Conference in Algiers

This rare aquatint depicts an often forgotten milestone on the long road towards the abolition of slavery. The peace conference formed the conclusion of the bombardment of Algiers by the combined British and Dutch fleets under the command of Admiral Lord Exmouth, which took place on August 27th, 1816. The presentation of this copy omits the engravers and publisher's details, as is the case with another example traced in the collection of Brown University. Fortunately, an example held by the National Army Museum names the well-known publisher of naval and military history of this time, James Jenkins. It also identifies the artist, but only by the initials "G.F.L." However, within the substantial fleet was a young naval officer, who was to go on to become a great explorer, author and illustrator, George Francis Lyons (1795-1832). After the events at Algiers, he went on to study Arabic, and would travel in native costume. In 1818 he was sent on a woefully under-organised mission to find the source of the Niger, an account of which he illustrated and published in 1821, as A Narrative of Travels in North Africa.

A summary account of the events that culminated in this scene can be found in a record of the 1,362 medals awarded to British seamen who took part in the operation as follows: "The action was brought about by the piratical depredations of the Algerines, and the enslavement of Christians by them. Lord Exmouth sailed for the port with 5 ships of the line and 8 smaller vessels, being joined at Gibraltar by 6 Dutch frigates under Admiral Van de Capellen. They appeared before Algiers on August 26th, and proposed certain terms to the Dey, which were not accepted, so next day they commenced to bombard the city. The Algerine fleet was destroyed, and the Dey accepted the terms he had refused. Over 1,200 Christian slaves were freed, and a promise given that piracy and slavery should cease. For a time the promise was kept, but in 1830 the French had to take strong steps to deal with the Algerines, and in the end Algeria became a French colony".

We can identify most of the characters depicted in this image from an account by one of the participants in the conference, the interpreter for the British, Abraham Salamé. A Narrative of the Expedition to Algiers in the year 1816 was published in 1819, and includes an engraving of this same event. This identifies not only Captain Sir James Brisbane, described as Lord Exmouth's representative for the first three days, the Dey of Algiers, Omar Pashaw, and Salamé himself, but also Rear Admiral Sir Charles Penrose, Lord Exmouth's representative for the last three days, and the Algerian (Algerine) Admiral', along with the Captain of the Port.

Original hand-coloured aquatint with stipple-engraving on thin card, 13 x 17.5 cm. (5 1/8 x 6 7/8 in), titled below within a brown-washed aquatint border, each corner ornamented with a star and crescent, these and the text all coloured in yellow, a red crucifix in the centre of the upper margin, the whole surface heightened with gum-arabic.