The Virginia Gazette

June 25. The Corsairs of Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, still continue to seize the Ships, and enslave the Subjects of the European States with whom they are not at Peace in the Mediterranean; and the Government of Tripoli even threatens to set France at Defiance.

That these three Piratical States of Barbary, should for so many Ages, either subject the Christian Powers of Europe to their Depredations, or compel them to purchase Peace by large annual Presents, seems surprising, when it is considered how inconsiderable their Strength is both by Sea and Land, when compared to that of Europe. It even appears no difficult Matter to the Christian Princes, whose Dominions border on the Mediterranean, and whose Shipping and Subjects are consequently most exposed to the Robberies of these lawless Rovers, and are now daily taken by them to unite their Forces and extirpate them entirely, as the Ottoman Porte can give them little Assistance, their Navy having been totally ruined by the Venetians at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, and no Attempts have since been made to re-establish it. Algiers is the most westerly and most powerful of the Three. It extends from Morocco on the West, to the Kingdom of Tunis on the East, about 500 Miles along the Coast of Barbary, and is divided into four Provinces. Tunis reaches about 200 Miles along the same Coast, from Algiers on the West to Tripoli, including the Desert of Barca, is 1000 Miles in Length, from Tunis on the West to Egypt, but it is scarce 200 Miles broad in any Place. Each of these States are governed by their Deys, or Sovereigns; who are absolute Monarchs, but elective, and whose Sons never inherit by Descent: The Right of Election is in the Turkish Soldiers only, who in Algiers do not amount to 7000 Men, but they have engrossed the Government, and the Moors or Natives of Africa have no Share in it. In Tripoli the Dey is not so absolute as the Deys of Algiers and Tunis are; for a Turkish Bashaw resides here, who receives his Authority from the Grand Signior, and has a Power of controuling the Dey, and levying a Tribute on his Subjects. However, these Deys are frequently deposed and put to Death by them, and seldom reign long; Want of Success, or a supposed Mismanagement in the Administration, is looked upon as a sufficient Reason to remove them. Thus the Dey of Tunis is but very lately deposed by his Son, and at Algiers they have murdered four of their Deys, and deposed two within the Space of 25 Years. There can never want Traitors among that abandoned Race of Men, composed of Robbers and the Refuse of Turkey, to conspire the Destruction of the reigning Prince, and usurp his Throne; for the Soldiers who are vested with this Power of Election, are either Criminals who have been obliged to fly from Turkey, Renegadoes, or Pyrates, who resort hither in Hopes of Spoil, and who, notwithstanding their base Original, look upon themselves as Noblemen, using the Moors and other Inhabitants of Africa little better than Slaves. They live chiefly by the Plunder of Merchants that navigate the neighbouring Seas; though the Produce of their Country would furnish them abundantly with Materials to traffic with, if they applied themselves to Husbandry and Manufactures.

According to the Report of divers Persons from the Coast of Africa, the Civil War rages at Tunis, and the Regency of Algiers, which takes Part therein, has declared for the Rebels: But 'tis yet doubtful whether the old or new Dey will come off victorious; for tho' the Son has gained some great Advantages, and, besides the Algerines, the greatest Part of the Troops on Land are for him; yet the Father's Party is still considerable: The greatest Part of the Raiz at Sea hold firm to him, and declare they will undertake every Thing in their Power in his Favour. The Retreat of these Raiz, who are gone to succour the old Dey, renders the Sea more free, and is of great Use to our Commerce: But what does the greatest Service to Navigation in general, is the Declaration of War by France against the Tripolitans.