RECOGNITION OF BRAVERY

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 33

RECOGNITION OF BRAVERY

At the custom houie on Thursday afternoon, Me James Lent Martin, who wat quartermaster of the Shire line steamer Fifeshire at the time of the rescue of the crew of the American ship Patrician last year, was presented ' with a handsome gold medal forwarded' to the local collector ot customs -(Mr O.- W. S. Chamber--lain) by the P. evident of the United States, through the British Board of Trade,. for presentation to him in recognitions of his, individual bravery oa the occasion. " The-P*trioian, it ivill be remembered, was sinking in tbe Tasinan Sea when the Fifeebiro (commanded by Captain Wilson) 1 " came to her rssone, and one of her boats succeeded, under circumstances of great risk, a mountainous cross sea running, in saving the 14 men who constituted the Patrician's crew. Those who manned che boat were the mate of the Fifeshire (Mr Ross), Boatswain Mouat, and Quartermaster Martin. They made two trips, saving f even hands each time, and when they had scrambled up the side of the steamer the boat had to be cut adrift, it being impossible to get her aboard. CspUin Wilson, Mr Ross, and tho boatswain vreriJ presented in England with medals awarded by the United States Government;. The medal forwarded for preaentation to Mir Martin bears on one side the American tttns, with the motto " B PJuribus Unum " and the woi-ds " Presented by thePresidentof the United Skates," and on the other side of the medal appsar the words "To James L. Martin, quartermaster of the British s.s. Fifeshire, for his heroic setvices iv effecting the rescue of the captain and crew or the American ship Patrician, at sea, August 28, 1896." t

Tho presentation was made by the Mayor (Me E. B. C*rgill), Mr W. G. Neill (United States Consul) aud the collector of customs being also present.

'Jhe Mayor «aid : Jamea Lent M%rfctfi, — I feel it a great privilege to be wade the means of hauding you this medal, which has been awarded to you by the Life-S&ving department of the Government of the United States in recognition of .the' pact you took in saving the crew of Ihe American chip Patrician when she wag water-logged iv the Southern Ocean and on the point of sinking. I Lave heard your account of fcha whole affair, and have beeu very much impressed by your ' description of ib. Knowing something of these matters, aa an old seaman myself, 1 am able to appreciate tho work you and your comrades did and the risk you rau. This medal is bestowed upon you by the Axnericßn States Government department as a token of appreciation of the qualities which you displayed on that occasion — the qualities of a British seaman. I say nothing about its being tbe reward of bravery. I don't care about the term. My experience of the righb class of British seatnen is that whon a lime of pinch come*, when work has to be done under circumstances of great difficulty, no matter how dark the night or how bad the weather may be, if you have by yon a good British seaman you have a nsan who will never fail you. If he is anything short of that he is not what is regarded by British teamen as a good sailor. You have shown yourself to be a man fully up to that mark, and I do not know that anything could be said more to the honour of a young man like yourself than that you have shown yourself to be a good British seaman in a time when perilous duty had to be performed. I have great pleasure in handing you this medal. Mr Martin acknowledged the presentation by saying, " Thank you, sir." He is obviously a man of deeds rather than of words. He is at present temporarily employed at the Duuedia Hospital, and now seeks permanent work ashore.

A new township called Ranf urly, after the new Governor, has been surveyed at Eweburn, and the Land Board yesterday decided how the landl should be dealt with.

Mr Ebenezer Sandf.rd, formerly M.H.R. foe Christchurcb, died there cm Friday iwui infUin-« mation of the lungs, after a short iliness of 43 hours. He was 49 years of age. The funeral, was largely attended at Christchurch on Sun-, day. The- Government and m»Dy bodies wer« represented*