536 HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



coast and commenced the practice of piracy, the Barbary 

 States, Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers, had been united against 

 all Christian commerce in the Mediterranean. Emboldened by 

 impunity, they extended their operations into the Atlantic, 

 seizing the vessels of all nations who did not pay them tribute. 

 England under Cromwell, and France under Louis XIV., how- 

 ever, caused their flags to be respected. The Dutch, Danes, 

 and Swedes, by paying an annual tax, purchased exemption 

 from seizure, — thus giving the sanction of a treaty to the 

 outrage and consenting to wear an odious badge of servitude. 

 Russia and Austria were protected by special agreements. 



During the early years of the American Republic^ Tripoli 

 intimated to the Government the propriety of paying tribute. 

 Jefferson replied, in 1800, by declaring war against Tripoli, 

 and sent out an armed naval force under Commodore Dale. 

 This officer, with two frigates and a sloop-of-war, blockaded 

 Tripoli, preventing the cruisers from getting to sea, and thus 

 protecting our commerce. Commodore Preble followed with 

 seven vessels in 1803. , In October, one of his ships, — the 

 Philadelphia, Captain Bainbridge, — engaged in reconnoitring 

 the harbor of Tripoli, grounded and was forced to surrender. 

 The officers were treated as prisoners of war, the sailors as 

 slaves. The vessel was floated and moored in the harbor, 

 strongly manned by Tripolitans, whose naval force was thus 

 unexpectedly augmented. 



The American squadron rendezvoused at Syracuse, in Sicily, 

 — somewhat over a day's sail from Tripoli. A young lieutenant 

 under Preble, named Decatur, formed a plan for destroying the 

 Philadelphia and thus reducing the Tripolitans again to their 

 ordinary naval strength. Preble consented to the scheme, and 

 Decatur armed a ketch which he had captured, and with it 

 entered, in February, 1804, under cover of the night, the har~ 

 bor of Tripoli. He had with him an old pilot who spoke. the 

 Tripolitan language. On approaching the Philadelphia, they 



