Evening star., 1928-11-04

lieutenant, Simpson, was sulky and had
little stomach for the enterprise.
**
TT is an odd fact that John Paul
should have chosen Whitehaven as
his first landing place In his first
descent upon the English coast.
Whitehaven, opposite the top rim of
Ireland was Jones home port, the spot
where he began his career. It was also
just across the bay from the place of
his birth. 1t was the neighborhood in
which he had been reared, and where,
as a rather queer child, he had been
lightly regarded. The fact that the bay
was full of enemy shipping, and but
scantily fortified, was incidental. In the
past they" had scorned him. He was
coming back to damage English ship
ping and to raid an enemy stronghold,
yes; but he was also going to show
them" sa. a 4al
The wind was unfavorable, but in the
dark hours of April % his raiding ex-
pedition dropped OF the Ranger In two
He took with him Lieut.. Wallingford,
Midshipmen Arthur Green and Charles
Hill, and 90 men. 1t was dawn before
he swept down upon the fortiflcation.
He surprised the two forts and walked
up three snoring sentinels to inform
them they were prisoners. He spiked
all the guns and turned to await the
blaze upon the shipping which Walling-
ford was to start. But that officers
light had gone out, and Jones had to
set the nearest ship afire with his own
hands. @
The townspeople now came running
UP, but fed when they saw the gleam
of arms. Daylight having come. he or
dered his people to return to their
boats. He himself remained behind,
pistol in hand, alone, standing silhou-
cited upon the ramparts, enjoying the
gaze from "the eminences around the
town" which were covered with the
amazed inhabitants" He loved 1t all.
It was one of his glorious moments.
When he finally took to his boat, ne
was fred upon, but the shots fell
short. ''The shot," he wrote, instead
of doing us any damage afforded some
diversion, which my people could not
help showing by discharging their
nistols. etc., In return of the salute.
He counted noses and found only one
man missing. "I was pleased, he
wrote. "that in this business we neither
killed nor wounded anv person.
The alarm caused by this raid was alb
surdlv out of proportion to its actual
accomplishments, but beneath the hys-
terra was q very real fear born OF the
realization that England's long untouch-
ed shores had been violated by a daring
enemy who might soon strike again. ana
that retaliation might be expected lot
the burning by the British OF Farnelo'
Conn. CharlestWon, Mass, and Fal-
mouth (Portland), Me. Wing news
oapers attacked the government for hav-
ing brought this upon the people, de-
nanding that Lord North make peace,
and excoriated the population for Its
nat1ic. The raid had another serious
eject. Tt enormously increased the in"
s,1rance rates on British shipping there
by adding another burden to the grow
ing expense Of the war.
IRON Whitehaven the Ranger stood
l. I'D KirkcudbNght Bay, passing
through waters Of which. Jones remen-
bered the formation Of almost every
wave He landed q boat at Saint Mary's
Isle and walking up the, familiar paths
where as a child he had played under
his uncle's eye, he stopped and sent a
squad up to the. honae Of the Earl OF
Selkirk
This had no sound military purpose,
though Jones afterward explained that
he meant to seize the earl as hostage
to be exchanged for American prisoners
who were being treated as pirates in
English iails, and this visit would be
almost inexplicable did We not know
that at one time Jones believed he was
the earls' natural and neglected son.
The earl was not at home, but the
countess, who was about to become
mother. answered the doorben. Two
officers, one dressed in green and the
other in blue, demanded all the plate
in the house, though, said the countess
afterward, st must say they behaved
civilly." They put everything in sacks,
and then, Where Is the teapot and the
coffee pot?" The countess replied there
was no more plate, whereupon Lieut..
Wallingford walked through the house
and then ordered his men away.
"It was Immediately known" wrote
Lady Selkirk, that this Paul Jones is
one John Paul, born at Arbigland, who
once commanded a Kirkcudbrlght vessel
belonging to Mr.. Muir and others,
great villain as ever was born, guilty of
many crimes and several murders by Ill
usage, was tried and condemned for one.
escaped, and followed a piratical life
till he engaged with the Americans.
"He seems to delight in that still, as
robbing house was below the dignity
of the States of America. The sailors
at the door told their captain was born
at Derrick, knew my lord (whose name
and the name of the place those in the
house pretended ignorance of, had q
great opinion of him, and for that
reason had given orders that no harm
should be done."