Glasgow Courier. — 1853-06-07 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

PIRACY ON THE COAST OF MOROCCO.  SOUTHAMPTON, JUNE 3.—By the steamer Tagus, arrived this afternoon from the Peninsula, we have received accounts of two daring outrages committed on the coast of Riff (Morocco), where in previous years piracy, accompanied by murder, has frequently taken place. Periodical chastisement of a very ineffective character has been inflicted upon this nest of pirates, but they pursue their depredations upon the shipping of all nations as fearlessly as ever; and it would appear that nothing short of the thorough extirpation of these lawless desperadoes will enable the commerce of the narrow entrance to the Mediterranean to be considered perfectly safe for unarmed merchant ships. The English vessel Oscar arrived at Gibraltar on the 16th ult., and reported that on the 12th at 10 eat., six miles south of Ceuta, the master and two men went on shore in the boat for water, and that eight armed Moors having come down from the mountains they took one of the men prisoner, and carried him away to the interior. The second case, which is more properly a case of piracy, is given as follows in the Correo sic Andaluela (Malaga paper), of the 22d ult. The scene of this occurrence is Alhucemas, on the Riff coast:—  • The 'laud' Santo Cristo had sailed from that settlement in the forenoon; but continued in sight the rest of the day, and was completely becalmed in the evening. At about half-past 10 two vessels were seen to approach her, one of which hoisted a lantern, which led the Spanish crew and passengers to infer that assistance was sent them from Alhucemas. They were, however, soon landeeeived by the language of their supposed friends, and had scarcely time to get into the boat of the 'laud,' making up their mind to abandon her in the hope of at least saving their lived. In this they succeeded and reached the settlement. U. their arrival they found that a musket, which had been fired by the pirates, had alarmed the garrison, and that throe beats, with a sufficient number of troops in them, were already on the point of starting when thefugitives landed. By the inforniation communicated by iliem they were enabled to proceed, accompanied by the boat of the 'laud,' in the proper direction, and would no doubt hove recovered her, had not the Moors, who had taken possession of her, run her ashore. Thither it would have been useless to follow her. Upwards of 500 Kitlians were on the beach, and the whole coast was lighted; which proved that the piratical attempt had been planned by the Casique of the neighbouring camp, with whom negotiations had been carried on hut a short tiinebefore, and to whose deceitful promises a degree of credit scents to have been gives; And that this was really the case is proved by his having next presumed to send five Moors and, a Jew to confer with the officer commanding the settlement, and to impose humiliating conditions for the restitution of the His envoys were arrested ; he was told that if he did not restore her in four hours time, his house would be bombarded and the district laid 0-ante; and as he paid no atteation to this intimation the batteries of the place threw so many hollow projectiles into his camp that he gave up the vessel, but none of the effects which the pirates had plundered.