government of the state; and it was all but unanimous against the Government which had fostered and protected, while it worshipped the memory of that which had insulted and ruined it. The "avocats" were the special object of hatred and obloquy with Napoleon, the "ideologues” were to him a perfect horror, and the press was retained by him in the closest fetters, while all these classes had been in an especial manner cherished, protected, and admitted to almost unlimited power by the Bourbon Government; and the only return they made, like the serpent in the fable, which the husbandman warmed in his bosom, was to turn round and sting their benefactor. This memorable example proves the fallacy of the opinion generally entertained, that no disturbances are to be regarded as serious if the material comforts of the people are duly attended to, and of the truth of the distinctions drawn in a former work between troubles originating in real grievances, which may be expected to be alleviated by their removal, and such as arise from the thirst for political power, which are only increased by such comforts as tend to increase the pugnacious propensities of the people. 40. The other event which occurred at this period was the expedition to Algiers, which gave a lasting settlement on the African shores to the French arms, and was the third of the great shocks which were given in this century to the Ottoman power. This diminutive state, which had so long withstood all the efforts of the Christian powers, and exercised its hostility almost without opposition on their subjects, had eluded the resolution of the European powers at the Congress of Vienna to terminate the making of slaves by the states of Barbary, and had continued to exercise on other nations the acts of piracy which had been stopped as to the English by the victory of Lord Exmouth in 1816. Its defences on the sea-side had been materially augmented since the terrible bombardment which they then underwent, and the mole and sea batteries were in a situation to bid defiance to the most formidable attack from naval forces. But the land fortifications had not been equally attended to; and as the French were determined to assert the honour of their flag, and emancipate themselves from a disgraceful tribute to barbarians as the English had done, the Government resolved on an attack in the rear with land forces. As the town was situated on the slope of a hill, and entirely commanded, like Genoa, by the heights behind, which were not defended by any adequate works, there was good reason to expect that they might be mastered by a vigorous attack, and the city taken without any further resistance than a combat in the open field. 41. The pretence of the rupture with Algiers was a dispute about a sum of 2,000,000 francs (£80,000), which was owing by some French merchants to the Dey of Algiers for grain, on the occasion of which the Dey had given a slight tap to the French consul with a fan which he held in his hand, in presence of the other European envoys. Prince Polignac, who was thirsting for a pretext to illustrate his administration by some brilliant exploit, and was desirous of exciting the army by success on the eve of a civil conflict, seized with alacrity on this insult to demand reparation; and as the Dey, with characteristic Mohammedan obstinacy, refused to make any, orders were given to prepare an expedition, composed of land and sea forces, on a great scale at Toulon. The intelligence of these preparations, and of the magnitude of the scale on which they were made, excited the alarm of the English Government, which, ever since the expedition of Napoleon to Egypt in 1798, had felt the utmost jealousy of any warlike preparations on the part of the French in the Mediterranean. Lord Aberdeen, in the most earnest manner, required explanations from Prince Polignac, who long eluded the demand, by answering that they were intended, like those of the English in 1816, only to obtain reparation from the Algerines, and not to make any permanent mag solicited by Marmont; but Prince Polignac bestowed it in preference on Bourmont, the Minister at War, who was thus withdrawn from the direction at Paris at the most critical period of the monarchy. The embarkation was completed on the 11th May, amidst the cheers of an immense multitude of spectators; and the Duke d'Angoulême, intoxicated with the splendour of the spectacle, returned to Paris with the assurance that "all is safe with an army animated with such a spirit.' settlement or conquest in the country. | vast accumulation of forces in Toulon, The English Government was, or pro- the crowds of soldiers, guns, and brilfessed to be, satisfied with these ex- liant uniforms in the streets, the splenplanations, and the preparations for did spectacle of the squadron which the expedition went on, if not with covered the bay with its sails as far as the approbation, at least without the the eye could reach, filled every breast open resistance, of the Cabinet of St with enthusiasm, and multitudes flockJames's.