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

Once more, they reactivated Logie who became involved in an
incomprehensible deal that encompassed four countries: Algiers, Great Britain,
Portugal, and the United States. While preparations for negotiations were in the
making, there intervened a strange episode which caused further complications
and antagonisms in Algerian-American relations. In September 1793, and
under the aegis of the Logie, a truce was concluded between Algiers and
Portugal apparently without official knowledge of Portugal. 27 Subsequently,
Logie issued passports to the Algerian cruisers which permitted them to pass
the Strait of Gibraltar westward unhindered by the Portuguese fleet which was
stationed there. 28 Humphreys, who was at the time at Gibraltar on his way to
Algiers, saw the Algerian cruisers passing by the Rock and reported to the
Secretary of State that the truce was effected by Logie and added: “but I am
very happy to add, there are strong circumstances to induce me to believe, it
was without the authority or even knowledge of his own court.” 29 Within two
months from then, eleven more American ships, with 105 crewmen, were taken
prize by the Algerian corsairs and the number of American captives at Algiers
increased to become 115. 30
27 As of this date, except for the United States and the Hanseatic towns, Algiers had entered into peace
treaties with all the countries, a peace process which was started by Dey Muhammed Pasha and was in
the process of finalization by Dey Hassan. Corsairing was declining and Algiers was muting to a
commercial economy, see Chapter III.3.
28 Parker, Uncle Sam in Barbary, p. 77.
29 ASP/FA, 1:297, D. Humphreys, Esq. to the Secretary of State, Oct. 7, 1793.
30 Ibid., 1:418, Captain O’Brien to the President of United States, November 5, 1793. As of this date,
only 10/21 of the captives of 1785 were still at Algiers; the others were either ransomed by the British
government (in fact 11/21 were British nationals serving on American ships) or by friends or they died
in plagues (3 of them).
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