Battle of Matapan

Posted by Brian on Friday 20th of June 2014 17:53

The London Gazette
Publication date:30 July 1717
Paris, Aug. 4, We had letters by the last post from Italy, which gives various accounts of an engagement between the Turkish and Venetian fleets. They tell us, that the Turks having 40 men of war, attacked the Venetians who had but 28, on the 12th of June, and that the fight lasted from two in the afternoon till night, that it was renewed on the 16th at nine in the morning, and held several hours; that the turks retired first towards the Dardanelles, and the Venetians between Cape St. Angelo and Cape Matapan. From Durazzo tis advised, that the Venetians lost three of their ships; but the advices from the other parts say on the contrary, that three Turkish sultans were sunk, that not one ship of the Venetian fleet was missing, that the Colomba Man of War was much damaged. Sig. Flangini, who commanded the Venetians was killed with a musket ball, his nephew wounded, and about 500 men were killed and 700 wounded. The Captain Gene al Pisani, who commanded the Gallies and light ships of the Venetian fleet, being joined by the Portuguese and Maltese squadrons, sailed from Corfu on the 30th of June to reinforce the large men of war which had sustained the two fore mentioned engagements with the Turks.