We should add, that Hamet, to satisfy himself of the truth of Eaton’s representations, sent one of his followers to Barron, who confirmed the treaty; and that the Commodore, when he received Eaton’s despatch, announcing his departure from Aboukir, wrote back a warm approval of his energy, and notified him that the Argus and the Nautilus would be sent immediately to Bomba with the necessary stores and seven thousand dollars in money.  Barron added,—­“You may depend upon the most active and vigorous support from the squadron, as soon as the season and our arrangements will permit us to appear in force before the enemy’s walls.”

So much for Eaton’s authority to pledge the faith of the United States.  As to the question of expense:  the whole cost of the expedition, up to the evacuation of Derne, was thirty-nine thousand dollars.  Eaton asserted, and we see no reason to doubt his accuracy, that thirty thousand more would have carried the American flag triumphantly into Tripoli.  Lear paid sixty thousand for peace.

Hamet was set on shore at Syracuse with thirty followers.  Two hundred dollars a month were allowed him for the support of himself and of them, until particular directions should be received from the United States concerning him.  He wrote more than once to the President for relief, resting his claims upon Eaton’s convention and the letter of the Secretary of State read to him by Consul Cathcart in 1802.  In this letter, the Secretary declared, that, in case of the failure of the combined attack upon Derne, it would be proper for our Government “to restore him to the situation from, which he was drawn, or to make some other convenient arrangement that may be more eligible to him.”  Hamet asked that at least the President would restore to him his wife and family, according to the treaty, and send them all back to Egypt.  “I cannot suppose,” he wrote, “that the engagements of an American agent would be disputed by his Government, ... or that a gentleman has pledged towards me the honor of his country on purpose to deceive me.”

Eaton presented these petitions to the President and to the public, and insisted so warmly upon the harsh treatment his ally had received from the United States, that two thousand four hundred dollars were sent to him in 1806, and again, in 1807, Davis, Consul for Tripoli, was directed to insist upon the release of the wife and children.  They were delivered up by Jusuf in 1807, and taken to Syracuse in an American sloop-of-war.  Here ended the relations of the United States with Hamet Caramanli.[5]

Throughout this whole African chapter, the darling economy of the Administration was a penny-wise policy which resulted in the usual failure.  Already in 1802, Mr. Gallatin reported that two millions and a half, in round numbers, had been paid in tribute and presents.  The expense of fitting out the four squadrons is estimated by Mr. Sabine at three millions and a half.  The tribute extorted after 1802 and the cost of keeping the ships in the Mediterranean amount at the lowest estimate to two millions more.  Most of this large sum might have been saved by giving an adequate force and full powers to Commodore Dale, who had served under Paul Jones, and knew how to manage such matters.