attack, as I proposed, upon the fleet; which, as usual, did some damage, but not sufficient to prevent the same fleet from sailing in a few days, and bringing back a considerable reinforcement.
“There are four different methods of making an attack on an enemy’s fleet by fire-ships: at anchor, and at sea, in the night-time, and in day-light. At sea, an enemy’s ship, if it sails equally well, has the opportunity of running away from a fire-ship; and, in the night-time, from not being able to see the objects, the fire-ships are very apt to miss their aim. It was for this reason that not one of the French ships in Aix Roads was injured by the fire-ships that were sent in to attack them under the command of Lord Cochrane; and, for the same reason, but little damage was done to the Egyptian fleet in the harbour of Modon; but if, as I proposed, the attack had been made in the day-time, and the fire-ships coupled as I have represented them in the plan, they could not possibly have missed their aim, and the Egyptian ships could not possibly have escaped: the weathermost ships would have been set fire to by the Greeks, and these, as they parted their cables, would have become fire-ships in their turns, and have destroyed those that were to leeward, as they drifted down upon them. By this means, a very great part of Ibrahim’s fleet must inevitably have been destroyed, his supplies would have been cut off, and he would not have had it in his power to march his army against the town of Missolonghi; and even if this opportunity had been lost, the Capitan Pacha’s fleet before Missolonghi might have been destroyed in the same way, and then supplies could have been thrown into the town[1].
“With the Greek Deputies I left my address, and almost a petition to their Government to be allowed to rescue their country from impending destruction, but have not been favored with any answer. The moment I heard that Lord Cochrane had determined to join the Greeks, I sent a parcel, containing the letter and plan, to his Lordship, the copies of which are here enclosed, and directed it to be forwarded to him by the Greek Committee. After waiting some time without receiving any answer, I wrote to Mr. Ellice, to beg him, as a member of the Greek Committee, to inform his Lordship, that I was desirous of serving under his command, and wished to know whether he had received my communication. Mr. Ellice, who was out of town, informed me that there was no Greek Committee in existence, and recommended me to apply to his Lordship’s brother. Colonel Cochrane, who was then in town, to make inquiry about this parcel. Not having been favored with any answer from the Colonel, I at length traced the parcel from the coach office to his Lordship’s hotel, near Berkeley- ↑ As Sir Edward Codrington’s squadron did carry a leading wind into the harbour of Navarin in the day-time, the Greek fire-ships might have done so also; and here it is evident that there could have been nothing to prevent the execution of my plan, but apprehension of the result.
