Fireships were centuries long a cheap but quite effective weapon to destroy ships of the enemy. The Dutch used them against the British and with success while they attacked Chatham Ottoman empire . According to Emerson the Turkish/Ottoman navy didn’t have an answer to this threat.
P. 163: “Hydra, Saturday, May 1st. -Three fireships, which have been lately fit tedup, were this morning to sail to join the squadron, which is now cruising off Cape Matapan . Anxious to see something of the economy and management of the celebrated Greek fleet, I accepted the offer of one of their captains, to conduct me to
p. 164: the ship of Miaulis, for whom I was furnished with letters from his family.”
p. 167: “It was late in the evening before a monk from one of the neighbouring monasteries arrived to bless the ship ; but this ceremony once performed, all was in readiness, and at sunset we sailed from Hydra. The captain was a young man, called Theodoracki, nephew to the Admiral, who has been employed as a brullotier almost ever since the commencement of the war;
p. 168: and on several occasions, especially at Mytilene and Candia , has conducted himself with distinguished bravery. The ship in which I sailed, was an old Ipsariot, of 860 or 300 tons, and was purchased by the Government for 40,000 piastres, or about 800L whilst the fitting out and stowing her with combustibles, could not cost less than 100L more. This, however, is one of the largest and most expensive which has yet been made ; the generality being no more than two-thirds the size, and of proportionate cost. The vessels usually employed for this service, are old ships purchased by the Government. (1) Their construction, as fireships, is very simple; nothing more being wanted than active combustion. For this purpose, the ribs, hold, and sides of the vessel, after being well tarred, are lined with dried furze, dipped in pitch and lees of oil, and sprinkled with sulphur; a number of
p. 169: hatchways are then cut along the deck, and under each is placed a small barrel of gunpowder; so that at the moment of conflagration each throws off its respective hatch, and giving ample vent to the flames, prevents the deck being too soon destroyed by the explosion. A train which passes through every part of the ship, and communicates with every barrel, running round the deck and passing out at the cabin window, completes the preparation below; whilst above, every rope and yard is well covered with tar, so as speedily to convey the flames to the sails; and at the extremity of each yard-arm is attached a wickered hook, which being once entangled with the enemy’s rigging, renders escape, after coming in contact, almost a matter of impossibility. The train, to prevent accidents, is never laid till the moment of using it; when all being placed in order, and the wind favourable, with every possible sail set, so as to increase the flames, she bears down upon the enemy's line, whilst the crew,
p. 170: usually twenty-five or thirty in number, have no other defence than crouching behind the after-bulwarks. When close upon the destined ship, all hands descend by the stern, into a launch fitted out for the purpose, with high gunwales and a pair of small swivels; and, at the moment of contact, the train is fired by the Captain, and every hatch being thrown off, the flames burst forth, at the same instant, from stem to stern; and ascending by the tarred ropes and sails, soon communicate with the rigging of the enemy’s vessel, who have never yet, in one instance, been able to extricate themselves. In fact, such is the terror with which they have inspired the Turks, that they seldom make the slightest resistance. On the distant approach of the fire-ship, they maintain, for some minutes, an incessant random cannonade; but, at length, long before she conies in contact, precipitate themselves into the sea, and attempt to reach the other vessels, scarcely one remaining to the last moment to attempt to save the devoted ship. Sometimes, however, armed boats are sent off from the other vessels of the fleet, but they have never yet been able either to prevent the approach of the fire-ship, or seize on the crew whilst making their escape; and, though fire-ships are in other countries considered a forlorn hope, such is the stupidity and terror of the Turks, that it is rarely that one of the brulottiers is wounded, and very seldom, indeed, that any lose their lives.(2).
p. 172: The service, however, from the imminent risk to which it is Deposed, is rewarded with higher pay than the ordinary seamen; and on every occasion of their success, each brulottier receive* an additional premium of 100 or 150 piastres. To the captains, likewise, rewards have frequently been offered, but been as often refused; as they replied, that they should consider it a disgrace to accept a recompense for doing their duty to their country. The number of those brave fellows is from twenty-five to thirty, and though many have nobly distinguished themselves, the widely-spreading laurels of one have unfortunately overshadowed the honours of the rest. It is needless to say, that this individual is Constantine Canaris. There are, however, many others whose fame has not extended so far, though their actions have been equally daring and successful : amongst those is Captain Pepino, the companion of Canaris in his famous exploit of burning the vessel of the Capitan Pacha at Scio, and the man who, with Georgio Potili, and Alexander Dimama, achieved the late success-
p. 173: ful enterprize at Modon. Of the remainder, Giorgio Capa Antoine, Anastasius Calloganni, Demetrius Raphaella, and John Mondrosa, have shown the most undaunted bravery in the various actions at Tenedos, Mitylene, Samos, Scio, Cos, and Candia, and are rewarded by the most lavish praises of their countrymen, who have celebrated their names in the popular songs of the Island.”
“May 28”.
p.175: “The number of brulots is, of course, constantly varying, but seldom exceeds fifteen, and is frequently so low as one or
p. 176”two.”
Source
A picture of Greece in 1825; as exhibited in the personal narratives of James Emerson, esquire, count Pecchio and W.H. Humphreys, esquire comprising a detailed account of the evens of the late campaign, and sketches of the principal military, naval and political chiefs in two volumes. Vol I.
Notes
1. Original footnote: “Gtdkomaki Tombazi is at present employed at Salamis
2. Original footnote: “I once mentioned to Miaulis, the facility with which the brulottiers might make prizes of those almost deserted ships, instead of burning them; but he said, that it had been found impossible, as the Greek sailors had an invincible antipathy to boarding, and feared, that even if they did scale the enemy's ship, some lingering one of the crew might blow her up, to prevent her falling into their hands; and, in fact, said he, there is but little use in it, in the present state of our navy: as, on one occasion, when a Turkish vessel was brought as a prize into Spezzia, there arose such contentions concerning the right to her, that the Government were obliged to tow her out again to sea, and burn her, to prevent the quarrel of the claimants ending fatally.”
