Queen Charlotte, one hundred
and twenty guns; the Impregnable, rear admiral, Sir David Milne; ninety
guns; Minden, Superb, Albion, each seventy-four guns; the Leander fifty
guns, with four more frigates and brigs, bombs, fire-ships, and several
smaller vessels, well supplied, in addition to the ordinary means of
warfare, with Congreve rockets, and Shrapnell shells, the destructive
powers of which have lately been abundantly proved on the continent.
August 9, the fleet anchored at Gibraltar, and was there joined by the
Dutch admiral, Van Cappillen, commanding five frigates and a corvette,
who had been already at Algiers, endeavoring to deliver slaves: but
being refused, and finding his force insufficient, had determined on
joining himself with the English squadron, which it was understood was
under weigh. Meanwhile, the Prometheus, Captain Dashwood, had been sent
forward to Algiers to bring off the British consul and family; but could
only succeed in getting his wife and daughter, who were obliged to make
their escape, disguised in midshipmen's uniform; for the Dey, having
heard through some French papers of the British expedition, had seized
the consul, Mr. Macdonnell, and put him in chains; and, hearing of the
escape of his wife, immediately ordered the detention of two boats of
the Prometheus, which happened to be on shore, and made slaves of the
crews, amounting to eighteen men. This new outrage was reported to Lord
Exmouth soon after leaving Gibraltar, and of course added not a little
to his eagerness to reach Algiers. He arrived off Algiers on the morning
of the 27th of August, and sent in his interpreter, Mr. Salame, with
Lieutenant Burgess, under a flag of truce, bearing a letter for the Dey,
demanding reparation.

Meantime, a light breeze sprung up, and the fleet advanced into the bay,
and lay to, at about a mile off Algiers "It was now," says Mr. Salame,
in his entertaining narrative, "half-past two, and no answer coming out,
notwithstanding we had staid half an hour longer than our instructions,
and the fleet being almost opposite the town, with a fine breeze, we
thought proper, after having done our duty, to lose no more time, but to
go on board, and inform his lordship of what had happened.

"Mr. Burgess, the flag-lieutenant, having agreed with me, we hoisted the
signal, _that no answer had been given_, and began to row away towards
the Queen Charlotte. After I had given our report to the admiral, of our
m