Star.
London, England, 1830-08-16 00:00:00

ALGIERS.

The following letter has been received by a noble
Lord high in or,ice, from the British Consul at Algiers,
R. N. St. John, Esq.—
ALGEERS, JULY 7.
" MY DEAR LORD—As you may like to have a correct account
of the strange events which have been passing here, I write to say
that the French landed on the 13th of June, and advanced gradually
till the 4th of July, when their batteries opened on the Imperial Fort,
upon which the town depended. In six holds it was so knocked about
that the Turks abandoced and blew it up. Before this took place,
General de Bourmont bad sent to request me to communicate, in
my own name, with the Dey, respecting some prisoners of
war in Algiers, saying also that he was desirous of Eite-
ing me at his head-quarters. I felt it my duty to decline both there
requests. After the fort bad been blown up in the afternoon, the
Dey sent for me. I found him in a terrible state : the whole town
in an uproar, all crying out to me, as I passed, to save them. At
' the entreaty of the Dey I went from him to General Bourmont, with
a message desiring him to send in his conditions. The General re-
ceived me with all possible civility, and assured me that if the forts
and palace were put into his hands by the next morning, the lives,
property, and religion of the inhabitants, should be respected. The
Dey of course acceded to these proposals ; and, indeed, had he re-
fused, the batteries were all ready to re-commence, and a general
slaughter would probably have followed if the town had been stormed
by the troops.
During the night of the 4th, the town was in great confusion,
from the bey being unable to persuade the people that their lives
and property would be respected. He at length sent for me, and
told me, Unless you, as the English Consul, assure them of their
safety, they will not be induced to yield, and the consequences must
be dreadful ; but if you will do so, they will believe your word., and
be satisfied.' .

" I immediately went among the people, and gave them the de-
sired assurance, which at once satisfied them, and restored order.
I then sent for the French prisoners out of the prison. There were
130, including two captains, which latter I took with me to Gen.
de Bourmont, leaving the remainder in the British Consulate. The
hour fixed for the entry of the French army was ten o'clock, but
the General, at my request, gave the Dey two hours more to remove
his property to his private house, where he now remains. Gen'
Bourmont's quarters are at the Flee, where I think he must have
found above 150,000,000 of francs.
" Yesterday (thefith) the Dey desired to see me, and requested
that I would procure him the means of quitting Algiers with his
suite, consisting of 01 persons; and also asked, as a last favour,
that I would take the management of his property in Algiers for
the present. lof course consented to both his requests, and Gene-
ral de Bourmont has promised him every facility for removing to
Leghorn, which is the place he has chosen for his residence. The
General has also restored him a considerable part of his property,
treating him at the same time with much kindness and attention.
" I trust Government will think I have kept up the national ho-
nour, in having exerted myself with success, both in protecting the
Dey from his own irritated subjects in the first instance, and by ob.
Mining the assurance of his safe conveyance to Leghorn. In jus-
tice to the Dey it should be known that, during a government of
many years, he has never committed a single act of wanton cruelty
or injustice.
" In my interview with the Dey, after the French had entered the
town, I had omitted to take off my sword, contrary to the usual cus-
tom observed in his presence ; and on my explaining that it was no
want of respect to him, but only because there were so many officers
in the streets, and I should be remarked if without it, he replied,
that so far from being offended, he would himself arm me with •
weapon more worthy of me. He then presented me with his own
sabre of ceremony, of which the blade is of the best Damascus, the
scabbard of gold, and the handle ornamented with emeralds and ru-
bies. I cannot forbear mentioning this fact as a proof of the De 's
gratitude and good feeling, by which, on my part, I confess I Mt
very much flattered."