Dutch brig of war Koerier just escaped being destroyed when the Greece fire ships attacked the Egyptian fleet at Modon 12 May 1825

R.C. Anderson described in his book (p. 500-501) a Greek attack 12 May 1825. After the Egyptian fleet commanded by Ibrahim landed troops at Modon, she returned towards Crete. After some actions Ibrahim decided to increase the blockade at Navarin and to capture the island of Sphacteria in which he succeeded. For this purpose his main naval force left Moon. A Greek force commanded by Kanaris attacked in the evening of 12 May Modon with a force of 28 warships and 6 fire ships and destroyed the Egyptian warships in the harbour including the 44-gun English built frigate Asia. The figures of the Egyptian losses differs, Finlay wrote one frigate, 3 sloops and 7 transports (according to the Egyptians 1 frigate, 2 brigs and 8 transports), Gordon 1 frigate, 3 corvettes, 3 brigs and several transports, while Jourdian for instance wrote 1 frigate, 1 gabare, 3 brigs and transports and Jurien de la Gravière on the other hand said 1 frigate, 2 corvettes and 4 transports.

What Anderson presumably never saw was an account of a Dutch eyewitness. The commanding officer of the Dutch brig of war Koerier, Hemmes, wrote 20 May 1825 lying off Smyrna, a letter which described the events. After convoying the Dutch merchant brig Snelheid, Master A. van der Linden, Hemmes was ordered by Colonel Rottiers to bring an official of the pasha of Egypt, namely the so called droogman P. Abro towards Modon, Morea. While lying in the harbour of Modon, Hemmes saw 12 May an Algerian squadron leaving the harbour, followed by some Turkish ships. In the meantime the Austrian schooner Aretuse arrived. Around 18.00 Hemmes saw some Greece vessels coming through the passage between the islands of Sapienta and Carpera, finally waiting for each other until their number increased to 18 vessels. When they set sail for Modon, three fire ships were sent forward towards the Turkish ships, which were set on fire. To escape the same faith Hemmes had to cut down his cables and set sail for sea, just like the Austrian schooner. He presumed that the Turkish ships at Modon, including a 36-gun frigate, 3 corvettes, 3 brigs and some smaller vessels, totally 20, all were burnt due the South East wind. And he supposed that considering the many explosions the magazines in the city also were set on fire and exploded. The latter is correct, the arsenal was indeed lost.

The Dutch brig of war Koerier or Courier on stocks at Flushing July 1817 was launched 20 June 1818 and the same year coppered and finally stricken 1834. The (now Royal) Dutch navy was since 1814 (again) quite active in the Mediterranean to protect her merchant shipping and constantly were Dutch warships in this area present.

Sources

R.C. Anderson. Naval Wars in the Levant 1599-1853. Princeton, 1952.

A.J. Vermeulen. De schepen van de Koninklijke marine en die der gouvernementsmarine 1814-1962.

Archive Legatie Turkij en de Levant no. 36 (National Archive at The Hague).