The Egyptian, Greek and Turkish navies in the Mediterranean according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 26 July 1825
Hydra, 11 June. An extract of a letter was published dealing with the latest events in that area. The name and function of the writer wasn’t known. In the early morning of 3 June was the Turkish fleet going towards our islands sighted. She left the Hellespont consisting of 1 ship of the line, 4 frigates 1st rate, 6 corvettes and 16 large and 22 smaller brigs of war and further more transports loaded with victuals and ammunition. The transports hoisted foreign flags, mostly Austrian. Soon was the second division of the Greek fleer sighted. Against the evening approached the Turkish fleet the island and passed very closely while pursued by the Greek fleet and immediately departed other Greek ships towards sea. Due to lacking wind both fleets couldn’t act until the 4th. Official tidings from the Greek vice admiral Sachturi were received. “Hardly left the Greek fleet the Hellespont or we attacked her off Mitylene with all means. The 2nd there was a fierce fight between the island Andros and Capo d’Oro started around 03.00 o’clock and going until the afternoon. Around 09.00 o’clock was the Turkish line broken and within short time set two of our brave fire ship captains the 66-gun ship of the line Chasne Themisi in fire and which ship burnt. On board was the cruel Arab Ali with 800 sailors, a large amount of ammunition for Patras as was assured and around 150 engineers. Fire ship captain Boutis of Hydra at the left wing of our fleet attacked a 34-gun frigate set her in fire and she was completely burnt. This frigate had a crew of 300 men including Austrians, Armenians, Cossacks and Turkish. Many of them were with her captain Miserli Mehemet taken prisoner. A 32-gun frigate which lost contact with the Turkish fleet was pursued by a Greek brig of war and a fire ship until the island Syra where she according to the latest tidings was stranded. Her crew of 150 Turkish and 25 Austrians fled on shore after setting fire into the ship. The crew was taken prisoner and the same day brought on board of a Greek warship while another warship stayed off the island searching for valuable stores like canons. All together the Greeks lost 3 fire ships and just 4 wounded men. The Turkish fleet was in complete disorder. A part consisting of more as 20 brigs and goelettes fled to Caristo leaving Topas Pasha with hardly the half of his fleet. At the same occasion were 5 Austrian transports loaded with ammunition captured and brought up at Spezzia. There they were unloaded of more as 22.000 canon balls of 1-5 occa (2,5-12 pound), 1.200 barrels gunpowder, more as 1.100 cases cartridges, 2 large mortars, a large amount of bombs, 4 field guns and so on. The stores were destined to use against Missolunghi. The captured ships were to be fitted out as Greek fire ships.
In the night of the 4th a favourable wind blew and the next morning was the Turkish fleet disappeared probably towards the coasts of the island Cos. The same day the first and second divisions of the Greek fleet were united and sailed towards Milos for victuals and repairing of the sails and rigging so far as necessary. The Egyptian fleet at Suda was doing the same while preparing for the fourth expedition towards Morea. A brig of Spezzia reported that Topal Pasha with the remains of his fleet also arrived at Suda. In the morning of the 10th departed the Greek fleet Milos to attack with all of her fire ships and some brigs of war the enemy in the Gulf of Suda. The Greek admiral reported that all together 37 ships including 5 of Russia, 2 of Malta and 30 of Austria were captured, all loaded with victuals with ship papers for the Ionian islands but with cargo’s destined for Preveza, Patras and Missolunghi. The third division of the Greek fleet was ordered to support the fortress at Missolunghi against the Turkish. She left 10 days ago with 6 or 7 ships”.
