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¦ with the first boat was being enacted , men leaping from the top of the rail down twenty feet , crushing and maiming those who -were in the boat . I then gave Orders to the second officer to let go and row after the ship , keeping under or near the stern to be ready to take on boaTd women aud children as soon as the fires were out and the engines stopped . My attention -was then directed to the other quarter-boat , which I found broken down , but hanging : by one tackle . A rush was made for her also , and some dozen or fifteen got in and cut the tackle , and were soon out of sight . " In the meantime I found that not a seaman or
carpenter was left on board , and we were without any tools to assist ia building a raft , as our only hope ; and the only officer left was Mr . Dor an , the third officer , who aided me with the assistance of the passengers , who deserve great praise for their coolness and energy in doing all in their power up to the very last moment before the ship sunk from under us . The chief engineer , with a part of his assistants , had taken our smallest deck boat , and before the ship went down pulled away with about 15 persons . " We had succeeded in getting the fore and main yard , maintopsail , and two topgallant yards overboard , and such other small spars and materials as we could collect , when I was fully convinced that the ship must go down in a very short time , and not a moment was to be lost in getting the spars lashed together to form a raft . To do this 5 t became necessary to get the life-boat , ' our only remaiiing boat , ' into the water .
" This being accomplished , I gave Mr . Doran charge of the boat , taking care to keep the pa-rs on boardj to prevent them from leaving the ship , hoping still to get the most of the women and children in this boat at last . They had made considerable progress in securing ; the spars together , when an alarm was given that the ship was sinking , and the boat shoved off without oaTs or anything to help themselves with , and when the ship sunk the boat had got clear , probably the eighth of a mile to leeward . In an instant , about a . quarter to five p . m ., the ship went down , carrying every soul on board with her .
" I soon found myself on the surface , after a brief struggling with my own helpless child in my arms . when I again found myself impelled downwards to a great depth , and before I reached the surface a second time had nearly perished and lost the hold of my child . As I struggled to the surface of the water a most awful and heart-rending scene presented itself fro my ¦ vie w ; over two hundred men , women , and children struggling together amidst pieces of wreck of every kind , calling on each other for help , and imploring God
Almighty to help them . Such an appalling scene may God preserve me from witnessing again . I was in the act of trying to save my child , when a portion of the paddle-box came rushing up edgewise , just grazing my head , and falling its whole -weight on the head of my dariing child . In another moment I beheld him lying lifeless in the water . I succeeded in getting him on . the top of the paddle-box , in company with eleven others . One , however , soon left for another piece of the wreck , ¦ finding it could not support him .
" Others Temained till they were one by one released by death . We stood in water at a temperature of 45 deg . up to our knees , and frequently the sen broke entirely over us . We soon seemed to separate from our friends on other parts of the wreck , and passed the dreary night , each one of us expecting every hour would he our last . At last the wished-for morning came , dreary and cold , with a dense fog ; not a living soul to be seen but our own party , seven now being left . In tho course of the morning we saw some water casks and otlier things belonging to our ship , but nothing that wo could get could afford us any relief .
" Our raft was steadily settling , as it . absorbed more and more water . About noon , Mr . S . M . Woodruff , of Now York , was relieved by death . All the others now began to suffer very severely for the want of water , except Mr . George F . Allen , and myself . In that respect wo were very much favoured , although we had not a drop on the raft . The day continued foggy , except just nt noon , ' aa nonr as wo could judge' Wo had a clear horizon for about half an hour , and nothing could bo seen but -vvator nnd sky . " Night came on thick nnd drenry , with our minds made up that neither of us would live to poo the light of
another < lny , nnd vary rooti three more of our suffering pnrty were relieved by death , leaving Mr . Allon a young ilcrmnn , and myself . Feeling mynelf getting exhausted , I now sat down for the first time , about eight o ' clock in t ho evoni ng , on a trunk which providentially had been found on tho wreck . In this way I slept « littles through the night , and became somewhat refreshed . About nn hour before daylight , now Friday , the 29 th , -vvo « aw a vessel ' s light near to uh , nnd wo all throe of uw exerted our . s <; lvo , s to the utmost of our strength in hailing , until wo became , quito Oibnu .- 'toii . In about a quarter of nn lionr the li ^ ht disappeared to the o ust of us .
" Soon after daylight n barque hove in nlglit , to the IN . W . of u . s , tho fog now having lighted a little , uteuring apparently for us , but in a short tiino sho Hccinod to have < : Uangtid her course , and again wo wore doomed to disappointment . Yi-t I f «( i « l in hope * that some of o-ur fellowsmfforern may huvii been bc « ii and rescued by them . Shortly after we had givim up all hopes of being rescued by tho barque a ship was diucovoml to tho oast of uh , steering directly for ua .
