Exmouth Gold Medal.—As a reward for his services, Admiral Lord Exmouth was created a Viscount, and received from the Prince Regent a large gold medal, bearing on the obverse the bust of the Prince Regent encircled by TO TAME THE PROUD, THE FETTER'D SLAVE TO FREE. THESE ARE IMPERIAL ARTS, AND WORTHY THEE, and in the exergue PRINCE GEORGE REGENT. On the reverse is a representation of the bombardment, and in the exergue ALGIERS BOMBARDED ITS FLEET DESTROYED AND CHRISTIAN SLAVERY EXTINGUISHED, AUGUST 27TH, 1816. Only 4 medals of this kind were struck.
The following ships were engaged in the bombardment: the flagship "Queen Charlotte," "Impregnable," "Leander," "Superb," "Minden," "Albion," "Severn," "Glasgow," "Hebrus," "Granicus," and the sloops "Mutine," "Cordelia," "Heron," "Britomart," and "Jasper," and the following bomb vessels "Fury," "Infernal," "Beelzebub," "Hecla," and three vessels for transport, ordnance, and dispatch. Eighty-four men of the 1st Batt. Royal Sappers and Miners served as marines on the flagship and the "Impregnable."
Ava.—To those officers and seamen who took part in the Burmese War of 1824-6, the Army of India Medal, described on page [133] as having been awarded to officers and soldiers, was also awarded with a bar for AVA. Dr. Payne has in his collection medals with this bar awarded to a junior captain of the Bombay Marine, with his name impressed, likewise one awarded to a man of the H.E.I. Co.'s "Asseeghur," and one to an ordinary seaman of the "Boadicea" with the name engraved.
The following ships' crews took part: H.M.S. "Liffey," "Larne," "Slaney," "Avachne," "Sophie," "Satellite," "Diana," "Tees," "Alligator," and "Mercury," and the H.E.I. Co.'s "Thetis" and "Teignmouth." These were later joined after the capture of Martaban by the crews of the "Boadicea" and "Champion."
Navarino.—This battle was fought on October 20th, 1827. 1,137 Naval General Service Medals bearing the bar for NAVARINO were issued. In 1821 the Greeks had revolted against the Turks, and the latter treated them with ruthless barbarity, murdering in cold blood the inhabitants of Morea and laying waste the country. To put an end to this state of affairs, Great Britain, France, and Russia signed a treaty to ensure the independence of the Greeks, and in September 1827 Vice-Admiral Cordington sailed with the British fleet to Navarino, in the harbour of which the Turco-Egyptian fleet was at anchor. He was joined later by the French and Russian fleets, and an ultimatum was then sent to Ibrahim Pasha to the effect that the barbarities and the ravagings were to cease, and this he agreed to pending communication with the Grand Vizier at Constantinople, but because the allied fleets refused passage to some of his ships from the harbour of Navarino he again resorted to his fiendish practices. The British Admiral thereupon determined to take his ships into the harbour, and anchor near the Turco-Egyptian fleet.
On October 20th, followed by the French and Russian squadrons, Admiral Cordington entered the harbour and anchored close to the hostile fleet, when fire was opened by the Turks upon a ship's boat, killing the lieutenant in charge and several of his men. The "Dartmouth" then opened fire, and the battle commenced. The batteries of the fortress of Navarino then began to fire on the combined fleets, but so bad was the aim of the enemy's gunners that they did as much damage to their friends as to their foes. For four hours the fight continued with great vigour, and had it not been for the splendid co-operation of the French and Russian fleets it is doubtful whether the issue would have been satisfactory to lovers of freedom. It is noteworthy, however, that the French Admiral's flagship was only saved from grappling by a Turkish fireship through the speedy assistance given by the British brig "Rose" and some boats of the Russian fleet. The British losses were 75 killed, and 197 wounded. The French lost 43 killed, and 144 wounded, and the Russians 59 killed, and 139 wounded, while the enemy—according to his own estimate—had thousands killed.
WILLIAM IV.
