two days, making reconnaissances round the Gulf, and from what I can gather, the money said to be at Corfu is a chimera. I suspect he has not a shilling anywhere, and cannot stir. He talks, it is true, of expeditions, and I have always assured him of my readiness to aid him, but we cannot be consuming months after months in the hopes of his receiving supplies. I must limit the period of his embarkation, and if he cannot then act, I think I shall be justified in quitting him. I shall try, however, to destroy the other vessels in the Gulf first. We are in great want of fire-bars. I am laying in a stock of wood, but we have not yet been able to succeed perfectly with it. I have taken out the bars and filled the ash-pits; this we find does better than with any bars in, but we cannot as yet keep up steam with it. I hope, however, ultimately to succeed – in fact our coals are nearly finished. To show you how General Church goes on – his gunboat has only advanced twenty feet from the beach, and yet he will not send away that swindler Allen, who commands her. I told him I would not meddle with her until he dismissed that man, and things remain thus. General Church, while on board, received letters announcing the unlooked-for destruction of the Turkish fleet; still I have not entirely credited it, and I am in anxious expectation of some decisive information about it. I am obliged to your lordship for the fuzes, and hoped to have had also some rockets. We are beginning to get short again of provisions, viz., biscuit. The loaded prize is condemned, with a ridiculous clause for me to pay the crew. They say nothing of the other vessels. I send Captain Hane to Egina, to hasten the condemnation of the light vessels and counteract the intrigues which I have no doubt Tombasi has recommenced. I shall also endeavour by him to have more biscuit; we have now but for a fortnight.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXIV

Karteria, Loutraki, Nov. 8th, 1827.

My Lord,

The General Church has at length put himself in motion. Some provisions and money have arrived on the other side for him (I mean at Calamachi), and I hope to sail with it to join him to-night. I fortunately received a fortnight's provisions yesterday, when I had only one day's biscuit on board. After destroying, or ascertaining that I cannot destroy, the vessels at Lepanto, I will go outside the Gulf and blockade Missolonghi, Patras, and the Gulf, hoping the General will blockade them by land. I fear much, however, for provisions; I will endeavour to get some from the Ionian Islands; but money and everything else is scarce with me, – but I hear your lordship is in the same predicament, and therefore I cannot complain. May I beg of your lordship to grant a commission of naval lieutenant to M. Falanga, who has served on board this vessel from 29th March, 1827, and is a most deserving officer? he is the only sailor officer I have, and was always the only one of any use in that capacity. He behaved extremely well both at Volo, Tricheri, and Salona, at which latter place he was wounded in the neck with a musket-ball, while setting fire to one of the abandoned vessels. I may really say he is the only Greek I ever saw who seems to conceive what an officer ought to be. Although he would be a great loss to me, and I should be sorry to part with him but for his own advantage, I can strongly recommend him for promotion in the command of a vessel, since (as I hear) your lordship is in such dreadful want of officers to command. I am sure he would give you the highest satisfaction.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXV

Karteria, Nov. 17th, 1827.

My Lord,

I have the honour to announce to you that, after much delay and disappointment – usual in Greece – I am about to proceed to Lepanto to-morrow, and endeavour to destroy the Turkish vessels there. I then go outside, to pass General Church over into Roumelia, and afterwards blockade Missolonghi, Patras, and Lepanto. The want of the gunboats here is much felt by me at this moment, as, in going out, I must leave the Gulf to the Turks; who, even should I be fortunate enough to destroy the enemy's vessels at Lepanto, will always have here armed boats enough to command the Gulf.

I must also beg of your lordship to consider us in money matters. I am now seven thousand pounds out of pocket by Greek affairs, and I am daily now expending my own money for the public service. Our prizes are serving for transports for the army, and I must either shortly abandon this important position or be paid.

It is most likely that if all the important points I have mentioned could be blockaded, the Turks would be soon reduced, from the blockade being so much more easily maintained than elsewhere. Without money, you must be aware I cannot maintain this vessel; and all to be expected from General Church, you must be aware, is plenty of promises. The General is already overwhelmed with expectants, and if he had millions would not be able to command a farthing. I will do all I can; but I must repeat, it is not quite fair I should end a beggar after all the labour, vexation, and disappointment I have experienced for so many years.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXVI

Karteria, off Cape Papas, Nov. 20th, 1827.

My Lord,

I have the honour to inform you I passed the Castles on the 18th, with the three prizes and mistico in company. I lost two men killed and one wounded in passing; the other vessels passed without suffering any damage. It had been my intention to attack the Turkish squadron at Lepanto, but the wind was so strong on the land, that I felt I could not effect my object; and, anxious to profit by the same wind to go out and aid the operations of the army outside, and blockade the fortresses, I passed through without waiting a more favourable moment of attack. At Patras I found a schooner, whose suspicious conduct – in abstaining for a long time from hoisting any colours, and, when she afterwards showed Austrian, persisting in drawing closer under the Turkish battery – induced me to fire and bring her out. After waiting a little, and finding no attention paid to my warning, I fired again, and sunk her. I hear she was Austrian.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXVII

Karteria, Petala, Dec. 2nd, 1827.

My Lord,

I had the honour to write to you from Cape Papas, informing you that I had come out of the Gulf of Lepanto, and was waiting to embark the troops of General Church. I now beg leave to acquaint you that I arrived at Dragomestre the day before yesterday with the three prizes, which have been serving as transports to General Church's army for six weeks. We brought over six hundred soldiers, artillery, horses, &c.; and I am now returning to Cape Papas to embark a second division. I heard of the gunboat Helvetia, M. Fabricius, being at Kataculo, and I sent immediately to order him to join me, which he did, and is now at Cape Papas. While at Kataculo, the gunboat was attacked by a Turkish brig of twenty-four guns. M. Fabricius defended himself with much spirit, and obliged the brig to retire. I have since heard that the same brig is now off Previsa. If the service here will permit my absence, I think of going to look after her. The Gulf of Lepanto is now left entirely in the hands of the Turks, and I wish to send the gunboat in to assist the expedition against Salona, but the crew having been so long about here, suffering much hardship and without pay, are very dissatisfied. I have given the boat a new mast, anchor, cable, provisions, ammunition, &c., and I will even advance them a little money, if they will go into the Gulf. I should hope, however, that your lordship will reimburse me for these expenses, extra of my own vessel. As you may imagine, I am almost entirely without coals, and cannot get a sufficient quantity of the pitch-pine to burn; the other pine will not answer, and therefore I am reduced to sails. General Church had ordered round here a Psariot brig he had at Kenkness, and I wrote to M. Koering to request him to put coals on board of her, which, I understand, M. Koering refused. From the manner in which I have been frequently treated, one would imagine that this vessel was not a Greek but an enemy's vessel. I trust your lordship will remedy this, and put me on a fair footing with the other Greek national vessels. I wish your lordship could also contrive to let me have some money, to cover the expenses of this vessel, which, for three months that we have been absent from Poros, cannot be supposed trifling. As I conceive it important, under existing circumstances, to keep the blockade of Patras, Missolonghi, and the Gulf, I will remain as long as my destitute situation will permit me. Since I have been here I do not think any vessels have entered the Gulf.