One expedition was very successful. Off Volo, on the 20th of April,
Hastings found eight transports protected by the guns of the fort. He
silenced the guns, captured five of the vessels, and destroyed the other
three. He then passed down the channel, and near Tricheri fell in with a
Turkish brig-of-war, which, after some skilful fighting, he destroyed by
shells that exploded her powder magazine. After that he proceeded to
Kumi, where he captured a store of grain, and reached Poros within the
time appointed.

In the meanwhile Lord Cochrane had gone to the Bay of Athens as soon as
he could complete his arrangements for the present and future employment
of the Greek shipping. "Four of the largest brigs at Poros are in
process of equipment," he wrote to the Government on the 16th of April,
"and five of the fastest small sailing vessels of Spetzas, and eight
transports, with a thousand men, are ready at Hydra to proceed on
service. The frigate _Hellas_ is victualled for two months, four
gun-boats have been ordered to be built, and fireships are in progress
in addition to those which were already fitted out. The expenses of
these preparations have been, or will be, defrayed out of the funds in
my possession. In addition to these disbursements, a very considerable
sum, out of the money destined for the naval service, has been advanced
by me for military purposes. I consider that the fate of Greece depends,
in a great measure, on pecuniary aid from the rest of Europe, and such
aid on the probability of ultimate success; but assuredly it will not be
afforded if Greece proves unable or unwilling to exert herself against
the handful of sickly and enfeebled Turks who continue to besiege the
Acropolis of Athens."

On the 17th of April, Lord Cochrane passed from Poros to Salamis in the
_Hellas_, attended by twelve brigs and schooners from Hydra and Spetzas.
In his pay were a thousand Hydriots, two hundred Cretans, and a corps of
Roumeliots. On the same day, General Church embarked with three thousand
soldiers collected in the Morea, under Gennaios Kolokotrones,
Chrisanthos Sessini, and others. These new supplies, with the troops
already at Keratsina and Munychia, composed a force of about ten
thousand men.

Five days were spent in organising this force, over which Sir Richard
Church, though nominally generalissimo, had very little real command.
The delay and the want of discipline which caused it were alike annoying
to Lord Cochra