Gents Mag 1825 part 2 p.429
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Gentleman's Magazine 1825 part 2 p.429
they sapiently inferred, from the lucky descents of Jones, whom they thought another Coriolanus, had a great chance of being successful. (p.79.) However, as it would be useful diversion in favour of the grand project, on the 19th of April, 1779, the American squadron, Bon Homme Richard, 42 guns, Alliance 36 guns, Pallas 30 guns, Cerf 18 guns, and the Vengeance 12 guns, sailed from L'Orient, under the command of the Honourable Commodore John Paul Jones. The object was to surprise Leith, and extort a ransom of 200,000l. from his brother Scotchmen; but want of co-operation in the French officers, and a large body of troops at Edinburgh, prevented the execution of the scheme. The next event was the celebrated action with the Serapis, the parallel of which is not to be found in the naval annals of any nation. (p.87) Now this is really too much for any one acquainted with the exploits of Nelson, and of many other heroes of the late Revolutionary War. The fact was, that Jones being a British subject, would, if captured, have been hanged as a traitor, and therefore chose the least of two evils: and that Captain Pearson struck his flag because the Alliance sailed up to support Jones. Though the French commander of that ship did not do his duty towards Jones *, Capt. Pearson could not tell that, and to him it must have appeared a waste of life without object, to continue so unequal a contest; especially as his main-mast had gone overboard, and he could not escape. Let us suppose that he had not struck, and that the Bon Homme had sunk, - what then? The Alliance would have borne down upon him with impunity. In fact, as stated in p.101, 'the Serapis struck to Jones's ship and the 32 gun frigate.' Jones made further depredations at Hull among the merchantmen, and then sailed to the Texel. Here he found our Ambassador Sir Joseph Yorke demanding of their Mightinesses the restitution of the English ships, and the delivery unto the King his master of a certain Paul Jones, a subject of the King, who, according to treaties and the laws of war, could only be considered as a rebel and a pirate. P.104. The Dutch Government declined interference, and Jones and the Americans were successfully intriguing with them, as they had done with the French, 'to declare war against Great Britain, and join the common cause.' Now there is a simple mode of trying the effects of physick; i.e. by taking it. The French and the Dutch, by taking American physick, brought down upoin themselves a revolution and a military despotism, which hurled the Bourbons and the Orange family from their thrones. 'Verily (says our author), the French Cabinet had their reward. The very men who, authorized by their secret instructions, hastened to assist rebellion in the colonies of a friendly power, returned to exercise in their own country a retributive vengeance.' P.18.Jones escaped to France; and we suppose, through not having a Chaplain with him there, thought only of Fielding's addition to the code of honour, arising from the connection of Mars and Venus, viz. 'that challenges to love and to fight are both to be accepted.' He had acquired much fame as a warrior, and of course was a favourite with the women. In p.143, we have an erotical poetical effusion to a Miss Dumas. In p.153, a love-sick Delia, a sentimental lass, who would willingly have been the lowest of his crew, if he would but take her with him to America. Jones. however, left her to wear the willow, in order to gain a Countess de Lavendahl. This coquet, after having flirted with him, handed Jones over to her husband, as soon as the former proposed a secret correspondence, 'being astonished as his audacity' p.156), but nevertheless, not willing to draw either into a duel, concluded her letter with a request that he would shew the Count, her husband, every civility as he passed through L'Orient. The real object seems to have been a joint expedition of the Count with Jones, by sea and land (see p.58), for which the fair Countess was tickling Jones like a trout. Several Frenchmen, glad of opportunities to display, wanted also to join him as volunteers; the meaning of all which is, that, as the Baron de Stael informs us, the public service is on the Continent the sole means of acquiring rank and fortune. By the |
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* Apparently he wished Jones to be sunk or taken, and
then capture the Serapis himself easily.
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