The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-07-23

destruction was
made up in their greater opportunity for
daring and exciting personal adventure.
Jean Bart, the Frenchman who organ
lied the first "guerrillas of the sea-"
and Paul Jones, the idol of the American
navy, were unique In their way and their
careers such as modern tars sigh for in
vain, and the ships Of their common enc
my, Great Britain, carried men equally
bold and versatile, equally renowned in
the annals Of their race. One Of these was
Admiral Sidney Smith. Smith figured in
the combats between England and the
/ young republic OF France. His highest
laurels were won Mt st. Jean d'Acre, where
he defeated Napoloen's plans Of conquest.
| Long before that the French held him
prisoner and would have done well had
| they never let him 90, but bolts and bars
were as letters of straw before his match
less ingenuity and daring. Strange and
thrilling in the highest degree were his
experiences in his capture, in imprison-
ment and In the escape
When the British evacuated Toulon in
1893, Smith was lieutenant Of marines.
BY most daring feat he accomplished the
destruction Of the French men-of-war in
the harbor, the powder vessels, arsenal
and storehouses 1t was done by the use
| VI nresulps anu tApioslNtS uHu WltuOub
the loss of man. As a reward he was
placed in command of the Diamond frg-
ate In the English channel During the
two years following he made his name a
terror on the French coast and well nigh
obliterated the French cruisers and priva-
teers from the channel. In one of his in
cursions however, he risked too much I'M
der the guns of shore batteries and was
compelled for the first and only time to
strike his flag. He chased piratical lug
ger, noted for her depredations upon Brit
fish commerce and for great speed as well,
into the port of Havre She anchored UNI
der n 10 gun battery, but nothing daunted
Smith manned his boats, and leading in
person cut her out A strong food tide
carried the English boats and their prize
up the Seine above Ilavre, and the Dia-
mond, lying outside, was becalmed and
unable to give assistance. The French i'm
mediately sent out mixed fleet to inter
cept the captured lugger and her foreign
crew She was surrounded, and the French
prepared to board her, at the same time
shouting, Noquarterv' Smith harangued
his men, and they fought until the enemy,
compelled to admire the hopeless valor of
the little band, offered honorable terms IL
they would strike colors Resistance being
useless and wanton waste Of noble lives,
Smith did so.
On learning of Smiths capture the Brit
ish proposed TO the French TO exchange
} him for some prisoner of equal rank, but
France had found that their prisoner was
worth more TO England than score of the
men Of equal rank then in British captiv-
ity would be to their country and declined
the exchange. Not only that, but Smith,
who had risen to the rank of admiral, was
incarcerated in the Temple at Paris, an
ancient fortress built by Knights Templars
and used for the most important political
prisoners--deposed royalty and mobiles con-
demned for treason.
Sir Sidney bore his humiliating confine-
ment gallautly until he became convinced
that France was prosecuting him. Then
his wits were turned upon means of es-
cape. Friends outside conspired with him,
and tunnel was excavated from the Gel
lar Of n house adjoining the prison as far
as the wall of the Temple garden. UnlI OK