"
The Spanish fleet comprised 90 royal galleys, 24 nefs, and 50 fregatas and
brigantines "los mejores que en tiempo alguno se habrian visto" (the finest
that ever were seen at any time), as they were described by Don John. The
Pope sent 12 galleys and 6 fregatas, under the command of Mark Antony
Colonna. The Pope had also made a grant of the "Crusada" and "Excusada,"
and other ecclesiastical revenues which he drew from Spain, to the King of
that country, to meet expenses.
Venice appointed Sebastian Veniero to the command of her fleet, which
consisted of 106 galleys, 6 galeasses of enormous bulk and clumsy
construction carrying each 40 guns, 2 nefs, and 20 fregatas. These vessels
were, however, so miserably manned and equipped that Don John had to send
on board Spaniards and Genoese to complete their complements. In a
manuscript of the Bibliotheque du Roi (Number 10088) is an account of the
battle of Lepanto by Commandeur de Romegas. He gives the number of the
Turkish fleet at 333 ships, of which 230 were galleys, the rest galeasses
and smaller craft. The total which he gives for the Christian fleet is 271.
Ali Basha was in supreme command of the Turkish forces, "a man of an
intrepid spirit, who had given many proofs of a humane and generous
mature--qualities more rare among the Turks, perhaps among all nations,
than mere physical courage." With Ali was the Basha of Algiers, that other
Ali, the corsair, who since his arrival at Coron had done more than his
share of the fighting, marauding, and devastating which were the
preliminaries to the battle of Lepanto.
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