and a division of the French army, against the Morea Castle at Patras, I have satisfaction in assuring you of my entire approbation of the manner in which you have conducted the service there, and of the exertions and good conduct of the officers and ship’s company of the Blonde. I have not failed to make known the same to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and to recommend, in particular, to their Lordships’ favorable notice, the merits of Lieutenant Luckraft. I have much pleasure in sending for your perusal a copy of a letter which Vice-Admiral De Rigny has addressed to me on the occasion, expressive of his admiration of the services of the Blonde and AEtna, and of the cordiality of feeling manifested between the forces of the two nations. I am, &c.
“To Captain Lyons, H.M.S. Blonde.”
Copies of the letters from Sir Pulteney Malcolm to the Admiralty, and from Mons. de Rigny to the British Vice-Admiral, are given in Vol. III. Part II., p. 88, et seq. On the 31st Oct. 1828, the Marquis Maison, commander-in-chief of the French army in the Morea, wrote to the minister-of-war as follows:–
“The delivery of arms, among which were some very beautiful sabres and yatagans, was severely felt by the Turks; but I wished to punish them for their resistance to the capitulation of Patras, and I was therefore inflexible. I have distributed these arms among the general and superior officers of the different corps, the artillery, and superior officers of the French and English squadrons.
“The five batteries had received names. The first was called Charles the Tenth; the second George the Fourth. The other three were those of the Dauphin, the Duke de Bordeaux, and the Marine. The English, who served four cannon (the officers of the frigate Blonde and those of the bomb-vessel AEtna), were extremely pleased with the attention which we had shewn them, and giving the name of their king to one of our batteries. We owed them such a compliment for the zeal and frankness which they have displayed on all occasions. I cannot too highly praise Lieut. Luckraft. He is an old and worthy officer, who directed the battery during the whole siege with great ability.”
The following are extracts of a private letter from an officer of the Blonde:–
