Tone, who accompanied it as "Adjutant-general Smith," had the greatest contempt for the seamanship of the French sailors, which was amply justified by the disastrous result of the invasion.
It contains a fine Gothic Protestant church (St Mary's) dating from the 13th century and has several educational establishments, notably a school of seamanship. Its industries comprise iron-founding, ship-building, brewing, and the manufacture of cigars, leather and tinned fish.
But the venture was beyond the resources of the ships and the seamanship of the time.
In July of that year, however, he was pursued by a squadron of British vessels, and escaped by good seamanship and the fine sailing qualities of the "Constitution."
He had a high reputation in the United States navy for practical seamanship. He died at Philadelphia on the 13th of February 1843.