" We now watched her with the most in-tense anxiety as she approached us , with the wind varying , causing her to change her course several points . About noon they fortunately discovered a man . on the raft near them , and succeeded in saving him by the second mate jumping over the side and making a rope fast round him , by which he was got on board safely . This man proved to be a Frenchman , who was a passenger on board the steamer with which we came in collision . He immediately informed the captain that others were on pieces of the wreck , and by going aloft he saw us and three others .
" We were the first to which the boat -was sent , and safely taken on board about three o ' clock p . m . The next was Mr . James Smith , of Mississippi , second-class passenger . The others saved were five of our firemen . The ship proved to be the C ambria , of and from Glasgow , bound to Montreal , Captain John Russell , who commanded the barque Jessie Stevens , and was rescued at sea by Captain Nye , of the Pacific . 41 Of Captain Russell it would be scarcely possible to say enough in his praise for the kind treatment we every one of us have received from him during the time we have been on board his ship . His own comforts he has given up in every respect fox our relief . The Rev . Mr . Walker and lady , and Mr ^ Sutherland , who were passengers on board the Cambria , have been unceasing in their endeavours to promote our comfort . To them , and to allon board , we shall ever owe a debt of gratitude for their unbounded kindness to us while on board the Cambria . " From the Frenchman who was first picked up we learned that the steamer with which we came into collision was the iron screw-steamer Testa , from St . Pierre , Newfoundland , bound and belonging to Granville , France . As near as I could learn , the Vesta was steering E . S . E ., crossing our course two points , with all saD set ; wind W . by S . * ' Her anchor stock of iron , about seven by four inches square , was driven through ¦ the bows of the Arctic , about eighteen inches above the water line , and an immense hole had been made , most likely at the same instant , by the fluke of the anchor two feet below the water line , . Taking fore . and aft the plank , and finally breaking the shank , leaving the stock remaining in and through the side of the Arctic ; and it is not unlikely that , as so much of her bows had been crushed in , some of the heavy longitudinal pieces of iron running through the ship may have been driven through our sides , causing the loss of our ship , and , I fear , hundreds of most valuable lives . " Saturday morning , seven o ' clock , 14 th . —We have safely arrived at Quebec , and I am left without a penny in the world to help myself with , or anything but sincere gratitude to repay those from whom I have received such unbounded kindness since I have been so pTpvidentially thrown among them , amd with whom I am now about to separate to go to my home of sorrow .
" I learnt from the doctor at quarantine last evening that the Vesta had reached St . John ' s with some persons from the Arctic , but could not learn the particulars . As soon as I can get on shore I shall make arrangements to leave for New York with the least possible delay , and to take the steamer for Montreal this afternoon . —I am , dear Sir , very respectfully , your obedient servant , " J . V 31 ES C . Luck . "
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MR . PETO AND THE KING OF DENMARK . It appears that at the recent opening of the new line of railway in Denmark , constructed by English engineers , with English capital , the King conferred a high honour on Mr . l eto , the principal contractor . Just previous to this latter event , however , an occurrence took place probably most interesting to the English reader . The King , accompanied by his premier , Count Moelke , to whom a ceremonioiiH presentation of tho local authorities of Tonning had just been made , descended into tho saloon of the Cy-gnns , and having summoned Mr , Peto , invested that gentleman with tho insignia of Knight Commander of the Dimncbrog—one
of tho highest distinctions in the ' power of Danish royalty to bestow , equal in titular rnnlc and social status with tho darter in England , tho order dating nearly a century anterior to that institution , namely , 12 * , having been revived in 1 G 08 , nnd reconstituted in 1808 . It was one , and tho most ancient , of tho seventeen orders of foreign knighthood worn by the Duke of Wellington i nnd , like our own order of " the Unth , is applicable to oithor military or civil serviced . Tho invcMi-Ituro wan not . an impromptu , but a premeditated net on ' tho part , of the King , bringing with Mm the Chancellor ' of tho Order ( who wan nstriateil by tint 1 SI inl ^ er of thci ' Interior ) for tho « xj > rena purpose ; and in handing over the decoration , hlH Majesty Tcqucrtted Mr . Puto'a accept .-
••• V . U » «> ., > . muiy un n memorial in approval irom this HoveTeign in whoso reign a groat Danish work wiw executed by a grout . Uriti . sh capital int . nnd vontrnetor , but an a souvenir of tho KingV personal cut win and regard for an eHtinmble , liberal-minded , and accomplished Kngliah private gentleman . Tho Tedpieiu ' w acknowledgments of thin remarkable favour wore probably embodied in hid npcceli aftorwHrdn .
