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

the Battle of Djerba (1560), the siege of Malta (1565), that of Tunis (1574), the
war against Venice (1638), that against Greeks and Russians (1770-1820), and
the Greek war (1820-1827). The ultimate battle was at Navarino, Greece, in
1827.
Travel accounts and chronicles also give an idea about the fleet and
crews and impressions about them. According to those, the Algerian fleet was
much superior to that of Spain in terms of crews, speed, and handiness. When
corsairing, the Algerian corsairs mocked the Christian galleys knowing that
they could not chase them because the Algerian ships were light, therefore
speedy, contrary to those of the Christians that were heavy and messy.
According to Haedo:
Their galleots are so extremely light and nimble, and in such excellent
order, as they always are; whereas, on the contrary, the Christian galleys
are so heavy, so embarrassed, and in such bad order and confusion, that
it is utterly in vain to think of giving them chase, or of preventing them
from going and coming, and doing just as they their selves please. This
is the occasion that, when at any time the Christian galleys chase them,
their custom is, by way of game and sneer, to point to their freshtallowed
poops, as they glide along like fishes before them, all one as if
they showed them their backs to salute: and as in the cruising art, by
continual practise, they are so very expert, so daring, presumptuous, and
fortunate. 98
About the corsairs, Haedo wrote:
While the Christians with their galleys are at repose, sounding their
trumpets in the harbours, and very much at their ease regaling
themselves, passing the day and night in banqueting, cards, and dice, the
States Naval Academy 25-26 October 1979 (Annapolis, MD: The U.S. Naval Institute, 1981), p. 48.
For the role of El-Euldj Ali, see pp. 52, 56-8; for the nomination of the latter as supreme admiral of the
Ottoman fleet (1571-1580) see Kaddache, L’Algérie Ottomane, pp. 34-5.
98 As translated by J. Morgan, A Complete History of Algiers to which is Prefixed, an Epitome of the
General History of Barbary, from the earliest Times (London: J. Bettenham, 1729), p. 619.
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