Quarrel With Algiers.
The Times, 1824-03-01T00:00:00

[From the Hamoatirc Telegranh,l- VIn .-lonuay last his Mlajesty's brig Camndlion arrived from Al- giers, last from Falmouth, where she landed the despatch from the Hon. Captain Spencer, which appeared in last Saturday. night's Gaxeflc. The arrival of the CarelZion at this port enables us to correct several mis-statements which have been made relative to her visit, with the Naiad, to the port of Algiers. The specific object which induced our Government to order these ships thither was, to demand from the Dey satisfaction, or an apology, for having made an attack on and broken open the house of ;\r. Macdonald, our con- sul, in order to search for and take away two of his servants, who are Cabissis, natives of the interior, against wlhom the Dey had conn- m-nenced a war of externfination and of plunder. Captain Spencer | was aLso to demand permission for the English Consul to hoist the Bfrtish colours on the Consular Town-House, as a pro. tection of himself aud family from unprovoked insult. Captain Spcncer, on his arrival at Algiers, found two Spanish vessels in the Mlole, which had just been captured by the Algerine corvette TK4 poli, and the crews of which were destined to slavery. Captain Spencer, therefore.with the most praiseworthy feeling, made the case of these poor captives a part of his demands to the Dey, agreeably to the Exmouth treaty, which renounced the right of the Dey to this inhuman practice over Christian subjects. Captain Spencer having waited foar days for the Dey's reply to his demands, became apprehensive for the safety of the Consul and his family; he, there. fore. as a stratagem to get themn on board, gave out that he meant to give a dejeune a la fourchemte, and accordingly sent invitations to the Consulate, and all the merchants and Europeans on shore, to honour him with their company. The next day (tbe 31st tlt.) the Dey not having made any reply to the demands, Captain Spencer made the signal for the Caenclion to get znder way, and he left the Bay, with aLI his pretended guests cni board tile |Naiad. WVhilst -.he ships were working out of the bay, the Algerine corvette, which had captured the two Soanish vessels before alluded to, Was espied close under the land, running for the Mole, which anchorage she would have reached had not the Camnelion instantly laid her on board, when Lieutenant Bagwell. at the head of a party of the Carelion's crew, resclutely jumped into the main chains, fol- lowed by the second Lieutenant, Master, and the remainder of the crew, excepting about ten men, who ,after having killed sever and wounded twvelve of the Algerines, drove the remainder be- low, and captured the Tripoli corvette, of 18 guns, - and 100 men, in fine style. The crew of the Xaiad, (which ship was outside of the bay), observing the gallant efforts of the C(melion, mannsd the rigging, and gave three cheers at dwo. iment of boarding. Captain Spencer took out the captain, bhbe corvette, being in a leaky state and disabled by the fire she had sus- tained both from the Naiad in passing her, and the Cameclion. was abandoned. Captain Spencer proceeded to Malta, to appeise the Commander-in.Chief (Sir BarnX Neale) of what hati occurred, and he despatched the Camelion to En,!and. With the result of his con- municstion to the Dev. It was observed that the Algerines had considerably strengthened their weak points; the Crowrn and the Seraglio batteries, in particulIar. They tried the effect of'their shells, from one of the batteries nearest to the Camc/ion, whilst she was at- ta3 king the corvette, but she was at too great a distance tabout four miles) to receive any harm from them. WNhen the Ca7nelion sailed (on the 1st instant), the Algerine squadron was at sea, cruising agaitist the defenc:eless Spaniards. A large razee frigate was cruis- ing off Cape St. Vincent; two smaller frigates, and five corvettes, were off Minorca and Majorca. It is, however, supposed that they aLl returned to port in a day or two afterwards, as, whilst the Naiad and Carmelion; lay there, a brig sailed suddenly, it is presumed, to recal them. The Camelinutz stayed at Gibraltar only a few hours. There was no British ship of war then there. The Canielion is re- fitting at Spithea:d: it is expected she will be the next convoy to Gibraltar. Weti understand that it is the intention of Government to send out another expedition to attack Algiers, should the Dey per- sist in violating the treaty wh-Cl he made with Lord Exmouth, by vwhich he agreed to abolish-Christian slavery for ever. For this purpose, eight bomb-vessels are ordered to be prepared for sea; two of which-the Terror, at this port, and the Inifernal, at Deptford,- will be commissioned in a few days. Captain A. D. Y. Arbuthuiot (now in the Redwing) is appointed to command the Terror, and I Captain 'illiams Sandom the Difernal. The Ranger, 24, Captain Peter Fisher, sailed from this port on Sund;y, and the Active, 46, Captain A. King,on Tuesday, 'from Plymouth, to protect the British ! trade in the Gut of Gibraltar; and the Pandora, 18, Caotain NV. Gordon, sailed on Thursday for Falniouth, to convoy any vessels which mray have collected at that port, bound to thee Al editerranean. Aship of war will be appointed for the same serviceevery fortnig!.t, iuntil affairs are adjusted with the Dey. The L. .elty frigate, Captain iWM. Elliott, C. B., is ordered from Chathan, to this port and Algiers. QUARREL WITH Ar,&BRS. PORTSMOUTH, FEV. 29.