Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-07

Washington, April 6.-Another bond
of international good will between the
United States and France is about to
take form in the project for monu-
ment to Admiral Francois Joseph Paul
n de Grasse, commander of the French
fleet whose aid made possible Wash
s-ington's final victory over Lord Corn
wallis. thus ending the Revolutionary
War The movement has been start
red by the Sons of the Revolution, and
Q definite plans for securing the monu-
ment will be made at the triennial
convention of the organization which
will begin here tomorrow.
- Admiral de Grasse it has been point
led out by Ambassador Jusserand OF
France, is the only foreign commander
who helped this country in the Rev
olution, to whom no memorial has
been erected. In speaking of him re-
Gently, the Ambassador declared that
nobody risked so much or did so
much unaided for the United States
: as did de Grasse." The monument
most likely will be erected here in
Lafayette Square facing the White
House, although Yorktown. Va, the
rsscene of the final battle, also has been
suggested. Statues stand here to La
fayette and Roehambeau, of France;
Won Steuben, of Germany; kosciusko
and Pulaski, Polish officers.
A committee appointed to take up
the matter is prepared to report to
the convention. General James Norris
Morgan of this city, chairman of the
committee, states in his report that
E5''what is proposed is distinctively q
xanavai movement" THE memorial, >"
gohe adds should be tribute to the
aaFrench fleet, and should symbolic in
1some appropriate design the import
ance of adequate sea power in re-
!. lation to shore operations, and in
+. clude a central figure of Admiral de
/. ,Grasse, the responsible commander of
that fleet, who is entitled in history
Z 70 all credit for what the fleet did"
He points out that While one of the
! minor figures around the base of the
Lafayette monument here represents
de Grasse, the others being Rocham-
beau, Count dEstaing and Brigadier
General du Portail this constitutes no
reason why there should not be a
statue to de Grasse himself, especially
as the Lafayette statue does not show
a. WHO the secondary HSu reS are Ship
ly stating that it is to Lafayette and
his compatriots There is moreover a
separate statue to Rochambeau, in
Lafayette Square.
= The proposition has been presented
TO the Navy League of the United
States, and that organization, it is
understood stands ready to cooperate
in raising funds for the monument,
which it is estimated will cost $4,000.
The Daughters of the American Rev
olution also will be invited to have
share in honoring the revolution
airy hero. Franklin D. Roosevelt, as
s-sistant secretary of the Navy, has ex-
pressed himself as enthusiastically in
favor of the project.
Had it not been for the successful
sea cooperation of Admiral de Grasse,
who bottled up the Chesapeake Bay
in August. 17s1, and prevented the
British sea forces from coming up
and Joining Lord CORVALLIS, it is
doubtful, historians hold, whether
Washington and his French land
troops would have been able to com
spel the surrender of the British
forces. In April, 1871. de Grasse had
defeated the British admirals Hood
and Drake, off Port Royal, Marti-
hique; then he came up and blockad-