PAUL JONES, PATRIOT AND PIRATE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8938, 3 July 1905, Page 4

PAUL JONES, PATRIOT AND PIRATE.

CAREER OF A GREAT TERROR OF THE SEA. General Porter, United States Ambassador, after a search of six years, has just discovered the remains of Admiral Paul Jones, the father of the American Navy, in the old St. Louis Cemetery, in the section reserved for foreign Protestants. The body was well preseved, having been immersed in alcohol, then packed round with hay and straw. The persons present at the disinterment were struck by the resemblance of the head to the busts of the Admiral and to his portrait as shown on existing models. All precautions will be taken to preserve the remains in their present state. The body will be placed in a coffin in the vault of the American Church until the Ambassador has made the necessary arrangements ' with his Government for its transfer across the Atlantic and for a suitable restingplace for it. The discovery of the remains of the American maval hero has aroused considerable public interest in the career of one whose name to the British nation and to Scotsmen more especially, has hitherto only been suggestive of the daring pirate ana the lawless adventurer.

DESCENT AND EARLY TRAINING.

His father, John Paul, was gardener to Mr Craik, of Arbigland, in the Parish of Kirkbean, Kirkcudbrightshire — never at St. Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbrightshire, the seat of the Earl of Selkirk, as has been stated — and was buried there. The prospective naval commander was born at Kirkbean and from hie boyhood manifested a strong predilection for the sea.. His parents accordingly bound him at the ago of 12 as an apprentice with Mr Younger, of White haven, who was engaged in tho American trade. Jones' first voyage was to ' America, in the ship Friendship, of Whitahaven, and while still a boy ho became third mate of tho. King George, belongiig to-lhe samo port, and engaged in the 6lave trade. In 1766, when only 19 he was appointed mate of the brig Two Friends, a vessel engaged in the same horrible traffic ; but he soon became disgusted with the enormities of the 'trade and abandoned it. He took a passage home from America to Kirkcudbrightshire on tho ship John, belonging to the hitter port, and the master chief mate dying of fever Jones assumed the command and brought the vessel safely to Kirkcudbright. The owners of tlie ship, as a reward for his valuable ferviccs, gave him the- command of the ship, in which he made two successful voyages to the West Indies, and was later master of the West Indies ship Betsy of London. Ho remained amongst those islands until the death of his brother William, who had emigrated to Virginia, and he then went to the United States to arrange his brother's affairs. About this time tie assumed the name of John Paul Jones.

Called from hie retirement by the American Revolution, Paul Jones, now 28 years of age, vigorous, active, and ambitious, espoused the cause of the colonists, which appealed to him as the cause of JUSTICE, FREEDOM, AND HUMANITY,

}Ho accordingly entered the American Navy, and from this time owned no other country than the United States. In organising their infant navy, the Yankee Congress appointed Jones to the list of First Lieutenants, his commission being dated 7fch December, 1775. He was assigned to the Alfred, man-of-war, and with his own hand hoisted for the first time the Btarry flag of America-. On the 9th May, 1777, he was ordered by Congress to proceed to France in command of tjhe Ranger, frigate of 18 guns. During the voyago ho captured two brigs, with valuable cargoes of fruit and wine, and in April of the following year he sailed from Brest on that cruise which afterwards became so celebrated from its reckless daring. On tho 14th April, 1778, he captured a. brigan--tine bound for Ostend, between Scilly and Cape Clear; on the 17th the ship Lord Chatham, from London to Dublin with a cargo of porter and merchandise, fell into his hands when almost within sight of her destination, and two days later lie sank a Scots coasting schooner off Hie Midi of Galloway. Sad weather caused him to abandon a project to destroy a bngantine and 12 merchant ships in Loch Ryan, but later be sank a Dublin sloop, and was only frustrated by a 6torm in an attack on the British 20-gun man-of-war Drake, lying off Carrickfergus. On the 22nd April an attack on Wnitehaven followed. Entering tlie harbor with 80 men in boats, the party spiked the guns in the fort, set fi*eto the shipping in the ha-rbor, 'and escaped with tlie; loss of only one man. After this attack tho Ranger sailed across tho Solway Firth and anchored at; tlie mouth of the Dee about five miles from tlie town of Kirkcudbright. With two lieutenants, Simpson, the son of a Dumfries innkeeper, and Wallingsford, an Irishman, and 15 men, Jones landed and proceeded to St. Mary's Isle, the seat of the Earl of Selkirk, for the purpose of capturing his lordship and holding him as a hostage Fortunately the Earl was in England, and Jones then proposed that tho party should immediately return to the ship. The men objected, and thereupon Jones ordered them to proceed to Lord Selkirk's mansion and demand - THE FAMILY SILVER PLATE.

