THE DELHI HEROES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 46, 7 February 1912, Page 6

THE DELHI HEROES.

“TOLL FOR THE BRAVE.” London, Dec. 22. The story of the splendid heroism of the French sailors in the launch, belonging to the cruiser I-riaitt their efforts to render aid to the passengers on the Delhi is one that will be read with keen interest and appreciation wherever the English language is spoken. The story is a simple one, needing no fine language to compel the admiration of the reader ■or the indomitable pluck and selfsacrifice of the seven gallant Frenchurn who so readily risked their liverin their efforts to sr.ccour our county;, men and women on board the ill fated liner. The Delhi lay broadsid, on the shore, some hundreds of yards out, with immense wa’—r- rolling over her, and sending f e;.t masses of spray over her masts. The French er.iiser Friant, which had been cruising in the vicinity of Tangier, had received the captain’s wireless mm. sage appealing for aid. and, hurrying to the scene, was the first to reach the wreck. Other warships quickly followed, but so violent weir the seas that all were compelled to stand well off the shore. It sermon impossible that any boat, could live, even if it could be safe’y launched, so angry was the sen. Many attempts were made, both from the British as well as the French ship, and at last the steam launch of the Friant, manned by seven mon, sncceided n reaching two* of th? Delhi’s boats, which, loaded with women and children, wer..- struggling to make their way to the waiting warships. Tbc launch ‘-teamr d up. a rope wa--thrown and cuugkt, and then the French sailors began the work o! towing the two boats out to sea. Once tLe rope brok". and the boats separated, but the sailors stuck to their task, the rope was again made fast, and the towing resumed. Finally, after a tremendous fight with the waves, the boats were brought safely alongside the cruiser Duke of Edinburgh, and the women and children taken aboard. But the French sailors were not satisfied. The last woman safely on board, they again made for the wreck, and succeeded in getting within hailing distance of the Delhi. Then a • great wave washed away the man at the helm, the boat swung round broadside in the heavy seas, and the water poured inboard. The firetr'if'ere put o and at the mercy of the waves, rhe launch was washed toward s the shore. A petty officer and another seaman were swept overboard, and finally the tiny craft was hurled up on the beach, the four remaining men struggling through the surf and getting safely, ashore. Even then the French sailors ■were not satisfied, for the survivors, having rescued their launch, immediately set to -work to relight the fires with such material as they could find on shore. But the boat was damaged to such an extent as to be practically useless for’ such stern work as was before any craft that hoped to reach the Delhi through the raging surf. The French sailors, however, made an attempt to launch her, but the waves were too much for them, and, very reluctantly, they abandoned a ta=k which was absolutely hopeless, and persistence in which.must have resulted in further loss of life.

Every English newspaper has contributed its quota to the stream of praise that has been direced upon the gallant sailors of the Friant, and the public is show-ing its appreciation of their self-sacrificing heroism bysubscribing liberally tow-ards the funds opened for the benefit of the dependents of the three sailors w-ho lost their lives. And having done their duty to the living there can be little doubt that the English public w ill do honour to the dead by erecting some permanent memorial to them in the Empire’s capital.