Wars with the Barbary Powers, Volume II Part 2
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Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers Volume II Part 2 of 3 Naval Operations including diplomatic background from January 1802 through August 1803 United States Government Printing Office Washington, 1940 Electronically published by American Naval Records Society Bolton Landing, New York 2011 AS A WORK OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS PUBLICATION IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. WARS WITH BARBARY POWERS 189 ft in Perpendicular height of the Main-masthead, above the waters edge- - - 92 - Ship's present mean draft of water------------------------------- 18 6 Extreme hei ht of the surface of the Main-cap above the tread of the eel a mi!-ships- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 110 6 Extreme breadth of the Ship outside ......................... 45 - [H. E. Huntington L&AG. NDA photostat.] To Secretary of State from John Gavino, U. S. Consul, Gibraltar NP 92 GIBRALTAR2St! June I802 SIR I am now sorry to inform you that the faltering hopes given us the 22'4 Inst by Consul Simpson & Communicated to you in mine of 24* NQ91 respecting our affairs with Morrocco are vanishd - said Gentleman arrived here the 25" Inst fresh orders having reachd Tanger the 24" Currt for his quiting the Country immediat,ely. He tells me the Emp' had mentioned in publick that his Cruisers were to be fitted out against the Americans, for particulars referr to Comodor Morris and said Gentleman, who no doubt will inform you howhe has disposed of the $1000 he calld for account publick Service, which I sent him the 23g Ins! and drew on you for same the 24" agreeable to his desire. - Sir James Saumeraze in the Ceser arrived on the 25th with part of the Troops from Mahon, which was entirely evacuated the 17* Ult?. - Our Govr the Duke of Kent is Encamping some of the Troops be- longing to this Garrison and Lord Kieth is gone home. - I have Circulars wrote for all our Consuls advising the Empr of Morrocco final Determination regarding us [SDA. CL, Gibraltar, Vol. 11, April 1796-Nov. 1804.1 Extract from journal of Midshipman Henry Wadsworth, U. S. Navy, on board U. S. 8. Chuapeak, Captain Richard V. Morris, U. S. Navy, commanding, Snnday,29Jnne 1802 Mr. Simpson was order'd to quit Tangier and this morning srriv'd at Gibraltar; he was allow'd but 24 hours, conse uently could bring off but little of his personal property, his landed Estate there is very valuable. [H. W. L. Dana Col.] Extract from letter to Secretary of State from James L. Cathcart, U. S. ex-Consul, Tripoli LEGHORN,JUlY 2,1802. The king of Sweden has protested the bills drawn by Mr. Tornquist to the amount of two hundred and forty thousand dollars, the sum promised by him to the bashaw of Trlpoli as the price of peace, and that he has resolved to repel the demand for an annuit of twenty thousand dollars by force of arms, and will send a squa1 ron against Tripoli as soon as he has settled his affairs with Great Britain. Many of our merchants and captains dispute the consul's authority to detain their vessels in port, notwithstanding the national conse- quences of their capture being fully explained to them. I therefore presume that this pint merits the mediate determination of government, and that positive instructions ought to be given to. all 190 NAVAL OPERATIONS FROM 1802 TO 1803 consuls in the Mediterranean, in order that they may know whether they have power to retain the vessels of their nation in port, as the consuls of all other nations have, or whether they are to permit them to sail after being informed of war being declared against us by any of the Barbary states. [NR&L. "State Papers & Publick Documents," Vol. IV.] To Secretary of State from James Simpson, U. S. Consul, Tangier, Morocco N944. - GIBRALTARQQ Jdy 1802 - SIR With this I have the honour of transmitting triplicate of N? 43 whose original was forwarded by the Ship Dart for Norfolk, and copy put on board another Vessel, by Commodore Morris. - I have now to acquaint you, that yesterday I received a Letter from the Governour of Tangier dated 30& June, advising that His Imperial Majest (in answer to the Letter he wrote on the 224) had directed I might ge permitted to remain there six Months; - adding that in consequence I was at libertv to return to my House in Tangier, or not as I should see fit. - Had this order arrived in time to prevent my expulsion, all would have been well; as in the time mentioned a ne- gotiation might have