officers claimed as theirs and Russell permitted them to keep even though it would have reduced his and his crew's prize money. When Russell brought the prize into New York City he reported the circumstance, and his officers swore an affidavit in support of their captain. The Treaty of Paris was then on the point of being concluded, and in consequence the Admiralty Board and British government thought the affair would cause undue scandal and kept the official account from the general public and did not publish Russell's letter. Kergariou sent his subordinate, the Chevalier d'Ecures to see Russell. He threatened that when he should be released, he would, through influence at the French Court, acquire another ship and would obtain the requisite orders he needed to hunt down and capture Russell in retaliation if Russell reported the incident. When Russell failed to be moved, the Count, again through his subordinate issued a challenge to Russell to demand personal satisfaction. Russell considered the challenge and returned with the answer to the Chevalier: "Sir I have considered your challenge maturely...I will fight him, by land or by water, on foot or on horseback, in any part of this globe that he pleases. You will, I suppose, be his second; and I shall be attended by a friend worthy of your sword." On the declaration of peace, Hussar returned to England for decommissioning, and Russell was offered a knighthood, which he refused, as his income would not have been enough to support the title. Russell was informed that Kregarou had been tried and acquitted of the loss of his ship and the breach of internationally recognised laws and applied to the Admiralty for permission to travel to France. Admiral Arbuthnot accompanied him as his second. Kregarou wrote to Russell and expressed his gratitude of the treatment that he and his crew had received from Russell after they had been captured and informing Russell that he intended to move to the Pyrenees. Arbuthnot convinced Russell that he should not follow the Count but return to England. Russell returned to England and remained unemployed until 1791. Command in the West Indies In 1791 Russell was appointed to the 32-gun fifth-rate frigate on the West Indian station. During his time on the station, Russell made an impact, first with the inhabitants of Jamaica who highly praised his conduct and secondly with the Spanish Governor in