In early April, reports of a Greek cruiser and four destroyers blockading the Gulf of İzmir prompted the Ottoman Navy to dispatch Mecidiye, Gayret-i Vataniye, Nümune-i Hamiyet, and Muavenet-i Milliye to investigate on 8 April. Gayret-i Vataniye was detached to scout the Gulf of Saros and she spotted three Greek destroyers in the distance, but the range was too great to engage them and she rejoined the rest of the flotilla instead. The Ottomans then returned to port. Three days later, Gayret-i Vataniye and Yadigar-i Millet sortied and encountered a pair of Greek destroyers off Tenedos. The Ottoman naval command ordered them to shadow the Greeks while the rest of the fleet got underway. By that time, another pair of destroyers had reinforced the Greek ships, and after the Ottoman fleet arrived, they attacked the Ottoman ships at long range. Neither side closed the range before the Ottomans turned back to the Dardanelles and the Greeks made for Imbros.
