After settling the account of the cargo of the Paul Hamilton, which amounted to 12,109 dollars, and producing a tiscary or acknowledgment of a balance due to the United States, which had been given in February, 1810, at the settlement of the cargoes of the ship Resource and brig Blanchy, for 26,065 dollars; the minister and secretaries said there was still 27,000 dollars due to the present time. This I denied, as I had the receipts of the regency for the payment of annuities for fourteen and a half years, exclusive of the amount of the cargo of the Paul Hamilton and the tiscary for 26,065 dollars; and as our treaty was concluded on the 5th of September, 1795, it would be only 17 years in the whole, from which the fourteen and a half years were to be deducted, leaving two and a half years ending the 5th of September next, amounting to 54,000 dollars, from which deducting the cargo of the Paul Hamilton, and the tiscary before mentioned, would leave but 15,826 dollars, and which I had no doubt but the cargo of the ship Allegany would fully pay, if it should be received.

The minister then observed, that they counted the year by the Mahometan calender, consisting of 354 days, so that the difference in 17 years would make it one half year more than we counted. I told him that I had always reckoned the years in the christian manner of 365 days; and that I presumed the same was done by all other consuls having accounts of a sinílar nature with the regency. He said it was never so done, or allowed by the regency, and immediately sent up a note to the dey, of the sum due by his account, viz. 27,000 dollars.

After a short time the dey sent down word by his drogerman, that the balance must be paid immediately in cash, and that the vessel, with myself, &c. must depart to-morrow as he had ordered. I answered that it was impossible for me to comply with the dey's order, even if I acknowledged the balance to be just, and had every disposition to pay it, as I had not the means of obtaining the money, especially as the cargo of the ship now in port was sent by my government for the express purpose of paying what might be due to the regency, and was the strongest possible evidence of our punctuality in fulfilling our engagements.

The prime minister then went up to the dey, with the drogerman, and soon returned, saying that the dey persisted in his first order, that the money should be paid immediately; or that I should be sent to the marine in chains, the vessel and cargo confiscated, and all the citizens of the United States now in Algiers be detained in slavery, and war instantly declared against the United States.

I told the minister that the matter was now brought to a decision, and that I must go to the marine in chains, for it was not possible for me to obtain the money; and had no more to say on the subject, but would warn them of the evil which they were bringing on themselves, by such unjust and outrageous

conduct.

The minister went to the dey a second time, when I demanded to accompany him; but was refused, and soon returned with what he said was the fixed and unalterable resolution of the dey, viz. that he would allow me till Saturday morning, the 25th instant, to pay the money and depart with the vessel and all other Americans in Algiers; but if this was not done, he should confiscate the vessel, detain in slavery all the Americans in Algiers, and declare war against the United States, as he had. before determined. The minister also added, that the dey had been informed that the ship had brought a large quantity of coffee for sale, and some other articles not intended for him (meaning, I suppose, the gun barrels, &c. for the emperor of Morocco; but whence he could have got the information of the latter I know not, for I had never mentioned a syllable of it to any one in Algiers. I have since learned that it was discovered by some means or other, when the plank and spars were taken out of the vessel on Monday); and that he was, if possible, more highly incensed at this, than on any other account saying that he considered it an insult offered, by having merchandize embarked on board a vessel which was said to have been sent for the sole purpose of bringing the annuity.

As I was determined that nothing should be wanting on my part to settle this unpleasant, and to me unaccountable business, I proposed to the prime minister, that the articles now sent by the Allegany should be received and passed to our credit, in the usual manner of settling the accounts of cargoes, where they had the power of fixing their own prices, and that whatever balance might appear due, after such settlement, should be paid in cash if the dey desired it; and that he might send a note of such articles as he expected for the next annuity, which I would forward to my government, with such observations on the propriety or necessity of sending the whole of them, as the dey should express. By this means, if the proposition should be accepted, time would be given to make preparations for future events, or, at any rate, our commerce in this sea might have been secured by giving timely notice, and putting our vessels on their guard. But the dey refused to listen to it, and repeated his first orders.

On leaving the palace I reflected upon the very critical and alarming situation of our affairs with the regency, which was not only brought on in the most unexpected manner, but without any reasonable or justifiable cause of complaint on the part of the dey. It appeared to me that he was determined to take a measure which I had for some time past apprehended, and which I had more than once the honour of intimating to the honourable the secretary of state, particularly in my letter of the 29th May last, viz. That after having concluded a truce with Portugal, and seeing Sicily under the protection of the British, he must make war upon some other nation, with or without a cause, in order to employ his cruisers; and that the extended and unprotected commerce of the United States offered greater prospects of advantage from plunder and captures than he could expect from any other nation. The ultimate consequence of such conduct he would never calculate; neither would he be restrained by any sense of shame, or of the flagrant injustice of the

act.

