Paul Jones, Founder of the American Navy Volume 2; A History (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 Excerpt: ...suppressed by Potemkin, and on May 26th the Admiral hoisted his flag on board the Vladimir, receiving the customary salutes and other marks of subordination from all the commanders in the squadron. Besides the nineteen ships which Jones now commanded there were about sixty gun-boats. These were known as "the flotilla," and the Admiral was astonished to learn that they formed an independent command under the orders of the Prince of NassauSiegen, who reported direct to Potemkin, and was quite independent of the Admiral's authority. This difficulty was, however, partially averted by an order from Potemkin directing Nassau to place under the Admiral's orders from time to time as many gun-boats as he might require; though, as the sequel proved, Nassau never obeyed this order when he could find any excuse for disregarding or evading it. Jones's first care on taking command was thoroughly to inspect his ships. He found that, inferior as was the quality of their crews, they were also deficient in numbers. He therefore obtained about three thousand soldiers from Suwarrow's army, whom he distributed among the ships of the squadron and the gun-boats. He also had the ships thoroughly cleaned, fumigated, and painted; the rigging overhauled, and full supplies of ammunition and provisions taken aboard, so that by the end of the first week in June the Russian naval force in the Black Sea was as shipshape as it could be made with the resources at hand. On May 31st Admiral Jones assembled all the captains of the squadron on board the Vladimir, flagship, for a council of war, -as he said in his order conveying it, "in conformity to the ordinance of Peter the Great." He opened the council with a brief address, as follows: Gentlemen: Having been suddenly call...