foreign salute. Early in 1778 the Ranger spoke the French
fleet, off Brest Roads. Captain Jones was willing to take chances in a
sea fight, but not in the matter of a salute, and he sent a courteous
note to the French commander, informing him that the flag worn by the
Ranger was the new American standard, which had never yet received a
salute from any foreign power. "If I offer a salute, will it be
returned gun for gun?" he queried. The reply was that the same salute
would be given as to an admiral of Holland, or any other republic;
that is, four guns less than the salute given. Captain Jones anchored
in the entrance of the bay and sought for further information. He
found that the reply of the admiral was correct and according to
custom. Therefore, on the following day, he sailed through the French
fleet, saluting with thirteen guns, and receiving nine. This was an
acknowledgment of American independence, and the first salute ever
paid by a foreign naval power to the Stars and Stripes. It is true
that a salute had been given to the American brig, the Andrea Doria,
before this, by the Governor of one of the West Indian Islands; but a
salute which his Government immediately disowned and for which he was
called home is rather an individual than a national salute. Then, too,
there is no proof that the flag flown by the Andrea Doria was the
Stars and Stripes.

After a while Jones was put in command of the Bon Homme Richard, a
larger vessel than the Ranger, but she flew the same little silken
flag. Off Flamborough Head he came up with the British Serapis. After
two hours of fighting, Captain Pearson of the Serapis shouted, in a
moment's lull, "Have you struck your colors yet?" "I haven't yet begun
to fight," was Jones's reply. The two ships were lashed together, guns
burst, cartridges exploded, wide gaps were torn out of the sides of
both vessels. "Have you struck?" cried the British captain. "No!"
thundered Paul Jones. At last the Serapis yielded; but the Bon Homme
Richard was fast sinking. Captain Jones left her and took possession
of the Serapis. The American vessel rolled and lurched and pitched and
plunged. The little silken flag that had never been conquered waved in
the morning breeze for the last time, and then went down, "flying on
the ship that conquered and captured the ship that sank her."

When Paul Jones returned to America he met one of the young girls who
had given him the flag. He told her how eagerly he ha