ALGERINE PIRATES
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sia,—There -appears to be a slight misstatement of facts in Mr. Powell's letter on " American Naval Policy," in your issue of December 22nd. - I should like to point out that America was by no means the first among civilized powers to check the depredations of the Algerine pirates. As far back as 1617, a French fleet under Beaulieu, sailed out against them and won a. decisive victory, which had the result of considerably reducing their activities for many years.
Again in 1681, when the pirates had once more become a menace to commerce in the Mediterranean, Louis XIV. sent Admiral Duquesne, with a large fleet, to destroy their power. The admiral completely routed the pirates, landed at Algiers and burned the greater part of the city. It was more than a hundred years before Algiers again came to the front but her power greatly increased during the.later half of the eighteenth century, when Algerine pirates again became very numerous. Even after the war with America in 1802, their piracy-was by no means subdued and it remained for Lord Exmouth and the Dutch admiral, Capellon, finally to reduce them and to set at liberty the Christian slaves (1816). Algiers soon recovered from this, and again became powerful ; but in 1830, Admiral Duperre and General Bourmont captured Algiers for the French, who announced their intention of colonizing the town and adding it to, their possessions.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
