166

HISTORY OF MALTA.

spectators of tlie capture of these vessels, and the cruelty ex-ercised on their miserable crews: whilst Malta, on the contrary,no sooner receives intelligence of the appearance of a corsair,than vessels are instantly dispatched in pursuit; and if theycome up with her they seize on all the prizes she has taken,and give libert} r to the slaves. The American, Russian, Swed-ish, and Prussian merchantmen, are equally assured of theprotection of the order. This, indeed, is granted them as amatter of right: but it has not even been refused to its mostcruel persecutors; whose merchantmen have been retaken bythe knights, and restored to their owners, and the crews re-leased from slavery.

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Those who are acquainted with the different powers ofBarbary, the nature of their government, and their means ofdefence, must necessarily smile at the various plans formed todestroy them. Few places in Europe, at this present time, areso well fortified towards the sea as Algiers: the sovereign canat any time raise fifty thousand men, six or seven thousand ofwhom are excellent soldiers, and the rest would immediatelymarch, and greatly annoy any troops who should attempt toland on his territories. All the neighbouring states would like-wise unite to make war against any Christians who should ven-ture to attack him in his own dominions ; and, sooner or later,an European army laying siege to the capital must inevitablyperish at the foot of the ramparts. Nay, even were it possible tosucceed, a conquest of such a nature could never be preserved