486     THE BATTLE OF NAVARIN     1827

Wilson Croker, Esq., by Vice-admiral Sir Edward Codrington, K.C.B., Commander-in-chief of his Majesty's ships in the Mediterranean.

" His Majesty's ship Asia, in the Port of Navarin,

Oct. 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 has been carrying on since his return here from his failure in the Gulf of Patras, the combined squadron passed the batteries, in order to take up their anchorage, at about two 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 Russians 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 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 the line closing those of the English line, and being followed up by their own frigates. The French frigate Armide was directed to place herself alongside the outermost frigate, on the left hand entering the harbour ; and the Cambrian, Glasgow, and Talbot next to her, and abreast of the Asia, Genoa, and Albion ; the Dartmouth and the Musquito, the Rose, the Brisk, and the Philomel were to look after six fire-vessels at the entrance of the harbour. I gave orders that no gun should be fired, unless guns were fired by the Turks ; and those orders were strictly observed. The three English ships were accordingly permitted to pass the batteries, and to moor, which they did with great rapidity, without any act of open hostility, although there was evident preparation for it in all the Turkish ships ; but, upon the Dartmouth sending a boat to one of the fire-vessels, Lieutenant G. W. H. Fitzroy and several of her crew were shot with musketry. This produced a defensive fire of musketry from the Dartmouth and La Sirène, bearing the flag of Rear-admiral de Rigny ; that was succeeded by a cannon-shot at the rear-admiral from one of the Egyptian ships, which of course brought on a return, and thus, very shortly

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