A NOBLE PUBLIC SERVANT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11396, 13 April 1899, Page 7

A NOBLE PUBLIC SERVANT.

__ Lieutenant Hobson's paper on his imprisonment at Santiago and his observations of the seige adds much to the in-, terest of the March Century. Incidenlally the hero of the Mevnmac pays a deserved tribute to the British consul, Mr Ramsden : Among the bright..-.! features of the imprisonment, however, were the visits of the. British consul, which occurred about every three .days. If the prisoners had been his own countrymen, even his own children, Mr Ramsden could not have been more attentive to their wants, more thoughtful in a hundred delicate ways. . . Part of Mr Ramsden's visits was always spent with the men. He looked to all their want. — kept them supplied with coffee, sugar, and tobacco, sent them two packs of cards, and contributed m other ways to their health and comfort. We all owe him an immeasurable debt of gratitude. Upon being released I made the matter the subject of an official letter to the admiral, to be transmitted to the Navy arid State departments, and conferred with the chief of- the staff, Captain Chadwick, as to making some recognition of these courtesies. It was -arranged that after the first opening of the channel I should take a steam launch and get- a load of the best things from the supply-ship, such as fresh beef and vegetables, canned asparagus, etc., aud take them in to Mr Kunisden at Santiago, and invite him and his family olf to dinner on the New York, along with the British naval and military attaches. Alas! it was not to be. When the city fell, the consul was in the midst of his last great sacrifice, ministering to the wants of the wretched at I'll Caney. The day the channel was cleared, I was ordered north in connection with the efforts to save the Spanish wrecks, and was destined never to see him again. It was one of the bright expectations of going back to be able to see Mr Ramsden ' and let him know the depth of our grati-