Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-09-13
Algeria In Africa.

Algeria, surrounded by the Mediter-
ranean, Tunis, Morocco and the Desert |
Of Sahara, is about 800 miles from east
10 vest aud 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
an industrious race and pursue the usual
ayotations OF civilized society. The
Arabs lead a nomadic life. OF all the
inhabitants, except the negroes, the
Moors are the least respected, though
they assume 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,OO0,-
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 incursions 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 q 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, un-
til one fine day the Dey slapped the
French Consul's face and spoke disre'
spectfully of King Charles Y. 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 :"
"Hussein, the last Dey of Algiers
| received the French Consul, who came
in full uniform to remonstrate agains
) the non-payment of debt to thu
+ French proteges The old Dey lost hi
4 temper and slapped the Consul in th,
z face with his fan. 1t was "all .Dey
' with him then. The Consul retired
without saying "good Dey," and if
may be permitted, the prospects of tina
{ Dey were not afterwards brilliant. Ii
= fact, they were clouded. The Frencl
s went after him and got him."
e This insult to the representative o
France resulted in French expedition
n against Algiers. In 1880 France lande,
S $4,000 men from twenty-five ships in tn
# bay at Sid Ferruch and fought the BAT
!, tie of Stavneli on June 10. About fort
thousand Arabs were driven from th
g field with the bayonet, and the victor
q of the French was crowned by til
g conquest of Fort PEmpereur and tn
d Casbah, which commands Algiers city
It On July 4, the same year, the Frenc
d achieved the capitulation of the besiege
If city, the Dey and his troops being force
to abandon the city. In 1881 the celt
1t brated chieftain Abdel Kader, place
S, himself at the head of the Algerine
He sustained defeat after defeat but h
e. harrassed powerful enemy perpetual.
At length, Abdel Kader seeing furtht
resistance useless, surrendered to I'll
s, French, on condition that he should |
1T sent to Egypt Or st. Jean d'Acre. III
er chieftain arrived in Paris on the 29th {
le January, 184S; but Louis Philip
to broke his pledge, and Abdel Kader WI
a not released until Napoleon Ill. ascen'
ed the throne. The struggle in Alger
has been continued since at interva
with undiminished fury. The colonizir
family of the French is not very gre
lg at the best, but in Algeria they ha'
had almost insurmountable difficulties
be contend with. The nomadic habits, i
stincts and traditions of the Arabs a
M opposed to European civilization. II
lg Algerines are impatient of foreign dor
nation, and from the utter want of syl
n pathy between the people and the
n rulers have sprung all the sanguina
IT. wars that have cost France so much blo'
and treasure.