EXPEDITION TO ALGIERS.
The piratical state of Barbary had for ages infested the commerce of the Mediterranean, and subjected Christians to the most dreadful slavery. No check had been given them in their career, although during the late war the fears of the barbarians had induced them to respect the British flag. The renewed freedom of commerce, however, after the peace, tempted the three principal states of Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers to augment the number of their corsairs; and the ferocious system of depredation which they carried on against the vessels of nations in alliance or under the protection of Great Britain, rendered it imperative on the mistress of the ocean to vindicate her honour. For this purpose Lord Exmouth, at this time commanding in the Mediterranean, was instructed to demand security from these piratical states for the commerce of the Ionian Islands; to negociate a peace for Naples and Sardinia; and, if possible, to obtain a general abolition of Christian slavery. His lordship proceeded first to Algiers, where he obtained the release of all Ionian captives, and the ratification of a pacific treaty for Naples and Sicily: the former nation paying a ransom of five hundred dollars, and the latter three hundred dollars per head for their redeemed slaves. His lordship then proceeded to Tunis and Tripoli, the deys of which places appeared disposed to accede to any terms. Lord Exmouth proposed a treaty, for ever prohibiting the making of Christian slaves, and that such prisoners as might be taken in war should be treated according to the practice of civilized Europe. These stipulations were agreed to and the treaties signed. In the meantime he had received instructions to claim from Algiers the privilege of selling and refitting privateers in its port. On his return to that place upon this mission, he took the opportunity of pressing on that state the abolition of Christian slavery; but his request was haughtily refused, and when his lordship was returning to the fleet he was insulted by the crowd, and narrowly escaped assassination. As Lord Exmouth had not received definite instructions from the admiralty, he did not think himself justified in proceeding to extremities; and he therefore agreed that the dey should appoint an ambassador, who might proceed first to Constantinople, for the purpose of gaining the sanction of the Ottoman Porte, and thence to London, to treat on his proposal. His lordship then returned to England; but before he reached its shores, accounts arrived, which determined government at once to exact satisfaction for the past and security for the future. On the 21st of May the dey had ordered the British consul, Mr. Macdonald, to be confined, and all the English vessels in Oran to be seized. The Algerines likewise murdered the crews of several Italian vessels under the British flag, that were engaged in the coral-fishery at Bona. Thus braved, ministers resolved to punish the Algerines, and to enforce obedience on the common enemies of the civilized world. Lord Exmouth received instructions to complete his work; and he sailed on the 28th of July, in the “Queen Charlotte” of 110 guns, with four other ships of the line, five frigates, with sloops, bomb-vessels, &c., for that purpose. With this fleet he arrived at Gibraltar on the 9th of August, where he met with a Dutch squadron of five frigates and a corvette, commanded by Vice-admiral Von Capellem, who, on learning the object of the expedition, solicited and obtained leave to assist in the enterprise. The Algerines expected this attack, and had been preparing for it by the removal of every article of value, and by strengthening their already formidable fortifications. The city of Algiers is built on the declivity of a hill, in a triangular shape; the base being the sea-front, which rises directly from the water, and is about a mile in length. It was strongly defended by batteries rising one above another, and along a tongue of land, which defends the entrance into the inner part of the harbour, and also the approach to it, was a range of strong batteries, which our ships were obliged to pass, to take their station near the town, for the purpose of bombarding it. In the whole, the city was defended by about one thousand pieces of ordnance. During a conversation with Captain Brisbane, Lord Nelson had named twenty-five ships of the line as the force requisite to attack Algiers, but Lord Exmouth was satisfied he could accomplish the enterprise with the small fleet above described. He arrived off Algiers on the 27th of August; and all proposals for conciliation, and all demands for the relief of the British consul being ineffectual, the fleet passed the batteries and commenced their appointed work. The “Queen Charlotte” led the attack, and she answered to the guns of the batteries with a broadside which swept off’ about five hundred men from the crowded mole, soldiers and spectators. Before the battle became general, the “Queen Charlotte” had demolished the fortifications on the mole; then drawing her broadside more to the northward, she soon brought down the tower of the light-house. Gun after gun fell from the batteries, and the last of them was dismounted just as the artillery-men were in the act of discharging it. The battle had not long commenced when the enemy’s flotilla of gim-boats advanced with daring courage to board the “Queen Charlotte,” which by this time was seconded by the “Leander;” but as soon as they were discovered in the midst of the smoke, a few guns from both these ships sent thirty-three of the Algerine gun-boats to the bottom. The cannonade, which was of the most awful description, had continued for an hour without producing any signs of submission, and then Lord Exmouth determined to destroy the enemy’s ships. This was effected by throwing laboratory torches and carcass-shells on board of the nearest frigates, which, taking fire, communicated the flames to the rest, until they were burnt to the water’s edge. The bombardment continued, with little intermission, till nearly eleven: the Algerines fighting all the time with the utmost fury and desperation. About ten it was deemed advisable to take a large offing during the night. It was extremely dark: but the darkness was illuminated by a violent storm of lightning accompanied with thunder, and by the incessant fire of the batteries. The firing ceased about half-past eleven, and Lord Exmouth collected in his cabin all the wounded that could safely be moved to join with him and his officers in thanksgiving to the Almighty for their victory and preservation. The work was indeed effected: at the dawn of the returning day the city and harbour of Algiers exhibited a shattered heap of ruins. In the conflict, the loss of the Algerines amounted to about 7,000: the British had 128 killed, and 690 wounded, and the Dutch, who nobly aided in this enterprise, thirteen killed and fifty-two wounded. The dey was now humbled. Lord Exmouth now repeated with effect the proposals which had been before rejected, and the result of the victory was, that the dey agreed to abolish Christian slavery; to deliver up all the slaves in his dominion, of whatever nation they might be; to return all the money received for the redemption of slaves since the commencement of the present year; and to make reparation, and a public apology to the British consul for the wrongs and indignities to which he had been subjected. Before Lord Exmouth quitted the bay of Algiers every Christian prisoner was set at liberty, and the dey had refunded 382,500 dollars to the governments of Naples and Sardinia. The squadron quitted the bay on the 3rd of September, with the conscious satisfaction of having rescued the British character from the imputation of tamely permitting the atrocities which these piratical states had so long exercised against the weaker powers, and with the proud consciousness that every man had done his duty. Lord Exmouth, who was twice slightly wounded in the action, was raised from the dignity of baron to that of Viscount, and a considerable promotion likewise took place among the officers who had so nobly participated in the chastisement of the barbarian foe of the Christian world.