ABSTRACT
Early in the spring of 1775 Jones went to New York in his sloop, making a leisurely trip and spending some time in the waters and among the islands of the eastern shore, at his favorite sports of gunning and fishing. Commodore Kersaint was naturally conservative, as lie was the senior French officer on the coast and had just heard the news from Lexington, which made the situation delicate for neutrals. Paul Jones was the guest of the Frenchmen two or three days and invited them to visit his plantation. But the outbreak at Lexington had made it impolitic for them to accept entertainment ashore from persons known to be hostile to King George, and they sailed away, bound for Corunna, Spain. The Continental Congress met in its second session May 10, 1775. On June 14th a provisional Marine or Naval Committee was appointed to "consider, inquire and report with respect to organization of a naval force.".
