Maltese galleys in battle with barks of Tripoli according to the Dutch newspaper Oprechte Haerlemsche courant dated 17 August 1697

An item dated Maltha 14th reported that that 3 barks of Tripoli attacked off Porto Palo 2 Maltese galleys as revenge for the capture some days earlier of two of their ships. They were however damaged and forced to retreat. 

Maltese galleys defeating ships of Tripoli according to the Dutch newspaper Oprechte Haerlemsche courant dated 4 November 1704

An item dated Venice 18th October reported that Maltese galleys fought with 3 ships of Tripoli capturing one, destroying a second while the third fled.

French navy in the Mediterranean according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 14 February 1826

Cadiz, 24 January. Yesterday left the French frigates l’Armide (1) and l’Amazone (2) Cadiz towards Tripolis to demand the Dey the returning of the papal ships captured by the privateers.

Source

J. Vichot. Repertoire des navires de guerre français. Paris, 1967.

Notes

1. Laid down at Lorient 1812, launched 1821, renamed l’Entrepot 1866, last-mentioned 1888.

2. Laid down at Brest 1820, launched 1821 and last-mentioned 1842.

A description of the navy yard at Charlestown made by Carl David Arfwedson between 1832-1834

P. 181: “Charlestown, the first place I visited, is contiguous to Boston, and connected with it by means of two long bridges. It is a small town of little note, distinguished only as being one of the naval stations of the United States. One of the officers belonging to this service, remarkable for his politeness, accompanied me on my visit to view the station. It is far from being completed: even the plan of the proposed basin was very little advanced; but workmen were actively employed in constructing and widening the place. Among the finished parts may be

p. 182: mentioned the residence of the commodore, the barracks, stores, and forges. A spacious dock, without exception the finest and largest in the United States, was then being constructed when I visited Charlestown the first time. Before I left the States, this stupendous work was already completed. The dock, built of granite, is finished in a style that reflects the greatest credit on the builder ; it is two hundred and ten feet in length, and roomy enough for the largest battle ship. The water is pumped out by a steam-engine. Two gates, of which one is floating, arrest the influx of the sea. The stonework alone is stated to have consisted of no less than five hundred thousand cubic feet. Several men-of-war, frigates, and sloops, were lying there dismantled, and partly covered by houses or sheds erected for that purpose. All the ships are built of live oak, or quercus sempervirens, which grows in the Southern States. This building material is well known as being particularly hard, compact, and durable, and, consequently well calculated for the construction of ships. Among the vessels shown to me was one whose fame had already reached my ears, and with which every one in America, old

p. 183: and young, is acquainted. This was the Constitution, a frigate of forty-four guns. She is one of the oldest ships in the American navy, was built in Boston, in the year 1797, and has upon various occasions showed her prowess in combating the English and the Tripolitans. Fortune has every where favoured her: not only has she escaped from far superior enemies, but has been victorious in several rencontres, capturing frigates, corvettes, and sloops of war, and carrying home a number of prisoners. For these repeated deeds of valour, she was called by the honourable name, “Old Ironside,” by which she is distinguished to this very day. She is the pride and boast of Americans, particularly of the Bostonians, with whom she is a darling object. Few men-of-war have done more than this ship. Whenever Old Ironside proceeds to sea, all eyes are fixed upon her, confident that she will give a good account of herself: on returning, she is enthusiastically greeted by the whole nation.”

Source

Carl David Arfwedson. The United States in 1832, 1833, and 1834, vol 1. London, 1834. Digitized by Google.

The Barbary States and Turkish navies in the Levant according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 28 June 1823

Frankfurt, 23 June. The navy of the Barbary States was 2 May sighted cruising off Mytilene apparently waiting for the departure of the Turkish fleet to start with her operations.

American squadron active in the Mediterranean against the Barbary States according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 16 July 1821

Paris, 10 July. The commanding officer of the American squadron in the Mediterranean which watched the navies of the Barbary States heard that the Sultan ordered that their privateers had to be sent to the Archipelago. Fearing for the American interest he decided to blockade their three main ports and sent partly of his squadron to realize this.

The French navy off Tripoli according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 6 August 1852

According to tidings from Malta dated 27 July arrived the French fleet which was cruising in the Mediterranean off Tripoli and threatened her commanding officer the Pasha with hostilities if he didn’t handed over the two French deserters who joined his army.

The Dutch and Greek navies in the Mediterranean according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 5 June 1827

London, 20 May, Tidings from Gibraltar dating until 12 May reported that a Dutch brig of war which arrived at Tunis coming from Tripoli brought the news with her of the declaration of war by the Bey of Tripoli against Tuscany.

