Barbary States

[DennisL]

Thought I would pass this very interesting document which I came across while visiting the Varnum Memorial Armory in East Greenwich RI recently.

It is a letter requesting safe passage from the Barbary States for the brig Lucy Ann of East Greenwich dated February 13, 1804 and signed by President Thomas Jefferson and co-signed by Secretary of State James Madison.  It was explained to me that the cut curved top of this document was used to proved the authenticity of the document.  Not sure exactly how this worked.  I guess the inspecting party had the missing top half.

 

The Varnum Armory is a very interesting place.  The museum is small but is very compact with great relics from the Revolution and Civil War (Gettysburg) in particular.  The museum is free and the guides were very friendly and knowledgeable.  A great way to spend an afternoon!

[Mark P]

Good Morning Dennis;

 

Thank you for posting this interesting document. 

 

Either the Lucy Ann was carrying important dispatches/persons, or just possibly this was a standard form of what is known as a 'safe-conduct'. If it is dated 1804 that is rather interesting, as the US was still fighting a war with the Barbary States of North Africa, which did not end until 1805. A further war broke out in 1815. Perhaps her voyage was related to the negotiations surrounding the peace treaty.

 

The wavy top of the document makes it what is known as an 'indenture', which were normally used for legal contracts. To make these, the clerk would draw up the agreement in two copies, with each page mirrored head to head on a single sheet of vellum/parchment. Both parties to the agreement would then sign and seal one set of the pages in front of witnesses. After this, the pile of pages would be cut through the middle in a wavy (or 'indented') line, and each party would keep one part. Authenticity was proved by matching the pages together again, should any dispute arise.

 

The way the original document was drawn up would mean that each party could stand on the opposite side of a table, facing each other, and read and sign their own half at the same time; but I have no idea if things were done in this way.

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

 

 

[allanyed]

Mark

VERY interesting explanation, thanks for sharing!

Allan

[DennisL]

Hi Mark,

Thank you for your explanation on the document!  

A very interesting period of our maritime history.

Thanks for sharing.

 

Dennis

[wefalck]

It seems that these pirates really had been a plague in the western Mediterranean until the 1840s or so. They frequently attacked the Spanish and French coasts and had even strongholds on what is now the French Riviera, parts of which are still called Côtes de Maures, after the French term for Moors.

 

Ships from ports with lesser naval powers had to pay tributes to get safe passage, while naval powers such as Britain, the USA or France were able to force treaties on them to give safe passage.

 

The newspapers were full of reports on pirate attacks well into the middle of 19th century, which also prompted the small Prussian navy to launch a first amphibious attack on one of the suspected safe heavens in North Africa.

[Mark P]

Good Evening Everyone;

 

The Barbary States, consisting of the cities of Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli and Sale (Sallee to the English) were active pirates for centuries. James I, England's king in the first decades of the 17th century, was forever troubled with raids on English shipping, even in the Channel; and the coastal towns were attacked for plunder and slaves. Naval campaigns to deal with these predators were one of the first long-distance and sustained efforts mounted by the Navy. The pirates targeted other countries along the Atlantic coast as well. 

 

The rulers of the North-African city-states were not overly keen on making treaties not to attack a nation's shipping, because frequently the unhappy citizens, faced with the loss of their livelihoods, simply murdered the ruler in question, and substituted a more amenable one who knew on which side his bread was buttered.  

 

The State Papers and other sources of the time are full of appeals for help with raising ransom, either for individuals or for whole groups of people; or merchants appealing for some kind of compensation for lost ships.

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

[popeye2sea]

The US paid tributes/bribes to the Barbary states for many years.  Frequently, even after making a tribute agreement to secure protection from attack, the payor would find that the rulers (Deys of Algiers, Tunis or Bey of Tripoli)  would go back on the deal and demand further gifts and tributes. They would enslave the crew and ransom anyone whom they felt was important enough to demand payment for.  They would even demand that ships be built for them as gifts.

 

The Barbary pirates are the reason for the existence of USS Constitution. She and her sisters were built to counter the pirates.

 

Regards,

[mtaylor]

8 minutes ago, popeye2sea said:

The Barbary pirates are the reason for the existence of USS Constitution. She and her sisters were built to counter the pirates.

 

They're also the reason for "to the shores of Tripoli" in the Marine Corps Hymn.