Whitehaven Maritime Festival 1999
On the afternoon of Sunday 27th June a grudge of
over two hundred years was resolved as John Paul Jones was pardoned for his actions in
1778. An honour guard of US marines marched around the harbour and stood guard, whilst
Michael Moon gave a speech to a large crowd describing the life of John Paul Jones, and in
particular his daring raid on Whitehaven. Lieutenant Stephen Lyons of the US Navy then
signed a document accepting the treaty giving freedom of the harbour to the US navy,
allowing one US naval vessel to enter the harbour each year. Various dignitaries witnessed
the signing, including the Russian ambassador, Yuri Fokine, marking the fact that John
Paul Jones later became a Rear Admiral in the Russian Navy of Catherine the Great.
