The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-10-31

salute was fired. and JONES, for the frat time
with his own hands, hoisted the national flag
on board "A national vessel. Mr.. CHASE doubts
this fact, and asks what authority there is for
1t. None, but that of PAUL JONES himself
1t depends entirely upon his veraci,y. lie
makes the statement in his journal prepared
for. and presented to. Lor,s XVI. Itmay not
be true but he says so, at any rate
The narrative next skips over the cruise in
the Ranger, and brings us to the Bon .IIomme
Richard. Every thing it tells us, nearly, con-
nected with this vessel is entirely at variance
with history. 1t begins by saying that The
vessel was sixty four cut-down. 1t was an
India ship originally called the Dnras, pierced
for forty guns, so Commodore DALE says and
as he was her first lieutenant, he onght TO
know. The Commodore adds that her bull
warks We're very much thinner than those of
ships designed especially for war. The nara
tive says it was called the Goodman Richard
after common sailor-DIcK SoMEDopY-and
not after DR. FEASKLTN's famous almanac.
aud il tells us that "Poor Richard" does moi
mean in French "Bon -IIomme Richard" Yet
that is exactly the very title which the French
;ranslators Of the almanac gave it in their Ian
gnage. We have, again, PAUL JONES own
authority and that of NJ. DE SARTlNR, Minis
ter OF Marine to LOUIS XVI, also for saying
that such was the origin of the name This is
trfle however, to what comes after. The
Richard, according TO the narrative, makes
cruise goes into some port of Denmark with
certain prizes, comes out, sails around the
coast OF Scotland. and comes in sight of
castle owned by the Earl of Selkirk. JOINS
goes on shore, seize. on the castle has the
Earl brought before him, showers upon him
perfect hurricane of coarse abuse, and after
relieving him of his inexpressibles, has him
stretched across the knees of q sailor and
spanks him with great severity, exclaiming
that he will know, hereafter how TO whip poor
boys whom he has in his power, with cruelty
He ends by carrying OF and appropriating ali
his plate. After this comes the battle with the
Scraps. &c We never saw so many errors
with regard TO historical facts quite noto-
rious as the siege OF York or the battle OF
Waterloo. Fortunately, we have the testimo-
nv of JONES himself, in number OF letters,
to redeem him from the unlimited and iliimita-
bic disgrace OF such an abominable transaction.
While JONES was III command of the Ran
ger he landed al St. Mary's Island, near Kirk
cUdbreht. with the object of taking the
Earl of SeIkirk prisoner. In q long letter to
the Countess OF Seliirk. he explains his rea
sol. for wishing to make this capture, He
wished to get the Earl in his power, it seems,
in order that he might exchange him for some
American officer of rank, and that he might
induce the British troops and navy to behave
better in America, by convincing them that
their own coasts were not una-sailable. When
he had proceeded but short way from his
boat. he learned that the Earl was notat home,
and finding his object defeated, he ordered a re-
turn. On the way back, however his officers
murmured, and insisted on carrying off the
Earl's plate in revenge for the depredations
committed in America He was obliged to
comply, and received the plate from the hands
Of the Countess. In This letter, written i'm
mediately after on board the Ranger, he tells
her that the plate shall be tored, to the last
piece, and SO il was, after a delay of several
years. so faithfully, that the tea leaves were
stir in the urn that had been left there when
il was taken. He accomplished this restitu-
ton with great difficulty, fer the plate fell in
10 the hands of the prize agents, who would
receive not 4 farthins less than its original
cost The transaction absorbed ell the money
he had earned by the cruise of the Ranger. a
few days after it, he captured the Drake, a YES
sci of much superior strength 20 his own, off
The harbor of Carriclfergus, after desperate
battle. The narrative does not, We think, al |
lude to this exploit, though one Of the most
brilliant in naval history The cruise of The |
Ranger made JONES the terror of the seas and |
greatly advanced his object Of getting COM
mand Of q squadron to cruise from some |
French port, against British commerce in their
own seas. II took place, we believe, in the
year l57s.
1t was not until early in August. 1910, that |
The Richard left LoTient, in company with the
Alliance Pallas, CERT and probably >ome other
vessel. II did not 60 to Denmark, nor to the
Western coast of Scotland. nor was it at all
concerned with the affair of the Earl of Sell
kirk. It's first cruise was in the bay of Biscay.
II lasted but 4 few days, when the whole |
squadron returned TO port in consequence of
the mptinous disposition oflhe Richards crew.
many Of whom We're Engiishmen. JONES pun |
TO sea again about the middle of August, and
shortly after we find him with his whole force
il the Firth of Forth, laying the town of Lcith,
within n stones throw OF Edinburgh under
contribution. Sir WALTER ScoTT has drawn
4 lively picture Of the alarm which he created
ca this occasion. His object failed, however, |
and We next hear OF him cruising of Scarbor-
ough in quest of the Baltic fleet This feet he
deserted on the 23d of September, conveyed by |
he Scraps frigate and the Countess of Scar
borough, Z sloop-of-war 1t was then that
he celebrated fight took place off Marlborough
Head. The account of it given by Mr.. CHASE
iifers very materially from those of JONES
liraself, PEARSON and Commodore DALE
The statement that it was one of the safest
lights it was possible 10 engage in, does not
correspond with the returns of the killed and
Out of three hundred men, or there |
,bouts, the Richard, if our recollection is cor
ect, lost all but about so. The Scraps lost
.bout half her crew. If this was safe fighting,
ye are at n loss to know what would be consid-
red dangerous lighting.
We have thought it right to correct these er-
,ors, as the book in question is now before the
public No mans public life is better known
han that of paul. JONES, for he seems to have
thought that his exploits would fill a consid-
,rable space in history, and he took particular
pains to have them properly represented -
Ills letters, diaries, journals, memorials, &c,
ire innumerable, and minutely PARTICULAR
One of his niece.. Mrs. TAYLOR, about twenty |
years ago petitioncd Congress for her share of |
the prize money due her uncle, for the prizes
captured by the squadron and sent into Il
Danish port, where they were delivered up to
the British Minister. We know not whether
she ever got any thing
Now Books.
THE CORNER CUPBOARD; or Facts for EreyY-
body. BY the author of enquire Within
&c. New York: DICK Il FITZGERALD. This
book is gotten mp very handsomely is illustra-
ted witt over one thousand eng Cravings and con-