Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the public for several reasons. That's quite a pity while these books contains useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor accessible.
p. 238. “Every part of the military establishment of the Ottoman empire at this hour announces its decline, but none so evidently as the weak state of its Marine; not only with respect to the want of a proper number of ships of war, but likewise of good seamen, and valiant officers. In former times, the Turkish fleets were almost innumerable; but, since the war of Candia, against the republic of Venice, which lasted twenty-one years, no formidable fleet has been sent to sea by the Porte. The very great and continual losses the Turks sustained during that war, gave birth to a saying familiar in the mouths of the Ottoman subjects “that God made the land for “them, and the sea for the Christians.”But the total destruction of the marine force of the empire was not accomplished till the last war against the Russians.(1) It was reserved for the brave Vice-Admiral Elphinstone (a native of England) who
p. 239: commanded a small Russian squadron in the Archipelago, to put a finishing hand to the small remains of power the Turks possessed at sea.(2) After having driven their superior fleet entirely out of the Archipelago, he pursued them, till he forced them to take shelter in the bay of Cesmi, opposite the Isle of Scios; there, by his skill and bravery, he obliged them to run their ships on shore, and, notwithstanding the fire of the fort, he burnt and destroyed the greatest part of the fleet. This action rendered his name so tremendous to the Turks in those parts, that I have heard them quiet their children, by telling them that Elphinstone was coming. It is true, that, after the peace, the indefatigable Hassen Bachi, the present High Admiral of the empire, exerted himself in a signal manner to restore their Marine; and in three years he had forty fail of the line at Constantinople, fit for immediate service, besides several others in different ports of the empire; but, for want of experienced officers, many of these were wrecked in the Black Sea so that at this time they have not half the number of ships requisite to guard the seas, coasts, maritime provinces, and islands belonging to their extensive empire. The principal officers who have the command of a fleet are persons who have no skill in marine affairs. The High Admiral, whom we have just named, is one of the most
p. 240: respectable personages in the empire he is a native of Algiers, and has had great experience in the building and equipping of fleets, but his office goes no farther than a general inspection and destination of all the fleets of the empire. The command of them at sea is put into other hands, and by what I have seen in the last war, they could not have fallen into worse; almost all their officers on board their ships being indolent, cowardly, or sottish; in short, they dreaded the sight of a Ruffian cock-boat, and made use of every trifling excuse to avoid bringing their ships to action: when they were forced into engagements, by the impossibility of getting away, a running fight was all that they maintained, and with the first opportunity, they were sure to crowd all their sail, and make the best of their way for some port. Each ship has a captain commanding her, and two principal officers under him, the master and sub-master; besides these, there are some subalterns, including the pilots. The Terskana-Amini, or Lieutenant to the High Admiral, generally commands the fleet upon any expedition, or when it puts to sea to defend the coasts. The captains of galleys are called Beys; they are all very rich, belong to the best families, and are generally Bashaws with two Tails, to whom are assigned the revenues of certain
p. 241. land for their salaries, and the maintenance of their vessels ; or, in lieu thereof, the Sultan gives them the government of some maritime place, such as Mitelene, Rhodes, Scios, &c. He likewise provides the,.hull of the galley, and adds a certain sum to arm her-: the equipment, provisions, and men must be found by the Bey. They have likewise galliots, and other small vessels, which they call Cungiabai, almost: like brigantines, that are very useful in the navigation os the Black-Sea, because they are light, and draw but little water. All these smaller vessels are under the direction of the Menexi-Bey, or general of the galleys, who has for his salary the revenues of some of the most valuable islands in the Archipelago. And it is very remarkable that the commanders of these inferior classes of their Marine have the precedence, and are more respected than those who command their first rate ships, and their great fleets: if the reason of this is demanded, the Mussulmen reply, that it is founded on the antiquity of their galleys, or some such fable.”
Source
Elias Habesci. The present state of the Ottoman empire containing a more accurate and interesting account of the religion, manners, government, customs, military establishment and amusements etc. London, 1784. Translation of the in the French language manuscript written by Habesci who lived for years at Constantinople serving at the court.
Notes
1. See on this weblog for instance the notes dealing with the problems between Turkey and Russia in the seventies “The Ottoman or Turkish navy according to an account of the Russian attack in 1770” and “Ottoman navy preparing for war in 1778-1779”.
