UNDER PETER THE GREAT 23
frequently are so twice or thrice in a summer, forreasons of moment hereafter specified in due place.The lists here presented regard them at the com-mencement of the campaign without tracing themthrough their reiterated changes. Also in the Tsar’sservice are Captain-lieutenants, often commandingships of the line as well as frigates, and are equal tocaptains in all points aboard their respective ships.Only they are allowed two men less for a guard onboard a flag ship, and receive 5 roubles 1 per monthless pay than the youngest rank captains. Thispremised, no distinction will be used for the futurein the title, when the captain-lieutenants commandin chief.
This fleet sailed from Kronslot the beginningof July 1713 for Revel; where the Tsar expectedthe arrival of sundry ships bought for his use inEngland and Holland. In their passage down theGulf of Finland 2 some frigates were ordered to saila good distance ahead of the fleet, and report bysignals to the flag if they saw any strange ships.Near Hogland they spied three sail, proving to beSwedes’ men-of-war from 64 to 54 guns ; 3 and upon
1 As to relative value of the rouble, see post , p. 99., note 2.
2 MS. ‘ Finns’ Gulph.’
3 The Swedish account of this is as follows • ‘In July, 1713,a squadron under Vice-Admiral Erik Johan Lillie’s commandwent to Helsingfors, and from that squadron three ships—one of56, one of 54, and one of 48 guns—were sent for a cruise underCommodore Karl Raab’s command. After this division hadtaken several prizes, and had reconnoitred the enemy’s position atRevel, it anchored off Hogland on July 10. On the next morningat sunrise the Russian fleet, of 14 ships of the line and frigates,was seen coming from the eastward with a fair wind ; and, asRaab could not involve himself in a fight with an enemy sosuperior, he kept off and ordered his ships to support each otheras well as they could. The Russian had begun to chase theSwedes at \ past 2 in the morning; but the latter replied soheavily to the Russian fire that two Russian ships were soon dis-