of entering the Corfu Channel from the south, he sailed up the western side of the island and thence to Otranto, where he learned, on the morning of 7 July, of the Ottomans' arrival at Corfu two days earlier. On 8 July the Turks began landing troops from the mainland across to the north of the island. Meanwhile, Corner crossed to the Albanian coast with his 27 ships and sailed south, sailing through the northern channel and attacking the Turkish fleet, which was anchored off the town, at 1pm on 8 July. Order of battle The Venetian squadron consisted of 26 ships, all sailing ships of the line: Madonna delta Salute (70 guns) Costanza (70 guns) Trionfo (70 guns) Colomba d'Oro (70 guns) Grand'Alessandro (70 guns) Corona (70 guns) S. Lorenzo (70 guns) Madonna dell'Arsenal (70 guns) Aquila Valiera (or Volante) (70 guns) Iride (60 guns) S. Andrea (60 guns) S. Francesco (60 guns) Fede (60 guns) Fenice (60 guns) Nettuno (60 guns) S. Pietro Apostolo (60 guns) Rosa (60 guns) Madonna del Rosario (60 guns) Aquileta (50 guns) Vittoria (50 guns) Venezia Trionfante (50 guns) Scudo della Fede (50 guns) Valor Incoronato (50 guns) S. Paolo (50 guns) Santissimo Crocefisso (50 guns) Santissima Nunziata (50 guns) Corner's subordinate commanders were the Capitano Ordinario delle Navi Lodovico Flangini, the Almirante Marcantonio Diedo, and the Patron Francesco Correr. According to an escaped Spanish prisoner, the Turks had perhaps 62 vessels total, of which about 50 were proper warships. These included one 96-gun battleship (the fleet flagship), 12 battleships of up to 84 guns, and 10 ships from the Ottomans' Barbary vassals of 50 lighter guns each. The remaining Ottoman vessels had 54 guns. On the other hand, a Venetian list from 1716 gives the strength of the main Ottoman fleet (excluding the vassal ships) as one ship of 112 guns, two of 88 guns, one of 72 guns, 25 of 50–64 guns, and six of 28–48 guns. Battle The first Venetian ship to open fire was Marcantonio Diedo's Aquila. The Barbary warships stayed where they were, close to the mainland coast, but the Turks weighed anchor and sailed north, Canum Hoca in the van attacking the Venetian van, under Corner, then the rear, under Flangini. Corner turned to assist, then the Venetians turned to stay ahead of the wind, and attempted to launch a fireship attack against a compact group of