It had been intended that Jones should take command of a splendid new frigate building at New Amsterdam for the Conti nental Government. But the British Government discovered her ownership and threatened to seize her, whereupon the Netherlands hastily transferred her to France. France, not yet ready to break with Britain, would not let Jones have her, so upon the suggestion of Franklin, the disappointed commander again re-embarked in the "Ranger," this time with a free hand for proceeding as he judged best "for distressing the enemies of the United States." A few days later he surprised the two forts commanding the har bour of Whitehaven, spiked the guns, and made an unsuccessful attempt to fire the shipping. Four days thereafter he encountered the British sloop-of-war "Drake," a vessel slightly superior to his own in fighting capacity, near Belfast, and, of ter an hour's engagement, forced her to strike her colours and accompany him to France as a prize. The deed made him a hero in the eyes of the French. Several months of inactivity followed, during which Jones was forced to support both himself and his men. Finally, Franklin obtained an old French ship which Jones altered and renamed the "Bon Homme Richard," in compliment to the author of Poor Richard's Almanac. Alterations were not completed until June 1779, and in the meantime a new frigate named the "Alliance" arrived from America to be added to the squadron. Three small French ships and several privateers completed the fleet, which disentangled itself of shore politics and set sail in August. The privateers and two of the French ships soon deserted. Captain Landais, of the "Alliance," proved insubordinate. An attempt to attack the port of Leith failed because of contrary winds. Never theless, a number of prizes were taken. On the way back to France a large fleet of merchantmen were encountered, convoyed by the heavily armed "Serapis" and the armed sloop "Countess of Scar borough." The "Alliance" deserted, leaving the unwieldy "Bon Homme Richard" to engage the vastly superior "Serapis." The desperate battle, one of the famous sea engagements in history, took place by moonlight and lasted three and a half hours. In the end, the English commander asked for quarter. The "Bon Homme Richard" was so badly shattered that she sank the next day. But Jones's men brought the "Serapis" back to France.
During the following year Jones spent much of his time in Paris, hoping always to refit the "Serapis" and set out again, but delays and intrigues prevented. Louis XVI. gave him a gold-hilted sword and made him a chevalier of France. Congress offered him the com mand of the "America," then building, but the vessel was shortly after transferred to France. He was to see no more fighting during
the war. In Nov. 1783, he was sent to Paris as agent for the prizes captured in European waters under his own command. In 1787 he returned to America and received a gold medal from Congress in recognition of his services.
In 1781 Catherine the Great of Russia, badly in need of some one to instil new life and modern ideas into the Russian navy, in vited Jones to her service, and, upon Jefferson's advice, Jones accepted. He went via Sweden and crossed the Baltic sea, in spite of floating ice, in a 3oft. boat that he might lose no time. He was made an admiral, promised complete command, and sent to take part in the naval campaign in the Black sea against the Turks. But he was not made the superior commander. Credit for his vic tories was taken by his subordinates, who sent in false reports. Jealous officers finally intrigued to have him recalled to St. Peters burg for the pretended purpose of transferring him to a command in the Baltic. In St. Petersburg he was kept idle while rivals maliciously assailed his private character. Catherine lost faith in him and finally sent him from Russia on an ostensible leave of absence. He returned to Paris a bitterly disappointed man and lived in retirement.
Undue exposure and exertion had wasted his strength. He had returned from Russia in ill-health and gradually grew weaker until he died in 1792, at 45 years of age. He was buried in the St. Louis cemetery for foreign Protestants in Paris, but in the exciting years that followed, the grave and even the cemetery were forgotten. Ambassador Porter in 1905 instituted a systematic search for the body, and, after it had been found and identified beyond doubt, a fleet of warships carried it home. In 1913 it was placed in a crypt of the beautiful naval chapel at Annapolis in belated recognition of Jones's services to his adopted land.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--The literature concerning John Paul Jones is ex tensive. The most complete bibliography of this is in Don Seitz's Paul Jones, His Exploits in English Seas (1917). The best biographies are A. C. Buell, Paul Jones, Founder of the American Navy (1900) ; Mrs. R. De Koven, The Life and Letters of John Paul Jones (1913); M. M. Crawford, The Sailor Whom England Feared (1913); P. Russell, John Paul Jones: Man of Action (1927). Consult also F. A. Golder, John Paul Jones in Russia (1927). Fictional treatment of his life or of episodes in his life is offered in A. Dumas, Le Capitaine Paul; J. Fenimore Cooper, The Pilot; Herman Melville, Israel Potter; and Winston Churchill, Richard Carvel.