coupled in the manner which I have represented in the accompanying figure. In Lord Cochrane’s attack on the French squadron, with single fire-vessels, there was but one out of the whole that ran on board an enemy’s ship; and her grapplings did not keep their hold, so that she passed by without doing any further mischief than merely tearing away some of the rigging.
“In the next place, I recommend that no other combustibles should be taken on board the fire-ships than what are absolutely necessary to cause them to take fire readily; and then, as there will be no fear of an explosion, there will be no necessity for the Greeks to quit their fire-vessels, until it will be impossible for them to miss the shipping which they intend to fire. Some wetted straw, and damp powder formed into devils, might be ignited, on entering the harbour, which, by producing a great deal of smoke, might occasion alarm, and prevent the enemy’s boats from approaching the fire-ships, in order to tow them into another direction.
“With these preparations, if the attack should be made, in a pretty strong sea-breeze, a little before the close of day, the Greek seamen will at once be able to see the object of attack, and will pass too rapidly by the batteries to be materially injured by them in going in. In which case, if they should possess sufficient resolution to remain on board their own ships till they are on the point of grappling with the enemy, they will not only succeed in their enterprise, but may be morally certain that the Turkish boats will be too much occupied in taking care of their own people to think of pursuing them on their return. And if the Greek.Government will intrust me with the command of one of their fire-ships, I will pledge all that is sacred in man, to be the first to advance, and the last to retire.”
“This plan was presented, and the offer of my personal services made, to the Greek deputies, in the early part of April, 1825, before Ibrahim Pacha had landed in the Morea; and a similar plan, together with an offer of my personal services, was presented to Lord Cochrane, on his accepting the chief command of the Greek navy, in the following August; who, by the way, wanted the politeness to make me any reply[1]. It is now submitted to the criticism of my brother officers of all grades; and I shall leave it to them to make their own comments, after merely stating, that, as Sir Edward Codrington, at the battle of Navarin, carried a leading wind into the harbour, in the day-time. Lord Coch-
- ↑ In the plan which was presented to Lord Cochrane, all allusion to the Basque Roads expedition was carefully suppressed.
