The present state of the Ottoman Empire containing the maxims of the Turkish politie, the most material points of the Mahometan religion, their sects and heresies, their convents and religious votaries, their military discipline ... : illustrated with divers pieces of sculpture, representing the variety of habits amongst the Turks, in three books / by Paul Rycaut Esq. ...

CHAP. XII. Of the Turks Armata, or Naval Forces.

HAving particularly run over the Force of this formidable Enemy and scourge of Christianity by Land, we are now to take a view, according to the true method of this Discourse, of the strength of their Fleets and Maritime Forces; which though to a Nation sci∣tuated on the Continent, are not so necessary or prevalent to defend themselves from their Neighbours, or transport their Power and Conquests into other Dominions, as they are to a people whose Ha∣bitation is encompassed by the Sea; yet certainly a Prince can never be said to be truly puissant, who is not Master in both Elements; For not to expatiate on the common Theme of the Riches and Power which arise from Navigation, it is sufficient, considering how often the mighty force of the Ottoman Empire hath been foiled and baffled by the small Republique of Venice, for want of true knowledg or success, or application of their minds to Maritime Exercise, to de∣monstrate of what efficacy in most designs is a well provided and re∣gulated Fleet.

The Turks are now very much weakned in their Naval Forces since the War against Candie and are so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in their hopes of success at Sea, that Ships and Galeasses, called by them Mahumes, are wholly in disuse amongst them; whether it be that they want able Seamen to govern them, or that they despair of being able to meet the Venetians in open Sea (for which those Vessels of Battery are only in use) they are fallen into a fancy of light Gallies, a sign that they intend to trust more of their safety to their Oars than their Arms; of which in the year 1661. (after the loss of 28 well-provided 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wreck'd with their Men in the Black Sea) the Visier Kuperlee built thirty others for reparation of that loss, but of that green and unsea∣soned Timber, that the first Voyage many of them became unser∣viceable for their Leaks; and the rest, at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Fleet in the Month of October following, were laid up amongst the old and worn Vessels.

It may seem a difficult matter to assign the true reason why and by what means the Turks come to be so decayed in their Naval Forces, who abound with so many conveniences for it, and with all sorts of materials fit for Navigation, as Cordage, Pitch, Tar, and Timber, which arise and grow in their own dominions, and are easily brought to the Imperial Gity with little or no danger of their Enemies. For Timber, the vast Woods along the Coast of the Black Sea, and parts of Asia, at the bottom of the Gulph of Nicomedia, supply them: Pitch, Tar, and Tallow are brought to them from Albania and Wala∣chia; Canvas and Hemp from Grand Cairo; and Bisquet is in plenty in all parts of the Turks Dominions. Their Ports are several of them convenient for building both of Ships and Gallies; the Arsenal at Constantinople hath no less than a hundred thirty seven Voltas, or Cham∣bers for Buildings, and so many Vessels may be upon the Stocks at the

same time. At Sinopolis neer Trapesond is another Arsenal: at Midia and Anchiale, Cities on the Black Sea, are the like; and in many parts of the Propontis, the Hellespont, and the Bospborus, are such Ports and conveniences for Shipping, as if all things had conspired to render Con∣stantinople happy, and not only capable of being Mistress of the Earth, but formidable in all parts of the Ocean: and yet the Turk for several years, especially since the War with Candia, and their defeats at Sea, have not been able at most to Equippe a Fleet of above 100 Sail of Gallies, of which 14 are maintained and provided at the charge of the Beyes of the Archipelago, for which they have certain Isles in that Sea assigned them.

The Turks do neither want Slaves for to bogue at the Oars of the Gallies; for Tartary supplies them with great numbers; besides, divers persons in Constantinople make it a Trade to hire out their Slaves for the Summers Voyage for 6000 Aspers, running the hazard of the Slaves life, who returning home safe is consigned to the possession of his Patron: And if want still be of Chiurma, as the Turks call it, or Slaves for the Oar, a collection is made in several Provinces of the lustiest and stoutest Clowns, called by the Turks Azabs, but by the other Slaves Chakal; these are chosen out of certain Villages, one be∣ing elected out of every twenty houses, the hire of which is 6000 Aspers, for payment whereof the other 19 Families make a proportio∣nable Contribution. Upon receipt of their pay they give in security not to fly, but to serve faithfully for that years Expedition: But these men unused to the Service of the Sea, unskilful at the Oar, and Sea-sick, are of little validity; and the success of their Voyage may be compared to that in the Fable of the Shepherd, who sold his Possessions on the Land, to buy Merchandise for Sea-Negotiations.

