The Penn's Grove record., 1884-01-26

the history of the navy of the Ameri-
can Revolution Is that which tells the
story Of the four-weeks' cruise of John
Paul Jones with the frigate Ranger, in
the Irish channel, IN the spring of l778.
The Ranger was an 1S-gun sloop, crank,
slow, and Of such poor repute that she
was not thought good enough for so able
a commander, while her subordinate
officers seem to have been an Indifferent
lot. She had a gallant Yankee crew,
however, and was so brilliantly handled
by her dashing captain that for nearly
a month she alone spread CONSERVATION
along the English, Scottish and Irish
coasts. Jones's success was owing in
a great degree to his audacity. He
ventured into the l~and-locked waters
Of his enemy, fought, as Cooper says,
with a halter around his neck, hesitated
at no enterprise however rash, and
never shirked al engagement. He
captured the Drake sloop Of war, after
Il short fight on equal terms, and hav-
ing made other prizes, and done a
variety of mischief at Whitehayen and
elsewhere he sailed safely away by the
North chaanel. 1t is said that the
Ranger was the first man-of-war to
show the stars and stripes, the present
national ensign having been adopted by
Congress ON the very day that Jones
was ordered to the frigate.
Perhaps there is no exploit of this
famous cruise which has been more
widely celebrated than the descent
upon the country-seat of the earl of
Selkirk, at st Mary's Isle, on the
Scotch side of Solway firth. This was
near Jones's birthplace, his father, John
Paul, having been gardener on the
neighboring estate of Mr.. Craik, of Arbi-
gland. The object of the expedition
was to seize Lord Selkirk, it being
supposed that a prisoner of his rank
might be useful in affecting the treat
ment of American prisoners in the
hands of the British. Jones went
ashore with a single boats crew, but
learning that the earl was absent he
was about to retire when his men
remonstra ed. After some discussion
he allowed them to go to the house and
ask for plate. Two junior officers were
with them Lady Selkirk received the
officers (the men remaining outside). and
surrendered about e100 worth of plate
upon which the party withdrew without
doing any further harm. y few days
later Jones wrote the following letter
to Lady Selkirk:-
JOHN PAUL JONES TO THE COUNTESS
OF SELKIRK.
GRANGER" Brest, Sth May, ITS.
Madam: 1t cannot be too much
lamented that, in the profession of
arms, the officer of fine feeling and of
real sensibi!ity should be under the
necessity of winking at any action of
persons under his command which his
heart cannot approve; but the relection
is doubly severe when he finds himself
obliged, in appearance, to countenanee
such actions by his authority.
This hard case was mine, when. on
the 23d of April last, | landed on st
Mary's Isle. Knowing Lord Selkirk's
interest with his king, and esteeming
as do his private character, | wished
to make him the happy instrument of
alternating the horrors of hopeless
captivity, when the brave are over
powered and made prisoners of war.
1t was perhaps fortunate for you,
madam, that he was from home, for it
was my intention to have taken him on
board of the Ranger, and to have
detained him until, through his means,
a general and fair exchange of prison
ers, as well in Europe as in America,
had been effected.
When | was informed by some men
whom 1 met at landing that his lord
ship was absent, l walked back to my
boat, determined to leave the island.
BY the way, however, some officers
who were with me could not forbear
expressing their discomfort; observing
that in America no delicacy was shown
by the English, who took away all
sorts of movable property, setting fire
not only to towns and to the houses of
the rich without distinction, but not
even sparing the wretched hamlets and
mich COWS of the poor and helpless, at
the approach of an Indictment winter.
That party had been with me the same
morning at Whitehayen; some COM
plaisance therefore was their due. /
had but a moment tOthink how | might
crafty them and at the same time do
your ladyship the least injury. ]
charged the two officers TO permit none
of the seamen to enter the house, or to
hurt anything about it; to treat you,
madam, with the utmost respect; to
accept of the plate which was offered
and to come away without making a
search or demanding anything else. |
am induced to believe that | was punct-
ually obeyed, since | am informed that
the PLATE which they brought away is
far short of the quantity expressed in
the inventory which accompanied it. l
have gratifed my men; and when the
plate is sold | shall become the
purchaser, and viii crafty my own
feelings by restoring it to you by such
conveyance as you please to direct.
Had the earl been on board the
Ranger the following evening he would
have e the awful pomp and dreadful
carnage of a sea engagement; both
affording ample subject for the pencil,
as well as melancholy reflection to the
contemplative mind. Humanity starts
back from such scenes of horror, ard
cannot Sufficiently execrate the vile
promoters of this detestable war
''For they, twas they unsheathed the ruthless
blade,
And heaven shall ask the havoc it has made"
The British ship-of-war Drake, mount
ed 20 guns, with more than her full
complement of officers and men. go.
The ships met, and the advantage vas
disputed with great fortitude on each
side for an hour and four minutes,
when the gallant commander of the
Drake fell and victory declared in favor
of the Ranger. The amiable lieutenant
lay mOrtally wounded, besides nearly,
40 of the inferior officers and crew,
killed and wounded. A melancholy
demonstration nf This uncertainty of