Unhappy Greece had long groaned under the tyranny of the Turkish yoke,
her efforts to throw it off having proved unavailing, and been crushed
by the most barbarous cruelty; when at length, in 1827, England, France,
and Russia combined to emancipate her, the latter influenced by other
motives than those of humanity. Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Codrington was
appointed to the command of the British squadron in the Mediterranean,
and he was directed to mediate between the contending parties. As he
was about to leave England, he received, as it was said, a hint from the
Lord High Admiral how he was to conduct his negotiations, with the
memorable words, "Go it, Ned!" The French and Russian squadrons, which
afterwards joined him, were placed under his command. Sir Edward, on
inquiring from Sir Stratford Canning how he was to act, received the
following reply: "You are not to take part with either of the
belligerents, but you are to interpose your forces between them, and to
keep the peace with your speaking-trumpet if possible; but in case of
necessity, with that which is used for the maintenance of a blockade
against friends as well as foes--I mean force;" and he further added,
"When all other means are exhausted, by cannon-shot."
The harbour of Navarino is in the form of a horse-shoe, about six miles
in circumference, with an island stretching across it, the only passage
into it being about six hundred yards wide. The Turco-Egyptian army was
encamped on the mainland, close to the fortress of Navarino, while on
the opposite side was a strong fort, mounting 125 guns. Within this bay
the Turkish and Egyptian fleets, consisting of 3 ships of the line, 4
double frigates, and 13 frigates, and a large number of corvettes,
brigs, and other small craft, besides a number of transports, were at
anchor, drawn up in the form of a crescent. Sir Edward Codrington's
flag was on board the _Asia_, of 80 guns. He had with him the _Genoa
and Albion_, seventy-fours, the _Glasgow_, 50, the _Cambrian_, 48, the
_Dartmouth_, 46, and the _Talbot_, 28 guns, besides a corvette, 4 brigs,
and the _Hind_ cutter, tender to the _Asia_. The French had 4
line-of-battle ships, a frigate, and 2 corvettes, and the Russians about
the same number. The allied fleet was therefore superior to that of the
Turks, except in point of numbers. The combined fleet being formed in
two columns, the British and French in the weather or starboard line,
and the Russians in the lee line, entered the harbour. The _Asia_ led,
followed by the _Genoa and Albion_, and anchored close alongside a ship
of the line, bearing the flag of the Capitan Bey, another ship of the
line, and a large double-banked frigate, each thus having their opponent
in the front line of the Turkish fleet. The French squadron was
directed to attack the Turks to leeward, and the Russian to fill up the
interval, while the English brigs were to look after six fire-vessels at
the entrance of the harbour. Positive orders were given that not a shot
should be fired unless the Turks set the example. The first three
English ships were permitted to pass the batteries, and to moor without
any act of hostility taking place. A boat, however, was sent shortly
afterwards from the _Dartmouth_ to request the Turkish fire-vessels to
move farther out of the way, when Lieutenant Fitzroy and several of her
crew were shot at and killed. On this the _Dartmouth_ and the French
admiral's ship opened a fire of musketry on the Turkish vessel, when one
of the Egyptian ships fired a cannon-shot, which was immediately
answered by the _Dartmouth's_ broadside. The ships opposed to the
_Asia_, however, did not for some time fire, and Sir Edward sent a pilot
on board the Egyptian admiral's ship to express his desire of avoiding
bloodshed, when, as he was alongside, he was killed by some of the
Egyptian crew, and soon afterwards his ship fired into the _Asia_. The
action now became general. The Turks fought with the greatest bravery,
but their ships, one after the other, were quickly destroyed, several
blowing up. Two of the fire-ships were soon in flames, a third blew up,
and a fourth was sunk by the _Philomel_. A gallant officer, Lieutenant
Maine Lyons, a brother of Sir Edmund Lyons, afterwards Lord Lyons,
belonging to the _Rose_ corvette, was mortally wounded while
endeavouring to tow a fire-ship in flames clear of the French _Armide_.
Commodore Bathurst of the _Genoa_ was also mortally wounded, after
having previously been severely hurt by a splinter soon after the
commencement of the action. One of the Turkish ships fell foul of the
_Albion_, when the crew of the former attempted to board, but being
repulsed, the Turk was boarded instead by Lieutenant John Drake, who
compelled her crew to cry for quarter. Unhappily, before he could
rescue some Greek prisoners in her hold, she burst into flames, when he
was compelled to retire, and her cables being cut by one of the
_Albion's_ midshipmen, she drifted clear of that ship and soon
afterwards blew up. Among the many acts of gallantry was one performed
by Lieutenant Robb, in command of the _Hind_ cutter. She had arrived
after the commencement of the action, when entering the bay she took up
a raking position at about the distance of forty yards across the stern
of a large frigate, and opened a rapid fire. After remaining here for
three-quarters of an hour, and receiving the fire of various smaller
vessels, her cable was cut by a shot, and she drifted between a large
corvette and a brig, which she engaged till the brig blew up. Her last
cable being cut, she drifted into the hottest part of the action, till
her main-boom ran into one of the main-deck ports of a Turkish frigate,
the crew of which made several attempts to board her, but were repulsed
by Lieutenant Robb and his crew. The Turks after some time sent a large
strongly-manned boat to attack the cutter. Just as the boat got
alongside the _Hind_ two carronades, charged with grape and canister,
fired into her by the latter, knocked her to pieces. The cutter after
this fortunately drifting clear of the frigate, escaped the destruction
which might have been her fate. Besides receiving numerous round-shot
in her hull, she lost a master's mate and 3 men killed, and a midshipman
and 9 men wounded. Every ship in the squadron behaved well, and was
ably supported by the Russians and French. A small number only of the
Turco-Egyptian fleet escaped destruction, though it was larger than Sir
Edward Codrington had at first supposed. The very doubtful advantage
gained by the action was purchased at the heavy loss of 75 killed,
including several valuable officers, and 195 wounded, while the French
and Russians together lost still more. The usual rewards were bestowed
on the victors; though a new ministry coming in, the action was spoken
of in the royal speech as "that untoward event." However, its ultimate
result undoubtedly was the liberation of Greece from the Turkish yoke.
Another result was the suppression of the office of Lord High Admiral by
the Duke of Wellington, who, on becoming Prime Minister, requested the
Duke of Clarence to resign, finding that his royal highness, having a
will of his own, was not sufficiently subservient to the government. To
the credit of our sailor-king, he never exhibited the least ill-feeling
in consequence towards the duke for this apparent slight.