confufion fucceeded, and the whole body fled with the greatest precipitation, leaving on the field of battle an iminenfe number of wounded, whom they were obliged to abandon to the mercy of their enemies. By this time the workmen and troops of the third difembarkation were forming entrenchments, which they had already fortified with three eight pounders; which did great execution; at the fame time the Tuscan commanders drew their frigates clofe into thore, and kept up fuch a well-directed fire, that the Spaniards were enabled to make good their retreat into their entrenchments, which were, however, fcarcely large enough to contain their army. In this crowded fituation they were much annoyed by a thirty-fix pounder which the enemy brought out of one of their batteries, and an elevated fire from the fort of Xarach contributed much to the mifchief. The Moors attacked them in their trenches, but they were repulfed with great flaughter, and in this fituation the Spaniards remained till dark, when they began their re-imbarkation in great tumult and confufion; but what difcovered the ignorance of the Moors, was their neglecting fo favourable an opportunity of obtaining the completeft of victories.

The lofs fuftained by the Spaniards on this occafion, amounted to 27 officers killed, and 191 wounded; 501 men killed, and 2,088 wounded. The Marquis of Romana was killed at the head of his brigade in the commencement of the action. The lofs of the Moors it is faid, was between five and fix thousand killed, and as many wounded; but this feems improbable *. The government of Algiers

had

*The above account is agreeable to the Spanish court gazettes, (in which truth is feldom expected), and

had offered a premium of ten fequins for every Spaniard's head, and confequently the wounded Spaniards, who were left on the field of battle, were all murdered. The unfortunate invaders left behind them on their retreat, 15 pieces of cannon, three howitzers, and a great number of fmall arms and ammunition.

On the 12th of July, the troops, and the greateft part of the fleet fet fail on their return to Spain, and thus terminated this Quixotic expedition; of which a Spanish ferjeant, in giving an account to his wife, ludicroufly fays, Nos mandaron a tierra, como fi ibemos a beber cafè con los Moros ; were commanded a-fhore as if we were to drink coffee with the Moors."

6-6

we

When the melancholy intelligence was announced of the failure of this expedition, from which the Spanish nation had formed fuch fanguine expectations of fuccefs, the national feelings were indifcribable. O'Reilly was in confequence fo cordially detefted, that mobs affembled upon the road to Alicant with an intent to wreak their vengeance upon him. They flopped many carriages, and that O'Reilly (who was lame) might not be concealed, they made the people get out and walk before them. Had the liberty of the prefs prevailed the world would have known the fentiments of the Spanish nation upon this occafion. The king was threatened if his favorite fhould ever appear at court again,

and

agrees with Dalrymple's ftatement, who fays it nearly correfponds with a letter from Algiers. But other writers flate the Spanish lofs much greater, and it is at least evident that there cannot be fo wide a difference in the lofs between the parties, efpecially as the Spaniards made fo little impreffion on the Moors in their ditches, &c.

and to appeafe the turbulence of the people he was foon after removed from the governorship of Madrid.

Since the failure of this expedition the Spaniards have attempted nothing decifive against Algiers. In the years 1783 and 1784, indeed, they renewed their attacks by fea to destroy the city and galleys; but after spending a great quantity of ammunition, bombs, &c. they were obliged to retire without either its capture or extinction.

CHAP.

CHAP. IV.

The Algerines begin their depredations upon the American commerce. Captain Stephens and O'Brien taken. A truce with Portugal. Eleven fail of American veffels captured, and their crews made flaves. Their treatment and fufferings. Col. Humphreys and Mr. Donaldson fent to treat with the Algerines Mr. Barlow difpatched to the Barbary States. Mr. Donaldson concludes a treaty with Algiers. Captain O'Brien fent avith 225,000 dollars to the dey. Captured by a Tripolitan corfair. Releafed and arrives at Algiers. Treats with Tripoli. The Tunisian territory invaded. The American prifoners released. Defperate engagement between an Algerine corfair and two Neopolitan frigates. Various occurrences. Report of the Secretary of State.

A

FTER the establishment of the American independence, when the United States had relinquifhed their maritime dependence upon the English nation, it followed as a natural confequence, that the American commerce muft fall a facrifice to the ravages of the Algerine corfairs; and no doubt it was through the intrigues of the British cabinet, who were chagrined at our recent emancipation, that their hoftile difpofition was fo quickly manifefted. Various circumftances concurred to render them eligible objects of piratical rapacity. America was fituated at the diftance of more than three thousand miles from the theatre of their piracies, and as fhe fupported no maritime force they were enabled to continue

continue their depredations with impunity. Her extenfive commerce with Europe prefented a splendid allurement to the pirates, who were well aware that the prevention of their aggreffions would require a naval armament greatly fuperior to the subftantial benefits that could be derived from an attempt to reduce them to fubmiffion. It is, however, by no means problematical, that the naval force of the United States, with judicious commanders, would prove fully competent to reduce their fleet, if not to effect the deftruction of their city. According to the most authentic accounts, their navy is at prefent extremely inconfiderable, and many of the American captives concur in the affertion, that the fleet of this regency only amounted in 1795 to five frigates, two xebecks, and one half galley! a force by no means to be put in competition with that which could be raised by the United States. But to bring all their fhips of war to a regular engagement at once, would be totally impracticable; for whenever an hoftile armament fcours the Mediterranean they immediately fly for refuge to the guns of their fortifications.

When we reflect upon the peculiar encouragement they had to commit depredations on our commèrce, it becomes rather a matter of wonder that we fuffered fo little, than that we fuffered fo much. For this fecurity we were greatly indebted to the wars which existed between the Algerines, the Portuguese and the Dutch, at the time they commenced their ravages upon our trade; either of which powers are greatly fuperior to the corfairs in maritime ftrength, and they fo narrowly watched the entrance of the Mediterranean for the protection of their own commerce, that the pirates were feldom able to cruise out into the Atlantic. Those

American