Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-09-14
Algeria in Africa.

Algeria, surrounded by the Medlter-
ranean, Tunis, Morocco and the Desert
of Sahara, is about 800 miles from east
to west and 200 miles from north to
south. Besides the Kabyles, believed to
be the original inhabitants, the country
IS peopled with Arabs, Turks, Jews, Ne
groes and the French The Kabyles are
ON industrious race and pursue the usual
ayocations Of civilized society. The
Arabs lead q nomadic life. Or all the
inhabitants, except the negroes, the
Moors are the least respected, though
they assume q luxurious mode OF living,
These three races-the Kabyles, the
Arabs and the Moors-are called the
indigenes," and number two million
four hundred thousand Of whom the
Kabyles number six hundred thousand.
The Mussulmans alone number 2,OOO,-
600, without counting the tribes OF the
Desert. The Arabs number 1881, Sl2,
and these are divided into 200 tribes,
and these tribes are divided into 10000
among themselves.
During the wars Of Napoleon the Al
gerine desperadoes, owing to the fleets
in the Mediterranean, were compelled to
desist from their customary depredations
upon commerce. But when peace was
restored the piratical incursio9s were
recommended. In 1895 the United
States refused to pay tribute to the Dey.
In 1915 Commodore Decatur sailed into
the Bay of Algiers and compelled the
Dey to release the American prisoners
and give pledge of never again exact
ing tribute. In 1916 the English re-
duced Algiers to ashes. The Dey con-
tinued to act almost with impunity, nm
til one fine day the Dey slapped the
French Consul's face and spoke disre-
spectfully of King Charles X. The
face-slapping scene, which led to the
conquest of Algiers, is thus amusingly
described by Mr.. Samuel S. Cox, in his
"Search for Winter Sunbeams y
"Husspin, the last Dey of Algiers,
received the French Consul, who came
in full uniform to demonstrate against
the non-payment of debt to the
, French proteges. The old Dey lost his
temper and slapped the Consul in the
, face with his fan. 1t was call Dey
with him then. The Consul retired
without saying "good Dey," and if
may be permitted, the prospects of that
Dey were not afterwards brilliant. Ii
fact, they were clouded. The French
, went after him and got him.
, This insult to the representative o
France resulted in French expedition
against Algiers. In 1880 France landed
= 5000 men from twenty-five ships in thu
9 bay at Sid Ferruch and fought the bat
tie of Stavneli on June 10. About forty
: thousand Arabs were driven from thu
-, field with the bayonet, and the victor.
y of the French was crowned by tn
!, conquest of Fort PEmpereur and tin
Casbah, which commands Algiers city
: On July 4, the same year, the Frencl
! achieved the capitulation of the besiege'
6 city, the Dey and his troops being force'
to abandon the city. In 1881 the cele
brated chieftain Abdel Kader place.
y himself at the head of the Algerines
> He sustained defeat after defeat but h
harrassed powerful enemy perpetually
At length, Abdel Kader seeing furthe
resistance useless, surrendered to til
French, on condition that he should b
: sent to Egypt or st. Jean d'Acre. TIL
~ ~ chieftain arrived in Paris on the Doth Q
. January, 1913; but Louis Philip
{ broke his pledge, and Abdel Kader wa
y not released until Napoleon iii. ascend
" ed the throne. The struggle in Algeri
has been continued since at interval
with undiminished fury. The colonizin
family of the French is not very grao
at the best, but in Algeria they hay
3 had almost insurmountable difficulties
contend with. The nomadic habits, il
re stincts and traditions of the Arabs al
opposed to European civilization. Th
II Algerines are impatient of foreign don
g nation, and from the utter want of syn
pathy between the people and the
J. rulers have sprung all the sanguinar
!. wars that have cost France so much bloc
+ and treasure.