Ambassador at Constantinople, addressed to Sir John Borlase Warren, earnestly requesting that officer to proceed with the squadron under his orders to Zante, for the purpose of dispossessing a Colonel Calander, who had usurped the command in that island, and fomented an insurrection against the Turks, under the unauthorised sanction of the British flag, at a moment when the least interruption of the harmony subsisting between England and the Porte would most likely have proved beneficial to France, and might have been productive of alarming consequences to our gallant army in Egypt. It is obvious that a service which Lord .Elgin considered as requiring the presence of an Admiral with a powerful squadron, was but little likely to be effected by the commander of a sloop of war, whose comparative insignificance might rather invite opposition, and lead to slaughter, than terrify into obedience, or produce pacific results: but the contents of his Excellency’s letter, and the exposed situation of the abovementioned army, seemed not to admit of a moment’s delay; and Captain Ricketts accordingly resolved to try what could be done. Accompanied by the President and Consul-General of the Ionian republic, and followed by three Turkish frigates, he immediately proceeded to the scene of revolt, succeeded in overcoming all obstacles, (although a formidable band of Albanians were in the service of the usurper, who had ordered furnaces to be prepared for heating shot) and restored the island to its rightful masters. In the performance of this service he appears to have had a very narrow escape, a musketball fired from the shore having passed between him and the coxswain of his boat.
The letter of thanks which Captain Ricketts afterwards received from Lord Elgin for his zealous exertions, was couched in the most handsome and energetic terms; but it has been said, that, from circumstances not necessary to be recited in this place, the service alluded to was not viewed by the Foreign Office in an equally striking light. Be that as it may, the Board of Admiralty evinced their perfect approval of Captain Ricketts’ conduct, by promoting him to post rank on the 29th April, 1802. He subsequently commanded the Dido of 28 guns; and during the greater part of the late war