MR . BEKNAL OSBORNE IN TIPPERAJtY . A School of Art and Design , in connexion with the Clonmel Mechanics Institutes , has been opened in ripperary— Cedant arma . " The disturbed county is invaded by the peaceful aits , and the Secretary to the Admiralty leaves his w arlike preparations to deliver an inaugural address . There was a lar « -e gathering , and Mr . Osborne was " rapturously" received . He spoke at length , commencing thus : " Though the pressure of official duties only permits me to pay a short visit to this country , I feel my time could scarcely be more profitably employed than in seconding useful undertakings for the benefit of Ireland . Indeed , to have one ' s name associated with any work
which has for its object the elevation and refinement of our fellow-creatures , must ever be a subject of just pride to a public man ; but permit me to say that in the observations I am about to offer on the ' School of Art , 'I speak not in my capacity as a member of the Legislature , but as a country gentleman and neighbour , keenly alive to the fact that every impetus given to industry in your town must have a salutary effect on the surrounding districts , and that I feel as the townspeople of Clonmel are educated and thriving , the tenantry of the adjoining estates will share in the beneficial results . It is , therefore , in my idea , not only the duty but the interest of every landed proprietor to promote , by all means in his power , institutions like the present , since experience has
shown that in proportion as the abilities and manufacturing energies of the town are developed , so will the material comfort of the rural population , as well as the value . of the neighbouring land be alike increased . For these reasons I saw with pleasure the first commencement of your Mechanics '' . Institute , and beheld its completion with an additional source of gratification : that you acted on the doctrines of self-reliance , so constantly and necessarily preached , and raised this commodious structure from your own resources . I now hail this second undertaking ; of connecting a ' School of Art' with the Institute as a proof that the mechanics of Clonmel are up and stirring , determined not to be left "behind in the march of improvement and instructed industry ! In
1785 the Dublin schools Avere first placed on a parliamentary foundation , an annual grant was made to the society , and so important -were the schools considered , that it was one of the provisions of the Act of Union , that this annual grant should be continued by the Imperial Parliament for twenty years after the union . What was the result ? ^ eed he mention the galaxy of Irish talent which those schools produced ? Xeed he mention the names of Sir Martin Archer Shee , Jones , Barry , Behnes , Tanormo , Sir Richard Morrison , Martin Cregan , Petrie , Hogan , jtf ' Donnell , and Maclise . The
necessity- of encouraging art had only been of late years recognised as a matter of public policy . A central school of design was instituted in 1837 at Somerset-house . Students who might distinguish themselves were allowed 50 / . per annum to- prosecute their studies at the central schoo l , and were eligible to appointments as masters and professors . That was a great incentive to youth . All classes were interested in the success of schools of art ; no distinction was to he made between education for what was termed high art and that for practical purposes of manufacture : they were inseparable . ' "
Adverting to the subject of the war , Mr . Osborno concluded as follows : — " I cannot refrain from reminding you that , the arts have always reached their highest perfection -where freedom was best developed ' . Is it not , then , a great trilnite to the soundness of those institutions under which we live , that , whilst our fleets and armies , in conjunction with our gallant - Allies , nre engaged in a sanguinary struggle , not for « oiHuic . * t , l > "t in defence of the liberties of the world , wo are thus able to promote domestic improvement , ' " , and during a time of war are engaged in an endeavour to graft a new scion on the olive branch of peaceful industry ? Such n meeting a * this , assembled for such a purpose , would bo impossible in a demotic state . The arts nre only compatible with free institutions . When tho liberties of Cireoee fell , her nrtiats
became meretricious in design , and . spiritless ia execution . Under the ruins of the Western Empire learning and art found a common frruvo . Koweoe , on the authority of Petrarch , states that in the fifteenth century , such had been the desolation cuum . hI by l . mrb . 'iritin conquerors in Italy on works of art during the middle ago * , even Imperial liomc could only Imast of six Miitue .- * , remains of her foriiKT . splendour . < Jod gran ! that . such desolation may not be euaflvd in our time , lint think you if the northern despot were lo miecei'il , we should fare belter than Rome of old V—Thu Allies arc ciimaged in no e <» minon Htruggli )—it is a war between civilisation nnd barbarism — between Freedom and 1 ) o .-i ] otic 1 ' ower—where tho Cossack tread * Art withers— -where tli <> C / . nr c <
niquers , Freedom dies . Svieli wmiM be the fate of Kuropc , were lvuwnia to succeed in her de .-igii . - ' . Do 1 tremble , for tho result V No ; 1 lime coiilUlriici' in our cause . As tho light which burned in the Miifient promontory of ( lie Chersonese , him been relit by Kn / nlish and Irisli hand .- * , so may wo yet be tho means of bearing the light of Hciunex ' , civilisation , and art to region * iiov t < liiiiil > crl > i < r in barbaric ignorance and slavish Pcrfdum , nnd futun ' iitfc . i may found Mechanic' Institute .- * im « l Schools of Art in tho ijick'inent regions of ( lie liu »» ina despot . ' '
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1036 THE LEADER . [ Satpmay ,
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 4, 1854, page 1036, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2063/page/4/
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