Page 3 Advertisements Column 2

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 19, 12 May 1860, Page 3

Captain Harrison. —The death of Captain Harrison by drowning, so near the shore, created a good deal of surprise, as he was known to be a very powerfully-built man, and a great swimmer. The evidence given at the inquest by Dr. Watson gives us all the information that can be had on the manner of his end; and it seems to show that he exhausted himself by enormous exertions to right the boat“ I twice got hold of Captain Harrison in the water. On the first occasion he made a grasp at the post to right her, but she went over, her keel uppermost. I went under with him, and after we came up again I got hold of the bow of the boat, and with Lay’s son jammed in front of me against the boat to keep him up. Captain Harrison tried to get the boat righted againand his doing so caused me to lose my hold. I then made a stroke or two, and got hold of the weather side of the gunwale and remained them until I was picked up.” Captain Harrison’s death has been felt almost as a national loss. One of the oldest captains in the Cunard service (having been engaged in it since its origination) he was always considered by the nautical world as “ the sailor of the fleet.” Commanding the Britannia from New York in the early days of transatlantic steam navigation, he brought that vessel on her homeward passage to Liverpool with one engine, and within the time contracted for bv the Lost Office authorities—a feat in seamanship heretofore unknown. Prior to his appoint* ment to the command of the'Great Las tern Captain Harrison commanded the Cunard steamship Africa (now under the command of Captain Neil Shannon), and his last voyage in the Cunard service was made in the royal mail steamship America. Without any solicitation on his part, he was appointed to the captaincy of the G reat Eastern out of 2500 applications, and on his own terms. A subscription has Lccn opened in London, under the auspices of the Great Ship Company, for Captain Harrison’s family, who have been left unprovided for.