"He took the muster-roll out of the officer's hand, ordered the officer to leeward, and sent the men to their quarters. Then he consulted an American legal gentleman who happened to be on board, and as his instructions were that on no account should any vessel of any nation except France be molested, even to prevent the capture of his convoy, he decided to surrender. He ordered the Baltimore's flag hauled down, and told the English captain to do what he pleased with the ship. The Englishman sent on board and took away fifty-five of the Baltimore's crew, but very soon he returned fifty of them, and said he had a number of Americans on the Carnatic that he'd be glad to trade for an equal number of Englishmen."
"Did the American captain make the trade with him?"
"No, he didn't; he waited for the Englishman to send a prize-crew to take possession of the Baltimore; but evidently the British captain was afraid of getting into trouble, as he sailed away without another word. When he had gone Captain Phillips put up the Baltimore's flag again, and went about his business. And if they'd treat a ship-of-war in that way, do you suppose they'd have any fine feelings about a merchantman?"
We all assented to his view of the case, and then Haines said we owed what navy we then had to the Algerine pirates. "If it hadn't been for them," said he, "we wouldn't have any navy now, I believe."
"Surely the pirates did not present us with any ships-of-war!" I exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh, no, 'twasn't that way at all. Just cast anchor a bit and I'll tell you how it was."
TROUBLE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND ALGIERS.--THE WAR WITH FRANCE.--WHAT OUR NAVY DID.--FROM GIBRALTAR TO MARSEILLES.
"The first time our government ran against Algerine pirates," said Haines, "was in 1785, when they captured two vessels from the United States, and sold their crews--twenty-one men altogether--into slavery. The President set about getting these men released just as soon as he heard of the capture of the ships. The diplomatic agents of the United States in Europe were instructed to make arrangements in that direction; but the Dey of Algiers believed that he had found a new mine of wealth, and demanded an enormous price for the ransom of the unhappy sailors."