* ed from all quarters to behold the 42. Accordingly the French Govern-nificent armament. The command was ment in the whole of April pursued their preparations not only at Toulon, but at Brest, Havre, and Cherbourg, with the utmost vigour. The Duke d'Angoulême in person superintended the armament at the first of these harbours; and with such activity were they carried on, that by the 3d May the whole was assembled at Toulon ready for sea. The land and sea forces were both immense. The former consisted of three divisions, mustering in all 37,500 combatants, with 180 pieces of artillery, most of them of heavy calibre; the latter of 11 sail of the line, 23 frigates, 70 smaller vessels, 377 transports, and 230 boats for landing troops. The magnitude of these forces, which much exceeded those employed in the far-famed expedition of Napoleon to Egypt thirty years before, conveyed a striking idea of the manner in which the strength and resources of France had increased during the peace and repose of the Restoration. The 43. Contrary winds, however, detained the fleet in the neighbourhood of the Bay of Paima till the 10th June, when it again set sail, and hove in sight of Algiers on the 13th of that month. By the advice of two junior captains, who alone had declared a landing prac ticable, when all the senior officers had said it could not be attempted, the fleet was directed to the peninsula of SidiFeruch, situated at five leagues west from the capital, where the disembarkation was effected with surprising days. At first no enemies were to be seen; but ere long the invaders were surrounded by fifteen thousand active and intrepid horsemen, who, although repeatedly repulsed from the masses of the troops by the fire of the squares, batteries, and ships, hovered incessantly round, cut off detached bodies and stragglers, and prevented all predatory expeditions or foraging parties beyond the range of their guns. Great difficulty was at first experienced in getting water; but on the 16th, a violent storm, accompanied by torrents of rain, came on, and after that the soldiers found water everywhere in the sand, by digging a few feet beneath the surface. Constant skirmishes and fre "My Lord,-Le retard mis par le Gouv-order and celerity on the two following ernement Français, à donner sur ses intentions ultérieures relativement à Alger des explications plus précises et plus officielles, a · causé içi une grande surprise. Les promesses de M. de Polignac à cet égard ont été si fréquentes et si positives que le Gouvernement de sa Majesté ne peut comprendre encore les motifs d'un pareil délai. Il faut le dire, cette affaire commence à prendre une tournure fâcheuse, et par éveiller des soupçons qui d'abord étaient bien éloignés de notre pensée."-Le Comte d'ABERDEEN à Lord STUART DE ROTHESAY, Ambassadeur Anglais à Paris, 4 May 1830; CAPEFIGUE, Histoire de la Restauration, x. 358. On being pressed to declare his ulterior intentions as to Algiers, the French writers declare Prince Polignac answered to the English, with becoming spirit, "La France insultée ne demanderait le secours de personne pour venger son injure, et elle n'aurait besoin de personne pour ce qu'elle aurait à faire de sa nouvelle conquête."-Considérations sur le Régence d'Alger, 142, par M. le Baron LUCHESINI DE ST DENIS.—Annuaire Historique, xiii. 71,quent combats went on for some days; note. but at length, the forces on both sides being collected, and the French solidly established on the coast, with all their guns and stores, both parties prepared for a decisive conflict. The Turks and Arabs consisted of forty-five thousand men, for the most part admirable cavalry; and their camp was situated on a strong position on the neck of the promontory, within cannon-shot of the French advanced posts, and barring their farther progress into the interior. The French had full thirty thousand effective men in the field, armed and equipped in the best possible manner, animated with the very highest spirit, and supported by a hundred guns. 45. When the Turks, who in the first instance had made an orderly retreat, and replied vigorously to the fire of the pursuers, saw their camp and guns taken, they were seized with a universal panic, and dispersed on all sides. Their loss in killed and wounded was above three thousand, while that of the French did not exceed five hundred-so decisive a superiority had the skill and discipline of the Europeans acquired over the most formidable forces of the desert. It was the fire of the guns on their dense masses which produced so great a loss to the Arabs. For some days after this great victory Bourmont remained quiet, strengthening his position, completing the disembarkation of his heavy artillery, and clearing out an