He returned to the ship, leaving Simpson and Wallingsford to secure tho silver. Simpson enquired for the countess, and was shown into tho parlor. Wallingsford remained on guard at the outer door. The Countess had just breakfasted, and was somewhat dilatory in appearing, whereupon Simpson desired 0110 of the servants to inform her that he had business of particular importance to transact with her immediately, and desired instantly to see her. When the Countess appeared sho 6aid she supposed he was connected with some naval pressgang, and expressed regret that he intended to take away her men-ser-vants as she had but few of them, Siinpson informed her, however, that lie wished to see the Earl, but as he understood his LoiKkhip was in England, ho had been ordered by Captain Jqnes to demand the silver-plate. Lady Seilkirk replied that the request would be complied with, and, anxiously enquiring if anytliing was intended against herself, was assured that sho would receive >no personal injury. Then they proceeded to the pantry where the family silver was kept, but, fortunately, all the new and most valuable articles had been transferred to Edinburgh before tlie arrival of the Americans, and their 6poil consisted of only a. silver teapot, small and old-fashioned, the table spoons, and one or two other articles. Having taken charge of the plunder, the officers drunk to the success of the Countess in her own wine, while the saviors also received a supply of wine, which they cawied off with them, remarking that sailors seldom drank out of a glass. They threatened to set fire to Kirkcudbright, but desisted, and returned to their ship. This F

DARING ROBBERY

was committed in broad daylight, within a mile of the county town, and occupied not more than three-quarters of an hour. In 'the afternoon the intrepid Countess visited Kirkcudßright, but refused all offers to stay in the town during tlic night. The little burgh had been almost deserted by the frightened inhabitants, but when they heard that the enemy had robbed the house of their noble benefactor, they were seized with fury and resentment. The enemy had departed, however, which wa6 probably fortunate for the would-be revengers. But they showed their fidelity by camprtig out all night round St. MaTys Isle, and wasted their ammunition in firing at a dark object in the river, which they imagined was a pirate boat coming to attack them, but which ultimately turned out to be a stack. Next day, April 24th, Jones came again upon the British warship Drake, and in a fight lasting a little over an hour overcame lier. The Americans lost Lieutenant Wallingsford and two seamen, and 6ix were wounded, while the man-of-war lost 42 and hauled down her flag. After four weeks' absence from Brest, Jones returned thither, and is represented as having im■mediately written a letter to the Countess of Selkirk informing, her' that he would buy the stolen plate from hie men and return it to her. He also asked the Countess to use her persuasive art to her husband in order to got him to stop "this cruel and destructive war in. which Britain can never succeed." With reference to this communication, the fact is that as soon as Jones arrived at Brest with the stolen silver he received from Benjamin Franklin, then- at Paris jus the representative of the- American Goverounent, a severe repThnaind for piracy and a peremptory order

TO RETURN THE PLATE AT ONCE.

. Although this happened early in 1778, ie was foot until 1785, that the plate arrived at St. Mary's Isle ' and it was then returned exactly as it had been carried off, the tea-leaves even being still in the' teapot. On- the '4th August, 1786,' the Earl of Selkirk acknowledged— receipt of tho articles ia a letter id which he bore testimony to the good conduct and civil behaviour of the Ranger's crew; which his Lordship attributed to Jones' orders and the good discipline <he^ maintained.' ;

Janes' next, and perhaps' his most serious, naval engagement took place on> 23rd, September, ,l77,9, off the coast of Yorkshire. With three vessels under his command he had soiled from Brest and entered the Firth of Forth, with the .intention. o£ seizing or destroying' the shipping in Leith Harbor. A severe' gale compelled him. to, abandon the enterpnseV' bat having heard that, tho British merchant fleet .from the Baltic, escorted by H.M.B. Serapis and CJountess of Scarborough, would probably Bo passiitg Elaniboroagh Head in -a few days, Jones sailed thither on ooard the Bon Homme Ricbatrd, and intercepted the fleet. / The' two' British men-of-war ordered the merchant vessels to shelter' under the guns of Scarborough Castle, and waited t|*e approach of the American squadron. Forborne inexcusable cause, two<of Jones's ships failed to go into action at the.sfl,me' time as his vessel, and for seven] lioura ' . 1.. „„•,,.• , , ,

Jones maintained a single-handed contest against the two English frigates. He lashed the Serapis to his own vessel, and boarded, and at last the frigate surrendered. The Bon Htwnine Richard had receivrd so much damage that she could not keep afloat, and the crew went on board the Serapis, of which Joaes took command. His old ship immediately sank, with a large sum of money and many valuable papcrts. Paul Jones afterwards returned to France, where he ■ received many honors. At the opera and in ail places whore hn appeared in public' ho was hailed as a hero, and Louis XVI. pTesented/him with a gold-hilted sword in recognition of tho services "of the brave maintameT of the ■privileges of the sea." The remainder of his career is uncertain, but it is 6aid that he aUerwards rose to the rank of RearAdmiral m.the Russian.' service. He died in France on 18th July, 1792, and tho National Assembly went into mourning for him, and sent a deputation, to attend bis interment in the old cemetery, whence his remains are to be carried to the United ' States with all the naval honors to which his memory is entitled. President Roosevelt, the members of the Cabinet, and many prominent . naval and military officers will attend the reinterment at Arlington, in the southern part of the cemetery, - near the graves of the sailors who were killed through the destruction, of the, battleship Maine in Havana Harbor. '