Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-07
PAUL JONES' RECORDS
Quaint Log Books Found in
Douglas Castle.
RUDE CHRONICLE s
PENSION CHECKS SENT QUARTER
LY FROM THIS CITY.
Possibilities of Alaska as Dairy Coun-
try-Experiments Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture.
RUDE CHRONICLE s
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

the United States embassy in London, has
informed the Secretary of the Navy that
the log books of Captain Paul Jones, 1.-The
father of the American navy" are in the
charter room al Douglas Castle. ST. Mary s
Island, Scotland. How they came there no
body knows except so far as may be learn
ed from the inscriptions, which read:
Original Log Books of the Ranger and
Pcnne Homme Richard, given to Lady Isa-
bella Douglas by Lord Napier Of Ettrck
in $780, Purchased by Captain Boyd Of
Greenock from a person by the name Of
Harding, a baker in New York, 1924
This inscription is signed &c. W." Doug
las is the family name of the Earl of Sell
kirk. His seat on st. Mary's Isle is some-
times called Castle Sekirk and often Castle
Douglas. Lady Isabella Douglas, to whom
the log books were presented in 1880, was
a granddaughter of the Lord and Lady Sell
kirk whose house was raided and whose
silver plate was carried off by Captain John
Paul Jones in 1878. 1 told the story re-
Gently and quoted from the bombastic let
ter which Captain Jones wrote to Lady
Selkirk explaining his motives for the raid
and promising to restore the plate, which
he did after six years of trouble and liti-
cation, at a large expense. Lady Douglas
was the daughter of Thomas Douglas their
youngest son, who succeeded to the title Of
the bdTl OI SelklTk IN 100 ana QleQ In 1S[U
Lady Isabella died in her girlhood the same
year that the log books were given to her.
Sir Charles Napier was famous British
sailor, born in 1886, and died in 1860. In
1880 he was serving in the channel fleet,
and could have been at st. Mary's, where
he probably made the acquaintance of the
family, heard their stosy of the raid and
gave the young woman the log book. This,
however, is only a conjecture.
How Lord Napier obtained the log books
is a mystery, and there is no knowledge
OF Captain Boyd, or Harding, the baker in
New York, from whom the books were pur-
chased. Lord Selkirk, with whom John
Paul Jones had his remarkable correspond
ence, and to whom he returned the plate
taken from the castle, died in 1899. Helen,
his wife. Countess of Selkirk, died in 1902,
long before the log books came into the
possession of the family. The raid was
the most notable event in the family his
tory, and, therefore, it natural that
the record of the voyages of the Ranger
and everything that related to Captain
Jones was of particular interest to all the
Selkrks.
Captain Jones' Records.
The records in the log books are not lit
erary compositions. They are written by
plain sailor men who knew how to handle
cutlass better than pen, and it is diff
ncult to interpret some of the notes made
by Captain Jones. We know that after
sailing from Brest on his first famous
CT Use he captured the city of Whtehaven,
raided Selkirk, or Douglas Castle and then
fought and captured the big British ship Of
war Drake which was twice the size and
had double the crew of the Ranger. He
towed her over to Brest with him. His
narration OF those incidents, which created
SO much excitement in Great Britain at the
time, is recorded in his log book as fol-
lows:
"'Thurcdav Anvil
AT II was a Brest of White Haven hover
Two, the Capt. and 40 men went on shore
ana ana s PIX, up all the guns in the two Forts
turned on Board, in Boats and made sail
! Coming off in hurry left one man at
Whltehaven. David Smith. At o'clock
| saw much smoke at Whitehaven
AT 10 was a BreSt of Kilcubry hoisted
out the cutter, the captain and - men
went on shore to Lord (narne quite illegiblel
and brought off small quantity of Silver
Piate Light airs and Hazy weather
"Fryday oath April
at a m standing of and on off Belfast
where His Majesty's ship of war Drake lay
at her anchor.
way, hove two for her. At 10 am light
our people.
Took ye officer and hands on board
confined them The Drake about two
leagues to leeward of U.S.
Saturday 25th April
Laying to for Drake she sailing yery
heavy.
1.-THE Drake coming up with us. after one
hour and five minutes engagement Obliged
/ ner to strike to the United States. with the
loss or our Lieutenant of Marines, Samuel
Walllngford, one man belonging to the. Fore
Top, and four wounded, James Falls gun
ner, Pierce Powers midshipman. Thomas
Iaylor quartermaster Nathaniel Wells be-
| longing to We Fore Top
Our low rigging much shattered. R. most
| u the running rigging cuff p,,t
board of her 35 men.
Sunday 26th April.
| Drake being much damaged sent
the Carpinder on board to repair her Sent
on board the Drake four coils of new rigan.
Thursday April 3Oth
hove TWO for the Drake to come up to
Sunday May 3rd
Prize ship Drake and brig in company.
Tuesday May 9Th.
AT sent the end of seven inch hawser
on board the Drake and towed her after us
AT pm departed this life Nathaniel
Wells who was one of our wounded men
Friday May Sth.
AT one hove two for the Drake to come
up with us, at came to anchor in Brest
| Rodes in twelve fathoms. Sevarall French
botes came on Board with number of gem
| tlemen."
Through the exertions of BENJAMIN
FRANKLIN, then the representative of the
colonies in Paris the 200 prisoners taken
from the Drake We're exchanged for an
equdi NUMBER OF Americans then in Eng
| lish prisons. Jones continued to cruise
around the British channel until 1779
| when. after hard fight, he captured the
frigate Serapis which was acting as con-
voy to the Baltic fleet. The gallant defense
of the Scraps saved the fleet, and for this
her commander, Captain Pearson, was
knighted after the exchange Of prisoners
The Bonhomme Richard. Jones' Ship sank
Immediately after the action. Jones re-
turned to the United States and was in act
i've naval service until the close of the
war, when he entered the Russian navy,
but. falling into disgrace, returned to
Paris, where he died in July, 1892.
Pensions to Eminent Women.
Seven persons all women, receive pen
sions exceeding 500 month They are
| Mrs. Garfield and Mrs Mckinley, who are
paid $1,000 year each; Mrs Sheridan, who
receives $500; the widows Of Generals
| Mcclellan, Logan and Frank P. Blair, who
| receive $1,000 a year each, and Emily Law
renee Reed, widow of Surgeon Walter Reed
| Of the army, who sacrificed his life in try
| ing to determine how yellow fever was
| communicated. He demonstrated beyond
| doubt the mosquito theory of contagion
| BY special act of Congress his widow re-
| ceives pension for life Of $125 per month.
Quarterly Pension Payments.
L che SIC