cision seems to have prevailed in the councils of our Government with regard to the measures to be adopted in that quarter.

Rear-admiral Durham, who commanded the British squadron, was on habits of intimacy with the Count de Vaugiraud, governor of the island of Martinique, and with Admiral Linois, the governor of Guadaloupe: the former was as decidedly loyal and attached to his king as the latter was to the fortunes of Napoleon. In this state of things, Rear-admiral Durham received a private letter in the spring of 1815 from Lord Melville, written immediately on the return of Bonaparte to Paris, most explicitly directing him, whatever flag might be seen to fly on the French islands, or whatever course the French governors might pursue against us, to abstain from all offensive measures against them.

It is not a little remarkable, that Lieutenant-general Sir James Leith, who was then commander of the forces in the Leeward Islands, alleged that he had received, about the same time, orders from Lord Bathurst of a contrary nature, in which, as he asserted, he was enjoined to attack the French: it is difficult to conceive that Lord Bathurst could have meant that his orders should have gone to such an extent, nor is it probable that two ministers sitting in the same cabinet should have given at the same moment such opposite instructions.

When the intelligence of the landing of Bonaparte reached the French islands, insurrections were hourly expected to take place in his favour. The Count de Vaugiraud applied to the rear-admiral and lieutenant-general for some British troops to assist in keeping down the rising spirit of insubordination that had extended from Guadaloupe to Martinique. Some troops were instantly embarked at Barbadoes, on board the ships of war and transports, which conveyed them to Gros Islet bay, in St. Lucia, immediately opposite to Fort Royal. The promptitude of this measure seemed to have a paralyzing effect on the count, who, after having claimed their assistance, began to hesitate whether he should admit them: he opened a kind of negotiation on the subject with the rear-admiral, but the latter brought the question to a speedy conclusion, by informing the governor, that, unless the men were permitted to land, he must immediately send them back to Barbadoes. This message produced decision in the mind of the count; the necessary permission was sent; and the rear-admiral, having run over in the night, landed at daylight 1,500 troops on the island of Martinique. This force, being accompanied by Sir James Leith, was found fully equal to preserve the tranquillity of the island.

REVOLT OF THE FRENCH ISLANDS.

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The same assistance which had been extended to Martinique was craved at Guadaloupe, but not with equal zeal and earnestness. The rear-admiral some time after fell in with a French national schooner, bearing the tri-coloured flag. She had been dispatched from Rochefort, by Decrés, the minister of the marine, to give information to the colonies, and her commander acknowledged to the rear-admiral that he bore the commission of Napoleon, had landed his despatches at Guadaloupe, and was then on his way to Martinique.

Notwithstanding this confession, and contrary to the earnest entreaties of Sir James Leith, the rear-admiral felt it his duty still to adhere to the letter of Lord Melville, and declined either detaining the vessel, or taking any active part in the invasion of the island of Guadaloupe, although he consented to carry the forces thither to assist Admiral Linois in supporting his authority as the governor appointed by Louis XVIII.

For this purpose he proceeded with a body of troops to Basse-terre Roads, but at the dawn of day perceived the tricoloured flag flying on the forts. Suspecting the course which had been pursued by Linois, yet affecting to disbelieve that he would have acted a part so unbecoming, the rear-admiral sent Lieutenant (afterwards Captain) Wemys to him, with a kind message, assuring his excellency that he might rely on every support from the British forces, and, as the rear-admiral saw the flag of Napoleon flying, he was quite sure that the person of his excellency must be under restraint; he, therefore, offered the cabin of the Venerable for himself and family, to convey them to a place of safety.

Captain Wemys delivered this message to the governor, in presence of a large assembly of the inhabitants. Monsieur Linois replied, that, having adopted the cockade of Napoleon, which he pointed to in his hat, he was determined to stand or fall by it! This answer being delivered to the rear-admiral, he returned to Barbadoes, where he shortly after received orders from home to proceed and attack the French islands which had thrown off the authority of their king.

On the return of the squadron to Barbadoes, a correspondence took place between the commanders-in-chief, upon the subject of a hostile attack upon Guadaloupe; Sir James Leith urging, and the rear-admiral declining it, assigning as his reason the directions he had received from the first lord of the Admiralty, and the responsibility that would rest upon him, or any officer so situated, if he should, of his own authority, presume to originate hostile operations between the two greatest nations on the earth. The admiral's reasons were afterwards fully approved of by his superiors at home. On the

arrival of instructions from the Admiralty, the rear-admiral proceeded with the land and sea forces to the attack of the island.

