Thomas Thornton published in 1807 his story dealing with his 15 years living in the capital town Constantinople, supplying us with information about the public life and the government in the Ottoman Empire. One of the topics he deals with, is the Ottoman navy. And although, his notes are not extensive, they are of value, for instance the life on board of the warships when returning from the Black Sea in 1790.
P. 212: "Mr. Eton, and Mr. Griffiths in a still more recent publication, venture to describe the present state of the Turkish navy, from the remarks of Baron de Tott, or from their own transient observation, made twenty years ago. The Turks, indeed, although the canon namé of Sultan Soliman contains many regulations for the improvement of their navy, yet considered it as an object of inferior importance, until the destruction of their fleet by the Russians in the harbour of Tcheshmeh. Since that event the government has always occupied itself seriously in the establishment of a respectable naval force, and the zeal which the celebrated Hassan Pasha first displayed in this branch of service, has been inherited by all who have succeeded him in the post of capudan pasha: so that now such language as the following cannot be applied with truth to any department of the marine service of the Ottomans. "High-decked vessels, the lower tier laid under water with the least wind, entangled rigging, bad cordage and pullies, thirty men in the gun-room to move the tiller, encumbered decks, and guns without equality in the calibre."(1) I went on board some ships of war on their return from a cruise in the Black Sea, in the year 1790, and certainly saw a confusion which it is impossible to describe. It was a perfect
p. 213: bazar or market place, and shops were erected all round the between-decks, with no apparent intention of removing them. De Tott says, with an affected levity, which is highly unbecoming when describing the manners of a nation, "that the proposition to lower the decks was rejected, on account of the height of their turbans, and that of raising the mast, because it would occasion the vessel to heel, and incommode the crew."(2) But the fault was in those who suggested such improvements, without sufficiently correcting the pertness of manner, which outweighed, at least in the estimation of Turks, the merit of their advice. Why should improvements, so evidently necessary, have been rejected, at the same period, when, upon proposing a new school for mathematics, it was immediately established. Upon pointing out the use of the bayonet, the bayonet was adopted. Upon De Tott's suggestion, a machine was erected for masting vessels. A new foundery of cannon was built. A body of artillery-men was instituted, and forts were erected on the northern shores of the Bosphorus, to secure the passage of the Black Sea. The mildness of manners of a French shipbuilder of the name of Le Brun,(3) whom Hussein Pasha engaged in the Ottoman service, removed every obstacle to the exertion of his great abilities, and
p. 214: in a short space of time a, complete reform was introduced into the department, which he superintended. Their navy now consists of several good ships, built by Europeans, or from European models, but manned by people unaccustomed to the sea. They have not yet formed any plan for educating and training up seamen, though the Propontis is well adapted for naval evolutions, and might be made an excellent school of practical avigation. Their officers, not having passed through the different ranks, merit no higher estimation than the common men; indeed almost the whole business of the ship is performed by the slaves, or by Greeks who are retained upon wages. Those accustomed to the strict subordination, and punctilious formalities established in the armies and navies of other European powers, may smile perhaps at hearing, that the captain of a man of war has been cuffed in public by the admiral's own hand for a slight offence. I remember too to have seen a journal kept by an Englishman,
p. 215: (an adventurer who served on board the Turkish fleet in the Black Sea, during a cruise in the year 1790,) which contained the following remark. "This day the admiral amused himself with playing at chess on the quarter-deck with a common sailor."
Source
Thomas Thornton. The present state of Turkey; or a description of the political, civil, and religious constitution, government, and laws of the Ottoman Empire; the finances, military and naval establishments; the state of learning, and of the liberal and mechanical arts; the manners and domestic economy of the Turks and other subjects of te Grand Signor, &c. &c. Together with the geographical, political, and civil state of the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia from observations made, during a residence of fifteen years in Constantinople and the Turkish provinces. London, 1807. Digitized by Google.
Notes
1. Original footnote in the text referring to De Tott's Memoirs, V, iii, p. 20.
2. Original footnote in the text referring to De Tott's Memoirs, V, iii, p. 118.
3. Original footnote in the text: "This gentleman is now in the service of the emperor of Russia. His talent may be appreciated by Englishmen, as he built the Commerce de Marseilles, a first-rate ship of very large dimensions, now in our service."
The French 3-decker 118-guns 1st rate Commerce de Marseille was built by Jacques-Noël Sané at Toulon, France, on stocks 1786, launched 1788, captured by the British in 1793, taken into British naval service and finally sold in 1802, dimensions 63.86m x 17.00m x 8.10m, draught (British foot) 22'6"-27'1" fore and 27'2"-29'9½" aft , 2747 British tons builders measurement 118 guns.
J.J. Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. An Historical Index, 2 vols. David&Charles, Newton Abbot, 1969.
J. Vichot. Repertoire des navires de guerre français. Paris, 1967.
"Tableau des vaisseaux francais a trois points de premier rang 1650-1850", magazine Neptunia, 1971/2.
