CAPTAIN BARRY AT HOME.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1246, 15 April 1880, Page 2

CAPTAIN BARRY AT HOME.

As our readers know, Captain William Jackson Barry, the author of " Up and Down, or Fifty Years of Colonial Life," has just arrived in this city, having landed from the City of Florence, ship, from London. Since his departure from New Zealand the captain has led a busy, eventful life, and the Dunedinites are to have an; opportunity shortly of hearing from his own lips a history of his sojourn at Home. . He will lecture on " My Tour in England; and the release of Sir Roger Tichborne, the Claimant." As regards the latter portion of this subject it may be explained- that the Claimant, it ia understood, is to be released in May, and Captain Barry flatters himself that this has been consummated mainly as a result of the light he has thrown on the question during his Home trip. It would be unfair to explain here the particulars j these will form an interesting portion of ; the promised address. And while wo ; do not wish to anticipate what the gallant captain may have to tell us of his English experiences, still we believe a few facts as to what he saw and did will he of interest, for Captain Barry has grown to ; be a personage of importance. As may bo imagined, on his arrival in England he " allowed no grass to grow under hi 3 feet, He soon had his book under way. The first edition comprised 10,000 copies, of which 2000 weie sold in England before he left, J What it was thought of at Homo : can easily be judged of by reading the critiques of such papers as The Times and the Scotsman. The former Baid :—" Hia , blunt, homely style . . . lends an additional charm to a narrative from every page of which the truth speaks out. The book is thoroughly worth reading, and worth thinking over as well. Let it be added that of all the countries he has seen and known, New ZeiVi land is the most to his heart," The sposß* man speaks of the book fts very interest* ing ? altogether, full af interesting matter," So much for the book, and these oxtraofcs are interesting as showing how a prophet fareth at the hands of strangers ; although before we leave it we may mention that amongst the author's curios to be exhibited afc the lecture is an autograph letter from her Majesty the Queen, thanking him for the present of his work. His lectures on the Colony were delivered all up and down England. In places like - Leeds, where there was 3 eharge for admission, large &udi@nQes assembled ; and at JSecliham Rye some thousands attended. He especially in his remarks advocated that intending immigrant should take money with -them, urging that capital alone waa needed to t this Colony what it be 3 and in this respect his labprs have bomo fruit, for besides niany who Qamo upon his recommendation seeking a field for investment, along with hira in the City of Florence several men of large meana have cqme to settle here—at least so he assures us. Then he was the means of establishing emigration clubs, which continue ; in active operation, and through which a batch of immigrants have already reached New South Wales and New Zea.-> land respectively. He had every QQurtwy and assistance shown him by the Agent's • General and hig sta# in connection with this wQrk and with the lecturing, He also addressed meetings in connection with the Tichborne question in London,. Coventry, Nottingham, sc,, the chair being taken by Dr. Kenealy, Lord Rivers, Guildford Onslow, and others being also upon tliQ platform. Several newspapers, in giving notices of the captain's meetings, printed in their columns his photograph also ; and in the Yorkshire Independent of August 29, underneath one of these portraits, we find the following flattering paragraph, in all the dignity of leaded type "Last week the demand for the Ind§-» pendent was so great, owing to publication of Captain parry's portrait, that many thousands of persons were unable tq secure a copy, In order to patify alj who were disappointed last week, we this week republish it, printing a large number of extra copies." In this way, going about and doing good, Captain Barry at length got as far north as JJdin« burgh. Here he met with a mishap which he will relate, and which has a special interest of its own attaohing to it, because through its occurrence lie providentially escaped the Tay Bridge disaster. From these fact 3it ia to bo., inferred that the gallant captain will interest his hearers; and in addition he can give them a full report of the Lord. Mayor of London's banquet of how he received invitations from Denmark, &c., to go over and help them in the formation of emigration ships; of how fit

great illuminated address is to follow him to what he may almost term his native shores of New Zealand, being " England's testimonial to him for his exertions in the cause of emigration; add many other things. Unquestionably it would appear that Captain William Jackson Barry, "treble ex-Mayor of Cromwell," as he used to delight in calling himself, has created some noise in merrie England. He has brought this Colony prominently j before the public there, and deserves well at the hands of colonials if only for that fact. But we will leave him to sound his own trumpet at bis lecture, and we may pardon him if be does that a little now, seeing that at Home he has contented himself with performing a like good office for the Colony.—Otago Daily Times.