Some time ago I published on this weblog the Egyptian navy according to the same source “Egyptian warships in the Bosphorus around 1855”. This navy is usually thought to be part of the Ottoman navy for this period. I used as source O’Byrne’s Naval Annual for 1855. London
“The Ottoman navy consists of 2 three-deckers of 130 and 120 guns: and 4 two-deckers of 74 and 90 guns; 10 sailing frigates of 40 to 60 guns; 6 corvettes of 22 tot 26 guns; 14 brigs of 12 to 20 guns; 6 cutter-schooners from 4 to 12 guns; 6 steam-frigates of 400 to 800 horse-power and 12 steam-corvettes and schooners; making a total if 70 armed vessels, manned by 32,000 sailors and gunners. There is also a regiment of marines (Bahrie Alaï) under the command of a General of Brigade. The staff of the navy consists of the Kapoudan Pasha, First Lord of the admiralty and Secretary-at-War; five Admirals, of whom three are in active service; the Commander of the Fleet; the Kapoudan, or Commander of a Squadron; the Port-Admiral (Liman Këssi). Three Vice-Admirals (Bahri Livaci); the Vice-Admiral of the Fleet (Patrona); the Directyor of the Dockyard (Iplikane Mudivi); the Director of the Naval Academy; seven rear-Admirals (Bahrie mir-Alaï), three of whom command on the stations of the Danube and the Black Sea, the Archipelago and the Persian Gulf, while four belong to the Council of the Admiralty. Among the later is the Mimra-bachi, or Chief Architect. These commanders have the same rank and pay as the generals of the army; the Admirals are on a footing with the Feriks; the Vice-Admirals rank with the Livas; and the Rear-Admirals with the Mir-Alaïs or Colonels. The Commander or Flag-Captain of the Admiral’ ship, too, has the rank of a Colonel. Previous to the Sinopean carnage, the force in the Bosphorus consisted of the following vessels”
Navih-i-bahire, 54 guns, 500 men, Marate-safer, 42 guns, 400 men, Farsli-ilat, 40 guns, 400 men, Missari Ferak, 24 guns, 200 men, Faizi Narbout, 20 guns, 200 men Mahmvedick, 124 guns, 1220 men, Mizhoredils, 118 guns, 1140 men, Nesimi-safer, 50 guns. 460 men, Peikee Messerit, 80 guns, 710 men, Shaal Vakri, 54 guns, 500 men, Mizretich, 74 guns, 710 men, Kaidi-safer, 46 guns, 500 men, Avini-ilah, 36 guns, 350 men, Sherif-numar, 20 guns, 180 men, Tedjri-sefit, 22 guns, 150 men, Gul-refis, 22 guns, 180 men Djai-ferah, 18 guns, 150 men, Nazamich, 60 guns, 620 men, Nedjat-i-fer, 22 guns, 180 men ,Nedjini-feshan, 24 guns, 180 men, Suragh-i-bahir, 22 guns, 150 men and Fethi Valent, 20 guns, 150 men.
Paddle steamships Medjidik, 22 guns, 200 men, 450 hp, Taif, 22 guns, 300 men, 450 hp, Faizi Vabri, 22 guns, 300 men, 450 hp, Taki Shodi, 22 guns, 300 men, 450 hp, Esseri Djedid, 4 guns,150 men, 300 hp, Eregli, 2 guns, 130 men, 180 hp, Messeri Vakri, 2 guns, 90 men, 120 hp, Tari Vakri, 2 guns, 130 men, 180 hp, Moohbweri Souvour (sc.) 26 guns, 320 men, 550 hp.
Minkdouich, 90 guns, fitting out and Fourich, 52 guns, fitting out.
In addition to these, several small steamers have been fitted out. The armament of the line-of-battle ships and frigates are composed of guns of 32lb. calibre, excepting some of the guns on the upper deck. With regard to the Turkish fleet, we may observe that about one-third of the crews have never been to sea, and the rest are far from being first-rate sailors. There is a rediff, or reserve force, of 17,000 destined for the navy. After all, it is possible that the Turkish and Egyptian fleets would suffice, even without foreign aid, to keep a Russian Black Sea Fleet out of the Bosphorus, though they might not be able to prevent it following the advance of a Russian army in Roumelia etc. The Turkish ships are handsome and well built; the men posses strength and courage, but they have had little practice in gunnery, and above all, are badly officered. It is officers rather than men that are required in the Turkish fleet”. The notes dealing with the crewmembers and officers are not new if we compare them with earlier remarks made by travellers in the Ottoman empire .
See also the following notes dealing with this subject on this weblog: “A description of the Ottoman Navy and especially of the Mahmoud in 1831-1832”, “Egyptian Navy in April 1832”, “Ottoman Navy in April 1832”, “The Egyptian navy around 1837 according to a description by C. Rochfort Scott in 1837”, “The Egyptian navy around 1834” and “The Ottoman or Turkish navy according to account of a journey published in 1830”.