Lavery. The Ship of the Line, vol. 1.
P. 212: "Mr. Eton, and Mr. Griffiths in a still more recent publication, venture to describe the present state of the Turkish navy, from the remarks of Baron de Tott, or from their own transient observation, made twenty years ago. The Turks, indeed, although the canon namé of Sultan Soliman contains many regulations for the improvement of their navy, yet considered it as an object of inferior importance, until the destruction of their fleet by the Russians in the harbour of Tcheshmeh. Since that event the government has always occupied itself seriously in the establishment of a respectable naval force, and the zeal which the celebrated Hassan Pasha first displayed in this branch of service, has been inherited by all who have succeeded him in the post of capudan pasha: so that now such language as the following cannot be applied with truth to any department of the marine service of the Ottomans. "High-decked vessels, the lower tier laid under water with the least wind, entangled rigging, bad cordage and pullies, thirty men in the gun-room to move the tiller, encumbered decks, and guns without equality in the calibre."(1) I went on board some ships of war on their return from a cruise in the Black Sea, in the year 1790, and certainly saw a confusion which it is impossible to describe. It was a perfect
p. 213: bazar or market place, and shops were erected all round the between-decks, with no apparent intention of removing them. De Tott says, with an affected levity, which is highly unbecoming when describing the manners of a nation, "that the proposition to lower the decks was rejected, on account of the height of their turbans, and that of raising the mast, because it would occasion the vessel to heel, and incommode the crew."(2) But the fault was in those who suggested such improvements, without sufficiently correcting the pertness of manner, which outweighed, at least in the estimation of Turks, the merit of their advice. Why should improvements, so evidently necessary, have been rejected, at the same period, when, upon proposing a new school for mathematics, it was immediately established. Upon pointing out the use of the bayonet, the bayonet was adopted. Upon De Tott's suggestion, a machine was erected for masting vessels. A new foundery of cannon was built. A body of artillery-men was instituted, and forts were erected on the northern shores of the Bosphorus, to secure the passage of the Black Sea. The mildness of manners of a French shipbuilder of the name of Le Brun,(3) whom Hussein Pasha engaged in the Ottoman service, removed every obstacle to the exertion of his great abilities, and
p. 214: in a short space of time a, complete reform was introduced into the department, which he superintended. Their navy now consists of several good ships, built by Europeans, or from European models, but manned by people unaccustomed to the sea. They have not yet formed any plan for educating and training up seamen, though the Propontis is well adapted for naval evolutions, and might be made an excellent school of practical avigation. Their officers, not having passed through the different ranks, merit no higher estimation than the common men; indeed almost the whole business of the ship is performed by the slaves, or by Greeks who are retained upon wages. Those accustomed to the strict subordination, and punctilious formalities established in the armies and navies of other European powers, may smile perhaps at hearing, that the captain of a man of war has been cuffed in public by the admiral's own hand for a slight offence. I remember too to have seen a journal kept by an Englishman,
p. 215: (an adventurer who served on board the Turkish fleet in the Black Sea, during a cruise in the year 1790,) which contained the following remark. "This day the admiral amused himself with playing at chess on the quarter-deck with a common sailor."
Source
Thomas Thornton. The present state of Turkey; or a description of the political, civil, and religious constitution, government, and laws of the Ottoman Empire; the finances, military and naval establishments; the state of learning, and of the liberal and mechanical arts; the manners and domestic economy of the Turks and other subjects of te Grand Signor, &c. &c. Together with the geographical, political, and civil state of the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia from observations made, during a residence of fifteen years in Constantinople and the Turkish provinces. London, 1807. Digitized by Google.
Notes
1. Original footnote in the text referring to De Tott's Memoirs, V, iii, p. 20.
2. Original footnote in the text referring to De Tott's Memoirs, V, iii, p. 118.
3. Original footnote in the text: "This gentleman is now in the service of the emperor of Russia. His talent may be appreciated by Englishmen, as he built the Commerce de Marseilles, a first-rate ship of very large dimensions, now in our service."
The French 3-decker 118-guns 1st rate Commerce de Marseille was built by Jacques-Noël Sané at Toulon, France, on stocks 1786, launched 1788, captured by the British in 1793, taken into British naval service and finally sold in 1802, dimensions 63.86m x 17.00m x 8.10m, draught (British foot) 22'6"-27'1" fore and 27'2"-29'9½" aft , 2747 British tons builders measurement 118 guns.
J.J. Colledge. Ships of the Royal Navy. An Historical Index, 2 vols. David&Charles, Newton Abbot, 1969.
J. Vichot. Repertoire des navires de guerre français. Paris, 1967.
"Tableau des vaisseaux francais a trois points de premier rang 1650-1850", magazine Neptunia, 1971/2.
Lavery. The Ship of the Line, vol. 1.
