Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-17
HONOR To PAUL JONES
New D. A. R. Building Sug-
gested as Burial Place.
GEN. PORTER'S SEARCH
INSPIRATION OF THE PATRIOTIC
EXAMINATIONS
Influence of the Society in France of
the Sons of the American
Revolution.
GEN. PORTER'S SEARCH


The discovery of the long lost remains of
Commodore John Paul Jones, the heroic
founder of the United States navy is an
event of great interest to all Americans,
and especially to such patriotic societies as
the Sons and the Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution.
General Horace Porter, while ambassador
of the United States to France, is also pres
ident of the Society in France, Sons of the
American Revolution, and it is justice to
the general and to the society to say that
the chief merit Of the discovery is due to
General Porter, not as ambassador but
rather as president of the Society in
France of the Sons of the American Revo-
luton.
ed in Paris October 10, 1897 by the follow
ing Americans then in Paris: Moses P.
Handy, U. S. special commissioner to the
Paris exposition, 1909; Edw. Mclean, dep
uty u. S. consul general at Paris; l. Stick
ney, DR.. Michael, DR.. Deering, Major Hunt
ington, Lieut.. Commander Sears, U. S. N,
and Colonel Chaile-Long, secretary u S.
special commission.
Subsequently and when the organization
had been duly authorized by the ministry of
foreign affairs and the prefecture of police,
sine qua non in the case of all foreign So
cleties in France, the organization was aug
mented by many descendants of the French
who fought for American independence,
among whom were Count Sahune de La
fayette, Count de Rochambeau, Count du
Chafault and others.
French Society, s. A R.
The Society in France, S. A R., is "a
branch of the National Society in the United
States, of which Mr.. A. Howard Clark is
the secretary general and registrar general,
and which is deeply interested in the main
tenance of its offspring in Paris, the utility
OF which was manifest, first, by the re-
searches instituted which eliminated in the
puDhcauon of volume entitled Les Com
Dattants Francois Dams la Guerre de la
feVoiutlon americana. 1116-1TS3." and sec
ond, by the discovery of the unknown grave
and body of the greatest of American naval
heroes, Commodore John Paul Jones' for it
was IN association with members of the So
clety in France, S. A. r., that General Por-
ter received his Inspiration to search for
the grave of Commodore Jones'
The object of the society a priori was to
cultivate friendship between France and
America, create liberal interchange of
literature. professors and students and
nnally provoke an Increase of commercial
and political relations between the sister
republics of France and America
Gen. Horace Porter. ambassador of the
United States, was elected president of the
society; Count Sahune de Lafayette vice
president; l. Stickney, treasurer; E. Nc
Lean, secretary! Chaille-Long,' registrar
General PorterS first act was to suggest
to NJ. DelcaSse, minister of foreign affairs
OF the French republic, the constitution of
a commission to search the archives of the
ministries of war, marine and foreign af-
fairs to discover the unpublished records of
the names of the French officers soldiers
sailors and marines composing the fleets of
counts Estaing and de GraSse and the
army of Rechambeau.