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 PEOPOSED ATTACK ON TURKISH FLEET 279 of which was now evident as a means of attacking the harbour walls. A meeting was hastily called with the consent of the Venetian bailey, and perhaps by him, at which twelve men who had trust in each other were present. Among them was John Justiniani, who had already acquired the confidence not merely of his countrymen and of the emperor but of the Venetians. They met in the church of St. Mary* probably in the Venetian quarter near the present Eustem Pasha mosque, to decide upon the best measures for the destruction of the Turkish ships which had been so strangely carried over Pera Hill. 1 Various proposals were made. It was suggested that the Christian ships in the harbour should make a combined attack upon the Turkish vessels. It was objected that the consent of the Genoese at Galata would be required, and they were known to be unwilling to declare open war against Mahomet. In any case, precious time would be lost in obtaining their consent. The second proposal was to destroy the Turkish guns which had been placed on the western side of Galata to protect the ships, and then to attempt to burn the vessels. This was evidently a danger- ous operation, because Zagan Pasha had a detachment of troops in the neighbourhood and the Venetians and Greeks were not sufficiently numerous to risk the loss of a body of men upon such an expedition. The third proposal was the Plan one which finally commended itself to the meeting. If not U pon made it was at least strongly supported by James Coco, the captain of a Trebizond galley, a man whom Phrantzes describes as more capable of action than of speech. 2 His project was, without delay, without consulting the Genoese, to make a dash and burn the Turkish ships in Cassim Pasha Bay. He himself offered to undertake the task. The meeting had been quietly called, and no time had been lost in arriving at a decision. It was of the very essence of Coco's proposal that it should be executed 1 Barbaro says that the meeting was in St. Mary's ; but Pusculus (iv. 578) says, in St. Peter Claviger, which Dethier places near St. Sophia. 2 Phrantzes, 256.