2. This was the British navy offcier John Elphinstone or Elphinston (1722-1785). The Turkish defeat to which is referred is probably the battle of Chesma 6 July 1770 although the Russian count Alexei Grigoryvich Orlov commanded the Russian fleet. See for more information dealing with Elphinstone at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Elphinstone
p. 238. “Every part of the military establishment of the Ottoman empire at this hour announces its decline, but none so evidently as the weak state of its Marine; not only with respect to the want of a proper number of ships of war, but likewise of good seamen, and valiant officers. In former times, the Turkish fleets were almost innumerable; but, since the war of Candia, against the republic of Venice, which lasted twenty-one years, no formidable fleet has been sent to sea by the Porte. The very great and continual losses the Turks sustained during that war, gave birth to a saying familiar in the mouths of the Ottoman subjects “that God made the land for “them, and the sea for the Christians.”But the total destruction of the marine force of the empire was not accomplished till the last war against the Russians.(1) It was reserved for the brave Vice-Admiral Elphinstone (a native of England) who
p. 239: commanded a small Russian squadron in the Archipelago, to put a finishing hand to the small remains of power the Turks possessed at sea.(2) After having driven their superior fleet entirely out of the Archipelago, he pursued them, till he forced them to take shelter in the bay of Cesmi, opposite the Isle of Scios; there, by his skill and bravery, he obliged them to run their ships on shore, and, notwithstanding the fire of the fort, he burnt and destroyed the greatest part of the fleet. This action rendered his name so tremendous to the Turks in those parts, that I have heard them quiet their children, by telling them that Elphinstone was coming. It is true, that, after the peace, the indefatigable Hassen Bachi, the present High Admiral of the empire, exerted himself in a signal manner to restore their Marine; and in three years he had forty fail of the line at Constantinople, fit for immediate service, besides several others in different ports of the empire; but, for want of experienced officers, many of these were wrecked in the Black Sea so that at this time they have not half the number of ships requisite to guard the seas, coasts, maritime provinces, and islands belonging to their extensive empire. The principal officers who have the command of a fleet are persons who have no skill in marine affairs. The High Admiral, whom we have just named, is one of the most
p. 240: respectable personages in the empire he is a native of Algiers, and has had great experience in the building and equipping of fleets, but his office goes no farther than a general inspection and destination of all the fleets of the empire. The command of them at sea is put into other hands, and by what I have seen in the last war, they could not have fallen into worse; almost all their officers on board their ships being indolent, cowardly, or sottish; in short, they dreaded the sight of a Ruffian cock-boat, and made use of every trifling excuse to avoid bringing their ships to action: when they were forced into engagements, by the impossibility of getting away, a running fight was all that they maintained, and with the first opportunity, they were sure to crowd all their sail, and make the best of their way for some port. Each ship has a captain commanding her, and two principal officers under him, the master and sub-master; besides these, there are some subalterns, including the pilots. The Terskana-Amini, or Lieutenant to the High Admiral, generally commands the fleet upon any expedition, or when it puts to sea to defend the coasts. The captains of galleys are called Beys; they are all very rich, belong to the best families, and are generally Bashaws with two Tails, to whom are assigned the revenues of certain
p. 241. land for their salaries, and the maintenance of their vessels ; or, in lieu thereof, the Sultan gives them the government of some maritime place, such as Mitelene, Rhodes, Scios, &c. He likewise provides the,.hull of the galley, and adds a certain sum to arm her-: the equipment, provisions, and men must be found by the Bey. They have likewise galliots, and other small vessels, which they call Cungiabai, almost: like brigantines, that are very useful in the navigation os the Black-Sea, because they are light, and draw but little water. All these smaller vessels are under the direction of the Menexi-Bey, or general of the galleys, who has for his salary the revenues of some of the most valuable islands in the Archipelago. And it is very remarkable that the commanders of these inferior classes of their Marine have the precedence, and are more respected than those who command their first rate ships, and their great fleets: if the reason of this is demanded, the Mussulmen reply, that it is founded on the antiquity of their galleys, or some such fable.”
Source
Elias Habesci. The present state of the Ottoman empire containing a more accurate and interesting account of the religion, manners, government, customs, military establishment and amusements etc. London, 1784. Translation of the in the French language manuscript written by Habesci who lived for years at Constantinople serving at the court.
Notes
1. See on this weblog for instance the notes dealing with the problems between Turkey and Russia in the seventies “The Ottoman or Turkish navy according to an account of the Russian attack in 1770” and “Ottoman navy preparing for war in 1778-1779”.
2. This was the British navy offcier John Elphinstone or Elphinston (1722-1785). The Turkish defeat to which is referred is probably the battle of Chesma 6 July 1770 although the Russian count Alexei Grigoryvich Orlov commanded the Russian fleet. See for more information dealing with Elphinstone at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Elphinstone
