On 21^st March 1897 following the landing of Colonel Vassos and 1500 Greek troops plus artillery, in an attempt to put an end to the further of an escalation of the Christian Cretan insurrection in Crete, the European Powers declared a naval blockade of the island. The announcement was contained in a formal note to the Ottoman authorities;

he Undersigned, Ambassadors of the Great Powers in Constantinople, have the honour to make known to the Sublime Pore, that the Admirals and Commanders of the naval forces of the Six Great Powers in Crete have decided to place this island in a state of blockade, beginning from the 9^th (21^st) at 8 o’clock in the morning. This blockade will extend to all ships under the Greek flag; the ships of other Powers may enter the ports occupied by the Powers and land their merchandize if not intended for the Greek troops, or the interior of the island; these ships may be visited by the vessels of the international fleet. The limits of the blockade are comprised within 23 24’ and 26 30 longitude east of Greenwich, 35 48’ and 34 45’ north latitude.”[1]

In effect, henceforth no Greek ships could land, and ships of other nationalities could only land at Canea, Retymno, Iraklion, Sitia or Irapetra to have their cargoes checked for contraband. [Discussions took place around this time about the possibility of a blockade of mainland Greece. During these discussions, the office of the Royal Navy’s Commander in Chief in Malta, who would have been responsible for carrying out any such blockade, discovered that they had lost the plans of the previous Greek blockade in 1886, and had to ask the Admiralty if London had kept copies.[2]]

While the Royal Navy was involved in a number of incidents enforcing the blockade, they weren’t the only Power to use force: At least one of the Austro-Hungarian vessels involved in the blockade saw action, the Torpedo-Ship SMS Sebenico commanded by Fregatten-Capitän Victor Ritter Bless von Sambuchi.

Austro-Hungarian Torpedo Ship SMS Sebenico

Von Sambuchi described the action to the British journalist R.A.H. Bickford- Smith who retold it in his ‘Cretan Sketches’[3]:

“The nearest approach to a sea-fight was the affair off Candia on March 19. At about ten in the morning Captain Rainier [Commanding HMS Rodney, the senior naval office in the area] received a message from the mutessarif [an Ottoman Administrator] that a Greek schooner was attempting to land provisions and ammunition near Cape Dia. The Austrian gunboat Sebenico was accordingly sent in pursuit. When she arrived within six hundred yards of the land she was fired on by the Christians on the shore. She replied, the little action lasting three-quarters of an hour. By the end of that time the schooner had been sunk about a quarter of a mile from the shore. She hoisted the Greek flag as she went down. The Sebenico was well peppered, but had no casualty; the Christians had one wounded; the crew of seven of the schooner got safely ashore. Three cases of ammunition had already been landed. Manouli, the chief of Rogdia, afterwards explained that he mistook the Sebenico for a Turk.

The accompanying sketch was made for me by Herr Ritter von Sambuchi, commander of the Sebenico.”

The incident was reported in a number of European papers and magazines.

The Graphic 10^th April 1897.

“Maintaining the blockade: An Austrian cruiser sinking a Greek schooner.

On the 17^th ult. [17^th March] The Austrian cruiser Sebenico, while off the coast near Candia, discovered a Greek schooner landing stores. On the Sebenico attempting to lower a boat to see what was going on, a smart fire was opened on her from the schooner and from a party of insurgents on shore with a field gun. The cruiser immediately returned fire, and, with a few well Aimed shots sank the schooner, obliging the insurgents, who were onboard unloading stores and ammunition, to swim to the shore. A few more shots drove all the insurgents on shore up the hills.”

Black and White 27th March 1897.

La Tribuna Illustrata della Domenica. 4th April 1897.

As is often the case when dealing with reports of events in Crete at this time there is some confusion over the date on which the incident took place. The Graphic’s report states it occurred on the 17^th March, Bickford-Smith the 19^th March. While the formal blockade of Crete came into effect on 21st March, prior to this the Navies of the Powers were under instruction to prevent arms and men being smuggled into Crete.

 

[1]1898 [C.8664] Turkey. No. 11 (1897). Correspondence respecting the affairs of Crete and the war between Turkey and Greece.

[2] National Archives. ADM116/88. Telegram No.85. CinC Malta to Admiralty. 4th March 1897.

[3] RAH Bickford Smith 1898   Cretan Sketches Bentley and Son, London p.209