The Sun.
London, England, 1827-11-12 00:00:00

FRENCH OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE

NAVAL ACTION AT NAVARIN.

FRENCH PAPERS.

" Flatus, Nov. B.—We have received the following
news from our squadron in the Archipelago, dated Oct. 22.
" (This communication begins with the paper, No. 1.,
published in the London Gazette.)
" On the 20th, at noon, the wind being favourable,
signals were made to prepare for action ; every one took
his post, the English Admiral's ship, the Asia, leading.
followed by the Albion and the Genoa, the Syrene frigate
bearing the flag of Admiral de Rigny ; the Scipio, the
Trident, and the Breslau, ; then the Russian Admiral
Count Heiden, followed by three ships of the line and four
frigates.
" ' Turks had formed a crescent on the contour of
the bay in a triple line, making a total of three ships of
the line, a raz4, 16 frigates, 27 large corvettes, and av
many brigs.
4" The principal force was assembled towards the right
on entering, and composed of four large frigates, two ships
of the line, a large frigate, a ship of the line, then frigates
of various sizes finishing the line, and strengthened in the
second line by corvettes and brigs.
" ' Six fire-ships were placed at the extremities of the
crescent, to be able to fall upon the combined squadrons, if
an engagement should take plaee, and to the windward of
which they were naturally placed.
4" The English frigate the Dartmouth, Capt. Fellowes,
had been sent to Navarin two days before, with a letter to
Ibrahim from the three Admirals; but this letter had been
sent back without answer, under the pretence that Ibrahim
was not present.
" ' At two o'clock the Asia entered the port, and had
passed the batteries ;at half-past two it anchored alongside
the Turkish Admiral, and was followed by the other
English ships.
" The Syrene followed, and at 25 minutes past two
Captain Robert anchored it within pistol-shot of the first
frigate of the Turkish line ; at this moment a boat be-
longing to the Dartmouth came near one of the tire•sbips,
near which that frigate had. cast anchor a few minutes
before, when a musket-shot from this fire-ship killed the
English ()Meer who commanded the boat. The Syr,";2te
was then so near the fire-ship that it might have sunk it if
it could have been done without endangering the English
boat; the Dartmouth then opened a fire of musketry at
the fire-ship in order to cover its boat. Almost at the
same minute the Syrene was yard-arm and yard-arm with
the Egyptian double-banked frigate the Esnina ; Admiral
de Rigny hailed it with the speaking trumpet, saying that
if it did not fire, he would not fire at it. At the same
instant two cannon-shot were fired from one of the vessels
which were astern of the Syrine, on board of which a
man was killed; the other appeared to be directed against
the Dartmouth. The battle now began.

" It is to be observed, that almost at the same time
that this was passing at the entrance, Admiral Codrington
sent a boat towards the vessel bearing the Admiral's flag,
and that the English pilot was killed by a musket-shot on
board the boat with the flag of truce.
" The battle soon became general : the Russian vessels
had to support the fire of the forts, which only began to
fire upon the fifth vessel, which was the Trident. A.t five
o'clock in the afternoon, the first line of the Turks was
destroyed ; the ships of the line and cut-down frigates
sunk or burned; the remainder ran upon the coast, where
the enemy themselves set fire to them. _

" Of this formidable armament there remains afloat
only about 20 corvettes and brigs, and even these are
abandoned.

" Thus has been fulfilled, the threat held out to
Ibrahim, that if a cannon was fired upon the allied flags,
the fate of the whole fleet would be at stake.

" ' Ibrahim was not prevent : fog this fortnight past he
has been laying waste the Mores, rooting up the olives,
vines, fiorees, &c.
" ' In this unforeseen engagement there were of course
some vessels u hicb, by their position, have suffered more
than the others : what is certain is, that in each squadron
all have rivalled each other in doing their duty.
" ' His Majesty's frigate the Armide, which at the be-
ginning of the action was placed with the English frigate
the Talbot, at' the left extremity of the horse-shoe, was ex-
posed with its brave comrade to the fire of five Turkish
frigates, till the arrival of the Russian frigates. Captain
Hugon has received unanimous felicitations for the boldness
of his manoeuvres, and the gallantry with which he fought
the vessels opposed to him.
" The Seipion, Captain Milius, whose bowsprit was
entangled with a fire ship that was in flames, had to extin-
guish the fire on board four times without ceasing to fight,
firing at the same time to the right and left, on the enemy's
line and on the forts.

