A CONTRAST.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 17, 22 July 1893, Page 7

A CONTRAST.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, ■ — ■ “ Phiz,” in Christchurch Truth, referring 1 to the terrible loss of life in the Victoria disaster, says the cablegrams have been lavish of condolence fox 1 the late Admiral Tryon, and very sparing of it for the four hundr ed brave fellows who went down with him. This is so. All through this sad affair we have had too much admiral. It is not intended to distract one atom from the honour due to Admiral Tryon, but what about the officers and seamen who suffered the same fate, as bravely as the admiral, through no fault of their own F They seem to have stuck to their posts of duty to the last moment, and yet there is but little condolence for them. Brought down to a comparison, it has been all admiral, ad nauseam. Lady Tryon has also received a pretty full amount of condolence and attention, and it may be deservedly so. A number of old Australians, now members of the House of Commons, have contributed their quota. How much comfort or condolence has been sent to the wives, mother’s, sister’s, and children of the brave fellows, who now lie eighty fathoms deep in Mediterranean water’ ? These women have all the feelings, sympathies, and affections of womankind —just as much as Lady Tryon, and possibly many of them her equal in ability and culture —her equal in all but the “guinea-stamp.” Well may “ Phiz ” say we are a nation of snobs. It recalls the old story of a shipwrecked crew arriving at a village not far from where their vessel was lost. Much sympathy was felt for the captain and mate. In reply to a suggestion that something should also be done for the sailors, it was said, “ Oh, no matter about them, they are used to it.” On this principle, we must try to suppose the four hundred were accustomed to going down with sinking ships —The admiral was not, and hence thp fulsome messages of condolence and laudation. A French writer of three or four decades since said, referring to the “ hero-worship ” paid to the Duke of Wellington : “ The English, a s a people, lowered the national character in their adulation of the Captain, and ignoring the splendid men who fought and won Waterloo.” The British lines of brave and obstinate fellows, who withstood, unbroken, the charges of Napoleon’s cuirassiers gallant squadrons that had for years before achieved renown on the battle-fields of the continent- —were forgotten in the exaltation of their commander. Again it was Tommy Atkins receiving the blows and bullets, and their general the honour and ha’penre. Writing of Wellington and Waterloo, Byron puts it : “ And I shall be delighted to learn who, Save you and yours, have gained by Waterloo.” During part of the second, and up to the fifth and sixth decades of this century, men were to be met —in almost any part of Great Britain—who had left a limb on the field of Waterloo, some of them in receipt of a miserable, pittance miscalled a pension—and others begging for an existance, while the duke was belauded and gifted far bey#nd his requirements, both by the Government and privately. Tommy Atkins and Jack see and know all this, they think of it, and are they satisfied? Passing events of the day supply a sufficient answer Turning to recent events contemporaneous with the Victoria catastrophe : in enormous quantity, valuable wedding favours have been showered on the Princess May. It is said in value, not far short of a-quarter of a million sterling. Very generous from a liberal people. A subscription list is now on the board for the honourable purpose of helping the destitute widows and fatherless children of the brave fellows, who sleep at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. Let us observe how far snobbery,

in its generosity to well-provided-for r oyalty, will outran the call of genuine charity', in a more noble, deserving, and needful cause. —Yours, etc , Old Salt. July 11th.