. Narragansett Bay, its historic and romantic associations and picturesque setting . se who were promoted from private topublic maritime service. He was a shining example ofAmerican pluck and seamanship combined. In onecruise, in the years 1759-60, he is said to have cap-tured twenty-three French prizes, and the value of theBritish vessels that struck to his superior skill andenergy during the Revolution has been calculated atover one million dollars. The name of William Jones, who was afterwardsGovernor of Rhode Island, appears as one of the offi-cers of the frigate, Providence. This vessel w
. Narragansett Bay, its historic and romantic associations and picturesque setting . se who were promoted from private topublic maritime service. He was a shining example ofAmerican pluck and seamanship combined. In onecruise, in the years 1759-60, he is said to have cap-tured twenty-three French prizes, and the value of theBritish vessels that struck to his superior skill andenergy during the Revolution has been calculated atover one million dollars. The name of William Jones, who was afterwardsGovernor of Rhode Island, appears as one of the offi-cers of the frigate, Providence. This vessel was built,it is said, in the incredibly short time of seventeen days(actual working time), and mounted twenty-eight commander was Abraham Whipple, to whom refer-ence has been made above. For some time the sailingof the Providence and her sister ship, the Warren, wasdelayed, owing to the presence of British ships of warin Narragansett Bay. But at length, being ordered tobear some dispatches to France, Captain Whipple tookadvantage of a dark, stormy night, and slipped COMMODORE ABRAHAM WHIPPLEFROM A WATER-COLOUR IN THE COLLECTION OF THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY 141 Sea Rovers from the Bay 143 He went stealthily, showing no lights, and enforcingsilence on board the frigate, till, when near PrudenceIsland, he became aware of the proximity of a Britishwarship. Unable to resist the pressing temptation, hepoured a broadside into her at close range and kept onhis course, leaving his adversary to recover from hersurprise at her leisure. The Providence got safe away,and in due time William Jones, Captain of Marines,went ashore at Brest, in France, with the dispatches. One Captain Jones, said to be John Paul, command-ing the Alfred, of the Continental navy, finding it diffi-cult to procure the number of men he needed whenordered to sail, solved the problem by impressingtwenty-four men from the Eagle, then near the mouthof the bay. Privateering dated back to the very
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1904
