Students of maritime history will not be unaware that during the American War of Independence the government of France (in other words the King) offered the command ofa ship to an officer ofthe young American Navy. That officer was the renowned John Paul Jones, and his ship was to be the Bonhomme Richard; their cruise round the coast of Britain, and more especially the battle with the English 44-gull ship HMS Serapis, were to count among the greatest achievements of the Continental Navy. The Bonhomme Richard was in fact a former lndiaman of the French East India Company, named the Due de Duras. For many years American historians have been curious about Jolin Paul Jones's ship, and at different times several have got in touch with me, anxious to assemble as much information as possible about her; however, none of these attempts seemed likely to lead to a full reconstruction of the Bonhomme Richard.

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