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LIBYA: ° Benghazi ° Marsa El Braga ° Ras Lanuf ° Tripoli
Behghazi
The Port of Benghazi, called Euesperides (or Hesperides) at that time, was founded by the ancient Greeks of Cyrenaica in the 6th Century BC. The Greeks passed it to Ptolemy III, Egyptian pharaoh, naming it Berenice to honor the pharaoh’s wife. The city’s modern name honors a benefactor named Ghazi (Bani Ghazi means Ghaziâ’s descendants). After the 3rd Century AD, it surpassed Barce and Cyrene as the region's main center. Later, it began to decline, and it was a small town until the Italians occupied the Port of Benghazi from 1912 to 1942. During the era of Kingdoms in Libya, the Port of Benghazi was more or less a joint capital with the Port of Tripoli, and it continues to house many organizations and institutions normally associated with a country's capital city. This favored status has led to a strong rivalry between the cities and the regions in which they are located (Cyrenaica and Tripolitania).
Tripoli
June 12, 1898, San Antonio Daily Express
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.
Our War Against the Pirates
The Mediterranean sea less than 100 years ago was infested with pirates, who took into captivity the ships and crews of such nations as had not in some way made peace with or paid tribute to the Barbary powers. Several American vessels suffered at the hands of these buccaneers, and at one time in a single cruise ten of our vessels were captured, and in November, 1793, the number of American prisoners at Algiers was 115.
To the dey of Algiers the United States, like other powers, paid enormous tribute, and to fulfill one treaty it cost nearly $1,000,000. In 1798, having fallen behind In our payments of tribute, we sent four armed vessels to the dey for arrearages, and our consul, in presenting these gifts, was forced to kiss the hand of the piratical potentate.
The cost of buying freedom for our ships from the Barbary powers had amounted In 1801 to more than $2,000, 000. The United States finally made up its mind that this was a condition which no longer could be endured. On the 14th of May, 1801, after repeated insults and demands, the pasha of Tripoli cut down the flagstal of the American consulate in Tripoli and notified the consul that he declared war.
Under Commodore Dale the Enterprise left Hampton Roads and arrived at Gibraltar at the beginning of July 1801. It appeared oft Tripoli and Tunis before the pirates of the Mediterranean had any thought of such a visitor and met the Tripolltan corsair, the Tripoli, and left it after an engagement of three hours a complete wreck, having killed or wounded 20 of the men and escaping with every man of its own crew unharmed. This was the real beginning of the war with Tripoli. President Jefferson was disinclined to engage further in hostilities without an act of congress notwithstanding Tripoli had declared war. Although something was done against the piratical powers In 1801 and 1802, nothing in the way of actual, elaborate war was again on until 1804, congress having passed an act two years before which was virtually a declaration of war.
In 1803, Commodore Preble left for the Mediterranean with a new squadron of two frigates, two brigs and three schooners. By an accident one of his best ships fell into, the enemy's hands, but he afterward found opportunity to destroy this vessel and deprive the enemy of its use.
On the 25th of July, 1804, after much wandering up and down the waters of the Mediterranean, Commodore Preble's entire squadron took its station before Tripoli, and with the bombardment of the capital on the 3d of August began a series of engagements that developed an energy and a heroism in the American navy which were the admiration of the world. It was here that the famous Constitution did such effective work. Before the end of the year the Tripolitans were glad to make terms with this country, and the treaty then established ended forever piratical assaults on American commerce by the Barbary powers.
