GLEANINGS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1750, 22 September 1883, Page 4

GLEANINGS.

A ST&to Ab6ut Capi\ Webb.-^lii September, 1875, when the world was filled with the praises of Capt. Webb, for swimming across the English Channel, at the Straits of Dover, a New York laytyer conttibuted to the Burlington, Free Press a graphic account of a heroic feat performed by Capt. Webb in April, 1873, which the writer witnessed, 1 on a return trip of the Russia to Liverpool. The initials feigned to tho letter, "J. B. E.," were thwso of cx'-Poliec CoinmisBioiier'attd'piesent United States Marshal Ethaidt. The letter ay.is copied, with due credit, m the Evening Mail of September 22, 1873, and is, m the main, icpublished below. A seaman had fallen overboard fro'n the Russia.. " J. B. E." thus continued the story :— His fall was witnessed by his companion — not, however, mot- than a companion because a messmate of the same cirw- not u-ini; to the closeness of a fncnd. lie ga\e the alarm, dioppcd hi& bucket, l an, diessud as lie w.\h, ol< ar to the stem, &>omu '2~>o feet; uithahouml cluued at once tlie railing and the sciew, a blow fiom tlie blade of which would have washed him instantly, and swam aftoi his coiniado. Long before the steamer had turned arpuud, both the man who had thus jumped and the boat that went after him had ui&iippeaictl fiom the sight of all but an o''iecr who hud been sent to the maintop to watch them. Half an hour passed and tlie boat had given up both men tor lost and was letuimng in obedience to a signal fiom the steamer, when on its way back it sighted and picked up the lieio who had jumped into the bioid ocean, 800 miles Jrom land. Jumping with his top boots and a ti^lit litting e.udigan jacket on, he was helpul into tho boat with nothing on but his tiousus (hiving divested htmsclt ot tho lost while sw immiug) and blue with cold. He had btought with him the hat of Ins uo'iii.idc, who had Mink to Use no inoie, having doubtless been stiuck by the survv and killul. The Russia proceeded on her voyigi 1 . The passengers headed by William J. I'lorenco, thoaotoi, Mibyciibcd IMO for the family of the poor lad who w,h lost, and -Co toi the cm vv who pic kid t'u heio up ; and then piesuitul him ClOO in gold. Tliis act ol heioiMi) was the most gallant the wntei' has e\ei sern, and it lias been Ins good toituno to have been miiiy, both in the fk'ld and m end' lite. The mm was a sailor, and he well knew that such attempts at icscue lesiilfc gcncially in the loss of both. He knew that it. would be ten minutes befoie the stcamei could turn and di op a boat, and that ho would be tin ee miles astern, and he well knew that unless both he and the, seaichcis foi him mounted the eiest ot a w.ue at the same time, and very neai each other, he would not be been, and that Ins voice could not be heaid abo\e the noi->o of the wind. He knew that steamers aie not apt to delay long to suaieh lor mvii lost nndci feiich ciiciimstaiicex Ife took all these risks, buthe took no neullosi lisks, foi he ian 2.10 fecfc to the t,tein bctoie he jumped, to avoid the danger of being sucked under the ship and struck by the sciew, showing that he acted thoughttully as well as piomptlj. The man's modesty was uj'.al to hi-> biaveiy. He took tliegitt i.ilhei umulhnglv, , and with a speech woithyof a hcio : "1 thank you, and wish my comiadc v\as heie to share it." He meant e\eiy woid. He spoke with his eye and fiom his heait; he did not think ot what he had done, but what Ik; had failed m doing and of his companion he bad lost. After the accident the pas>engeM y\v little of him. Me kept out of then way, and seemed to feel that the people wen; looking at him, and although lie was collided in the ioieuislle once oi twice by f-omc of the pa-^en^c! », he talked but little conennrig his i lloit. He did '■ay, hovevu , that w hen tliu boat »uo him up and pullt d .iw,i> hi*. " hie pjs>i d quickly bcfoiu him." II id it been liuk-i d his last jcview of lile, -wo'ild not the en and lie w.i-. or., ami tin hafc he licld in his hand, have pi<-s<d him in at '"the dates?" The-tc wi re aniDiii* th( % jiassengeis many will-known citi/ens— .laikson H. MdmH/, ot Xcw mk ;Mi <;,ni"lt on, U. iS. Comiiiis-iouel to \ n nu.i, .mil many Otheis. Mi Ixhull/ id. nh om ln>io the ollei that if he cv oi di'-aiid to have the mm lv a\ o;ilil t" il%e cut t hat he on kind. Me thanki d him