been carried on, and any differences accommo- dated; but it appears to me since His Majesty saw fit to declare he was at War with the United States, and in consequence thereof to direct, that their Consul should be driven from his dominions, some- thing beyond this Letter from a Governour will be highly necessary. - The Governour does not say for what purpose the space is limited to six Months; it would appear according to the custom of that Country as if His Majesty expected some certain thing should he done in that time, but on this the Governour is silent. - I should think as the Emperour has been guilty of so flagrant a breach of the Peace, subsisted between the Countries, that he should write a Letter, or give some other Public testimony of his being in Peace & Friendship with the United States as heretofore, before I can consistently return to his Country in my public capacity. - This however is a matter of such magnitude, as I cannot take upon myself to determine precisely on, having Commodore Morris so near me to consult with. - He sailed on thursday to Cruize off the Straits & Coast of Barbary, the Enter rise anchor'd in this Bay yesterday, & now proceeds in quest of the Cfe8apeake, with a letter from me for the Commodore; in which I request the favour of seeing him as soon as he conveniently can; when this point wiU be deliberated on, and such measures pursued as shall appear most consistent with the dignity of the United States, always having due regard to the Commercial Interests. - At this moment it appears to me we have a very fair o ening, for comeing to an E lanation with the Em eror, and for a! oing away those pretensions 7' have for some time 2'readed he was desirous of bringing forward, on subject of more frequent Presents being made him, but which it would appear His Ministers have been at a loss how to enter upon. - On this occasion it would be a hap y circumstance if Commodore Morris could shew himself in force orP the Emperours Ports, for as I have often since Summer 1795 had the honour of stating in my dispatches, there is not any thing has such weight, as shewing the Moors that a Naval force is at hand, to act against them in case of need. - WARS WITH BARBARY POWERS 191 At the time I was about to leave Tangier, I was necessitated to call on Mr Gavino for one thousand dollars, which he sent me, and drew Bills on you for that sum, which I intreat may be paid; and the Amo* charged as a supply towards the Contingent charges of the Morocco Consulate. - Before my departure from Barbary I claimed fulfillment of the 24'P Article of the Treaty on behalf of those Citizens of the United States might be at Mogodore, and I hope they may have been allowed to depart with their property. - A Frigate which has layen some years neglected at Larach, and which the Swedish Consul wrote me when he passed there in March last, was surrounded with sand banked up, the Emperour has directed shall be fitted out, but I think it is scarce possible she can be made fit for Sea. - [NA. SDA. CL, Tangier, Vol. 1, 1791-1803.1 Extract from letter to Secretary of State from James Leander Cathcart, U. 8. ex- Consul, Tripoli You will please to observe that the cruisers of ~ri~dliha& been fre- uently at sea since the war commenced, and thence conceive the ganger our merchant ships have been exposed to. From the returns of our consuls you will be informed of the extent of our commerce in this sea, which never was so valuable, as it was at the period and since the bashsw of Tripoli commenced hostilities. I have seen twenty-four sail of American vessels in this port at once last year, two-thirds of whom were unarmed. Can the wisdom of government devise no means either to prevent the cruisers of Tri oli from putting to sea, or our merchant shps from passin up the nRediterranean unarmed and without convoy ; is it not possii le to prohibit them, (for their own sakes) from coming past G~bralkunless armed sfficiently to defend themselves when three or four are together, or under convoy of some of our ships of war. The bashaw of Tripoli seems disposed to enter into a treaty with us, but upon what terms he has not yet declared. Mr. Eaton informs me, that a roposition of peace on the part of the bashaw of Tripoli came throug% the bey of Tunis, when it was proposed that the latter should be mediator and guarantee. Mr. Eaton answered that we prefer peace to war, when we can obtain it upon honourable terms, but not other- wise. [NR&,L. "State Papers & Publick Documents," Vol. IV.] Extract from journal of Midshipman Henry Wadsworth, U.