HEROES EVERY ONE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13187, 26 May 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

HEROES EVERY ONE.

THRILLING STORY OF A SHIP'S - •">;;i, ■';."• ;..-.; ; FATE. ;/; : SAILORS' RIVALRY TO ENCOUNTER v , DEATH. ,:;-'..':■ - One of those acts of heroism, which have made the annals "of the mercantile marine glorious was related by Captain Parry, after he Had berthed the Leylarid liner Bostcnian at the Salford Docks. He told how, his crew and that of,.the German oil-ship Mannheim rescued 29 seamen from the sinking ship British King, in the face of one of the fiercest gales which ever .blew in r the ; Atlantic. The Bostonian and the \ Mannheim sighted the signals of distress flown from the British King on* the morning on March 11. *-; "Waterlogged' and " Must \ abandon" were the ; pathetic singanls which were read by the two steamers. They both stood by, tor at the time the weather was too bad and the ship, rolling too heavily to' justify any attempt: to launch a boat. ; With a lookout keenly on the alert for any calls for assistance the Bostgnian stood by, tossing about for several hours. Shortly after one o'clock the anxious watchers read the message, "I'm sinking—Boat is stove —Send a boat." The sea was still furious when Captain Parry r .

v CALLED FOR-VOLUNTEERS to man the lifeboat. Not one of his crew hesitated. By virtu© of his' rank Chief Officer William Browne was chosen to command the boat, and he took with him John Hector Nelson, John Henry Galbraith, William Gibson, Owen BoAA-den, William Whitehouse, and Edward Collard. With these seven heroes in it the boat .was slowly and carefully lowered, but she was driven gradually towards tho blade of the propeller. Her starboard side was cut clean through from gunwale to keel, and the little craft was only kept afloat by; her air-tight chambers. ,By skilful manoeuvring the Bostonian was brought close to the lifeboat, lines were thrown to the men, and in this way Captain ; Parry ; succeeded ",inrecovering his gallant band.; Hardly ..had the last man planted his feet on the deck when the lifeboat was dashed to pieces ■ against th© hull of the ship.' Even in,the face of this terrible experience their courage did not fail." Captain Parry agijun'called for Volunteers. : Again' all steppedforward, except several of those who had ; made the previous attempt and had received serious injuries. Just about the same time a boat Was ■ '".',

LAUNCHED BY THE ..GERMAN STEAMER." Beth managed, after a hard fight, to draw away from their ships. The Bostonians were first to approach the British King, and more hazards ' had to be taken. ; An they got within hail of the doomed ship the" chief officer asked them to try to get alongside, as Captain O'Hagan, whose legs had been broken, must be the first to leave. No man would . accept safety unless the disabled captain preceded him. Captain O'Hagan was lowered by the aid of ropes and hooks. Twelve of his companions had dropped into the boat when it was driven away by the squalls, and, being unable to gain its former position, Second Officer Cornwall reluctantly gave orders to return to the Bostonian. By this time the Mannheim's boat had approached, and succeeded in taking aboard eleven of the men of the wrecked vessel.. The sinking of the British King was an unforgettable sight. Without any warning the watchers on the Bostonian and, Mannheim saw the stern of the British King suddenly rise in the air, while the bow dipped deep in the sea. Then she plunged out of, sight, "head first," carrying with her 32 sOuls. Captain , Parry and the Mannheim immediately steamed towards the scene of the wreck in the hope of picking up survivors. About an hour later a. piece of wreckage was sighted, to which five of the men were clinging, and, as it was unsafe to launch a boat, Captain Parry skilfully manoeuvred his vessel so as to effect their rescue. For seven or eight nours he cruised about, but, as nothing further could be seen, he proceeded on his voyage. Captain O'Hagan swooned twice after he was lowered into the boat, and died on the rescuing ship. Before he left the British.King he gave the ship's papers into the hands of Third Officer Sayers, with a request that he would get them to a rescue boat which had put off for the foundering vessel. Mr. Sayers, a;powerful young man, lashed the papers in waterproof to his waist, and leaped into the mountainous seas., lie was battling for almost an hour before reaching tho boat of the Mannheim. ..'.■•■