old Roman road, protected by blockhouses, for their conveyance to the ramparts of Algiers. Gradually the Mussulmans recovered from their consternation; and having engaged in several skirmishes, in which their light horsemen asserted the superiority over the European-which since the days of Hannibal they have invariably maintained 44. At daybreak on the 19th, the Mussulmans descended from their position, and advanced towards the invaders' lines. The French infantry, like the English archers at Azincour, had put rows of stakes with the points outwards towards the enemy, to break the violence of the shock of such formidable bodies of horse; and the troops, stationed directly behind them, stood with their muskets in their hands, three deep, ready to receive them with a rolling fire. The Osmanlis advanced with loud cries and the utmost impet--and received considerable reinforceuosity; and such was the vigour of ments, ventured on a general attack the onset, that in many places they on the French camp. Twenty thoubroke fairly through both the stakes sand men, for the most part mounted and the lines, and the sabres of the on hardy steeds, advanced to the atBedouins were seen, in the centre of tack, with loud shouts and the utmost the bivouacs, in close conflict hand to intrepidity. But the divisions Borhand with the European bayonet. The thezene and Loverdo moved out of battle seemed more than doubtful, the trenches, as they approached, in when Bourmont, who had the eye of a the same order, and with the same sucgreat general, brought forward his re- cess, as on the 19th. The terrible fire serves out of the camp, and charged of grape, issuing from the guns between the assailants in flank when disordered the columns, threw the enemy into disin pursuit; while the broken infantry, order, and they were soon hurled back re-forming in the rear, advanced again in utter confusion, and pursued two with a rolling fire against the Turks, leagues with great loss. In this purnow engaged with their assailants in suit, Amadie de Bourmont, son of the flank. The double shock proved de- commander-in-chief, fell at the head cisive. The Osmanlis were driven back of his company of grenadiers, while in confusion; and the French, preced-gloriously following up the advantage ed by their guns, which poured in which his intrepidity had in a great grape on the retreating mass with pro- degree contributed to gain. digious rapidity, succeeded in entering the enemy's camp pell-mell with the fugitives, and made themselves masters of their cannon, ammunition, and baggage. 46. Nothing now could prevent the approach of the French to Algiers; and although their advance was seriously impeded by the light troops of the Arabs, who disputed every tenable position, and impeded every move- | mayed by the fearful spectacle, the ment, yet they gradually drew near, French grenadiers rushed through the and ground was opened before the wreck to the assault, and before a few town on the 30th June. The attack minutes were over, they were entirely was directed, in the first instance, in possession of the Emperor's Fort. against the Emperor's Fort, a quad- 47. The Dey, who had flattered himrangular fortification erected on the self with the hope that this strongground occupied by the Emperor hold would arrest the enemy until the Charles V. three hundred years before, rainy season set in, when their attack when engaged in his calamitous attack would of necessity be suspended, was on Algiers. This fort was perched on seized with the utmost consternation the summit of the plateau which sur- when he beheld it carried amidst such mounted the town, and in consequence circumstances of horror by the besiegcommanded every part of it. The bat-ers, and their troops in possession of a teries were armed on the 3d, and the commanding position, from which shells fire opened on the 4th July. Never, and cannon-shot reached every part of except on occasion of Lord Exmouth's the city. Passing, in the true Mussulattack in 1816, had such a cannonade man spirit, from the height of confibeen heard on the African shores. The dence to the depths of despair, he immeships of the line approached the mole, diately prepared to submit; and before and attempted to distract the atten- two hours were over, the white flag tion of the enemy by an incessant fire was hoisted on the ramparts. It was on the sea defences; while the land attempted to obtain more favourable batteries, armed with a hundred guns terms, and to appease the wrath of the of heavy calibre, thundered with extra- conquerors by ample concessions, withordinary vigour on the ramparts of the out abandoning the national indepenEmperor's Fort. The Algerines re- dence. But the French Government plied with the utmost intrepidity from had resolved on a permanent acquisiabove three hundred guns, and the tion. Marshal Bourmont received the town, enveloped both on the land