NEWS BY THE MAIL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7069, 31 July 1901, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL

(Per Mail Steamer at Auckland.)

AN HEEOIC ACT. % A cable from St. Petersburg dated July 5 says an act of heriosm was accomplished a few days ago at Cronstadt. The crew of the cruiser Variag were engaged in loading shells on board the vessel, when a small, carriage containing five or six shells broke away from the rest, and began to run down the deck. If it struck the oppositite side an explosion was inevitable, which would have causad the loss of the ship and all on board. Suddenly Lieutenant Derichter, a young officer," threw himself before the carriage and stopped it. He lost three toes on his right foot, and received a deep wound in the leg and another in the chest. He was taken to [the hospital, where he is on the road to recovery. It is feared his leg would have to be amputated. - The courageous young officer is the only son of General Othor Derioter, aide de camp of the Emperor.

DEATH OF ADELBEET HAT. The death of Adelbert Hay (formerly U.S. Consul at Pretoria) was most deplorable. John Hay, Seoretary of State, and father of the young man, was for the time so much prostrated as the result of the shocking news brought to him that his condition was consideredalarming. Adelbert Hay arrived at Newhaven on Saturday evening. After a drive with some friends and classmates, he went to his room at the hotel for the night, and later his body was found. on the sidewalk beneath the fourth story window, from which he had fallen. The arrangement of the room showed that Mr Hay intended to go to bed, and the clothing he had removed was carefully folded. Mrs Hay, wife of the Secretary of State, inherited an immense fortuna from her father. As Adelbert Hay was a man of much ability, and beloved by a large circle of friends, it would appear that he could hardly' have tired of life. A despatch from London says that the people there are not unmindful of the fact that during the early days of fhe Boer war Adelbert Hay discharged honorary duties on behalf of "the British prisoners at Pretoria with the utmost care and discretion. It is,felt that this tragic death closes one of the most promising careers in the diplomatic service. All the papers refer to the debt which Great Britain owes the late Mr Hay for his many kind,offices.