Thomas - Pirate killers: the Royal Navy and the african pirates

Introduction: Danger in the Mediterranean

He looked out across the sea, the sun blazing and reflecting off the water. There was a ship, apparently with very little sail, off his bow some distance away. Antonio Alloy, Commander of the Juan Felicca Mary , paced the deck. His cargo of bale goods and tobacco cleared for Algiers would be lucrative pickings for pirates. He knew there were pirates in this area. Hed heard of the atrocities of the Barbary pirates and wondered now what this unknown ship was up to.

Only two days out from Gibraltar he was near Malaga and only thirty-five miles from shore when this ship had been sighted. He was worried. The unknown vessel looked familiar. He stared through the telescope again and realized that he was looking at a Spanish Guarda Costa and as he went past he saw the Costa raise its sails, turn and give chase. Immediately, Alloy ordered as much sail as possible.

It was 10 October 1834. The wind was blowing them towards the Barbary Coast which was a haven for pirates but he had no choice if he was to get away from the ship chasing them. Hour after hour went by as Commander Alloy did everything he could to keep a distance between the Mary and the Guarda Costa. For thirty-four hours he evaded the pursuing vessel then his heart sank as not more than a mile from the Barbary Coast the wind died and the Mary was becalmed, in sight of the Costa vessel behind him and in sight of the coast. Ordering the Mary s launch to tow the ship away from the coast he watched his men lower the boat into the sea with ropes and tackle. They rowed hard and Commander Alloy saw the slack tighten. Slowly the Mary began to move forward as the men in the launch rowed their hearts out. He heard distant cries from the shore and then saw three Moorish pirate row boats, each apparently containing from forty to forty-five men, rushing from the shore and making towards them. The trap was set.

The Moors shouted and screamed fierce cries as they gained on the Mary . Commander Alloys men rowed for their lives but the three pirate boats gained quickly on the Mary . Shots rang out as they came within range. But luck was on the Mary s side the sails flapped as a breeze sprang up. Immediately, Commander Alloy ordered his crew to steer the Mary so the wind filled its sails and they rapidly pulled away from the pirates. To make their escape they had to cut loose their launch, sealing the fate of the men in it.

Commander Alloy was lucky. The wind kept him and most of his crew from being captured and enslaved for life by the pirates of the Barbary Coast.

This action is just one of many recorded incidents where pirates from the Barbary Coast attacked ships in the busy sea lanes of the Mediterranean. The pirates from this area had no qualms about attacking ships from all nations. They began in the sixteenth century and continued into the middle of the nineteenth century.

Throughout this time it was the navy that asserted Englands strength and influence in the area, punishing the pirates when British ships and subjects were attacked and captured. The navy used diplomacy as England tried to negotiate with the pirates to win back captured British sailors and when that failed it wrought destruction on the pirates. Operating from Gibraltar, the navy did its best to deal with the pirates operating along the Barbary Coast, engaging with them whenever it was necessary.