Robert.

This is coolbert:

Here from the wiki entry for Robert Surcouf an interesting item:

"He became a living legend in France and, in England, a public enemy whose capture was valued at 5 million francs"

The French privateer and corsair Robert Surcouf having a prize, a bounty, a reward placed on his head by the English, a tidy sum princely even indeed at the time and even now.

"prince·ly - - adjective 1. greatly liberal; lavish; magnificent"

5 millions francs in the year 1803 worth approximately $13 million US [2006].

A bounty, a prize in the same league as is the reward for the capture, the apprehension or death of a major terrorist of the Al Qaeda persuasion today.

My calculation s based upon: [thanks for the data from several Internet web sites.]

 1. "[One franc] in 1803 is [worth approximately] 2.07 € 2006."

2. One Euro in 2006 worth 0.8 US dollars.

3. 5 million times 2.07 divided by 0.8 equals about $13 million US dollars.

Robert as a combat naval commander, highly effective in using measured audacity to "take on" and defeat a much larger and better armed opponent. Such as the battle with the HMS Kent. Robert closing and grappling with the enemy at close-quarters, "hugging tactics" at sea rendering the superiority of the enemy cannon at close-range null and void.

"When alongside an enemy ship, elite marines waited below decks until an order was given to board. When the men sprang forth, the British ship cannons could not depress enough to fire directly on the French ship."

Measured audacity with panache' indeed! A high-risk maneuver and maneuvers that succeeded for Robert just splendidly, and on a number of occasions too! Robert was in a class all by himself?

coolbert.