|
You can also help us to provide you with more resources by making a payment, just click on the PayPal™ button on the left.
The Following report was transcribed from The Argus, 18th June 1863 :
“The schooner Duke of Wellington was lost off Wollongong during the heavy gale. The captain and cook were washed off, but floated for fourteen hours on a portion of the wreck, and they were picked up by the steamer Hunter. Five of the crew were drowned.”
The Courier (Brisbane), 8th July 1863 :
“PRESENTATION TO BOAT’S CREW OF THE HUNTER. - On the arrival of the Hunter at the wharf last evening, an interesting ceremony took place, consisting of the presentation of an address and a purse of money to the mate and boat’s crew who so gallantly risked their lives in saving those of the captain and cook of the Duke of Wellington schooner. The men, whose names are John Gard, mate, and James Murray, __ Angelo, James M’Lean, _____, having been called forward, C. T. Smith, Esq., read the following address : - ‘To the chief officer and seamen of the steamship Hunter, Belonging to the I. S. N. Company. It has been the custom of civilised nations, in all ages, for the people to express their gratitude to any fellow citizen who has risked his life in attempting to preserve that of a fellow being. The recent noble and daring, and fortunately successful attempt made by you, in a raging sea, to rescue two unfortunate seamen floating in the ocean, on a piece of the wreck of the schooner Duke of Wellington, which had upset and foundered near Bellambi, Illawarra, on the Sunday evening of June 14th, 1863, calls for the strong admiration of the public of the colony. The rescued seamen had been for nearly fourteen hours, and through the whole of a bitter cold night, clinging to the shattered deck-house of the wrecked vessel, and were on the point of perishing when you, under the skillful, humane, and prompt direction of Captain Sullivan, launched a small boat amidst the raging waves, and restored the two men to life and safety. The community of Wollongong and its neighbourhood wish to tender you their thanks and seize this opportunity of expressing their admiration of your brave and disinterested conduct. Fortunately, the brave and generous acts of British seamen under similar circumstances are not very rare, ans as often as they take place the public are proud to acknowledge the noble daring of their countrymen. The inhabitants of the District of Illawarra join in this testimony of thanks and gratitude to you, and offer to you this small and hastily collected pecuniary tribute to your noble and daring conduct. Their thanks being due to Captain Sullivan, are also tendered to James M’Lean, the man who had charge of the helm of the steamer, whose vigilant eye discerned the drowning men struggling in the wild and stormy sea, and also to Mr. Edwards, the harbour master of Wollongong, for his hospitality to the rescued seamen. Signed on behalf of those offering the testimonial. - C. T. Smith.’ Mr. Smith then handed the contents of the purse, which amounted to L13 0s. 6d., to the officers and men. Captain Sullivan said that he returned them his thanks for the manner in which they had alluded to what he had done in saving the lives of the captain and cook of the schooner Duke of Wellington. He had merely done what he considered the first duty of every man - viz. , to endeavour by all means in his power, no matter how hazardous the endeavour might be, to save human life. He could only shudder at what would have been the fate of those two men if they had passed them unheeded. They could not have lived that night out in such a sea. Their thanks must be for ever due to the man at the wheel, James M’Lean, who espied them as he was looking over the quarter. An erroneous opinion had been going about that he heard them crying out. Such was not the case. No person could be heard in such a wind as was then blowing, more especially as we were a quarter of a mile off. Their thanks ought also to be given to the I. S. N. Co for the manner in which they supply their vessels with such good crews, useful life-boats - boats not to be surpassed by any other in the colony. He felt glad that the services of his chief officer, Mr. Gard, and the four men had been so appreciated, and that the subscribers had given them such a substantial token of esteem, so that if such should be the case again (Heaven forbid), it will make them feel what they have to do. Not but what Britons would always be foremost in danger without fee or reward. He must not forget that Mr. Regan, the steward, supplied them with all that was necessary in th shape of hot grog, edibles, &c., which they so much required. The clothes were supplied to the captain by Mr. George Ferris, his second officer. Mr. Gard briefly returned thanks, and after a few observations by Captain Hart, in which he spoke highly of the bravery of the British seaman, and maintained that in the performance of acts of gallantry seamen were not influenced by mercenary motives, but by an innate feeling which urged them on to save the life of their fellow-man, the meeting separated with three cheers for Mr. Smith, for the interest he had taken in the matter. - Illawarra Mercury, June 30.”
See Also
|
