ple, to declare
themselves in favor of America. "There could no longer be any question
respecting the future, since there was no longer the risk of espousing
the cause of a people too feeble to defend themselves."

The truth of this was soon displayed in the conduct of France. When the
news arrived at Paris of the capture of Ticonderoga, and of the
victorious march of Burgoyne toward Albany, events which seemed decisive
in favor of the English, instructions had been immediately despatched to
Nantes and the other ports of the kingdom that no American privateers
should be suffered to enter them, except from indispensable necessity;
as to repair their vessels, to obtain provisions, or to escape the
perils of the sea.

The American commissioners at Paris, in their disgust and despair, had
almost broken off all negotiations with the French Government; and they
even endeavored to open communications with the British Ministry. But
the British Government, elated with the first successes of Burgoyne,
refused to listen to any overtures for accommodation. But when the news
of Saratoga reached Paris the whole scene was changed. Franklin and his
brother-commissioners found all their difficulties with the French
Government vanish. The time seemed to have arrived for the house of
Bourbon to take a full revenge for all its humiliations and losses in
previous wars. In December a treaty was arranged, and formally signed in
the February following, by which France acknowledged _the Independent
United States of America_. This was, of course, tantamount to a
declaration of war with England.

Spain soon followed France; and, before long, Holland took the same
course. Largely aided by French fleets and troops, the Americans
vigorously maintained the war against the armies which England, in spite
of her European foes, continued to send across the Atlantic. But the
struggle was too unequal to be maintained by Great Britain for many
years; and when the treaties of 1783 restored peace to the world, the
independence of the United States was reluctantly recognized by their
ancient parent and recent enemy.

FIRST VICTORY OF THE AMERICAN NAVY

A.D. 1779

ALEXANDER SLIDELL MACKENZIE

American naval officers look back with intensest pride to
Paul Jones, their earliest hero, the founder of those high
traditions which have done so much to raise the navy to its
present standard of efficiency. Decatur, Perry, Farragut,