In this state of embarrassment, and with these reflections, I was still determined to try all possible means to accommodate the present difficulties, before the ultimate period fixed by the dey should arrive; but if that could not be effected, I should prepare, if possible, to pay the balance demanded in money, to prevent the loss of the ship and cargo, the detention of all Americans in Algiers, and the immediate capture of others.

In order to raise the money I proposed to sell the cargo of the ship, as the dey would not receive it, and pay him the proceeds in cash towards the balance, but he absolutely forbid the sale of any article on board her. Thus situated I had no other means left but to endeavour to obtain the money on my bills, and while I was using every means in my power, and through every channel that could be devised, to have matters accommodated before they came to the last extremity, I was not inattentive to the necessity I might be under of procuring the money in the last moment.

As the discussions on our business had taken place either at the marine or in the palace, in presence of all those usually attending there, it was no secret; and I had the satisfaction of hearing a general sentiment of disapprobation expressed on account of the dey's conduct more strongly than I could have supposed it would have been done, when it was known in what awe and dread every one held the present dey, whose severity is almost without example.

The only quarter from which money could be obtained at any rate, was the house of Bacri, and upon application to him to

know if I could depend upon him in the last extremity, he raised many difficulties on account of the limited time, of the many very heavy payments which they had been obliged to make lately for the cargoes of the Greek prizes purchased by them, which had entirely absorbed their cash, &c. He also made some objection to the security of such bills, on account of my being obliged to leave the regency: to that I answered, that I should not desire any one to become my security, as the same objection would naturally occur to them, and that if I should give bills, I must candidly say that if the vessel should not afterwards be permitted to depart with her cargo (as I had some apprehensions, from the shameful conduct of the dey, might be the case, in violation of his word) the bills would not be paid, as the proceeds of the cargo, at the place to which she might go, must be depended upon towards discharging such bills. He said he would consider the subject, and give me an answer on Friday as to the practicability of getting the money, if it must be had, and the terms which would be expected for it.

On Friday I made the last effort to effect an accommodation, and flattered myself with some little prospect of success, as the minister of the marine and some others of the principal officers of the regency, had expressed their regret at what had happened, and had promised to do every thing in their power to induce the dey to alter his determination, if the dey should introduce the subject before them, on this day, when they all met him at the palace to go with him to the mosque, it being the mahomedan sabbath; but they candidly acknowledged that if he did not bring the matter forward, no one would dare to introduce it, as they knew the obstinacy of his temper, and dreaded the effects of his resentment.

I had communicated to the minister of the marine the proposition which I made in the palace on Wednesday, for the dey to take this cargo on account, and to pay the balance, if any, in cash, &c. which he did not hesitate to declare he thought highly reasonable, and such as should be satisfactory; but at the same time remarked on the inflexible obstinacy of the dey, when he had once taken his resolution.

At one o'clock my drogerman brought me a message from the dey, which he said was his last, and irrevocably fixed, viz. that I should to-morrow morning pay into the treasury 27,000 Spanish dollars, which he claimed as the balance of annuities from the United States, and then depart from the regency with my family, and all other citizens of the United States in Algiers, in the ship which had brought the stores, in fulfilment of treaty stipulations, and which he had refused to receive; or:

that the ship and cargo, with all other Americans now in Algiers, should be detained, the former confiscated, the latter kept in slavery, and that war should be instantly declared against the United States.

This message determined the business, and closed every door of hope for an accommodation. It was confirmed by the minister of marine, who said that the subject having been introduced by the dey in their presence, he and the other ministers had urged every thing they dared, to induce the dey to alter his determination, and to accept my proposition, but in vain. He was inflexible, and the alternative must be taken immediately.

I had now my ultimate choice to make, between the payment of the money, if it could be obtained, and the certain loss of the vessel and cargo, worth much more than the sum claimed by the dey, and the immediate slavery of more than twenty American citizens (including myself and family) now in Algiers, with the highest probability of many American vessels and their crews being captured before it would be possible to give notice of what had happened, to enable them to consult their safety by remaining in port, as the port of Algiers had been shut since the sailing of their cruizers on the 13th instant, and of course no opportunity had offered to communicate an account of these transactions to any of our consuls in the Medi

terranean.

I therefore made my election to pay the money, if it could be obtained, especially as the departure of the Allegany would afford an opportunity of giving the most speedy information to every part of this sea, and guard American vessels against falling into the hands of the Algerine cruizers now out; as I can now have but little doubt of the dey's having given orders to his cruizers, on their sailing, to detain and send in such American vessels as they may find. For it must clearly be seen that he has no reasonable or justifiable ground for his present demand and conduct; and I am in a great measure confirmed in my apprehensions entertained and expressed in my last letters to the honourable the secretary of state, that after the truce with Portugal and the protection of the Sicilians by the English, he would make war upon some nation to employ his cruizers; and that none offered a better prospect than the vessels of the United States.

The present posture of affairs between the United States and Great Britain, just on the point of open hostilities, would afford another guard and security against our sending a force into this sea to protect our commerce now here, or revenge the insult and injury inflicted upon us; especially, too, as under present