Forces. 



^12 Of the Government, Forces &c. 



lately made of thefe afpiring Members : yet in fuch an ungovern- 

 able Conftitution as this, there will always remain fome Seeds of 

 their old tumultuous Principles, which, upon the leaft favour- 

 able Opportunity, will break out a frefh, in Rebellion and 

 AflaiTmation. 

 The Aigerine The wholc Force o^y^lgiers, in Turks and Cologlies, is com- 

 puted, at prefent , to be about fix thoufand five hundred ; 

 two thoufand whereof are fuppofed to be old and excufed from 

 Duty ; and of the four thoufand five hundred that remain, one 

 thoufand are conftantly employed in relieving annually their 

 Garrifons, whilft the reft are either to arm out their Cruifers 

 or elfe form the three flying Camps, which are fent out every 

 Summer under the Command of the provincial Viceroys. To 

 the Turhtjh Troops we may joyn about two thoufand Zwoi4Jahi 

 as the Moorijlj Horfe and Footmen are called : yet notwith- 

 ftanding thefe are kept in conftant Pay, and may be fuppofed 

 to augment theNumber of Arms,yet,beingallof them hereditary 

 Enemies to the Turks ^ they are little confidered in the real 

 Safeguard and Defence of the Government. The Method there- 

 fore that is obferved in keeping this large and populous King- 

 dom in Obedience, is not fo much by Force of Arms, as by 

 diligently obferving the old political Maxim, " divide and com- 

 mand. For the provincial Viceroys are very watchful over 

 the Motions of the Arabian Tribes, who are under their fe- 

 veral Diftridls and Jurifdidtions ; and as thefe are in continual 

 Jealoufies andDifputes with one another, the^B^^ have nothing 

 more to do than keep up the Fermew, and throw in, at proper 

 Times, new Matter for Difcord and Contention. There are a 

 Number of Arabian and African Tribes, who, in Cafe their 

 Neighbours Ihould obferve a Neutrality, would be too hard for 

 the whole Army o^ Algiers, notwithftanding each Turk valueth 

 himfelf in being a Match for twenty -/^r^z^y. When therefore 

 there is any Mifunderftanding of this Kindj the Viceroys play 

 one Tribe againft another, and, provided the Quarrel proves e- 

 qual, a few Turks feafonably thrown in, will be more than a 

 Ballance for the Enemy. By thus continually fomenting the 

 Divifions, which always fubfift among the Arabian Princes, and 

 by drawing on afterwards one Family to fight againft another, 

 thefe four or five thoufand Turks maintain their Ground againft 

 allOppofition, and lay even their Neighbours, the Tunifeens^ 



and 



