IN MEMORY OF COMMODORE CEACROFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 645, 6 December 1865, Page 4

IN MEMORY OF COMMODORE CEACROFT.

It is with sentiments of the most prof onp j sorrow and regret that we have this moraine t record the untimely decease of one of Auckland' true and valued friends. Commodore P? S Cracroft, JI.N., C.B, who departed this lif, the 2nd of August, at Admiralty H ousc p o, } l<oyal, Jamaica, in tho fiftieth year of Lisa. To the general community—to those who a f short years since pressed forward to testify th!- 1 " earnest appreciation of the generous, genial t J chivalrous disposition of the man—the death, f Commodore Cracroft will be felt as keenly the event was unexpected, whilst to those xrh enjoyed the pleasure of his more immediate personal acquaintance, his departure must leav a void that can be much more readily iinarined than expressed. Commodore Cracroft entered the navy on the 4th of June, 1830, was made Lieutenant on the 26th August. 1811; Commander on the 12th October, ] SIC; Captain on the 20th JCovcmber 1854, and Commodore of the second class' on the Jamaica station, on the .list March' 18(51.. When Commander of H.M. sloop Ecynard on the China station, i a May 1851, being then about to sail from Hong Kong for England, the master of tho British brig Velocipede, arrived with infonna. tion of the total loss of his vessel on the Pratas reef, and that ho had left the greater portion of his crew, twenty-four iu number, on the desolate islands of that name, exposed to a linger. ing death from hunger and thirst. The Heynard was promptly dispatched ri reliefofthe shipwrecked crew, but like many other reliefs she became herself the victim. Fortunately', H.M. sloop Pilot, Commander P. G. Hichley, had sailed in company with the Reynard, and through the assistance of that gallant officer, the shipwrecked mariners were conveyed in safety to Hong Kong. What the feelings of the residents at that port were, will be best shown by the following extracts : — A general desire prevails in tliis part of China. and, it 13 believed at tho Northern Ports also, to murk their sense of the many excellent qualities of Captain Ciacroft as a gentleman, but more especially the esteem entertained of him as an ollicer, whether engaged in promoting the interests ol commerce, or in executing the services entrusted to l;is judgment and zeal, during the timo he has commanded Ii.AI.S. Koynard on the China, Station. In order to aflbrd the means of manifesting tho sentiments of the community, and (heir sympathy for Captun iu his recent misfortune, it ia proposed to present him with Bomo testimonial of (heir esteem, to bo afterwards fixed upon, subscriptions for which, limited to five dollar*, will be received at the Branches ofthe Oriental Bank ia China. In Hona-Kong the psprr wa.j signed by nearly every onu who paw it, the names exceeding in number the entire jury list. A meeting of Gub:cribrra called by circular was held some time ago, at which Mr. Campbell and Sir. Shortrcdo were pppoinrd a committee for carrying on tho intentions of the subscribers, but us Captain Cracroft \v«is summoned to Penang before the Canton and Coast Lists were returned, these geutlemennot being able to complete the duty vi'h which they were entrusted, drew up a letter, which along with the Hong-Kong Lists, was presented to Captain Cracroft a few hours before his departure. 'J 'he letter and the reply to it wcio as follows:— Hong-Kong, 18th August, ISSI. Dear S.r,—Wo havo bean requested to convey io you the enclosed document, signed by a large proportion of tho foreign community in this part of China, who are desirous of offering you some ladling testimonial of the estotm iu which you are held by them. Tho suddenness of your departure prevents our now completing tho ogrecablo duty with which wo have been charged Jt may not bo out of place however to £ay, that we only echo the general voice in ass-uringyou, that throughout the Coatt of Chin*,—which you havo successfully navigated from Hainan to the Great AY all, tho zeal yon-have manifested to promote the interests of commerce and civilization; the judgment aud discretion with which you havo oxecutfd the vurious services iu which you have been employed; and we may add, your obliging deposition, and tho urbanity of your manner, have secured for you theapprobation "of all parties, of everj calling and Country in China, as ia best evinced by the names attached to the enclosed paper, which, we have reason to suppose thtj want of opportunity alono has pievcnted others from signing. ABfuring you our community will at all times tase a lively infeiOot in your wefare and happiness, We remain, &c, A. Cami-dell, Axd. Skoetuede. To Com. T. Cwcroft, B.N. H.M.S, Minden, Hong-Kong, ISth August, ISSI. [ Gentlemen,— Suffering as lam from a depression ' of sp rite, not difficult to be accounted for, I feel quite inadequate to the task of replying as I should wish t-j the letter I havo .just received, and of returning properly the thanks duo to those whose kind feel- • ing towards mo has been manifested on the present occasion. . . ,-carcely two years have elapsed since I arrived on this illation, utterly unknown to the community in China, but deeply anxious to fulfil tho duties entrusted to me. How I lmve succeeded, this testimony of your approbation, thus spontancou ly «P« SSf ?' ? sufficiently tostitioa, more especially as I observe in • tho list enclosed'vory many linmos personal* unknown to me. , ~ But f..i- the calamity that has befallen me, I should havo renv.med in ignorance of the general go* ; wishes that followed K.M.S Ecyr.ard on her departure from the colony; and I c-mnot help assuring ' you, gentlemen, Hat the interest I in HongKong at that peri, d, will from henceforth b= superseded ; by one of a much more permanent nature I bee most siuccroly to thank you for the flMtenng • a.ldi-c>s\nd tcstimoMial with which you hawiteffl ■ plcmed lo present mo. They will over be uew.u. ' with honcil pi Mo bv me am! mine. L have tho honour, &c, l>. CiijciiOi'T. Coinmanucr of It.T\r. late Ktcam-sloop Kcyntri. To Messrs. Archibald Campbell, and Andrew Short m!e. On the Ist October, 1859, Captain Cracroft arrived in Auckland, in command ot n.iiscrew corvette Siger; and here as in UiiM, from the hour of his arrival to that ol to> je parture, iu May, ISGI, In* professional excel ; fence and private worth were the theme* ot universal admiration and esteem; and ;^ ■ China, were endorsed with the spontaneous tribute of affectionate regard. ~ During his temporary absence from the nowe service of which he was so conspicuous an. orna rnent, Commodore Cracroft met with that sao misfortune which cast so deep a shadow oi " > after life ; which lie strove to lighten by twub in Spain and Fran™ ; and which HO doubt m duced him to apply for and obtain ™r}°m in the deadlv region of Port Eoyal. lhe _ mate told quieldy and sorely upon his con.tiW tion-aml if the writer of this memento may be permit U-d to draw a conem sion from the letter lie last received, he cam but consider that his dear mid revered lrauu was apprehensive of the worst. "My wife ,, (he writes), I am glad to-av, still Iree-os her health, mid lias no dread ot t» heat ofthe approaching summer which i- « ■ say I do' dread; last autumn I was ftiri) floored. If wo escape with our lives we umbo thankful!" __