Thanks to the account of a survivor of an American shipwreck we get some information dealing with the naval shipbuilding at Morocco.
P. 251
“The Emperor's navy was now lying alongside of the opposite bank, consisting of one frigate-built ship, coppered to the bends, of about 700 tons burden, and mounting 32 guns, apparently 18 pounders, on the main deck ; and a brig, called the Swearah, also coppered-a beautiful vessel, mounting 18 guns, said to sail, and from her appearance, would sail very fast : she was built in England, and there fitted in the best possible manner, and presented to the emperor by a Jew of Mogadore, named Macnin, a most notorious character, but called a very rich merchant: this Jew has a brother in London, who, it is said, has heretofore managed to get goods on credit to very large amounts, and he then sends them to Mogadore, where his brother loads back live ships with less, generally, than half the value of the outward cargo, and thus continues to gull the English merchants in the true Barbary style : the principal in London fails— his creditors compound with him : he begins anew; obtains, from some quarter or another, all the; credit he wishes; sends out the goods to Barbary; gets no returns ; fails again, and again compromises, and commences the old business. The emperor, some time ago, attempted to give this worthy Jew merchant a gentle squeeze, and seized his goods, houses, cash, and every tiling valuable that his officers could lay their hands on; upon which Macnin, to conciliate his majesty, and to get a part of his ill-gotten property back again, made him a present of this fine brig, which could not have cost him much, for “los Inglesislo pagan,” (the English pay for it,) is his motto. These two vessels and the new frigate at Rhabat, now constitute the whole of the emperor’s naval force: his maxim is to be at war with every nation who has not made a treaty with him, or which has not a Consul General residing at Tangier, to make him the customary presents on his annual holidays, or pay him tribute agreeably to the terms of his treaties. According to this system, he sends out his cruisers from time to time, who, if they rind a vessel bearing a flag, whose nation has not made a treaty of peace with him, they capture her, bring her in as a good prize, and retain the crew as slaves or prisoners. About eighteen months ago, this brig Mogadore, then on a cruise, captured the Russian brig before mentioned, and carried her into Lareseh : now the emperor of Russia had not stipulated for a peace with his Moorish majesty, and had no Consul residing at Tangier ; so the vessel's cargo was soon disposed of as a prize, and her officers and crew, ten in number, were thrown into prison, and frequently compelled to work on board the vessels of war. After about a year's captivity in this manner, finding no Christian power claimed the men, and having no use for them, the emperor ordered them to be removed to the prison at Tangier. Padre Tinaones told me these facts, and said he bad done all he could for the Christians while they were in Laresch prison, and that their brig had sunk in the ferrying-place for want of care.”
Source
James Riley. An authentic narrative of the loss of the American brig Commerce: wrecked on the western coast of Africa, in the month of August, 1815. Hartford, 1836.