foi tin oflci, but did not accept it Tlie KO3 il llii'nane .Society, of London, deviated fiom then ) nli', I think almo-t *-cLIX d, not to giv e a medal links'- a life 1^ --.iv <', and «iv c this B.uloi one ltwaspNtl) (amid Tin, (Sim /, C\N\i, Mi (.ladstono's negotiations with >M. Id Li sst.p-> 1 exulted in .1 pu lmiiiKiiy at lanucmcnt that has since had to the abaiidone<l, but has nieanvv Ink 1 done mm h to '•hake the piescnt English ('ahnulin the conlid« nee of the I'oniiueiei.il ila^e-, w ho, 111 the end, are piotty sine to lmhi-u a potential ■\olcc in the shaping ot pnty politics. It was piopo-,ed to ad\ .1111 0 the Mini of eight million poun-'s •stilling at tlnee and a half pi 1 tint. M. I)e Lesvp-/ monoplywass to lie lecognised. In ictuinioi tlii^t'nie w.isoidv to be a leduetiOii on biiip^ 111 b.iii i^t to tne extent of two am! a hall ii uic-> pu ton. ,init not until the ihvmen<l> upon the second caiuil amounted to :>."> pui icnr upon tho capital mvtisi"d was to be a Imther 1 eduction and then only to tho extjnt of half a fianc ])ei ton. Sicing that ot the shipjjing that passes thiough the ennal 82 ycr cent. i^> 15nLi->h, and that IliiL'l.ind now piactically cont 01-j the (!ovci mnent of Egypt, and thoiefoio owns the Siu/. route, it is not to bowondcied at that this ai l.ingement did not sitisfy Ijiitish shipowner, and that it hatl to be abandoned in the face of a ris.ng tide of opposition winch the Cabinet, with all its influence, did not ieel itself able to ■withstand. JJe Letscps has since declared that he will piocccd to dig the second canal, Avhich the needs of commeicc imperatively demand, without delay ; but it may well !>e believed that British ma chants who aic almost the bole customeis of the canal, will be heard from befoie that io accomplished. There appeals to be a pretty detci mined disposition in England to have a second canal under Butish contiol. Those who now piactically own the light of way and supply neaily all the business, think they have a ught to be hcaid, and who shall say that they aie wrong? — S. F. News Letter. Bkandvavd ChsTKKx— Jj randy nnd oysteisdonot go well toeethei. "My dear sir, do you want to nun your digestion ?" asked Piofessor Iloughton, of Tiinity College, one day of a fnend who had oideied biaudy and water with his oysters at a Dublin lestuiant. Then hesent for a glas of biandy and aglass of Giu'nness's XX beer and put an oyster in each. In a veiy short tune there lay in thq bottom of the glass of hi andy a tough, leathery substance resembling the fingei of a kid glove, while 111 the porter theic was haidlly a trace of the oyster to be found. You will do well to furnish your home from G.irhck and Cr.wvvr IPs llicj li ivc now the most comj lct<- Furnish inn Warcliouso in Auckland, fiirnitino to v!it all classes, good Rtrcr.g, antl clieip. Thcv liam; iapc>trj C.irj)ets .com 2s 3d pei v ml, IliussiO"! fiom 3, lid per •yard. Linoleum fiom 3-> 9J to 7)-,, Oil Cloths fiom Is Od to 4s 0.1 per \ i il, ({jkml 12 tot-t uuleOil Cloths at ."is O'l pci V.i'd Immrnsc assortment of Iron Bedstead 1 - f'om Infants' Cots to 5 Icet wide half- tctiT liuKteads. Double iron lirdftcads fiom 25«. 4no lieilstends in stock loselett from. Ueddmjis ot all kinds and sizes kept in readjness. Dining, hitting, Drawinsr-room I'lirniturc. and and al irpe assortment of Manchester arc Furnisliinf; Goods, i 1i 1 eh dint? i lot of ' Cndtonnos. Hook Catalogues sent free to mt«ndin(j piirtliius. OaMi. k and Cranvvell, CJtV Hall Arrado Queen -etrppt. Aurklinfl Lipk in thk Bajsir— Then and Now.— It is 'fifcner.illv suppost d that in the bush we have to put up with many discomforts and privations in tip sbapo ol food Formerly it was so, but now, 'thanks to '1 1? Hill, who has himself dwolt'in'ilVe bu^li, if food does consist chiefly of tinned.wats his CoioniAlSauci' pives to them a most delectable flavour, making them as we)l of tin* plainest food mo-t eijo> able, and instead as bard biscuits anil indigestible damper his Impro^eh Colon.i al Hakim Powdkb makes tbo yeryHiest bread, scones, cakes, and pastry far i superior and more wholesome than yeast' 'or ' leaven. Sold by all storekeepers who can obtain it fron^.a/ijt sncrrbnnt in Aurklahd; t < 1 1 j . .RAMANttMicB. If,, you wish to de- , -strofitmWt *¥*cktt<df '■kite*ltAfiicWkfl%H KiltVK in packet*. 6d, 9d, and Is, to be obtained -,Mi|lljtorekoeper«,,or frb'to^T." 1 ». Hnx by en-