By the end of the month he was ready for service with a squadron of eight ships and brigs, and some small craft.
The atrophy of the Ottoman sea-power had left the archipelago at the mercy of the Greek war-brigs; piracy flourished; and it became essential in the interests of the commerce of all nations to make some power responsible for the policing of the narrow seas.
There were four British, one French and four Russian frigates, and six British and French brigs and schooners.
Ayr proper lies on the south bank of the river, which is crossed by three bridges, besides the railway viaduct - the Victoria Bridge (erected in 1898) and the famous "Twa Brigs" of Burns.
The Turkish fleet, "adrift in the Archipelago" - as the British seamen put it - though greatly superior in tonnage and weight of metal, could never be a match for the Greek brigs, manned as these were by trained, if not disciplined, crews.
Kanaris had two small brigs fitted as fireships, and thirty-six men.
