July, 1851.
On the 15th July, 1851, a boy named Stephens, belonging to H.M.S.
'St. George,' at Hamoaze, fell overboard, and as the tide was running
strong, he soon drifted away. A seaman named Boyd jumped after him,
but not being able to swim, could render little assistance; both
being, therefore, in a perilous situation, Mr. T. H Julian, second
master, the officer of the watch, gallantly plunged overboard, and
providentially sustained them, until rescued by a boat when at a
considerable distance.
Mr. Julian was full dressed. This was not the first instance of his
gallant and humane conduct.
LIEUT. SAUMAREZ, R.N., H.M.S. 'VOLCANO,' OFF
SIERRA LEONE, AFRICA,
March, 1851.
On the evening of the 31st of March, 1851, a seaman named Sullivan,
of H.M.S. 'Volcano,' fell overboard off Sierra Leone, while under
weigh. Lieut. Saumarez, who was in the gun-room at the time, on the
alarm being given, instantly rushed on deck, jumped overboard, and
succeeded, after much difficulty, in rescuing him. Lieut. Saumarez
has, in several instances, displayed similar acts of bravery in
saving the lives of his fellow-creatures.
CHARLES LOXTON, SAILMAKER's MATE, H.M.S. 'ROLLA,'
DOVER,
August, 1851.
On the 26th of August, 1851, while H.M. brig 'Rolla' was proceeding
into Dover Hoads, at a distance of six miles from shore, and going at
the rate of four knots, with studding sails set on both sides, a
naval apprentice, in descending from the main rigging, accidentally
fell overboard, when Charles Loxton, a sail-maker's mate, gallantly
jumped overboard and succeeded in reaching him, and, after severe
exertion, swam with him to the line of the patent log which was
towing astern, where he continued to hold the boy with cool presence
of mind until assistance arrived: the crew being at breakfast, a
quarter of an hour elapsed before the ship was rounded to and a boat
lowered, and when hauled in, Loxton was completely exhausted.
MR. SKEAD, SECOND-MASTER, AND MR. LAMBE, MIDSHIPMAN,
R.N., OF H.M.S. 'TRAFALGAR,' OFF MALTA,
1852.
On the afternoon of the 5th of February, 1852, while H.M.S.
'Trafalgar,' Captain Greville, was going through a heavy sea off
Malta, Mr. Sheepshanks, a cadet, lost his balance while sky-larking
on the poop, and fell from the upper-stern gallery into the sea. The
alarm was instantly given, when the second master, Mr. Skead, plunged
from the gun-room port, and picking up a chair that had been thrown
overboard, he swam towards the drowning lad: on his approach, the
boy, exhausted, gave a scream, and sunk; but quickly rising, Mr.
Skead was enabled to push the chair within his grasp, and, throwing
himself on his back, he continued to support him until assistance
arrived. In the meantime Mr. Lambe, midshipman, jumped off the poop,
a height of upwards of 40 feet, and ultimately succeeded in saving
his little messmate and Mr. Skead, who, from his great exertions, was
taken into the boat in a state of convulsions.
On being asked by Captain Greville, why he had encountered so much
danger, Lambe gallantly replied, "Oh, Sir, young Sheepshanks is the
pet of the mess; we could not afford to lose him, at any rate!"
MR. WARD, BOATSWAIN, R.N., H.M.S. 'GLADIATOR,'
AFRICA,
1851.
On the coast of Africa, the 28th May, 1851, W. McCarthy, a seaman
belonging to H.M.S. 'Gladiator,' fell from the fore sponson
overboard. Mr. Ward, boatswain, without a moment's hesitation,
gallantly plunged after him, and, although the ship was going at the
rate of nine knots an hour, succeeded in holding him above water
until assistance arrived: this making the ninth person Mr. Ward, by
his intrepidity, has rescued.
COMMANDER ALAN H. GARDNER, H.M.S. 'WATERWITCH,'
AFRICA,
1851.
On the 7th of October, 1851, at 8 P.M., as H.M.S. 'Waterwitch' was
anchoring at Monrovia, on the west coast of Africa, a boy named
Clarke, fell overboard out of the forerigging. Commander Gardner,
though dressed in heavy blanket clothes and thick boots, immediately
jumped overboard and saved the boy. There was a strong tide running,
and it was perfectly dark: the boy's struggles were so great, and so
much time elapsed before assistance could reach them, owing to the
sailors being aloft furling sails, that they were both in the act of
sinking, and Captain Gardner was taken up almost lifeless.