Evening star., 1945-10-21
BY John Clagett Proctor

y
Navy Day will be celebrated through
out the Nation next Saturday on per-
haps a grander scale than ever before.
But with many new victories to be COM
memorated and new heroes to be hon.
ored, the historic deeds of John Paul
Jones and John Barry cannot be over
shadowed, and their names will receive
the same high tribute
Commodore Barry was the first COM
miSSioned officer in the United States
Navy to capture war vessel of the
enemy during the American Revolution.
His record further shows that at the
commencement of the Revolution he
offered his services to Congress, and in
February, l776, was appointed to the
command of the Lexington, and that
he was transferred to the Efflngham
frigate, and in 1777. in the Delaware
at the head of four boats, he captured
an English schooner.
Finding naval operations interrupted
by the ice, he served for a short time
as aide-de camp to Gen. CadWalader at
Trenton. In 1881, while returning from
France in the Alliance he captured the
Atlanta and the TrepaSsy. but was
severely wounded in the engagement.
After the establishment of the present
Navy in 1894, he was named as the
senior officer, with the rank of COM
modore. He was born in Ireland in
1745 and died in Philadelphia in 1903.
His monument in Franklin Park. on
Fourteenth street, between I and K
streets, was designed and executed by
the sculptor, John Boyle, and it cost
the Government $4,000 for statue and
pedestal 1t was unveiled May l6, 1914.
John Paul Jones
The statue of Commodore John Paul
Jones, which stands on the Mall,
little southwest of the White House,
cannot help but remind us of one of
the unique naval engagements in mod
ern history.
1t was fought off Marlborough Head,
on the coast of Yorkshire, England, Sep
tember 3, 1779, mainly between the
Bon Homme Richard of Jones squad
ron and the British ship Scraps.
The vessels under Commodore Jones
were loaned to the American colonies
by the French government, and in
cluded the Bon Homme Richard, Pallas,
Ariel, Cert and Vengeance Benjamin
Franklin, we are told, used his influence
in having this feet fitted out, the cost
being borne in part by the King of
the French, by the American commits
sioners and the remainder by M. lie Ray
Chaumont, banker in Paris.
Jones flagship, the Bon Homme Rich
ard, was an old East Indiaman named
Duras, said to have been condemned and
laid up as hulk; the Alliance-not
mentioned in the foregoing list, but
part of the American flotilla-was a
fine Continental frigate; the PallaS, a
merchant ship; the Vengeance, mer-
chant brig, and the Cert, a fine large
cutter. The Pallas, Ariel, Cert and
Vengeance were returned to the French
after the American Revolution.
Took Firm Stand
The engagement was brought about
when Jones discovered the Baltic fleet
returning home under convoy of the
Scraps and the Countess of Scar
borough. He signaled his consorts to
form line with the Pallas in the van
and the Alliance astern of the Rich
ard and to chase the enemy, but
according to an early account, 'the
INSTRUMENTATION of Capt. Landais frus-
trated all the plans, and he not only
deprived the commodore of the assist
ance of that vessel, but endeavored to
withdraw that of the Pallas also The
commodore, notwithstanding this di-
minution of his force, stood steadily on,
and, about o'clock he came up with
the Serapic, the Countess of Scarborough
being short distance to leeward."
THE weather was clear" we are
further told, and "the surface of the
sea unruffled. and, just as the Richard
came within gunshot of her opponent,
the moon rose with unusual splendor,
to reveal the terrible struggle, which
was about to open, to the anxious spec
tatorS who had crowded on the edges
of the cliffs, which, at that place. formed
the coast of England. What ship is
that?' was asked by the captain of the
Scraps as the Richard came up: and,
come little nearer and I will tell
you,' was the equivocal reply. What
are you laden with?' was the next in
quiry; and the answer-round, grape
and double-head shot, hurled back
defiance on the conceited interrogation.
A broadside from the Scraps immedi-
ately thundered in response, and the
action commenced.
Constant Fire
During all this time the cannonade
continued with great fury, and both
vessels suffered severely. A strong force
having been placed in the Richards tops
and constant fire maintained there
from, the men in the tops of the Scraps,
Ts well as those on her quarterback
ind forecastle suffered severely.
Soon after the vessels had been
ashed together it was seen that the cur
lent was carrying them inshore. and