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Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

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Consul, nor any other of His said Majesty’s subjects, shall be <strong>in</strong> any sort<br />

questioned and troubled therefore.” 29 When such cases occurred, the crim<strong>in</strong>al<br />

usually escaped <strong>with</strong> impunity to the house of the Consul.<br />

In 1703, that generous treaty was even broadened and extended to cover<br />

exclusively all ships built or fitted out <strong>in</strong> Brita<strong>in</strong>’s American colonies. The<br />

particularity of this treaty, however, is the <strong>in</strong>equity <strong>in</strong> treatment it reserved to<br />

<strong>Algeria</strong>n corsairs and the easy-go<strong>in</strong>gness it accorded to British and colonial<br />

privateers who would make prizes of <strong>Algeria</strong>n corsairs. When not <strong>in</strong> hold of an<br />

official pass, a simple hand-written certificate by the capta<strong>in</strong> of the British ship<br />

would be sufficient enough for identification. This is to say that, when<br />

captured, <strong>Algeria</strong>n corsairs were not worth much diplomatic and adm<strong>in</strong>istrative<br />

burden! Article III of the treaty specified:<br />

It is farther agreed and declared, that all prizes taken by any of Her<br />

Majesty of Great Brita<strong>in</strong>’s subjects, and all ships and vessels built and<br />

fitted out <strong>in</strong> any of Her Majesty’s plantations <strong>in</strong> America that have not<br />

been <strong>in</strong> England, shall not be molested <strong>in</strong> case of no Pass; but that a<br />

certificate <strong>in</strong> writ<strong>in</strong>g under the hand of the command<strong>in</strong>g officers that<br />

shall so take prizes, or Chief of any of Her Majesty’s plantations <strong>in</strong><br />

America, or where any ships shall be built or fitted, shall be a sufficient<br />

pass to either of them. 30<br />

This is clear evidence that the relationship of British subjects, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

colonials, to Algiers was not simply that of enterpris<strong>in</strong>g traders and <strong>in</strong>nocent<br />

travelers who were captured and enslaved by cruel pirates as it is always<br />

pretended <strong>in</strong> western writ<strong>in</strong>gs. Those were also pirates, privateers, and<br />

29 Hertslet, Collection of Treaties and Conventions, Treaty between Great Brita<strong>in</strong> and Algiers, 1682,<br />

Article XVI, p. 63. The treaty specified the crime as “strike, wound, or kill a Turk or a Moor.”<br />

30 Ibid., p. 74-75.<br />

169

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