Run aground at Texel
On 3 October 1779, John Paul Jones sailed into the harbour of Texel with a squadron consisting of American and captured British warships. The event caused great political excitement in the Netherlands and in Great Britain. As soon as the British Navy learned that Jones had taken refuge in the harbour of the island of Texel, they blocked the harbour with their fleet. The British ambassador in The Hague, Joseph Yorke, put pressure on the States General to return the British ships or to expel the Americans.

Jones used his forced stay in the Netherlands for a kind of public relations tour. He went to Amsterdam where he received a warm welcome from both regents and citizens. Thus it became clear to see for everyone where the Dutch sympathies were. And it made clear as well that the problem would not easily be solved.

In the meantime, the States General did what they always did in times of crisis: they met and deliberated in committees on how to deal with this problem. After much debate the States General on 12 November sent a Dutch navy squadron to Texel. Its orders were to force the Americans to leave. Jones understood that he would have to act fast, as he had little room left for manoeuvring. He brought his ships, with the exception of the Alliance, under the French flag. As a result of this trick the ships could not be handed over to the British. Time was short though, and it was with the greatest effort that Jones got an additional reprieve from the Dutch commander. This extra time he used to prepare the Alliance for a breakout.

Breakout!
When on 27 December the British squadron that was blocking the harbour was scattered by a heavy storm, Jones crept out of Texel harbour. The British discovered just a fraction too late that he had escaped. It was too late to set off in pursuit. Jones tried again to attack and capture British ships in the Channel, but failed. After some more wanderings he put in at a French port.