Complex sentence: Anchoring in the harbor at Canea (now Chania), the squadrons soon combined to form the International Squadron, and the admirals commanding the various national contingents began working together to address matters on the island.
Split into simpler sentences: Anchoring in the harbor at Canea (now Chania), the squadrons soon combined to form the International Squadron. The admirals commanding the various national contingents had begun working together to address matters on the island.