"MAN THE LIFEBOAT."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2527, 17 February 1887, Page 2

"MAN THE LIFEBOAT."

The Liverpool correspondent of an American paper, cabling on December 11th, gives the following graphic account of the unfortunate attempt by a lifeboat crew to save life at Southport the previous day :*~ Southport, to the northward, so gay a watering-place in summer, I found on a visit there this morning pervaded with great sadness over the loss of twenty-one lifeboat sailors, through the inexcusable neglect of the Government in providing, worthless lifeboats, " They were death-traps," said John Jackson, a survivor, to me, as he looked down with lustrous dark eyes, and the rings of exhaustion under them, on a curly-headed daughter on his knee. She is only four years old, and ignorant of how near she oaina to being an orphan. Before giving the interview, let me premise that at an hour when Southport society was at a reception given by the Mayor and Mayoress, crowds of people were watching the .sea and coast on the beach, and a vessel off the coast. The waves were rushing upon the beach with a deafening roar, dashing clouds of spray up over the promenade, hissing and seething like the boiling contents of a gigantic cauldron. Above the dirgeful din was heard a danger gun, while the bright flamo, heralds of distress at sea from the rockets constantly burst upon the darkness.

' In a brief time were honest, sturdy men pushing forward around the life- . boat-houso, volunteering on the perilous voyage that was to end so tragically, Eight married and eight unmarried men soon, made up the crew of the lifeboat Elitabeth Furnley. , " Yob, I was one of them," bogan ; Jaokaon, " Thirteen have gone aloft, and one was my brother; but Henry Robinson,'sa'Ved ; mtli!me l has lost two r .brothers, and twobrothera wore also droVnedonanother' lifebpat, the St Anne, further up the coast.' Only last 1 week I was at a jolly merry-making for '. her erew, for having in tho'week' be- • fore saved a ship's crew. . ■ Oddly enough thirteen of thorn wero also lost—a fateful number Bomepeoplb say. Sixteen timos have I handled an oar on the Elizabeth Furnley. I saw what proved to be the* Mexico at three o'clock in the afternoon, but riding at anchor, and nobody thought she was in danger. Abouthalf-paetnineo'clortk she gave signals of distross, and we got the boat out about ten minutes tc ten, the vessel not being half a mile out. When we got to her, we saw a light on hermizzen-mast, the foremast and mainmast having beon carried away. There was a terrible gale blowing, and the sea was awfully rough. We could hear no shouting, nothing but the sea roaring. The vessel seemed .drifting ashore, and we kept drifting towards Southport, When about twenty yards off the vessel the sea caught ÜB, and the lifeboat went over to the_ port side. I was just about throwing out the anchor when she capsized. Some scrambled out as well as they could, but the others could not. There were several in the sea, clinging to the ropes alongside the boat. Richard Robinson was beside' me; he got exhausted, and I held him up until a sea came up and carried him away. I never saw him again. Then I got exhausted, and got undor the boat for rest. I spoke to Harry Robinson and to my brother Jackson. I said: " I think she will never right herself as lifeboats should do, and we will all.be drowned.' Robinson said: •Aye, every man of us. I then felt the boat touch the bottom, and I got on my feet and got outside, but I durst not leave her. I- stuck to her for half an hour, and'thon found I I could free myself, and was buffeted ashore. Sometimes I laid down on the sand to rest myself. I was that dono up I don't know how I got homo; I spoko to my brother just before I left-he was under the boat still-but henoveranswered. I didn't know anyone was saved besides myself, though I saw two or throo struggling in the water. All who died, did so from exhaustion.. Befor* the boat drifted into three feet of water they lost strength to hold on or scramble along. The vessel was th» Mexico, a German ship, I hear, going from LiverpooHo South Amerioft, Think how she was driven out of her oourse. I am glad her crew were saved by another life-boat-one only two weeks old, a gaod pattern—thonghit has taken two dozen lives to save less than that number."

After hearing Jackson's story I yiaitedtho temporary mortuary. TTiora, in a long row, lay the thirteen bodies, at the head efthe. gronp being Charles Hodge, the coxswain, a tall powerful man with a beard. While the relations crowded the place, the police had the greatest difficulty in keeping back the crowd, Mothers who on Thursday night saw their boys leave home in their brisk and manly vigor, now wept over theircorpses. Thesaidsons'wives, with their babies in their arms, franticly chafed the cold hands, while one young daughter, lovingly laid tho head of her dead father in her lap, smoothing down the wet hair with gentle tenderness. A more moving sight than that of those thirteen bodies ranged along the clean straw, with the groups of mourning and wailing friends around them, has perhaps ngyer before b«ftn

OASTLEPOINT ROAD BOARD, The adjourned meeting of the Board was held on Saturday las?. Present. —Messrs Maunsell, Andrews, and Elder. The minutes of last meeting wera read and confirmed. '"{:■■ ■ The' Treasurer reported balance in Bpnk, £567 17s 2cl f and balance avail-' able for future expenditure, £s2o.'' " , Ac'cOtats amounting fy'Liif lfo •• \i : : :'. were examined and pspw for .pay-, i ment. ~. .?&■. Correspondence read i': twin., Colpifo' nisi Secretary's office re gazetting:|J||| members; Mr Perry, claim for wagtf|/|' : Mr Maokay,. re attending meeting )■""•/ Mr J. Anderson, applying for the. ua« ot 3ome old timber, at Tinui bridge; ';' 'Mr J. G. Cox, stating his inability to. attend meeting to arrange scents, betwosn Akiteo snd Castlepoiut Bflfesdj The County Clerk ro applying forthi Government subsidy. The report of tho Clerk of forte was read and considered. It was rosolvftd all the members be appointed to sign cheques on behalf of the Board, That applications be made for tb« Government subsidy due, That, Mr Perry be .paid twe-day V wages. '' ■ ;,;...' . That the Clerk he instructed to prepare a statements accounts between the Akiteo and this Board for appro-. val at the next meeting. That application be made for a copy • , of tho written instructions which the W County Engineor refers to in the Over- vseer's time for March and April, 1886. That application be made to the County Engineer for the use of the pile driving apparatus for tho lower Tinui bridge. * That the Clerk of Works be instructed to attend to the repairs on the Oahangpj Woodlands line until completed. jjj4 A sura of' L2GO wat voted tcske County Council for expenditure on the main road in accordance with schedule submitted by the County chairman. The next mooting was fixed for Saturday sth March.