The Souldiers which are destin'd to Sea-service are called Levents, who come voluntarily and enter themselves in the Registers of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, obliging themselves to serve that Summers Expedition for 6000 Aspers, and Bisquet for the Voyage; the stoutest and most re∣solute of these fellows are those called Cazdaglii, who are a certain sort of Mountaniers in the Country of Anatolia, neer Troy, whose Country I once passed through, with some apprehension, and more than ordinary vigilance and caution to preserve my life; for being all Robbers and Free-booters, we admitted no Treaties or Discourses with them but with our Arms in our hands. Others there are also obliged to Sea-service, who are Zaims and Timariots, and hold their Lands in Sea-Tenure; but being not bound to go in person themselves, they bring or send their Servants (called in Turkish Bedel) to supply their place, every one providing one, two, or more, according to the value of his Lands, as we have before declared in the Chapter of the Zaims and Timariots. Some Janizaries are also drawn out for Sea∣service, and some Spahees of the four inferiour Banners; and not to make too bold 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the veterane Souldiers, command only such to Sea as are new and green Souldiers, lately registred in the Rolls of the Spahees.

The Auxiliaries of the Turks Forces by Sea, are the Pirates of Barbary, from those three Towns of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algier; but these of late years have disused the Custom of coming in to the Turks

assistance; yet oftentimes they ply towards the Archipelago, and to the Levant, but it is to supply themselves with Souldiers, and recruits of people for encrease of their Colonies.

The other part of Auxiliary Forces is from the Beyes of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, being fourteen in number, every one of which commands a Gally, and for their maintenance have the contribution of certain Islands in that Sea allotted to them; the which are better manned and armed than these of Constantinople, but these neither, are not wil∣ling too much to expose their Vessels to fight or danger; in regard that being built and maintained at their own charges, and their whole subsistance, they are the more cautious how they venture all their Fortune in the success of a battel: These Beyes also give themselves much up to their delights and pleasure, and employ more thoughts how to please their appetites, than to acquire glory and fame by the War; what they gain in the Summer, when joyned with the gross of the Turkish Fleet, is the Prize of the Grand Signior, but what chance throws upon them in the Winter, is their own proper and peculiar Fortune.

The Gunners of the Turkish Fleet are wholly ignorant of that art, for any person who is either English, French, Dutch, or any other Christian Nation, they design to this Office, whether he be skilful or unskilful in the management of Artillery; having an opinion that those people are naturally addicted to a certain proneness and aptitude in Gun∣nery; in which they find their error as often as they come to skirmish with their Enemy.

The chief Admiral or Generalissimo of the Turkish Armata is cal∣led the Captain Pashaw; his Lieutenant General is called Tershana Kia∣hiasi; the next Officer is Tersane Emini, or Steward of the Arsenal, who hath the care of providing all necessaries for the Navy; but this place being bought, as almost all other Offices, occasions a necessity in these persons to rob Nails, Anchors, Cables, and other provisions of the Fleet to satisfie the debts they contracted for the purchase of their places: in the like manner doth every Reis or Captain of a Gally keep his hand in exercise as often as convenience offers; these are all for the most part Italian Renegadoes, or the race of them born and edu∣cated neer the Arsenal. The Officers command their Chiurme or slaves in corrupted Italian, which they call Franke; and afford them a better allowance of Bisket than is given to the slaves in the Venetian Ar∣mata.

The Turks now despairing of being equal to the Christian Forces by Sea, and to be able to stand with them the shock of a Battel, build light Vessels for robbing, burning, and destroying the Christian Coast, and afterwards to secure themselves by flight, and also to transport Souldiers, Ammunition, and Provisions for succour of Candia, and other places of their new Conquests neer the Sea shore.

The Arsenal at Venice is so greatly esteemed by the Turks, that they seem not to desire the conquest of that place for any other reason more than the benefit of the Arsenal; as a Person of great quality amongst them said once, that had they made a Conquest of Venice, they would not inhabit there, but leave it to the Venetians, in regard that the Ci∣ty affords not fresh water, which is necessary for the use of their

Mosques, and their washings before Prayer; but that the Arsenal and a Tribute would satisfie the desires of the Grand Signior.

But the Turks are not likely to be Masters of this Seat of Neptune, whilest they so unwillingly apply their minds to Maritime affairs, who being conscious of their former ill success at Sea, and how little use they make of those advantages they have for shipping, acknowledge their inabilities in Sea affairs, and say; That God hath given the Sea to the Christians, but the land to them. And no doubt but the large posses∣sions and riches they enjoy on the stable Element of the Earth, is that which takes of their minds from a deep attention to matters of the Sea, which is almost solely managed by Renegadoes amongst them, who have abandoned their Faith and their Country. And it is happy for Christendom that this faintness remains on the Spirits of the Turks, and aversion from all Naval employments, whose numbers and power the Great God of Hosts hath restrained by the bounds of the Ocean, as he hath limited the Ocean by the Sands of the Sea shore.