Egyptian Fleet Arrives at Greece

Meantime the Egyptian fleet, strongly reinforced, had arrived in the Morea, and the English commander had no right to interpose any obstacle, the time being the end of August, and the answer of the Porte not being yet delivered.

Continuing The Battle of Navarino,
our selection from History of England During the Thirty Years Peace by Harriet Martineau published in 1849. The selection is presented in three easy 5-minute installments. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in The Battle of Navarino.

Time: October 20, 1827
Place: Navarino Bay (modern Phylos), Agean Sea

The rejection was too natural and reasonable not to be received as final; and the three powers proceeded therefore to their acts of enforcement. Canning, ill and wearied after the close of the session, exerted himself to transact some public business. The chief item of this business was causing to be signed the treaty with France and Russia concerning the affairs of Greece, which was finished off in London and immediately dispatched to Constantinople. In this treaty the alliance and its purposes were justified on the ground of “the necessity of putting an end to the sanguinary contests which, by delivering up the Greek provinces and the isles of the Archipelago to the disorders of anarchy, produce daily fresh impediments to the commerce of the European States and give occasion to piracies which not only expose the subjects of the contracting powers to considerable losses, but render necessary burdensome measures of suppression and protection.” England and France, moreover, pleaded the appeals they had received from the Greeks. The treaty concluded with a declaration and pledge of disinterestedness —- of desiring nothing which the whole world beside was not at liberty to obtain.

A month from the date of the arrival of the instructions to the ambassadors at Constantinople was the time allowed to the Porte for consideration. If the terms of the three powers were not by that time acceded to, they must proceed to the threatened enforcement, with every intention to preserve their own pacific relations with Turkey. The work of mediation was to be carried on by force in such a case under the plea that such a proceeding would be best for the interests of the contending powers, and necessary for the peace and comfort of the rest of the world. There were squadrons of all the three powers ready in the Levant — that of Russia being commanded by Admiral Heiden; that of France by Admiral de Rigny and that of England by Sir Edward Codrington.

The formal note of the ambassadors at Constantinople was delivered in on August 16th, with a notification that an answer would be expected in fifteen days. On August 30th, no reply having been volunteered, it was asked for, and given only verbally. Again, the Porte declined recognizing any interference between itself and its rebellious subjects; and when the consequent notice of enforcement was given, the Turkish Government became, as any other government would, in like circumstances, bolder in its declaration of persistence in its own rights. Then began a season of activity at Constantinople such as had seldom been witnessed there; horses and provisions pouring in from the country, and sent off, with ammunition, arms, and stores, to occupy the ports along the Bosporus and Dardanelles. There was an incessant training of troops under the eye of the Sultan or his vizier, and the capital seemed in a way to be turned into a camp. There is something striking in the only words the Turkish minister would utter, in the final interview of September 14th. “God and my right,” said he, in the calmest manner; “such is the motto of England. What better answer can we give when you intend to attack us?”

Meantime the Egyptian fleet, strongly reinforced, had arrived in the Morea, and the English commander had no right to interpose any obstacle, the time being the end of August, and the answer of the Porte not being yet delivered. Sir Edward Codrington, however, hailed Ibrahim, informed him of what was going on at Constantinople, and offered him a safe-conduct if he wished to return to Egypt. But if he chose to enter the harbor of Navarino, to join the Turkish fleet there, he must clearly understand that any of his vessels attempting to get out would be driven back. Ibrahim chose to enter. There now lay the ninety- two Egyptian vessels and the Turkish fleet crowded in the harbor; and off its mouth lay the British squadron on the watch.

For some time Ibrahim occupied himself in preparing his troops for action against the Greeks; but on September 19th he determined to try an experiment. He sent out a division of the Turkish fleet to see if the English would let them pass. Sir Edward Codrington warned them back, but the Turkish commander replied that he was under no other orders than those of Ibrahim. The Egyptian Prince —- being referred to by both parties and afterward by the French Admiral, who had come up with his squadron, and the danger of the case amply explained to him —- declared that he would recall the Turkish ships, and wait the return of couriers whom he would send to Constantinople and to Alexandria; but that as soon as he received orders to sail, his whole combined fleet would come out and brave all opposition.

A sort of armistice was agreed on, verbally, for twenty days, during a long conference between the Egyptian, French, and English commanders, on September 25th. The two latter trusted to Ibrahim’s word that his ships would not leave the harbor for the twenty days —- ample facilities having been allowed by them for the victualling of his troops; and they sailed for Zante to obtain fresh provisions for their fleet. As soon as they were gone, only five days after the conference, Ibrahim put out to sea, to sail to Patras. On October 2nd an armed brig brought notice to Sir Edward Codrington of this violation of the treaty. The Admiral immediately returned with a very small force, met successively two divisions of the Turkish fleet, and turned them back to Navarino. In his wrath Ibrahim carried war inland, slaughtering and burning, and driving the people to starvation, and even uprooting the trees wherever he went, that no resources might be left to the wretched inhabitants.

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