AT OFFICER'S BRAVE ACT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144131, 28 June 1913, Page 8

AT OFFICER'S BRAVE ACT.

Mr. David Blair, first officer of the White Star liner Majestic, dived from the bridge to the rescue of an insane stoker, named \villiam Kehvin, who had jumped overboard (reports the New York correspondent of a London journal) when the Majestic was 700 miles east of New York. Both were picked up by the Majestic’s lifeboat. Only throe days before another stoker had disappeared, supposedly overboard, bis absence not being noticed until the rollcall. Captain Kolk was on tho.bridge when Kehvin rushed from tho stokehold, at 10 o’clock on Tuesday morning, and plunged into tho sea. A number of passengers on deck raised tho cry of “Man overboard!” and flung life-pre-servers to tho spot whore ho disappeared. The Majestic had gone two miles before Captain Kelk .could succeed in backing her. Tho day was foggy, but Captain Kelk, with masterly seamanship and judgment, drove the Majestic through the fog in tho right direction, which was first indicated by the calcium flame attachment of a Holmes buoy which was thrown overboard when tho stoker jumped. Kelwin’s feeble cries were heard, and Mr. Blair, who had boon sleeping, and who rushed to the bridge only partially clad, jumped to his rescue. Ho did not reach tho stoker, however, for the lifeboat secured him first and then picked up Blair. The stoker had been 35 minutes in tho water, which registered 4ldeg. The passengers subscribed £SO for the purchase of a binocular glass, suitably inscribed, as a tribute to Mr. Blair’s bravery.