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

American vessels, Britain hoped to achieve its own ends. Progressively, and
starting from late 1783, intrigues of European consuls and Jews against
American shipping became of feature of the political scenery at Algiers and the
Deys became mere pawns that were played when they were needed.
By 1784, when negotiations were closed and treaties with the European
states were signed, the Americans realized that the problem of navigation in the
Mediterranean remained still unsolved. In a more realistic but chaotic move,
the Congress decided finally to undertake direct negotiations with the Barbary
Powers. Toward that end, it appropriated a sum of money judged by all
contemporaries inadequate for concluding treaties. Anticipating difficulties and
high exigencies from Algiers, the Americans set out to negotiate with pre-set
ideas and fixed prejudices inspired to them by Europeans who already
perceived them as potential rivals in the Mediterranean. That bad start was
going to do little good for the subsequent negotiations with Algiers. Inherent
aggressiveness in American foreign policy further complicated matters. The
American ministers in Europe embarked on plans for attacking Algiers in
concert with Christian countries if possible, unilaterally had they had the
necessary funding, long before dispatching a peace negotiator to Algiers.
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