Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p2.djvu/20

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captains of 1827.
9

into your hands, in the course of seven days, the persons of the two pirates, and that you will otherwise blockade our port; – we will do all we can, and if you leave this place we can do it with greater facility; if we find a difficulty in doing so, we will inform you, as well as let you know who protects them.

“If you remain firm in your resolution to blockade our port, you have the power of doing so. The pirates shall be taken, unless the populace of the country are determined otherwise; and you may imagine what tigers we have to deal with here. The Ephori will not fail to give their reasons for their actions; – you can act as you think proper; we shall do all we can to take the pirates.

(Signed)“Giovanni Mavronücali,
“First Member of the Ephori of Sparta.”

from the same to the same.

“According to your orders, I shall not fail in giving up the rudders, &c. of the two Ionian vessels, as well as every thing else which was taken from them. As to whatever else is in dispute between us, remain more than certain that I shall not fail in doing all I possibly can.”

The Pelican remained wind-bound at Djunova till Jan. 16th, on which day Captain Irby addressed the following to Signor Giovanni Mavronücali:

“The week I allowed you, wherein to find the two pirates, having expired, and receiving no intelligence whatever from you about them, although I know that Coccoici was in company with your own son at Kitries, and that Siutto resides at Scardamoula, the schooner of Siutto having been captured by our boats close to that place, and the small piratical boat of Coccoici having been found here, I cannot consider you and the other Ephori of these parts in any other light than as protectors of these pirates. On this account, I desire you will immediately give up to me the entire cargo of the Ionian vessel bound to Zante, you have captured. To establish a proper blockade of your enemy’s ports you should have a competent force stationed off them: a vessel captured off Cape Matapan, whatever may be her cargo, her papers being made out for Zante, cannot be proved to contain enemy’s property; besides which, the vessel that captured her is not furnished with the proper document from the Government of Napoli di Romania, without which no Greek vessel of war is suffered to cruise, according to the agreement between the Government of Great Britain and that of Greece. It becomes, therefore, my duty to demand her of you, and if you refuse to give her up I shall use force to take or destroy her. At the same time the Government of Great Britain being at peace with Greece, I am desirous to avoid as much as possible firing into your houses; but as circumstances may occur to render it im-