Frankfurt, 30 May. The newspaper Oesterreichischen Beobachter published some news items earlier published in the newspaper Osservatore of Trieste. One tiding dated Corfu 28 April reported the arrival of the Greek brig Neptunus master J.C. Belsario at Corfu 26 April, which left Aegina the 14th and the 15th Poro. Although it was first thought she was a merchant ship which intended to load a cargo of Turkish corn, the health officers inspecting her certificates discovered she was in fact a warship. Her certificates were signed by the so-called Greek government and Lord Cochrane as supreme commanding officer of the Greek navy. To preserve the neutrality her master was ordered to leave Corfu 27 April which he did in the afternoon.

The American, Greek, Egyptian and Sardinian navies in the Mediterranean according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 2 November 1825

Frankfurt, 28 October. The newspapers of Hydra published a Greek report of their attacking of the Egyptian fleet in the harbour of Alexandria. The Greek squadron consisted of the Themistocles and the Epaminondas commanded by Tombasi and 3 fire ships commanded by Canaris, Voko and Buti. Canaris sailed with his fire ship into the middle of the enemy setting his ship on fire while being a short distance from the admirals’ ship and returning immediately with his barge. At sea they burnt a 16-gun brig with a crew of 90 men and capturing a second brig loaded with wood and with 60-70 soldiers on board. The crew of the first brig was saved. The port master of Alexandria which went on board of Canaris was later released by the Greeks.

The American squadron consisting of the 104-gun North Carolina commanded by commodore Rogers, the frigate Constitution and corvettes arrived 12 September at Napoli-di-Romania where the members of the government visited the ship. The commodore and 60 of his officers later visited the government. According to some sources was there an American consul to be appointed at Napoli and should the commodore have said that when he departed a corvette in the Levant was to be stationed.

Genoa, 19 October. The tidings which arrived yesterday dealing with the expedition commanded by captain Livory were brought by the hulk Mercatura and the brig Zephir. Tripoli was attacked 7 October. After destroying 2 goelettes the Sardinian flotilla bombarded the city which nearly suffered the faith of Algiers prevented by the acceptation by the Dey of the demands of the Sardinian government. The Sardinian flotilla had 1 killed and around 30 men wounded including a young navy scholar which drew the attention of his superiors due to his braveness and behaviour.

The Neapolitan and Sardinian navies in the Mediterranean according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 31 October 1825

Genoa, 18 October. A Sardinian frigate with on board knight Sivori arrived at Genoa. She was part of the flotilla/expedition send to negotiate with the Dey of Tripoli. The flotilla consisted of 2 frigates, 1 brig, a corvette and 3 transports. The negotiations were quite successful. When the Dey first refused to accept the offered terms with 24 hours 2 anchored Tripolitian goelettes were destroyed, one was burnt and the other forced on the beach. The Dey asked without success the commanding officer of a Dutch brig for help. The Sardinian didn’t stop with the hostilities until the terms were accepted. The British consul who came on board of the Sardinian frigate succeeded however to stop the hostilities. Sivori came from Genoa and was a former French officer. The next day the Neapolitan frigate Vesuvius arrived at Tripoli and the Dey afraid for again problems accepted the annual compensation of 12.000 piasters instead of the 100.00 piasters he demanded.

The French navy off Tripoli according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 10 August 1852

The official newspaper Moniteur dated 7 August reported that the French squadron still was off Tripoli. She left Toulon 20 July and arrived off Tripoli 27 July 11.00 o'clock ordered to destroy the city if the two prisoners were not handed over. The Pasha left in the mean time the city. While 29 July 07.00 o'clock still nothing happened left the French consul general the city en went on board of the French admiral's ship being followed by Christians from different countries. The merchant ships were lying anchored in the harbour departed for open sea out of gun shot distance. Just when the squadron intended to shoot received the French admiral 09.00 o'clock the tiding that both deserters were to be handed over. Around 16.00 o'clock they came on board and the next morning left the squadron in the morning Tripoli.

The Greek and the Tripoltan and Turkish navies in the Levant according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 26 October 1824

Napoli di Romania, 14 (=26 August). The Greek vice admiral Georgio Soctouri wrote 6 (=17 August) off Samos his report to the Greek government. The details of this report were all ready published in the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 15 October referring to this report but there are some minor differences. The losses on Turkish side between Cape Sint Murcia and Kolona were a frigate and a corvette of Tripoli of the 1st class and a brig of Tunis and some transports. The Turkish force attacked 09.30 o’clock with 72 large and small ships. Demetrius Rofalias who attacked the Tripolitan corvette was accompanied by G. Battiquiottos.

The navy of Tripoli according to the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 23 December 1829

Privateers of Tripoli captured in the tears 1818-1821 25 large Sicilian ships, 17 large Swedish ships, 1 Sardinian ship and 1 American ship the latter fitted out on account of Marseille. The total value of their cargoes was more as 160,000 piasters. The number of privateers belonging to the Pasha was in the past 16 armed ships including 1 frigate, 4 brigs and 4 polacres with a total armament of 171 guns. Since then was the navy completely reorganized and purchased the pasha a large number of gunboats which were perfect for the shallow waters near the coast line to act against large ships of the enemy.

