Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-11-26

9 gun boats, sloop rugged, carrying one TWEEN.
| ~ toar FOUNDER, and one eleven inch mortar
| each.
:. The heaviest cannon in their frirstes arc
| eiShOeen FOUNDERS, but these do not extend
through the whole battery, having some twelve
Founders among them, the other gun, are
| nine and six Founders. The corvette g. briggs
carry twelve, nine and six Founders. none of
them have caTpuades
The large frigate is about six years old, and
! the best Of the squadron. She is about the size
| OF our SO gun frigxtes. Three of the others are
very old ships, hardly sea-worthy, about the
| size OF our 80 gun frigates That of SO guns
Is new ship, launched at Algiers about two
months since, and is about 500 tons burthen.
The two corvettes of 81 guns are Greek prizes.
converted into eruizers, about 400 tons burth
| en- each. The corvette Of % guns is an old
vessel o. about $50 ons The two brirs sre
| about $50, and the zebeck s0o tons. Four az
the tligstcs, one corvette and the two briggs are
copPsred,
The Algcrines have not another vessel of
war besides those mentioned excepting three
gun boats, OF the size Of those sent out, which
are unit for service. All their small omen
gun boats for the defence Of the bay are either
broken up or entirely unfit for service.
"The squadron before mentioned il com
Tnanded by their famous captain Rails Hammi.
ga, who bears the title of admiral. He is
bold, active, enterprising commander, but en-
trely unacqaainted with any regular mode of
hghting; he has not the advantage of being n
turk, or even an Aigerine by birth. and bis
advancement, which has BEEN owing entirelv
to his activity, enterprise and singular GOOD
fortune, has excited the Jealousy and the Ia
tired OF the other commanders, who are far in
terror to him in point OF talents but he is
much beloved ly the sailors &c such they NAV
on ntak IN, 49,
IS an Arab OF the mountains, ofo ofthe tribes
OF Carbiies he came to Algiers when a bow
to seek livelihood, as is the custom of those
people, and going out in one of the cr,Iizers
became attached to that mode Of life, and has
risen to his present rank He is about fortv
years old.
The crews Of their cruizefs consist prin-
cpally ofthe lowest and most miserable order
OF peoPle in Algiers, known by the name Of
BIscaries and Carbaes, from the tribes to
which they belong. They are either taken
rom the streets ut the moment when a cruzer
IS about TO sail, If previous cr,lize has been
fortunate they go on board voluntarily in erea,
numbers, hoping 10 obtain plumber or prize.
money. As the last criize of their corsairs
was esteemed fortunate BY the capture of a
number OF Greek vessels loaded with wheat
and each man shared about $50, the vessels
have been crowded with volunteers ON the nre.
sent cruize. Besides these there are a few
VINO may be called good seamen for AIgerincs
and about 10 or IL Turkish soldiers to every
100 men on board the vessel.
They know nothing Of regular combat at
sea, and It kept from boarding distance, they
could not withstand one half their own force ON
h1ard another vessel, which should be toIera
by we'll managed in the usual mode Of sea. |
nsntlns. Us on boarding that they depend |
will contend with them. These ATTEMPTS tbsv
sometimes make with desperation bordering
on madness bat if follsd in tsst thy have no |
gtbeT resoRes