- Museum number
- 1868,0808.12834
- Title
- Object: The Triumph of the dey of algiers over the naval glory of England!
- Description
-
The title continues: 'or the late boasted Defenders of Freedom driven into Slavery by a piratical Banditti!!—Dedicated (without permission) to the Government that pride themselves on the Abolition of the Slave Trad the brilliant Victories of Trafalgar & Waterloo & the Downfall of the Corsican Tyrant!!!!!!' The Dey of Algiers, seated in triumph in an open state car, is dragged (left to right) by a file of five heavily shackled Britons who tug at a rope. An Algerian sits on the shoulders of the first and third, both sailors, each gashing his victim with spurs and using a heavy scourge. The second in the line is a naval officer, the third a military officer (his coat coloured blue); the last is a sailor, resembling John Bull, who turns his head to scowl fiercely at the Dey, who is savagely wielding a scourge with lashes inscribed 'Robbery— Perjury', 'Tyranny', 'Murder', 'Treachery'. The Dey wears a jewelled turban with an aigrette, and a scimitar. To the wheels of his carriage, which is decorated with the crescent, is tied a 'British Flag'. Behind the carriage is an inscription: 'British Condescension & Acknowledgment of the Barbary Powers! or the late visit of the Princess of W—s to the Bey of Tunis'. Beside the carriage lie papers: [1] 'Maritime Powers insulted', [2, under a wheel] 'Law of Nations trampled on', [3] 'Treaty with Lord Exmouth Violated', [4] 'Horrible Massacre of an English Vice Consul & 400 British Subjects!!!!' From the mouths of the miserable prisoners issues a long scroll inscribed 'Rule Britannia! Britannia! Rules the Waves & Britons never will be Slaves!' The two Algerians grin diabolically. On the right is a sign-post, pointing (right) 'To the Slave Bazar'. The scene is the sea-shore; off the coast (left) are large ships at anchor inscribed 'Prizes for the Dey of Algiers'; of three flags one is British, one French; a striped flag is presumably Dutch. On the right is a rocky island, on which Britannia stands, holding spear and shield, and dramatically addressing her angry lion: 'revenge your Country's cause & preserve my Honon!'
July 1816
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1816
- Dimensions
-
Height: 250 millimetres
-
Width: 350 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', IX, 1949)
A report that Lord Exmouth had made a treaty with the Dey of Algiers stipulating for the ransom (instead of the unconditional release) of Sardinian and Neapolitan prisoners, powers under the protection of Great Britain, caused indignation. 'Parl. Deb.' xxxiv. 1043, 1147 (10 and 18 June). Exmouth was then returning to discuss a treaty with the Dey of Algiers, who although he had, like Tunis and Tripoli, agreed to release all British subjects, was unwilling to agree, like them, to the abolition of Christian slavery. Meantime, on 20 June, news was received of another Algerian outrage, a massacre of Italian fishermen (under the British flag) at Bona on 23 May. Exaggerated accounts appeared in the Press (see 'Examiner', 1816, pp. 394, 407, 454, 471), but there was a justified demand for summary punishment, and Exmouth sailed from Plymouth on 28 July. On 27 August he demanded, among other points, the abolition of Christian slavery and the release of all Christian slaves. No answer being sent, the bombardment of Algiers followed. This led to an agreement to all demands; about 3,000 slaves, mostly Italians and Spaniards, were released. See 'Ann. Reg.', 1816, pp. 97-105; 'D.N.B.', s.v. Sir Edward Pellew. The Princess of Wales, during the travels which scandalized Europe, visited the Dey of Tunis, see Nos. 12808, 12810, 12890.
Also a later impression (coloured), 'N° 10 St James St' removed, the spelling of 'trad' and 'Honon' corrected.
Reid, No. 587. Cohn, No. 2049.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.12834
