The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The British Admiral being thus undisturbed, passed the morning in
arranging his forces according to the plan previously resolved on,
which was to concentrate their effects entirely on the mole and
shipping, his object being to destroy the fortifications and navy as
soon as possible, and to do no injury which could be avoided to the
town. His own ship the Queen Charlotte of one hundred guns was drawn
up and anchored within fifty yards of the southern extremity of the
mole, the others were distributed at points more or less distant from
the batteries, but all much nearer than had been customary on previous
occasions of a similar nature. At three o'clock the action was begun
by a shot from the mole at the Queen Charlotte which being instantly
returned the action became general. In twenty minutes the marine
batteries were silenced, and the defenders endeavoring to escape from
them along the causeway, were mowed down by the guns of the ships;
they however returned to their posts and kept up a desultory fire
throughout the afternoon. At eight o'clock the whole of the Algerine
shipping in the harbor was in flames, presenting a spectacle of
terrific sublimity; the fortifications of the mole were soon after
abandoned by the defenders, being reduced to an untenable state by the
effects of the bombardment and of the explosion vessels. At ten
o'clock the ammunition of the attacking fleet began to fail, but the
British Admiral saw that sufficient damage had been done; he therefore
took advantage of a breeze which sprung up at that time and drew off
his ships.
The next morning Lord Exmouth again sent to know whether the Dey would
accept the terms offered on the 27th. Omar declared his own
unwillingness to yield, and his readiness to abandon the city in
preference; but he was overruled by his Divan, and having reluctantly
agreed to submit to them, the Chevalier d'Ankarloo the Swedish Consul,
(since Chargé d'Affaires of Sweden in the United States,) was
requested by him to go on board the British fleet and make the
necessary arrangements in behalf of Algiers. On the 29th a convention
was signed, the conditions of which were--the delivery of all slaves
in Algiers without ransom, and the abolition of christian slavery in
those dominions for ever--the restitution of all sums paid as ransom
within the year 1816, including three hundred and fifty-seven thousand
dollars which had been paid by Naples and twenty-five thousand five
hundred by Sardinia, according to the terms of the treaty signed in
April preceding--reparation to the British Consul for all losses
sustained by him in consequence of his confinement, and an apology to
be made by the Dey publicly in presence of his ministers and officers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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