154 STATES OF BARBARY. 



which entitles him to part of their prizes. He claims a tenth of the 

 goods of his Mahommedan subjects, and six crowns a year from every 

 Jew merchant. He derives likewise considerable profits from the 

 Negroland and other caravans, especially the slave-trade towards the 

 south. It is thought that the whole of his ordinary revenue, in money, 

 does not exceed 165,000/. a year. A detachment of the army of these 

 states is annually sent into each province to collect the tribute from the 

 Moors and Arabs ; and the prizes they take at sea sometimes equal the 

 taxes laid upon the natives. 



Military and marine force. ...The king of Morocco, it is said, 

 can bring into the field 100,000 men ; but the strength of his army 

 consists of cavalry mounted by his negro slaves. Those wretches are 

 brought young to Morocco, know no other state but servitude, and 

 no other master but that king, and prove the firmest support of his 

 tyranny. About the year 1727, all the naval force of Morocco consisted 

 only of three small ships, which lay at Sallee, and, being full of men, 

 sometimes brought in prizes. The Algerines maintain about 6500 

 foot, consisting of Turks and cologlies, or the sons of soldiers Part 

 of them serve as marines on board their vessels. About 1000 of them 

 do garrison duty, and part are employed in fomenting differences 

 among the neighbouring Arab princes. Besides these, the dey can 

 bring 2000 Moorish horse into the field ; but, as they are enemies to 

 the Turks, they are little trusted. Tho e troops are under excellent 

 discipline, and the deys of all the other Barbary states maintain a force 

 in proportion to their abilities ; so that a few years ago they refused to 

 send any tribute to the Turkish emperor, who seems to be satisfied 

 with the shadow of obedience which they pay him. 



It is very remarkable, that though the Carthaginians who inhabited 

 this very country of Barbary, had greater fleets and more extensive 

 commerce than any other nation, or than all the people upon the face 

 of the earth, when that state flourished, the present inhabitants have 

 scarcely any merchant ships belonging to them, nor indeed any other 

 than what Sallee, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli fit out for piracy ; which, 

 though increased since the last attack of the Spaniards, are now but 

 few and small, and some years ago did not exceed six ships, from 

 thirty-six to fifty guns. The admiral's ship belongs to the govern- 

 ment ; the other captains are appointed by private owners., but subject 

 to military law. With such a contemptible fleet, these infidels not 

 only harass the nations of Europe, but oblige them to pay a kind of 

 tribute by way of presents. 



It has been often thought surprising, that the Christian powers 

 should suffer their marine to be insulted by these barbarians, who 

 take the ships of all nations with whom they are at peace, or rather, 

 who do not pay them a subsidy either in money or commodities. We 

 cannot account for this forbearance otherwise than by supposing, first, 

 that a breach with them might provoke the Porte, who pretends to be 

 the lord paramount : secondly, that no Christian power would be fond 

 of seeing Algiers, and the rest of that coast, in possession of another ; 

 and, thirdly, that nothing could be got by a bombardment of any of 

 their towns, as the inhabitants would instantly carry their effects into 

 the deserts and mountains, so that the benefit resulting from the con- 

 quest must be tedious and precarious. Indeed, expeditions against 

 Algiers have been undertaken by the Spaniards, but they were ill-con- 

 ducted and unsuccessful, as before noticed. 



