Even in local Dutch newspapers was attention for what happened elsewhere in the world. Wars for instance in the Mediterranean could be a threat for Dutch interests like her merchant shipping or trade. In the 19th Century the Dutch navy was relatively small compared with the navies of for instance England and France, and had to protect also large territories in the West and East.
Tuesday 13 December 1853. From Odessa came the news dated 5 December that admiral Naschikoff 30 November off Sinope, a Turkish harbour at the Asian coast, with a squadron of 6 ships of the line the squadron commanded by Osman pacha had defeated. The latter squadron consisted of 7 frigates, 2 corvettes, 1 steamship and 3 transports. The Turkish ships just returned from the Circassian coast, where they brought stores to the Tscherkessen. Within one hour all Turkish ships were destroyed and their admiral taken prisoner and brought to Sebastopol.
Thursday 15 December 1853. Confirming a message, dated 5 December, which was send by a telegraph weren’t the Turkish happy. It was not certain what the value of the message was when compared with the message dated 28 November coming from Constantinople. The latter suggests that both Turkish squadrons returned from the Black Sea towards Buyukdere, forced by the bad weather.
Thursday 22 December 1853. News from Keulen dated 18 December arrived dealing with a telegraph message dated the 5th from Constantinople. A Turkish bulletin described the battle at Sinope. According to this bulletin attacked a Russian fleet, consisting of 7 ships of the line, 6 frigates and 4 steamships in the afternoon of 30 November the Turkish ships in the port of Sinope. The Turkish squadron consisted of 6 frigates, 3 corvettes and 2 steamships were loading ammunition when they were suddenly attacked. Within 4 hours destroyed the ‘hot shot’ the ships despite the fierce resistance. When it became impossible to control the fires on board, threatening to reach the powder rooms, were the ships abandoned. Batteries on land keep on fighting, destroying 1 Russian frigate and damaging others, forcing the Russians to retreat. Only the Turkish steamship Taif survived, while breaking through the Russian line while under full steam towards Constantinople. It was still unknown if the Turkish admiral indeed was taken prisoner.
Saturday 7 January 1854. It was decided to raise a monument to commemorate the killed Turkish navy officers and in their honour were the new corvettes, building in the arsenal at Constantinople, named after them.
Source
Dordrechtse Courant Erfgoedcentrum DiEP at Dordrecht (Netherlands).