$" In consequence of the position taken by Capt. Mau-
rice, of the Trident, Admiral de Rigny received the most
complete assistance from that vessel.
"'.Captain La Bretonniere, of the Breslazo, fought first
under sail, and then at anchor, going wherever his pre-
sence might be useful. The Russian Admiral has returned
special thanks to Admiral de Rigny, for the assistance
which he received from the Breslow, at the moment when
the. Azof buffered. severely from the cross fire of the enemy.
' The Alcyone .and the Daphne, schooners, bravely
participated in the attack upon the fire-ships made by the
English brigs and corvettes.
" 4lu a word, whatever opposed the allied vessels was
speedily overcome, notwithstanding the desperate bravery
shown by some Turkish vessels.
" Admiral de Rigny. has felt himself bound to return
particular thanks to Captain Fellowea, of his Britannic
Majesty's frigate, the Dartmouth, which was appointed to
watch the fire-ships, for the timely succour which he afford-
ed him, when one of the fire-ships in flames was on the
point of falling on the Syrene.
" Our squadron had 43 killed and 117 wounded.
Captain La Bretonniere was slightly wounded.. Our squa-
dron has suffered great damage. Two of our ships of the
line are obliged to return to Toulon to repair their masts :
the Syrene in particular has sustained great injury ; its
main and nsizen masts are shot away, the two lower yaids
and the main-top yard are shot aWay, and it has six shots
between wind and water.

The Trident is going to Smyrna to meet the
Junon, the Ppnione, and the other light vessels, to sup-
ply the wants of the moment, and to expect new directions.
The English corvette the Rose has gone to Smyrna,
whence couriers will be despatched to Constantinople, to
announce this important event. Captain Reverseaux, of
the Ponione, )10.4 instructions to protect the French sub-
jects. Chevalier de Rigny speaks in hieh terms of the cor-
diality and efficacious co-operation of the Admirals, his
colleagues.
" Some days before the battle, Admiral de Rigny had
intimated to the French, who were employed on board
Ibrahim's fleet, that the mode of warfare recently adopted
by the Turks, and the violation of his word by Ibrahim,
authorized him to call upon them to quit that service. Only
one of them did not consider the occasion sufficiently urgent
to obey this summons. It is not known whether he
persevered.
" Our crews have justified the confidence of the King ;
in each vessel the cry of ", Vire le Roi" spontaneously ac-
companie4 the first broadside.
'" "The squadron had before it for some hours a dreadful
scene. Conceive 150 ships of war, of all rates, firing in a

narrow basin, in a triple line, the burning of some, and the
explosions whieh ensued.
When the first frigate, yard-arm to yard-arm with
our vessels, took fire and blew up, the Syrene was so
near astern, that its wizen-mast fell on that frigate, which
was soon followed by the main-mast.'

(From the Gazette de France, dated Nov. 10.)
NAVARIN, SEPT. 27.—" The following is the letter
which the Admirals of the two European squadrons wrote
on the 22d to Ibrahim Pacha, before entering the port to
open negotiations
" ' NAVARIN ROADS, SEPT. 22.—As your Highness
appears to have some doubts respecting the agreement con-
cluded between the three confederate Powers, I must de-
clare to you, that after Admiral Codrington had communi-
cated to me the letter which he had the honour to write to
your Highness while I was detained by a calm at some dis-
tance from this place, we have thought it advisable to send
you a duplicate in the French language, signed by us both.
" We have the honottr to inform your Highness, that
in consequence of a 'treaty, signed at London, between
England, France, and Russia, the Allied Powers have
agreed to unite their forces to hinder all conveyance of
troops, arms, or ammunition, to any part whatever of the
Greek continent, and the islands.
" This measure has been resolved upon, as well for
the interest of the Sultan himself, as for that of all the
nations trading in the Archipelago; and the Contracting
Powers have had the humane foresight to send a consider-
able force to weaken all opposition from the Ottoman com-
manders, whose resistance would lead, not only to their
own destruction, but to consequences fatal to the interests
of the Sultan.

" ' It would be extremely painful for us, as well as for
our Sovereigns, whose chief object is to prevent the effu-
sion of blood, to be obliged on this occasion to employ
force. We therefore urgently invite you not to oppose a
resolution, the execution of which it would be impossible
to hinder; for it is our duty not to let you doubt, that
though our desire is to terminate this cruel war, we have
orders, such that we must come to extremities rather than
give up the object for which our Sovereigns have united
together.
" In consequence, if on this occasion a single cannon-
shot should be fired at our flags, it would lead to the ruin
of the Ottoman flag.
" The undersigned have the honour to assure his High-
ness of their respect.
(Signed) "' E. CODRINGTON, Vice-Admiral,
Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces
of Great Britain in the Mediterranean.
" N. DE RIGNY, Rear-Admiral,
Commander-in-Chief of the squadron of
his Most Christian Majesty.'
—Angsburgh Gazette.