receive in event of his success. It can hardly be doubted that he had the
situation securely in hand before making the bargain. The money paid in
Algiers for the ransom of the captives, for tribute and for presents to
officials amounted to $642,500.00. But in addition the United States
agreed to build a frigate for the Algerine navy and also supply naval
stores, which with incidental expenses brought the total cost of the peace
treaty up to $992,463.25. Moreover, the United States agreed to pay an
annual tribute of 12,000 sequins,--about $27,500.

By the terms of the navy act, the United States had to stop building
vessels for its own protection. Of those which had been authorized, the
frigates _Constitution, United States_, and _Constellation_ were under way
and were eventually completed. The timber, with material that had been
collected for the other vessels, was sold, except what was needed for the
frigate which was to be presented to the Algerines, and which was to be
built at Portsmouth, N.H. The whole affair was a melancholy business that
must have occasioned Washington deep chagrin. In his address to Congress,
December 7, 1796, announcing the success of the negotiations for effecting
the release of the captives, he observed that "to secure respect to a
neutral flag requires a naval force, organized and ready to vindicate it
from insult or aggression."



CHAPTER VI


FRENCH DESIGNS ON AMERICA

A few months before France declared war upon England, February 1, 1793,