Wanawatu Herald. SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 1891. To Whom Credit is Due.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 14 November 1891, Page 2

Wanawatu Herald. SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 1891. To Whom Credit is Due.

" One wide water all around us, All above us one black sky " fitly describes the position, the passengers and the crew of the s.s. Jubilee lately found themselves in. Words of praise, justly due, have been given to the Captain, officers and engineers, but the real heroes of the occassion have been overlooked. On their account we recall the circumstances, Sailors are useful for navigation, but in these days of steam, the power that keeps the fires alight are greater than they. We had an instance of this when H.M.S. Calliope succeeded in steaming out into the gale, when any remisness on the part of firemen or engineers would have caused the vessel's destruction. The Captain and officeis obtained credit, and' the crew as well, but if they deserved it, what recompense should be made to the firemen and engineers who did continuous duty from 30 to 60 hours in the engine room of the Jubilee when was so flooded that they had to work up to theiv necks

in water ? We look upon the action of these men as being far superior to the members of a "forlorn hope" in war, as they had no glory to achieve, and no admiring army to applaud. For a period of three or four days it was uncertain at what moment the steamer might sink. Tuo Captain, officers, sailors a^J, passengers were on the C ' R> Yea * dy at any moment, sllch a caias . trophe slr ald 6ccnr> to ta ]j e> either 10 tne boats, or wreckage, but these I men, attending to the fives, the successful keeping up of which meant safety, were down at the very bottom of the ship, in water as deep as they could survive in, and thus utterly beyond the slightest chance of escape. Men acting up to this keen sense of duty deserve more than a word of praise, which however they have as yet hardly received ; they ' deserve something more substantial in value for themselves and as a proof of the reality of such expressions. If these men had permitted themselves, at'the time of the great excitement amongst the passengers when the tremendous wave came on board and wrecked , the front, of the saloon, to get also panic struck, the total loss of the steamer would have been unavoidable. Truly we should " pray for those at sea," and on the principle that a Royal Society rewards men ■ who risk their lives to save others, so should the Engineers and firei men of the s.s. Jubilee be rewarded, by the passengers who have benefitted so much by their noble atteni tion to duty, and by all those " that 1 go down to the sea in ships, that do ' business in great waters." It has been suggested to us that a subscription list should be opened by us to which those who admire bravery, might contribute, if it is thought well of, we should be pleased to ! receive any sums and will duly acknowledge the same.