the 3000 piastres for which he was willing to compound the matter. I have got a receipt in full, signed by the boatman, which I am willing to put into Captain Canning’s hand when he thinks proper.”
On the 19th Feb. 1813, the acting commander of the Kite made the following report to Captain Clavell:
“Sir,– I beg to acquaint you, that being obliged to anchor some days in the Gulf of Smyrna, occasioned by a gale of wind from the N.E., I arrived in the Straits of Scio yesterday morning, and anchored the Kite in the roads, about a mile from the town; I proceeded to examine the state of the privateers in that port, and received information that the large settee which has been lying there some months, was nearly ready for sea. The very great protection and encouragement afforded the enemy’s privateers in Scio, is a fact of such general notoriety, that it will be perfectly useless in me to dwell on that subject; but as the injury they have thereby been enabled to do our commerce can be equalled only by the impudence with which they boast of it, I need only mention one single instance, which happened about two weeks ago, among many others, of so flagrant a nature that it attracted the general attention of all concerned in English trade: I allude to the ship belonging to Mr. Hayes, of Smyrna, taken by a rowboat out of Scio, from under the castle of Fojos, being carried to Patmos, where the cargo was sold, the money received, and the privateer’s men returned to Scio, ready to commit new depredations of a similar nature, in defiance of all laws which regulate neutral nations, and which have so rigidly been attended to on our part. Duly considering the above circumstances, it appeared to me the most likely means to benefit our general commerce in these seas, if, by retaliating on our enemies, they might be brought to a more civilised mode of warfare, or driven from this neighbourhood as robbers and pirates. For these reasons, I gave to Lieutenant Williams the command of the Kite’s boats, having under him acting Lieutenant Booth, and Mr. Edgar, purser, whose services are always voluntary, with instructions to bring out the settee from Scio. The boats left the brig about 2 o’clock this morning, and, I am happy to say, the service was accomplished in a masterly style, without the smallest accident or any kind of alarm. Before day-light, the Kite was under sail, with the privateer in tow, several miles distant from the port; her rudder was on deck, and sails unbent. I judged it prudent to see her part of the way out of the Archipelago. She is a very fine vessel, about a year old, mounting eight carriage guns, and four others in the hold; near 100 stand of muskets, complete with powder, &c. &c. &c.; seventeen men on board; sails so remarkably fast, that I apprehend few of H.M. ships would have been able to have caught her at sea, therefore calculated to do much mischief to our trade, if in the hands of an enemy. I hope my conduct in this instance will meet your approbation, and that of the commander-in-chief. I send her on to Malta, with a copy of this letter, to Admiral Laugharne. I have the honor to be, &c.
