CHAPTER VI.
One of the Most Memorable Sea Fights Ever Known--The Wonderful Exploit of Captain Paul Jones.
I have taken Paul Jones as the highest type of the infant American navy.
There were others who fought with great bravery and did much to aid in the struggle for American independence, but none combined in such perfection the qualities of perfect seamanship, cool but dauntless courage and skill in fighting.
Of course, no matter how daring our cruisers, they did not always escape disaster.

At the close of the Revolution there had been twenty-four vessels lost, carrying 470 guns.

Several of these met their fate through shipwreck.

Contrast with this the loss of Great Britain, which was 102 war vessels, carrying in all 2,624 guns.

The total vessels of all kinds captured from the English by our cruisers and privateers was about 800.
Captain Jones had made so successful a cruise with the _Ranger_ that he felt, upon returning to Brest, in France, he was entitled to a better ship.