The National tribune., 1898-04-28

most of her corrections were or the better
ment of my French, and almost none for
| modifying my sentiments or my mode of
expressing them.
when l remarked on this to her she
| replied with the gentle wit in which she
you must congratulate yourself that your
sentiments are so much nearer perfection
| than your Frenchi
The Duchess relates that when the King
| had read the letter, he asked if Commodore
Jones had received his education in
| France, and II so, IN what school. 10
which she replied
"Ah, Sire, fear that the gallant Com
modore has learned his French in the
school of adversely"
| She says that His Majesty was pro-
foundly impressed with Joness recital, and
exclaimed more than once while reading
| it
! II never knew of this! Why do my
Ministers and advisers leave me in ignOr-
ance of these things?'
AN AUDIENCE WITH THE KING.
The documents above quoted bore date
of Oct. 49, 1873. But it was not until the
sd of December that the Duchess found
what she considered suitable opportunity
to lay .JoneS's petition before the King.
Four days later the King summoned him to
audience at the Palace of Versailles.
occasions. which required that all Royal
audiences must be held confidential,
Jones has left no record Of what passed
between the King and himself. His cor
reSDOndence .aS preserved contains but
one allusion tn it. That occurs in a letter
to the King sometime later; after the great
battle, when in acknowledging the decora-
ton conferred on him as Chevalier OF the
Order of Military Merit equivalent to the
modern Legion of HONOR he speaks of the
latter event as "a most touching sequel to
the singular condeScenSiOn OF Your Most
Gracious Majesty on a previous occasion,
which had the result Of enabling me to-
perform the services you have now deigned
to approve by so eminent a mark of your
Royal pleasure. May | venture to ask
Your Majesty to believe and be always
persuaded that | await only your Royal
expression of desire or even consent to
receive further services from me-.
The Duchess in her Souvenirs" says:
"When the King informed me of his de-
cision to decorate Commodore Jones, he
congratulated me on my cleverness
[habilitei in selecting proteges; and said
that he was indebted to me for bringing
the Commodore before him in person, SO
that he could for himself judge of his
merits"
No other records of or reference to this
audience are extant except in an official
letter of DR.. Franklin tWharton's DiplO-
matte correspondence. The Doctor says
that Jones wrote a letter to the King, on
which he asked my opinion, which did
not give beyond suggesting that it was
most unusual proceeding. He has, be-
lieve, since obtained an audience"
1t appears that DR.. Franklin was not
willing to take the responsibility of con-
trolling Jones in this matter. He knew
that Jones would obey him. But he evil
IDENTIFY thought that no harm could come OF
the Royal audience anyhow, while good
might come. and 80 he left to Jones entire
freedom of action. %
At last the King acted. He told his
Minister of Marineo on Jan. 8, 1873, that
something must be done for Paul Jones;
that a heavy frigaterer vessel equal to the
Indien must be provided for him, and at
least two other ships, SO as to make, with
the Alliance, a squadron, of four.
FITTING OUT A SQUADRON.
. There happened to be at that moment in
the dock yard at II Orient large East
Indiaman recently brought into the public
service and fitting out as an armed trans
port for conveyance fOf 1einforcementS to
the Isle of France and Pondicherry; also,
an old 32-gun frigate Recently overhauled
and refitted for similar duty.
On Feb. 4, 1873, de Sartine informed
Jones that the King had ordered that
these two ships, together with a small
brig Of II guns and a revenue
cutter, be turned over to him, with au
thority to arm and munition them from
French arsenals and recruit crews in
French ports. 80
Proceeding at once to T. Orient, Jones |
found that great deal was to be done |
before the ships could be made effective !
Tor such a cruise as he had planned. The |
Alliance, which, as before stated, had re- |
Gently brought La Fayette to France, was |
new and ship shape, but she needed sea
stores and was about ninety men short of |
1er complement.
The larger of the French ships, then !
Known as LIE Duras, was fitting as an
irmed transport. In that capacity she
lad a battery composed OF IA long ~
Founders, Il long mines and six long g.
FOUNDERS, which of course was wholly in
sufficient to make her any kind of match
or any regular man-Of-war of her size and
ig.
Jones at once asked for heavier guns.
nd obtained from the dock yard arsenal
more long 12-pounders, making % of
hat caiber, which he mounted on her
un-deck, 26 in broadside and two in
ride ports on either bow; and he mounted
er long mines, 10 out of the II she originally
adj on the quarterback and forecastle.
hiding that her great hight out of water
nd her trim would enable her to mount
uns in the steerage, he cut ports out of it,
tx of a side, and mounted there six 49,
ounders on shifting carriages that would
liable him to fight them ali on either side
smooth water or when engaging to wind
ard.
The Pallas, under Capt. Cottineau. and ,
e little brig Vengeance, under Capt. ,
loot, needed few or no alterations. The
alias was light frigate, built in 1850, and
ted a ~ at that time, but would IN 1913