Evening star., 1928-11-04


eight new ones ordered by
Congress- So slow was his progress that
he was ordered to go to Philadelphia
and face an inquiry. Dismissal seemed
probable, but John Adams girded him
self and got Hopkins off with vote OF
censure, which was kept secret, causing
John jay to write: "I cannot think of
it with patience: nothing but more than
ladylike delicacy could have prevailed
on your august body to secret the sem
tence they passed upon that petty
genius"
Hopkins was then ordered to go to
Newfoundland and attack the fisheries
there, but he could not get ready. He
was next ordered to sail on a southern
cruise with the Alfred, Columbus, Cabot
and Hampden, but he could not get
ready for this either, complaining, with
cause, that privateers were enticing
away all the best seamen and ship
builders. Finally, with exasperated
curses for Congress, he directed John
Paul Jones to do what he could not do
himself, while he remained behind to
fight for legislative measures aimed at
privateers.
Jones' orders we're to destroy the
Newfoundland fisheries and to attempt
the rescue of hundred American pris-
onerS working in the coal mines at the
Isle Royale.
Jones. though delighted with the task
given him, was able to man but two
ships - the Alfred and the Hampden
The latter was in command OF Hoysted
Hacker, a political appolntee. Hacker
promptly ran his ship on ledge OF rock
lust outside the harbor, knocking of the
keel, and Jones, murmuring maledlc-
tions, had to put back.
When he again sailed for Newfound-
| land with the Alfred, it was with the
hardy crew transferred from the Prov1-
dence. To his disgust he found he had
| to give this treasured ship to Capt
| Hacker and take the latter along, The
season was late and trouble at once ap-
peared. Gales torres the ships rigging
| Ice almost locked them In and, worst Of
all, they were blanketed by repeated
fogs. In one of these Capt. Hacker
chose to disappear. He dropped behind
and without a word to Jones slipped
| back to Rhode Island just in time to be
taken by the British.
Sailing up to Isle Royale, Jones found
that his plan to. free the imprisoned
| Americans had been baked by the
Winters ice It was frozen solid, and
the heavy cakes of shore made the
navigation of his little ship difficult
but he carried out successful raic
on the Acadian coast, burned some fish
warehouses, and took four transports
He returned to find he was moi
wanted on active service.
* y x
TN April, 1777, perishing from in
Il action, Jones left Boston for Phila'
delphia to lay his grievances before
Congress in person There ne was
pierced to the heart to find that in q
| new list of commanders drawn up by
Congress in October, 1776, while he was
at sea, he had been placed as low a;
| the eighteenth. having been superseded
/ by l3 men who had joined the Navy
later than he Even the incompetent
Hacker preceded him by two numbers
| His rank, that soul of a naval officer
had been ignored, and superior place!
| given to men with whom," he said
"as a private gentleman would dis
dain to associate"
Jones was not the only victim of in
| trigue and maladministration during
| this period. Washington's head was
sought by the Mifilin-C Conway cabal
The embittered Benedict Arnold anc
Charles Lee thought that the game
was up, and went over to the enemy
But John Paul Jones, the romantic
held true. when / entered into thu
service" he wrote, "I was not actuatee
by motives of self interest. step
forth as q free citizen Of the world II
defense of the violated rites OF man
kind"
on July IA, 1777, Congress votec
these two resolutions, which In th'
record happened to be juXtaposed
"that the Flag of the Is United State
be IS alternate red and white stripes
with 13 white stars on blue held"
and that Capt. Paul Jones be ap
pointed to command the ship Ranger.
It is to be noted that from this timI
forward his official name was Pau
Jones'" The John" was dropped, O
rather reduced to ~" which in hi
signature was so involved In the Whirl