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

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Appendix 4<br />

Heads of Inquiry (1785)<br />

Letter From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, October 11, 1785.<br />

1st, Commerce.—What are the articles of their export and import? What<br />

articles of American produce might f<strong>in</strong>d a market <strong>in</strong> Morocco, Algiers, Tunis,<br />

Tripoli, he, and at what prices? Whether rice, flour, tobacco, furs, ready-built<br />

ships, fish, oil, tar, turpent<strong>in</strong>e, ship timbers, &c, and whether any of these<br />

articles would hereafter be acceptable as presents? What duties are levied by<br />

them on exports and imports—do all nations pay the same, or what nations are<br />

favored, and how far? Are they their own carriers, or who carries for them? Do<br />

they trade themselves to other countries, or are they merely passive? What<br />

manufactures or productions of these countries would be convenient <strong>in</strong><br />

America, and at what prices?<br />

2d, Ports.—What are the pr<strong>in</strong>cipal ports? What depth of water <strong>in</strong>to them? What<br />

works of defence protect these ports?<br />

3d, Naval Force.—How many armed vessels have they? Of what k<strong>in</strong>d and<br />

force? What is the constitution of their naval force? What resources for<br />

<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g their navy? What number of seamen, their cruis<strong>in</strong>g grounds, and<br />

season of cruis<strong>in</strong>g?<br />

4th, Prisoners.—What is their condition and treatment? At what price are they<br />

ord<strong>in</strong>arily redeemed, and how? Do they pay respect to the treaties they make?<br />

Land Forces.—Their number, constitution, respectability, revenues—their<br />

amount.<br />

5th, Language.—What language is spoken, and what European language is<br />

most understood?<br />

6th, Government.—What is their connexion <strong>with</strong> the <strong>Ottoman</strong> Porte? Is there<br />

any dependence or subord<strong>in</strong>ation to it acknowledged, and what degree of<br />

power or <strong>in</strong>fluence has it?<br />

7th, Religion.—By what pr<strong>in</strong>ciple of their religion is it that they consider all<br />

Christian Powers as their enemies, until they become friends by treaties? 8th,<br />

Captures.—What captures have they made of ships or citizens of the United<br />

States, and any other nation? What nations are they now at war <strong>with</strong>?<br />

Source: USDC, 1:660, From Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, October 11, 1785,<br />

Enclosure: Heads of Inquiry.<br />

451

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