We were there only a f^v days after Lord Exmouth had gone, and with our glasses could see but very little alteration in anything bordering on the water, although there was no sort of doubt that the destruction in the city was immense. It was with much difficulty that I obtained the account of the bombardment in its detailed form. I made several enquiries for it while in England, and finally obtained it from a library in Liverpool. It is very mysterious, that, during the conversation with the Dey, particularly on matters of the treaty, and also of the slaves, that no mention was made of the United States, who, but a few months before, had forced the Dey into a treaty, which placed the American Consul on a more favorable footing than that of any other consul at the Algerine court, independent of the elements of the treatv, which also were more favorable than those of any other nation.
Whether this was carefully concealed by the Dey, or by the English officers, I am unable to say. But there is one thing very certain, and it cannot be denied, that the very favorable treaty made between Omar Pashaw and the government of the United States, and under such circumstances too: — three frigates, tioo sloops-of-ivar, two little giui brigs, and two schooners, were a terror to the Dey, for the safety of his fleet — a frigate and a brig having within a few days been captured by Commodore Decatur, while in search of his other ships, before he appeared off Algiers. When, notwithstanding the fear manifested by the Dey for the safety of his six frigates, who were out on a cruise, six Dutch frigates, and two or three smaller vessels had been cruising before Algiers for two years, and had never dared to approach within gunshot of the batteries; yet for these the Dey felt no alarm, the Dutchmen always taking good care to keep out of the way of the Algerine frigates.
Again, by the treaty with the United States, the ammunition tribute was stopped, and the United States Consul was permitted to be seated while in conference with the Dey, a privilege denied all others. All these things were hard to be " swallowed " by the English Consul, who remonstrated with the Dey on the unfairness of not placing the representatives of his Majesty's government on as favorable a footing as that of the United States. To all of which the Dey turned a deaf ear; and it was certain that Lord Exmouth's visit to Algiers, only a few months previous to the bombardment, was for the purpose of exhibiting his fleet before the castle, to try if it would have some effect in inducing the Dey to accede to the consul's demand.
His fleet then consisted of his, the flag-ship, Boyne 98, and five other line-ofbattle ships, which were all lying with us at Port Mahon; and, as it has already been stated, the English officers of the Boyne had the temerity to take the responsibility of showing disrespect to the officers of the palace which led to the issue already narrated. DESTRUCTION OF ALGIERS BY THE FRENCH. After the European peace of 1815, M. Duval was named Consul-General at Algiers. He was born in the East, and understood the Oriental languages, and the manners and customs of the inhabitants; but "his policy was marked by great weakness, and he inspired none with confidence or respect. He consented, without making any objections, that the annual tribute paid by the African Company, established by treaty for the purposes.of trade, should be raised from,£24,000 to X80,000 — and he also agreed that France should raise no forts or batteries around her factories, a privilege she had always reserved in her ancient treaties.
Hussein Dey succeeded to the government in 1819, and was so emboldened by the repeated concessions of the French Consul-General, that he openly announced his intention, when a favorable opportunity occurred, of abolishing the African Company, and destroying its establishments. °His conduct soon brought about a very hostile feeling 0n the part of the French government towards his own, which was much increased by a dispute relative to a debt due from France to the house of Bacri aud Busnach, of Algiers, which house was itself a debtor to the government of the Eegencv. The final rupture however, took place in 1827, when the" Consul-General went to congratulate the Dey on the eve of the Bayram. A discussion having arisen, Hussein struck the consul with his fan.