Notes dealing with the Sardinian Navy

The Quarterly Journal of Education, vol 1-2. Published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful knowledge, 1831, p. 320: “Sardinian navy 1 ship of the line, several frigates, corvettes and brigs had been fully able to attest the national independence and protect their trade against the African pirates as was proved by their attack on Tripoli not many years ago.”

Niles’ Weekly Register, vol 25. Published by Hezekiah Niles, William Ogden Niles, p. 9, 6 September 1823: “According to a letter from Marseille her navy has order to capture all Spanish pirates. Several vessels from the port of Genoa have already made prizes.”

The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful knowledge, vol 11-12, 1838, p. 119: “Genoa in the 18th century reduced to a few galleys; since the last peace spirit of commercial enterprise in her citizens has been greatly revived. The Sardinian navy is chiefly manned by Genoese”.(1)

Samuel Augustus Mitchell. An accompaniment to Mitchell’s map of the world: on Mercator’s projection etc. Philadelphia, 1837, p. 398: “Sardinian navy: 2 ships of 54 guns, 6 or 8 smaller vessels.”

Note
1. Genoa was added to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815.

Italian customs service and police vessels

Civitavecchia, Italy 22 January 2017

Galley squadron fitted out at Naples to cruise for privateers of the Barbary States according to the Dutch newspaper Amsterdamse courant dated 11 February 1758

An item dated Naples, Italy 14the January reported that the king of Naples ordered to launch the new galley for the admiral of the squadron which was to transport troops towards Sicily and than to cruise for privateers of the Barbary States. The squadron was now still lacking one galley.

Privateer of Tripoli captured by Portuguese warship according to the Dutch newspaper Koninglyke staats-courant dated 11 August 1806

An item dated Lisbon, Portugal 9th July reported that the privateer of Tripoli which had earlier captured the ship Mercurius captain Henn of Hamburg of the Portuguese coast was now captured by a Portuguese warship. The Portuguese government decided not to release the privateer and crew until this was done with the Mercurius including her rich cargo.

Dutch 7th charter Welvaren van het land 1747-1775

Of the admiralty Maze, built by Paulus van Zwijndrecht at naval yard at Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1747, broken up in 1775, dimensions 120 x 33 x 13 feet and an armament of 20-24 guns (1756 24-8pd, 16-1pd swivels). commanding officers 1759-1760 captain P. van Hoogwerff, as convoyer to Cape de la Hogue, 1760-1761 captain Andries de Bruijn, voyages to North Sea and Mediterranean, 1762-1763 captain J.J. van Hoeij, voyage to Mediterranean and Algeria, 1765-1766 captain G.C. de Prato, voyage to Cadiz, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal and cruiser for homeward bound E.I.C. fleet, 1769-1770 voyage to Tripoli. Letter dated 20 January 1749: fitting out excluding guns and anchors costs ƒ 60.305:04:00. Admiralty minutes dated 11 May 1756: armament 24 iron 8pdr and 16-1pdr swivels.

Navies of the Barbary States, Russia and Turkey in the Levant according to Dutch newspaper Opregte Groninger Courant dated 1 November 1771

Livorno, 11 October. Some Greek passengers which arrived with a vessel coming from Zante reported that the Russian fleet still bombarded the island Negroponte and that 23 Turkish ships coming from Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli were burned by the Russians in the harbour of Modron while the Russian lost during this attack a xebec and a British build frigate.

The Greek, Tripolitanean and the Turkish navies in the Levant according to the Nederlandsche Staatscourant dated 28 August 1821

Vienna, 16 Augustus. The newspaper le Spectator de l’Orient of Smyrna dated 14 July described the events at Aiway where a Greek fleet of 70 vessels 16 June anchored off Moskoniss and around 09.00 o’clock attacked. The Turkish finally set the town in to fire and were forced to leave the town which was plundered by Greek landing troops.

Brussels, 25 August. A private letter coming from the Istrian coasts dated 28 June described the battle in the Aegean Sea. The Greek and Turkish fleets collided 18 June off the island Tenedos. Two Turkish ships escaped to the Sea of Marmora while the Greek fleet captured another 5 warships and 20 transports. The squadron of Tripoli consisting of 1 corvette, 3 polakken, 1 brig and 1 chebecq succeeded in escaping and joining the Turkish fleet. The Greek fleet sighted these ships in the Bay of Thessalonica and sent the two Turkish frigates since 26 June manned with Greek sailors flying the Ottoman flag away from the Greek fleet. The Tripolitanean squadron let both frigates approached assuming that they were allies when suddenly they were attacked by the frigates and captured.

According to another tiding was a large convoy of transports destined towards Constantinople and mainly loaded with grain and victuals and valuable merchandise of Egypt and Syria after passing the Caspian Sea almost complete captured by the Greek fleet.