Posted with permission of the transcriber, Ann Selchick. Geo. THE WEST CUMBERLAND NEWS, Nov. 21, 1931 PAUL JONES' FIGHT OFF YORKSHIRE _____ Coming Sale of Relics of Famous Sea Battle. Relics of Paul Jones' famous sea fight off the Yorkshire Coast will be sold at Glendining's, London, today. At the instance of Captain F. Creagh OSBORNE, a direct descendant of Sir Richard PEARSON, Sir Richard's sword and flintlock pistols used by him in the Serapis are to be sold. The sword was surrendered to Paul JONES, who thought so highly of PEARSON that when the English captain was acquitted by court-martial and presented with the Freedom of Hull, Scarborough, Lancaster and Appleby, JONES sent the message: "Should I have the good fortune to fall in with him again I'll make a lord of him." In 1779 PEARSON was returning from the Baltic in company with the Countess of Scarborough, a sloop of twenty guns, and the Baltic Trade Fleet when he met a little squadron commanded by Paul JONES, of the American Navy. JONES' ship, the Bonhomme Richard, encountered PEARSON's Serapis. The latter's gunfire was superior, and Paul JONES closed, lashing the Serapis' bowsprit to the Richard's mizzen. A hand to hand fight, lasting three and a half hours ended in Paul JONES' favour. Unable to stand a second enemy, the Alliance, Capt. PEARSON struck his colours. Paul JONES put into Texel with his squadron and prizes, but the Dutch were unable to recognize the American flag and JONES made his escape. Before quitting Texel, JONES returned to PEARSON his sword in recognition, he said, of the bravery which he had displayed off Flamborough Head. PEARSON's countrymen thought the same of him, for on his return to England he was received with enthusiasm and was knighted by George III. In France Paul JONES' reception was no less flattering. At the opera and public places there were ovations, and the gift of Louis XVI was a gold hilted sword inscribed as a recognition of the "services of the brave maintainer of the privileges of the sea." ________________