The squadron of Rear-admiral Durham consisted of the

They sailed from Barbadoes, and landed on the 8th of August, under cover of the Fairy, Columbia, and Barbadoes. The Count de Vaugiraud, the governor of Martinique, detesting the treason of Linois, gave all the assistance in his power to the British enterprise. Two French corvettes and a schooner, commanded by officers of rank, joined the squadron, and were present at the reduction of the island. The British general, having defeated Linois, compelled him to capitulate. Himself, and his adjutant-general, were sent home to France, to be tried for their crimes. The loss of British troops, in this third invasion of the island of Guadaloupe, amounted to about 16 killed, and 50 wounded. The island was, of course, restored to the crown of France, after the final expulsion of Bonaparte.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Mediterranean.-State of the Barbary powers-Discussions with Lord Exmouth-Treachery of the Dey of Algiers-Murder of the Christians at Bona-Retrospect of the different attacks made on the Algerines by the European monarchs-Attack on the city of Algiers by the British fleet under the command of Admiral Lord Exmouth, and the Dutch squadron under Rear-admiral Van Capellan-Defeat of the Algerines-Release of all the slaves, and submission of the Dey-Letter of Lord Exmouth to the Secretary of the Admiralty, &c. Lord Amherst's embassy to China-Captain Maxwell in the AlcesteHis contest with the Chinese forts-Subsequent loss of the AlcesteRemarks on the exemplary conduct of Captain Maxwell-The Alceste fired by the Malays-Defence of the island of Pulo Leat against those savages-Termination of the embassy.

THE states of Barbary, which, to the disgrace of the European powers, had been so long permitted to carry on their piratical depredations against the commerce of the Mediterranean, received this year a severe chastisement from the just vengeance of Britain, which they had long provoked, presuming that our forbearance proceeded from fear or impotency. It was not to be endured that England should tolerate what America had resented and punished: and, independently of other considerations, the abolition of Christian slavery among the Barbary States was an object well worthy of our attention. This, and the acknowledgment of the flag of the Ionian Islands, became a subject of discussion between Lord Exmouth and the Beys of Tripoli and Tunis. The Dey of Algiers came readily into every proposal, except that of the abolition of slavery. The Beys of Tunis and Tripoli agreed entirely with Lord Exmouth, and promised to act towards their prisoners of war according to the usages of civilized nations. The Dey of Algiers was not so easily convinced of the expediency of the measure, and requested time to refer to the Grand Signior, whose subject he was. This request was granted: an Algerine minister embarked on board the Tagus frigate, to proceed to Constantinople for that purpose; and three months were allowed for the negotiation.

Lord Exmouth in the mean while returned to England, to receive fresh instructions, and soon departed again, with such

a squadron as could not fail to command compliance where remonstrances had proved unavailing. In the course of the negotiations, his lordship stipulated for the security of the Neapolitan and Sardinian flags, which, under the promise of the payment of the price of the slaves then in bondage, was agreed to. But the Moors are never to be trusted, as the tragical event which followed soon proved.

The coral fishery at Bona is resorted to in the month of May by the Neapolitan and Corsican fishermen, for the purpose of carrying on their occupation. On the 23d of May, the festival of Ascension, when these poor unsuspecting people were going to their devotions at one o'clock in the morning, they were surprised by a body of infantry and cavalry, and butchered in the most barbarous manner. Neither the Christians who were in the country, nor those in the town, nor those employed in boats, were spared: almost the whole were massacred; and the British flag, taken from the Consular office, was torn in pieces and trampled under foot. It is not supposed that these acts were authorized by the Government; but the popular mind had, no doubt, been stimulated by the imprudence, if not the connivance, of the Dey of Algiers; and from that moment negotiation was ended, and it was resolved to attack his capital.

By way of placing the merit of this action in its true light, it is proper to observe, that, although the other nations of Europe had often attempted to reduce these savages to reason, none but England succeeded in completely humbling their power.

*

The Emperor Charles V.† totally failed, and lost a great part both of his fleet and army. The Spaniards more recently, in 1601, and the English in the following year, also ailed. The French fleet, under the Admiral Duquesne, bombarded the city of Algiers, and set it on fire, 1632, and in 1633 repeated the attack. In 1775 the Spaniards went against Algiers, with a powerful armament, but retreated with loss. The results of their third and fourth expeditions against these maritime banditti, in 1783 and 1784, have been related in the early part of this work.

During the war of the Revolution, we have seen these people rise in their tone of insolence and exaction according to the

* Mr. Osler, in his Life of Lord Exmouth, has given us not only the full and complete details of the memorable and well-merited chastisement inflicted on those savages, but he has at the same time presented us with an admirable character of his hero, who offers the finest model for a naval officer that I have ever read or heard of; and I earnestly recommend to my young naval readers to make it their study and their example.

+ See Dr. Robertson's History.