The Lambertville record., 1910-10-25


the Providence, but was quickly left astern The
British ship kept firing at the Yankee long after
it was out of range. In contempt and derision OF
this act of the British captain, and knowing that
his actions were being watched through glass:
Jones ordered single sailor to stand at the stern
and shoot musket at the pursuer every time ne
fred his big bow chaser.
After serious trouble with the jealous Hop
kins Jones was finally given command of the
Ranger. eighteen guns. He took a number OF
prizes on the way, and finally put into French
port. At Paris he met the American commission
ers Sas Dean, Benjamin Franklin and Arthur
Lee and they secured him audience at the
French court. BY request he aided in planning
the operations of DEstaing's fleet, which was
shortly to leave for America
The heroic fighting career of Jones was just
about to begin, though with the fame that he woE
in the next few months came the undying hatred
of all the people of his native country, and there
came also the loss of the only woman he ever
loved and whom he had hoped day to make
his wife. British privateers had ravaged the
American coast, had seized American merchan
disc and had burned some American towns jones
believed in making reprsals, and he spread terror
and alarm along the Irish, Welsh and English
coasts.
He chose. however, as the place OF direct at
tack White Haven where he had lived a boy
and youth and the masts of whose shipping
were in sight of his birthplace. He contemplated
burning all the vessels at the place and lootng
the town. David Freeman, deserter from Jones'
ship, spread the alarm among the inhabitants of
the town, and Wallingford, one of Jones' lieu
tenants, was slow in carrying out some OF his in
structions. AS it was, however, the expatriated
Scotsman succeeded in capturing one of the forts
which guarded the place, leading the land attack
in person. With his own hand he spiked every
gun In the fortfcation and then turned his atten-
ton to the firing of the shipping AS he was
n docio
titude appeared. They had been led to the scene
by the deserter, David Freeman. Not to be
baked in part of his design, Jones succeeded
in boarding one of the largest merchantmen in
the Solway and applied the torch
The Ranger had no put out from the
Solway than it ran the British man war
Drake. The Drake was by far the heavier armed
and manned and better equipped vessel than
the Ranger. Jones, however, gave battle at once
and after bloody fight he took the British YES
sci and hauled down its colors He took his prize
into French port The French people were not
accustomed to naval victories the English
let alone to victories won by an inferior force,
and the name of Jones at once became the svno-
nym for heroism
After spreading terror once more along tho
coast of the British Ises Jones returned to Amer.
lea to find the war ended
Jones was essentially sailor of fortune and
he went to St Petersburg where he was made
an admiral In the Russian navy. On his way
thither he stopped long enough in Denmark to
fiirt with the princess royal who fell violently in
love with him. Thirty English officers in the
service OF Russia threatened to resign If the 'pi-
rate were commissioned. Catharine said:
you'll have to double your number to make the
loss equal to the gain" They stayed in the sery.
ice After winning honors in naval battles for
Russia Admiral Jones went to Paris There he
was alternately grave and gay Vie could have
married into the houses of any of the nobility.
but the memory of a scotch girl was in his heart
and there 1t stayed to ths exclusion OF all other
loves until the day of his doath