Αντίγραφο επιστολής του Stratford Canning προς τον υποστράτηγο Oswald στην Ζάκυνθο (Πέρα, 6 Οκτωβρίου 1810), με την οποία τον ενημερώνει για ζητήματα που έχουν να κάνουν με την παρουσία των πειρατικών σκαφών των Μπαρμπερίνων στην θάλασσα του Ιονίου, για τα προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζουν ελληνικά σκάφη που φέρουν την οθωμανική σημαία, για την αδιαφορία της Πύλης σε ζητήματα ασφάλειας των σκαφών που φέρουν την οθωμανική σημαία, για την ασφάλεια που η Βρετανία θέλει να παράσχει στα επτανησιακά σκάφη που πλέουν από το λιμάνη της Πόλης και αποφασίζουν να πλέουν με τα αγγλικά χρώματα και άρα να θεωρούνται βρετανικά σκάφη, και την διάθεσή της να προστατεύσει και να ενισχύσει τα Επτάνησα και τα πλοία τους, ενώ παράλληλα τονίζει πως η Πύλη δεν έχει καμμία διάθεση ούτε να ακούσει για ζητήματα που αφορούν στην Επτάνησο Δημοκρατία ως ανεξάρτητο κράτος, ούτε να αναμειχθεί στα ζητηματα των Επτανήσων προτού υπάρξει μία επίσημη συνθήκη που να καθορίζει τις τύχες τους. Επίσης τονίζει πως με βάση παλαιότερη συνθήκη, η Πύλη ήταν υποχρεωμένη να αποκλείσει από το Ιόνιο τα πλοία των μπαρμπερίνων πειρατών.
Συγκεκριμένα ο Canning γράφει: It is some time since I received your letter of June 23rd addressed to Mr. Adair, but I have found no opportunity of answering it till this moment
I have communicated to the Porte the circumstances, stated in the extract of a letter from His Majesty’s consul at Tripoli, respecting the capture of some Greek vessels under Ottoman colours, but I am sorry to say that the Porte seems to take no interest whatever in the fate of those vessels and refuses to adopt any general measure for the protection of its own flag. I am unable to press the matter further at present, for I must candidly arrow to you, Sir, that I do not understand with any degree of certainty whether the vessels alluded to belonged to the Greek islands of the Archipelago, or to those of the Ionian Sea. If the evil you complain of still continues, I will thank you to give me some further information upon the subject, and you may depend Sir upon my fullest exertions in anything which may be promote the interests of the Ionian Islands in our possession. Mr. Adair has, however, informed you of the great difficulty there is, under the present circumstances, in prevailing upon the Turkish ministers to listen to anything which regards the Rights of the Septinsular Republic as an independent power. It is therefore unnecessary for me to repeat it.
With respect t the Barbary cruisers, it is perfectly time, according to treaty that they ought to be excluded from the Ionian Sea. Among the archives of this mission, I have found a copy of the Treaty by which the Porte has entered into an engagement to that effect, and I have now the honor to enclose a translation of it. I have gone, as far as I am authorized to go, in order to induce the Porte to carry its engagement into execution, and to enforce obedience to it on the part of the Barbary States. After many delays I have at length obtained from the Turkish government an answer to my application, which is no otherwise satisfactory than as it is decisive. It is this – The Porte is determined to abstain from all interferences with the Ionian Islands until a general peace. In the meantime I am able now and then to procure firmans of protection against the Barbary cruisers for single ships sailing from this port, provided they appear under the English colours and can be considered as English vessels. Before I quit this subject, I think it right to let you know that in the course of my communications with the Reis Effendi, that Minister has declared that, the Barbary States, though virtually under the Supreme authority of the Porte, are nevertheless independent of the Porte in Matters of Peace and War.
I herewith transmit for Your information copies of a circular letter which I have addressed to the British consuls in the Levant, and of a Firman lately issued by this Government. As the subject to which they relate will probably be interesting to you, I have directed Mr. George Foresti / in the enclosed letter which I request you will forward to that gentleman by the bearer of this / to apprize you of whatever may appear to be the intentions of Ali Pasha, with respect to the orders therein contained. I am assured by this government that no Turkish cruiser is to be sent into the Ionian Sea, for the purpose of enforcing those orders. …