s dominions. A blockade was
instantly commenced by the French, and maintained for nearly three
years, until it was found that they suffered much more by it than the
Dey, the expense having reached nearly 800,000_l_ sterling, while he
appeared no way inconvenienced by their efforts, and even treated them
with such contempt as to order his forts to fire on the vessel of
Admiral Le da Bretonniere, who, in 1829, had gone there under a flag of
truce to make a final proposal of terms of accommodation. So signal a
violation of the laws of nations could not be overlooked, even by the
imbecile administrations of Charles X. All France was in an uproar; the
national flag had been dishonored, and her ambassador insulted; the cry
for war became loud and universal; conferences on the subject were held;
the oldest and most experienced mariners were invited by the minister at
war to assist in his deliberations; and an expedition was finally
determined on in the month of February, 1830, to consist of about
thirty-seven thousand men, a number which it was calculated would not
only be sufficient to overcome all opposition which might be
encountered, but to enable the French to reduce the kingdom to a
province, and retain it in subjection for any length of time that might
be considered advisable. No sooner was this decision promulgated, than
all the necessary preparations were commenced with the utmost diligence.
It was now February, and the expedition was to embark by the end of
April, so that no time could be lost. The arsenals, the naval and
military workships, were all in full employment. Field and breaching
batteries were mounted on a new principle lately adopted; gabions,
earth-bags, _chevaux-de-frise,_ and projectiles were made in the
greatest abundance maps, notes, and all the information that could be
procured respecting Barbary were transmitted to the war office, where
their contents were compared and digested, and a plan of operations was
drawn out. The commissariat were busied in collecting provisions,
waggons, and fitting out an efficient hospital train; a
deputy-commissary was despatched to reconnoitre the coasts of Spain and
the Balearic Islands, to ascertain what resources could be drawn from
them, and negociate with the king for leave to establish military
hospitals at Port Mahon. Eighteen regiments of the line, three squadrons
of cavalry, and different corps of artillery and engineers were ordered
to hold themselves in rea