At this time France was still at peace with Britain, and the
British Government complained bitterly to the French at this breach
of neutrality. They were, therefore, forced to order the American
ships to leave France, and Wickes sailed for home.
On the way the Reprisal was chased by a British warship, and Wickes
only saved himself from capture by throwing his guns overboard. He
thus escaped one danger, however, only to fall into another, and
in a storm off the coast of Newfoundland the Reprisal went down,
and all on board were lost.
But of all the naval commanders on the American side, the Scotsman,
John Paul Jones, was the most famous. He was the son of a gardener,
and was born at Arbigland in Kirkcudbrightshire. From a child he
had been fond of the sea, and when still only a boy of twelve he
began his seafaring life on board a ship trading with Virginia.
For some years he led a roving and adventurous life. Then after a
time he came to live in America, which, he said himself, "has been
my favourite country since the age of thirteen, when I first saw
it."
His real name was John Paul. But he took the name of Jones out of
gratitude to Mr. Jones, a gentleman of Virginia, who had befriended
him when he was poor and in trouble.
When the War of the Revolution broke out Jones was a young man of
twenty-seven, and he threw himself heart and soul into the struggle
on the side of the Americans.
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