Bombardment of Algiers

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Bombardment of Algiers. Photogravure of a painting by T. Whitcombe, after a plan by Captain Sir James Brisbane RN

The Bombardment of Algiers (August 27, 1816) was an attempt by Britain to end the slavery practices of the Dey of Algiers. An Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Lord Exmouth bombarded ships and the harbour defences of Algiers.

Although there was a continuing campaign by various European and the American navies to suppress the piracy against Europeans by the North African Barbary states, the specific aim of this expedition was to free Christian slaves and to stop the practice of enslaving Europeans. To this end, it was partially successful as the Dey of Algiers freed around 3,000 slaves following the bombardment and signed a treaty against slavery of Europeans. However, the cessation of slavery did not last long.

[edit] Background

Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the Royal Navy no longer needed the Barbary states as a source of supplies for Gibraltar and their fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. There was considerable political pressure exerted to end the practice of enslaving Christians by the Barbary states.

In early 1816, Exmouth undertook a diplomatic mission, backed by a small squadron of ships of the line to Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers to convince the Deys to stop the practice and free the Christian slaves. The Deys of Tunis and Tripoli agreed without any resistance, but the Dey of Algiers was more recalcitrant and the negotiations were stormy. Exmouth believed that he had managed to negotiate a treaty to stop the slavery of Christians and returned to England. However, due to confused orders, Algerian troops massacred 200 Corsican, Sicilian and Sardinian fishermen who were under British protection just after the treaty was signed. This caused outrage in Britain and Europe and Exmouth's negotiations were seen as a failure.

As a result, Exmouth was ordered to sea again to complete the job and punish the Algerians. He gathered a squadron of five ships of the line, one 50-gun ship and four frigates. HMS Queen Charlotte, 100 guns, was his flagship and Admiral David Milne was his second in command aboard HMS Impregnable, 98 guns. This squadron was considered by many to be an insufficient force, but Exmouth had already surveyed the defences of Algiers unobtrusively, he was very familiar with the town and was aware of a weakness in the field of fire of the defensive batteries. More large ships would merely have interfered with each other without being able to bring much more fire to bear. In addition to the main fleet, there were some transports to carry the rescued slaves and some sloops for general duties.

On arrival in Gibraltar, a squadron of five Dutch frigates and a corvette offered to join the expedition. Exmouth didn't think he needed them but decided to use them as a diversionary force.

[edit] Plan of attack

Sketch showing the positions of the fleet during the bombardment

The plan of attack was for the larger ships to approach in a column. They were to sail into the zone where the majority of guns could not be brought to bear. Then, they were to come to anchor and bombard the batteries and fortifications on the mole to destroy the defences. Simultaneously, HMS Leander, 50 guns, was to anchor off the mouth of the harbour and bombard the shipping inside the mole. To protect Leander from the shore battery, two frigates, HMS Severn and HMS Glasgow were to sail inshore and bombard the battery. Casualties on the British side were very heavy: 16 percent were killed or wounded.

Ships involved:
(needs checking)

[edit] Allies

[edit] British

[edit] Netherlands

[edit] Algiers

[edit] References

• The Life of Admiral Viscount Exmouth, by William Osler, 1841
• Edward Pellew, Viscount Exmouth, by C. Northcote Parkinson, 1934
• Mariner's Mirror (1941)

[edit] Pop Culture References

• The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower: A Biography of C.S. Forester's Famous Naval Hero, by C. Northcote Parkinson,1970. Parkinson places Hornblower, by that time a Captain with considerable seniority and a Knight of the Bath, at Algiers as Lord Exmouth's Flag Captain, like a chief of staff. Exmouth appears in the earlier Hornblower stories as the captain who taught the youthful Hornblower in 1796-99 on the frigate Indefatigable.

[edit] External links

• View of Algiers