100] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



ately, thereforcj upon the arrival 

 of Lord Exmouth^ the most active 

 preparations were made for plac- 

 ing under his command a naval 

 power, which would be capable 

 of overthrowing every defence 

 that the piratical states could 

 oppose to it. Some delay occurred 

 in manning the additional ships 

 destined for the expedition, the 

 British sailors not readily enter- 

 ing into the King's service, when 

 they can obtain more lucrative 

 employment in the trading ma- 

 rine. At length, however, the 

 Admiral set sail with a fleet, 

 " complete in aU its points,'' 

 consisting of his own ship, the 

 Queen Charlotte, of 110 guns, 

 the Impregnable of 98 guns, three 

 of 70 guns, the Lcander of 50 

 guns, four more frigates, and 

 several smaller armed vessels ; 

 and having rendezvoused at Gib- 

 raltar, and received there five 

 gunboats, he departed from that 

 port on the 14th of August. 

 Much had been said in foreign 

 papers of an intended junction of 

 the maritime force of other jjow- 

 ers, especially of such as were 

 particularly interested in abolish- 

 ing tlie piratical system ; but 

 GreatBritain, perhapsfrom clioice, 

 undertook the glory and the 

 haziud ahme, with the exception 

 of a Dutch squadron of five fri- 

 gates and a sloop, which proved 

 itself worthy of the honourable 

 participation. 



Before Lord Exmouth left Gib- 

 raltar, he had received informa- 

 tion which prej)ared him to ex- 

 pect a deteimined iesistance in 

 the quarter to which his expedi- 

 tion was directed. At Algiers 

 very considerable works were con- 

 tinually throwing up, not only 



on both flanks of the city, but 

 immediately about the entrance 

 of the mole, and a large army 

 had been assembled for its de- 

 fence. A corvette which the Ad- 

 miral had sent to endeavour to 

 get away the British consul, 

 joined the fleet off' Cape de Gatte j 

 and Captain Dashwood, its com- 

 mander, reported, tliat he had suc- 

 ceeded in bringing off under dis- 

 guise the Consul's wife and daugh- 

 ter, leaving a boat to convey his 

 infant child ; but that the child, 

 who was put in a basket, ciying 

 in the gate-way, all the crew at- 

 tending, IS in number, were 

 seized and confined in dungeons: 

 the Dey gave a solitary proof of 

 hiunane feelings, by sending oflF 

 the poor child on the next morn- 

 ing. The Captain further said, 

 that about 40,000 men had been 

 called in from the interior, as 

 well as all the Janissaries from 

 distant garrisons, and that they 

 were indefatigably employed in 

 strengthening the sea defences, 

 and manning batteries. The ships 

 were all in port, and between 40 

 and 50 mortar and gun-boats 

 were made ready, and others were 

 refitting. The Dey was fully ap- 

 prized, that the armament was 

 destined against Algiers ; and he 

 had closely confined the Consul, 

 I'efusing either to give him up, 

 or to promise his personal safety. 

 In conseqxience of cahns and 

 adverse winds, the fleet did not 

 arrive before the bay of Algiers 

 till the 27th. Lord Exmouth on 

 the same day dispatched a boat 

 with a flag of truce, bearing the 

 demands he was enjoined to 

 make on the part of the Prince 

 Regent. These were, the imme- 

 diate delivery of all Christian 



slaves 



