Page:History of Paul Jones.pdf/19

 only effect this remonstrance had was, their no permitting the prizes to be sold there; and gave command, that they should depart from the ports of the States General in the same state in which they came. Notwithstanding this order, which by the sequel appeared to be a mere pretence, they suffered the ships to remain; and our ambassador had to use the greatest exertion to procure the release of the prisoners, every obstacle being thrown in his way, the captors sometimes calling themselves Frenchmen, at other times Americans. At last he obtained the release of the prisoners; and the squadron, though strictly blockaded, effected their escape on a dark night, and made their way to Dunkirk.

The appearance of the pirate Jones in such a formidable ship in the Frith of Forth, had excited the greatest alarm; and the Lords of the Admiralty, aware of the unprotected state of the northern part of the kingdom, gave orders that a squadron, consisting of the Prudent, of 64 guns, and several frigates, under the command of Captain Burnet, should sail immediately from Spithead, in order to protect the metropolis of Scotland. Captain Burnet was so anxious to make the best of his way, that he kept his ships close together: had the squadron been more divided in their passage to the north, there was a probability of intercepting Jones, when beating about in the North Sea in a disabled state, before he could make the Texel.

Having lost his ship, the Bon Homme Richard, Jones now shifted his flag into the Alliance. This squadron ceased not to act in concert; each ship being left to shift for itself; and in January or February, 1780, Jones, eluding the vigilance of British cruisers, escaped to Dunkirk, having on board with him the celebrated Captain Gustavus Cunningham, who, like Jones, in the disturbances