White Slavery in the Barbary StatesSumner, Charles
History
White Slavery in the Barbary States
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- Africa, North
[Footnote 122: Osler's Life of Exmouth, p. 303.]
[Footnote 123: Thurloe's State Papers, vol. ii. p. 390.]
Lord Exmouth did injustice to the moral sense of England. His conduct
was sustained and applauded, not only in the House of Commons, but by
the public at large. He was soon directed to return to Algiers,--which
had failed to make any general renunciation of the custom of enslaving
Christians,--to extort by force such a stipulation. This expedition is
regarded by British historians with peculiar pride. In all the annals of
their triumphant navy, there is none in which the barbarism of war seems
so much "to smooth its wrinkled front." With a fleet complete at all
points, the Admiral set sail July 25, 1816, on what was deemed a holy
war. With five line-of-battle ships, five heavy frigates, four bomb
vessels, and five gun brigs, besides a Dutch fleet of five frigates and
a corvette, under Admiral Van de Capellan,--who, on learning the object
of the expedition, solicited and obtained leave to coöperate,--on the
27th of August he anchored before the formidable fortifications of
Algiers. It would not be agreeable or instructive to dwell on the scene
of desolation and blood which ensued. Before night the fleet fired,
besides shells and rockets, one hundred and eighteen tons of powder, and
fifty thousand shot, weighing more than five hundred tons. The citadel
and massive batteries of Algiers were shattered and crumbled to ruins.
The storehouses, ships, and gun boats were in flames, while the blazing
lightnings of battle were answered, in a storm of signal fury, by the
lightnings of heaven. The power of the Great Slave Dealer was humbled.
The terms of submission were announced to his fleet by the Admiral in an
order, dated, Queen Charlotte, Algiers Bay, August 30, 1816, which may
be read with truer pleasure than any in military or naval history.
"The commander-in-chief," he said, "is happy to inform the
fleet of the final termination of their strenuous exertions, by
the signature of peace, confirmed under a salute of twenty-one
guns, on the following conditions, dictated by his Royal
Highness, the Prince Regent of England.
"_First._ THE ABOLITION OF CHRISTIAN SLAVERY FOREVER.
"_Second. The delivery to my flag of all slaves in the
dominions of the Dey, to whatever nation they may belong, at
noon to-morrow._
"_Third._ To deliver also to my flag all money received by him
for the redemption of slaves since the commencement of this
year, at noon also to-morrow."
On the next day, twelve hundred slaves were emancipated, making, with
those liberated in his earlier expedition, more than three thousand,
whom, by address or force, Lord Exmouth had delivered from bondage.[124]
[Footnote 124: Osler's Life of Exmouth, p. 334; British Annual Register,
(1816,) vol. lviii. pp. 97-106; Shaler's Sketches, pp. 279-294.]
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