This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE

This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Well the English hostages have been released and an other very tense middle east situation has eased.

Hostage taking has been a way of life not only for Iran but much of the Middle East countries going back as far as the 1500s.

Of course we well remember Iran taking many of our people hostage in the late 1980s and holding them for 444 days. It wasn’t till Ronald Reagan became President that they released them.

But there was another hostage situation under John F. Kennedy. After the ill fated Bay of Pigs in Cuba the United States paid Cuba $53 million dollars to release 1,113 persons who had been captured after the U.S. failed to support a mission in Cuba. They had been held 20 months before being released.

When the Dey of Algiers took over that country in 1516….hostage taking became a way of life for places like Tripoli, Algiers and Tunis. Even Great Britain, although Queen of the seas, paid these three $280,000 a year in tribute.

It was 1785 when these pirates captured two American ships and demanded $60,000 ransom. Years went by and some of those captured were sold into slavery. In 1793 they captured ten more American ships and boasted they were holding 115 Americans. Two years later Congress agreed to pay Algiers $992,000 for these prisoners. In 1802 alone the United States was paying tribute of about $2 million each year.

When Thomas Jefferson became President an American fleet was sent to the Mediterranean. It blockaded Tripoli and both Algiers and Tunis were glad to renew their treaties.

When the war of 1812 broke out with Britain, the Brits encouraged these pirates to take American shipping. One Brig and its crew of nine were captured and sold into slavery. When the war ended, two squadrons were prepared for action. Captain Stephen Decatur took charge of the New York Squadron which sailed May 20, 1815. The fleet was 10 ships mounting 210 guns. The Algerian fleet they faced had 12 ships with 360 guns.

Rais Hammida captained the Algerian fleet. Decaturs ships hunted down Hammida about 30 hours out of Algiers. It was the Guerriere that closed on the Algerian flagship and fired a broadside that heavily damaged the ship and part of the shot cut Admiral Hammida in half. After several other clashes the ship surrendered. On June 28th Decatur’s squadron arrived off Algiers. The Port captain refused and when confronted with an officer from the Hammida flagship, he asked what terms. Decatur handed him a note from President Madison which set forth terms as being absolute relinquishment of all claims to tribute in the future and a guarantee that American commerce would not be molested in the future. Decatur also demanded that all Americans be given up and all their lost effects made good in money and a promise that all Christians escaping to American vessels would not be returned.

Decatur was not yet finished. July 26 he dropped anchor before Tunis and told the dey he had 12 hours to pay $46,000 for allowing the British to seize the American ship Abellino three years before. The Dey became haughty but the U. S. Consul pointed to three of Decaturs ships...and noted they were formerly a part of the British fleet. The Dey paid the money.

Next came Tripoli. Decatur demanded $30,000. The Dey prepared his army of 20,000 but when reminded of the devastation rained on the port back in 1805 he gave up. Decatur accepted $25,000 and got the release of 10 Christians being held captive.

In less than two months this small American squadron had disposed of the Barbary pirates and honorably closed an infamous chapter in American history when national pride was humbled by a band of pirates.

That was the end of piracy in those days….but as we know nations like Iran have taken a page from history and America might have to respond to such tactics in the same way at some time in the future.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Text Box:
This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Well the English hostages have been released and an other very tense middle east situation has eased.
             Hostage taking has been a way of life not only for Iran but much of the Middle East countries going back as far as the 1500s.
             Of course we well remember Iran taking many of our people hostage in the late 1980s and holding them for 444 days. It wasn’t till Ronald Reagan became President that they released them.
             But there was another hostage situation under John F. Kennedy. After the ill fated Bay of Pigs in Cuba the United States paid Cuba $53 million dollars to release 1,113 persons who had been captured after the U.S. failed to support a mission in Cuba. They had been held 20 months before being released.
When the Dey of Algiers took over that country in 1516….hostage taking became a way of life for places like Tripoli, Algiers and Tunis. Even Great Britain, although Queen of the seas, paid these three $280,000 a year in tribute.
It was 1785 when these pirates captured two American ships and demanded $60,000 ransom. Years went by and some of those captured were sold into slavery. In 1793 they captured ten more American ships and boasted they were holding 115 Americans. Two years later Congress agreed to pay Algiers $992,000 for these prisoners. In 1802 alone the United States was paying tribute of about $2 million each year.
When Thomas Jefferson became President an American fleet was sent to the Mediterranean. It blockaded Tripoli and both Algiers and Tunis were glad to renew their treaties.
When the war of 1812 broke out with Britain, the Brits encouraged these pirates to take American shipping. One Brig and its crew of nine were captured and sold into slavery. When the war ended, two squadrons were prepared for action. Captain Stephen Decatur took charge of the New York Squadron which sailed May 20, 1815.   The fleet was 10 ships mounting 210 guns. The Algerian fleet they faced had 12 ships with 360 guns.
             Rais Hammida captained the Algerian fleet.   Decaturs ships hunted down Hammida about 30 hours out of Algiers. It was the Guerriere that closed on the Algerian flagship and fired a broadside that heavily damaged the ship and part of the shot cut Admiral Hammida in half. After several other clashes the ship surrendered.    On June 28th Decatur’s squadron arrived off Algiers. The Port captain refused and when confronted with an officer from the Hammida flagship, he asked what terms. Decatur handed him a note from President Madison which set forth terms as being absolute relinquishment of all claims to tribute in the future and a guarantee that American commerce would not be molested in the future. Decatur also demanded that all Americans be given up and all their lost effects made good in money and a promise that all Christians escaping to American vessels would not be returned.
Decatur was not yet finished. July 26 he dropped anchor before Tunis and told the dey he had 12 hours to pay $46,000 for allowing the British to seize the American ship Abellino three years before. The Dey became haughty but the U. S. Consul pointed to three of Decaturs ships...and noted they were formerly a part of the British fleet. The Dey paid the money.
Next came Tripoli. Decatur demanded $30,000. The Dey prepared his army of 20,000 but when reminded of the devastation rained on the port back in 1805 he gave up. Decatur accepted $25,000 and got the release of 10 Christians being held captive.
In less than two months this small American squadron had disposed of the Barbary pirates and honorably closed an infamous chapter in American history when national pride was humbled by a band of pirates.
That was the end of piracy in those days….but as we know nations like Iran have taken a page from history and America might have to respond to such tactics in the same way at some time in the future.
This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.