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

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encounter of the allegedly “frail and fledgl<strong>in</strong>g” nascent republic and the<br />

“terrify<strong>in</strong>g piratical state” that was ready to harm ‘<strong>in</strong>nocent’ Americans. 69 The<br />

tables below show clearly that American naval forces were far superior to those<br />

of Algiers. Ironically, that co<strong>in</strong>cided <strong>with</strong> the time when American<br />

commissioners sent to European courts were brandish<strong>in</strong>g the menace of the<br />

<strong>Algeria</strong>n corsairs and snivel<strong>in</strong>g about the frailty of their country and people to<br />

obta<strong>in</strong> European ‘protection’ for the American flag <strong>in</strong> the Mediterranean. 70<br />

Tables 6: American & <strong>Algeria</strong>n Naval Forces Compared, 1776-1782.<br />

A: Comparative List of Armed Vessels (1776-1782).<br />

1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782<br />

American<br />

Vessels<br />

<strong>Algeria</strong>n<br />

Vessels<br />

167 107 136 187 241 458 330<br />

19 15 18 19 28 16 23<br />

B: Comparative Number of Guns carried by the above Vessels.<br />

1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782<br />

American<br />

Vessels<br />

<strong>Algeria</strong>n<br />

Vessels<br />

1946 1142 1830 2967 3886 6899 5043<br />

178 139 248 280 360 214 400<br />

Source: For American vessels see, Maclay, American Privateers, p. VIII; for <strong>Algeria</strong>n<br />

vessels see, Devoulx, “Mar<strong>in</strong>e d’Alger,” pp. 405-10.<br />

69 Donald J. Puchala, “Of Pirates and Terrorists: What Experience and <strong>History</strong> Teach,” Contemporary<br />

Security Policy, 26:1 (Apr., 2005), p. 16.<br />

70 SJ, 2:10, Plan of a Treaty <strong>with</strong> France, Article VII, September 17, 1776.<br />

181

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