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

Moreover, this avalanche of treaties was perhaps not without devastating
consequences on the Algerian navy. With no need to arm vessels, as peace was
prevailing, the Algerian corsairs fell into idleness. Some studies indicate a
sharp decrease in revenues, which they impute to the decline of corsairing
during the years following peace treaties. After the peace treaty with Spain, for
example, revenues fell from 200,000 florins in 1785, to 140,000 florins in
1786, then to a lowest level of 77,000 florins in 1787. 92 Lacking a training
battleground and incentives, the corsairs lost skill, performance, and
experience. Seacraft also declined and command suffered in the same way. The
decadence of the Algerian fleet may partly be imputed to those peace treaties
which Algiers signed with most European countries.
Diplomatically, Algiers failed to follow up with the pace of
international developments. The invasion of Malta and the Italian city-states by
the Napoleonic armies ended the political existence of those entities but Algiers
did not change attitudes towards them; which caused uneasiness in relations
with France. Napoleon considered this as defiance to his power and devised
plans for the invasion of Algiers. In fact, problems over Algerian corsairing
against Malta were just an excuse to justify the expansionist policies of
France. 93 In 1807, Napoleon sent Vincent Boutin, an army engineering officer,
to survey the coast for a potential invasion of Algiers. 94
Boutin identified
92 Krieken, Corsaires et marchands, p. 120.
93 Weiss, “Imagining Europe through Barbary Captivity,” p. 58.
94 Boutin made his report in 1808; it was entitled: “Reconnaissance générale des villes, forts et batteries
d’Alger, des environs, etc., faite en conséquence des ordres et instructions de Son Excellence
Monseigneur Decrès, Ministre de la Marine, en date de 1er et 2 mai pour servir au projet de descente et
d’établissement définitif dans ce pays.” Plantet, Correspondance des deys d’Alger, 1: LIV; M. Alfred
146