and Algerine envoy seated amidst the ruins sea side in flames and smoke, resem- of the Emperor's Fort, surrounded by bled the crater of a huge volcano sud- his whole staff; the English consul in denly burst forth on the side of the vain offered his mediation; and at hill. But notwithstanding the cour-length it was agreed that the Dey age and constancy of the Mussulmans, should surrender Algiers, with all its the superior fire of the besiegers soon forts and warlike stores, but be permade itself felt. The Algerine guns mitted to retire wherever he chose in one by one were dismounted; huge safety, with his wives, children, and breaches began to yawn in the ram- whatever belonged to him personally; parts; the gunners were in great part and that the lives and property of all killed or wounded, and at length driven the inhabitants should be respected. from their batteries; the survivors On the following day the gates were sought refuge in a great tower which surrendered, and the French army, in stood in the centre of the fort. But great pomp, with their artillery in here a frightful catastrophe awaited front, entered the city. The fruits of them. In the midst of a terrific can- the conquest were great beyond exnonade, a loud explosion was suddenly ample, and much exceeded the most heard; the sides of the tower were seen sanguine hopes of the conquerors. In to gape, an immense column of smoke the treasury were found gold and silissued from its summit, which rose to ver to the amount of 48,500,000 francs the height of above five hundred feet; (£1,940,000), the accumulated fruits and immediately after the walls fell, of several centuries of piracy; and on and a mass of ruins, dismounted guns, the walls and ships of war were 1542 and dead bodies, alone showed where pieces of artillery, of which 677 were the building had stood. Nothing dis- bronze guns of the most approved VOL. III. I construction. The entire value of interior, it was found that the Eurothe spoil was 55,684,000 francs, be- pean population in the capital and desides nearly as much more in houses, pendent cities amounted to 20,078 inwhich belonged to the Government, habitants, and the Asiatic and African and passed to the conquerors. Seldom to 29, 488-a disproportion by no means had plunder so mighty attended suc-great, and nothing to that which obcess in war; but the French soldiers tains in Calcutta, Madras, and the found a still more precious recompense other cities in British India. The soil for their toils in the grateful tears of is in many places extremely rich, and the crews of the brigs Silène and L'Av- peculiarly adapted for the cultivation entura, which had been liberated with of wheat, as is proved by the fact that, many others from slavery by their con- even under all the oppressions of Moquest. The total loss of the victors hammedan misrule and Arab depredawas 2300 men, of whom 600 were tions, there was sold in Algiers of killed; and they enhanced the lustre native growth 81,994 hectolitres of of their conquest by religiously observ-wheat and barley, equivalent to 180,000 ing the capitulation, and respecting the lives and property of the inhabi tants. 48. ALGIERS, which thus fell under the French dominion, and became a lasting European settlement on the coast of Africa, has a territory subject to its influence, which, in the time of the Romans, contained ten millions of inhabitants, but was now thinly peopled by seven or eight hundred thousand souls, composed chiefly of Bedouin Arabs and Moors, with an intermixture of Jews, Turks, and Europeans.* In 1838, when a census of the population was taken, and the limits of the French dominion had been finally settled by the capture of Constantine, a stronghold of great importance in the * They were thus classed :Turks and janizaries, their children, Moors, Bedouin Arabs, Atlas tribes, Jews, quarters. In ancient times, as is well known, Libya, with Egypt and Sicily, was the granary of the Roman empire, and the interruption of its commerce on occasion of the revolt of Gildo brought the capital to the straits of famine, so feelingly deplored in the beautiful lines of Claudian.+ The revenue was only 2,273,000 francs, including 500,000 francs of tribute from European powers, disguised under the name of consular presents; so little had human industry developed the boundless gifts of nature. Notwithstanding its natural riches, however, this valuable acquisition has proved of little real value to France; its revenue has never approached its expenditure; the native population has never been 8,000 32,000 400,000 120,000 200,000 20,000 780,000 Consul ovans, nostræve premant pharetrata secures Roma precor: miserere tuæ, pater optime, gentis. -Annuaire Historique, xiii. 82. "Advenio supplex, non ut proculcet Araxem Tot mihi pro meritis Libyam Nilumque dedere, Nunc inhonorus, egens, perfert miserabile pacis CLAUD., De Bello Gildonico. |