Page 249 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

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ActA
will be considered a declaration of war to all six powers.
5. The blockade of the Gulf of Athens also results in the blockade of the Gulf of Corinth.
6. The demarcation of the limits of blockade in the Gulfs of Athens and Corinth.
7. The admirals stay grouped either in Poros or in Zea.
8. They take part in the blockade with two armoured ships, two cruisers, one destroyer,
and two torpedo boats each.
9. It is assumed that every Greek trade ship knows about the blockade. 39
In a meeting the admirals agreed upon splitting the blockade area into districts, which
40
were allocated to the individual nations except Germany: Kissamos Bay and the West-
ern coast of the island up to Elaphonisi were assigned to Austria-Hungary (main town:
Kissamos ), Canea Bay from Cape Spatha up to Cape Meleka to the highest-ranking
41
commander of the ships anchoring in the roads off Canea, followed by the districts of
Russia (from Cape Meleka up to Cape Dia, main town: Retimo), Britain (from Cape Dia
up to Cape Spinalonga, main town: Candia), and France (from Cape Spinalonga up to
Cape Plaka, main town: Sitia). The eastern and south-eastern coast from Cape Plaka up
to Cape Kaloyeri was assigned to Italy (main town: Ierapetra). Along the steep southern
coast of the island with only smaller harbours the blockade was guaranteed by patrolling
warships of all the great powers. Out of these blockade districts finally the occupational
42
zones evolved.
For the international zone around Canea and Suda Bay a light cruiser division con-
sisting of all six powers was established. The German armoured cruiser “Kaiserin Au-
gusta” always belonged to this unit until its replacement by “Oldenburg”. 43

4. The participation of the Austro-Hungarian squadron
The Austro-Hungarian squadron with the new flagship “Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin
Stephanie” was assigned the western coast of the island, a coastal stretch of about 54
sea miles, from Cape Spatha in the North to Cape Elaphonisi in the South. The main
base was Kissamos Bay. The stretch was difficult to control as there were many small
coastal incisions and shallows waters, which made operations for the larger warships a
formidable challenge.

39 Verosta, Kollektivaktionen der Mächte des Europäischen Konzerts, p. 79.
40 Kissamos Bay was not suitable for the establishment of a station for the fleet due to the climatic conditions.
Therefore, only “Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin Sophie” was stationed in the Bay, whereas the torpedo boats
had either to be stationed in Canea, Suda or in Grabusa Harbour. On the latter island, situated eleven sea miles
from Kissamos on the North-Western top of Crete, an observation and signal station was erected. Pangerl, Die
Kreta-Mission der k.u.k. Kriegsmarine, p. 71.
41 The town Kissamos did not present itself as an inviting place either. Petty Officer Sigismund Ritter von
Pozzi writes in one of his letters: “The place is mostly burnt and occupied by only a few soldiers who by the
way also defend two block houses. You see only few insurgents, but [they are] in the vicinity of the place.”
Kriegsarchiv, Nachlässe B/183:4, letter of 22.3.1897.
42 Verosta, Kollektivaktionen der Mächte des Europäischen Konzerts, p. 74; Dell’Adami, Die k. u. k. Streitkräfte
auf und vor Kreta 1897/98, p. 58.
43 Hans-Otto Koellner, Deutschlands Vertretung während der Unruhen auf Kreta 1897 in Marine-Rundschau,
42. Jg., Berlin 1937, p. 615-620, here p. 618.