did not speak together, not because I had any determined objection, for I love his family; but he could not look me in the face, and fled whenever chance brought us near each other. "Without studying it, I enjoyed over him a triumph as great as I could wish to experience over Jemmy Twitcher. His Majesty ordered a superk sword to be made for me, which I have since re ceived, and it is called much more elegant than that presented to the Marquis de la Fayette. Or the blade is this inscription, "Vindicati Maris Ludovicus XVI. remunerator strenno vindici." His Majesty has also written, by his minister, the strongest letter that is possible, in approbation of my conduct to the President of Congress, offering to invest me with the cross, an institution of military merit, which I carry with me to the Chevalier de la Luzerne. The minister of the Marine has besides addressed a very kind letter to myself, and I have also had the like honour shewn me by the other ministers. I continue to receive constant marks of esteem and honourable attention from the court; and the ship I now command was lent to the United States, in consequence of my application. Nothing has detained me from sailing, for this month past, but that my officers and men are still without wages or prize-money. There is a strange mystery in this, which when explained, must surprise C. who pretends to exercise authority over these monies, and who will, I fear, persist in withholding them till he obliges me to lay a second complaint against him before the minister; and if I am reduced to the necessity of this step, he will not come off so well as he has hitherto done, on the score of betraying secrets. "I will take care of your packets, and, as I expect to remain but two or three days longer, I hope to hear from you through the hands of our friend R. M.* of Philadelphia. Let me know how Mr. Round Face,+ first letter, that went lately from Paris to the Hague, is proceeding? I understand he has gone to Amsterdam. I wish he may be doing good. If he should, inadvertently, do evil, as a stranger, I shall, as his fellow-citizen, be very sorry for it. I confess I am anxious about his situation. The man has a family, and, in these troublesome times, I wish he were at home to mind his trade and his fireside, for I think he has travelled more than his fortune can well bear. "Present my respects to Madame, and the Virgin Muse. I got many little pieces addressed to me while near the Court, but I made very little return. When I revisit Europe, and find a moment to see you at the Hague, I will be obliged to you if you please to make a C. of my brother knight for his unremitting attention to me while at the Texel. I have written but twice to your Satan. I am, my dear philosopher, with unalterable regard, J. P. JONES." M. Dumas, Jones sailed for the United States in the Ariel, about the last of September from L'Orient. Off Bermuda, he fell in with an English frigate of superior force, at night. On being hailed, Jones, with a view to deceive, gave the name of a ship belonging to the British navy, with that of her Commander, instead of his own. The deception took effect. The roughness of the weather prevented sending aboard during the night. The English Captain directed, that both ships should *Robert Morris, Minister of Finance. keep company until day-light, when Jones was to have sent his boat and an officer on board the frigate with his papers. Jones promised compliance. In the meantime, the utmost silence was preserved and every thing got ready, on board the Ariel, for an engagement. No one was suffered to quit his quarters on any pretext whatever. The American being thus fully prepared for action and the English in unsuspecting security, a few minutes after eleven at night, Jones poured a broadside into his vessel at pistol shot distance. Before the English could get to quarters, he wore ship and gave the other broadside, and the enemy sunk without firing a gun. After his arrival in the United States, Jones was appointed to command the America. His commission was dated June 26th, 1781. The loss of the Magnifique of 74 guns induced Congress to present this ship to his most Christian Majesty, in consequence of which Jones remained without command during the remainder of the war. Between Jones and Landais, the greatest inveteracy existed. The latter sought every oppor tunity of insulting him for the purpose of inducing him to fight in single combat. But although his bravery had been evinced on the most trying Occasions in general contest, Landais never succeeded in his object. After having insulted him publicly both in Nantz and New-York in 1784, without effect, he gave vent to his spleen by the publication of a pamphlet, in which he endeavoured to elucidate his conduct, while he commanded the Alliance, during the fight between the Bonne Homme Richard and the Serapis; but the public appeared to take very little concern in what he wrote upon the subject. After the peace, Jones returned to Europe.Having repaired to St. Petersburg, the Empress Catherine gave him a commission in the Russian fleet in the Baltic. But the English officers in her employ, in that sea, refused to serve under him. She then transferred him to a command in the Black sea, to serve under the Prince of Nassau, in the war against the Turks. The Russian fleet being inferior to the enemy both in size of ships and metal, Jones, ever fruitful in expedients, proposed a plan to the Prince of Nassau, for the capture or destruction of the entire Turkish fleet. The plan was approved of. As soon as the enemy appeared, according to preconcert, the Russians threw a part of their ballast and some guns overboard. Thus lightening their vessels, they ran them into a bay in shoal water. The Turks pursued them with their heavy shipping, being perfectly certain, as they thought, that they would effect their capture; but too late, they found themselves aground and unmanageable. A fleet of Russian light vessels prepared for the purpose, then attacked them, while they were incapable of defence.-Jones held forth to the Prince of Nassau the great acquisition, which the capture of the Turkish fleet would be to the Russian navy, in that sea, and that the prisoners would be an object of great importance to the state, as exchanges could thereby be greatly facilitated; but his advice was of no avail. The Prince attacked the Turkish fleet, set them on fire, and involved them and their crews in one general conflagration. Humanity shudders at the sanguinary act. Yet he was applauded for his barbarity. Jones retired from the service and went to France. He resided in Paris in the first stages of the Revolution, and died in that city in 1792, where he was buried with every honourable distinction, at the expense of the French National Convention. MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM HEATH. THE Heath family emigrated to Massachusetts, and settled at Roxbury, in the vicinity of Boston, in the early age of that colony. Major-general William Heath was born on the second of March, 1737, O. S. on the family inheritance, and is of the fifth generation, on whom the estate has devolved. His education was plain and suited to agricultural pursuits. He was bred a farmer; but passionately fond of reading military works, which led him to become intimately acquainted with the profession of arms, to which he was greatly attached. In Boston, he was elected a member of the Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company in 1765. Immediately after this, at the instance and solicitation of the Colonel of the first regiment of Suffolk militia, he was commissioned by Governor Barnard, to command the Colonel's own company. He was subsequently chosen, and served first as Lieutenant and afterwards as Captain of that ancient and honourable corps, into which he had been first received. A great intimacy and strong private attachment existed between Governor Barnard and Captain Heath, while the former remained in the government of the province, notwithstanding a difference of sentiment between them, on the troubles, which were then in embryo. In the beginning of the year 1770, about the time of the Boston massacre, Captain Heath commenced a series of addresses to the public, signed "A Military Countryman." In these he particularly pointed out the importance of acquiring a knowledge of arms, and an acquaintance with mi |