The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-02-26 00:00:00

11E STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER,

the captain's gig's. stove in instantaneously. Captain
Easton called to the men on board not to crowd the
starboard, and called for the lifeboats, and begged them
to let all the ladies be seated first. The male pas-
sengers however pressed into them, and when the
ship went down the two boats were sucked under
the water, and only three ladies out of the fifteen
on board were saved. The fishing smack Early Morn was
near at hand, and made every effort in its power to save
life: but the wind was blowing so high at the time that it
shot past the wreck, and had to take a long tack before it
could again approach. Captain Eatofi, who appears to have
stuck to his ship to the last, nearly losthis life, owing to a small
black pig, which was washed overboard, fasttning itself on
to his back, and only releasing its hold when a rope's end
was thrown out to save the caPtain by the crew of the
Early Morn. A captain in the Madras army was saved
by clinging to a floating spar, and was astonished on being
landed to be told that his wife Ind been saved by similar
means, and was safely hou:ed iu the same hotel that he was
takenAp. _ Beyond the deaths referred to at the inquest, no
others are reported at present. Hi!, one of the stewards of
the vessel, lies in a very precarious state, and only alfght
hopes are entertained of his recovery.

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DEAL, Sunday night.

The Strathclyde lies in about 16 fathoms of water, con-
sequently there is little hope of her ever being raised. Her
cargo was one of a miscellaneous character, and was very
valuable. She was not, properly speaking, a passenger
steamer, but was still a favourite with many who were in the
habit of travelling between the two hemispheres. Her cap-
tain, who appears on this occasion to have acted as bravely
as judiciously is an experienced sailor, and one of the most
popular men on the Bombay route. Hill, the steward of the
Strathclyde, who was seriously bruised about the legs, is
much better than he was. Luke Short, the quartermaster,
is suffering from the effects of exposure. One of the ladies,
who, with the captain clung to a plank, was Mrs. Tubb.
The Special Correspondent of the Standard, writing from
Deal on Monday morning, says :—" The only salvage from the
wreck up to the present time has neen a few barrels of satu-
rated provisions and the captain's gig, which, after being
abandoned, was picked up at sea. It is not expected that many
of the bodies of the drowned will be recovered, as the current
which flows at the spot where the disaster occurred, has a sea-
ward direction. Many of the distressed relatives have visited
Deal, in the futile hope of hearing intelligence of the missing,
and painful displays of anguish are often witnesse4. A stiff
breeze is blowing to-day, and thus the diving operations which
are in progress at the Strathclyde will be interrupted. Captain
Eaton, who has entirely recovered from the effects of his
fatigue and exposure, has occupied his time since the collision
in communicating with and assisting the friends of those
dead or not found.

On Monday Mr. John Humphreys opened an inquest at
the Town-hall, Poplar. on the bodies of Miss Jelsie Dorcas
Young, IP, Multi) Nelson, 28, and a )(mpg man who, up to
that time, had not been Id,ntifled, but who, there is every
reason to believe, was one of the crew of the ill-fated steam-
ship Stratheyde.
Inspector .Tames Terry appeared on behalf of the Thames
pollee • and Captain Livesay represented the brokers of the
vessel, Messrs. Gellatly, Hankey, and Sewell •

The deceased persons. alter the lamentable collision be-
tween ti-e Franconia and Strathclyde were picked up by the
barque Queen of Yations, a vessel belonging to the White Star
Line, and homeward bound from Sydney. Every means of
preserving life was resorted to, but they died. Upon the
vessel arriving in the East India Dock at eight_o'clock on
Saturday morning last Inspector Terry boarded it, and sub-
sequently removed the bodies to the mortuary in Queen-
street, High-street, Poplar. Information was then for-
warded to the coroner's officer, and the bodies of the two
first named deceased persons were promptly recognized by
their friends. The chief steward then stated that the third
body was that of William Mail', and the coroner's officer,
learning that his reiations were in Scotland, telegraphed
there. A brother of M'Kill arrived in town, but could not
Identify the body.—The Franconia is at present in the
Victoria Docks.

Robert Frederick Young, of 18, De Beauvoir-road, Kings-
land, a bank clerk, identified the body of the first-named
deceasedas that of his sister. He last saw her alive on the
16th inst., when he bade her good-bye. She had taken a
first-class passage to Bombay. Some jewellery belonging to
the deceased was here given up to witness by Captain
Livesay.
Eliza Seagar, of 119, Leman-street, Whitechapel, identified
the second-named deceased, who was a lamp trimmer on
board the Strathclyde. He intended on his return from
Bombay to marry her.

A juryman expressed nis belief that the body the witness
had identified was that of a friend of his named Wilson.
The witness, however, produced a letter which bore the
signature of Nelson, and which had been found in his pocket.
The Coroner said it was necessary to have the evidence of
the captain and mate of the vessel that picked up the de-
ceased persons. The case was then adjourned until Friday.

On Tuesday, tbe coroner for the borough of Deal resumed
the inquest on the bodies of William Bussell and Thomas
Quinland, passengers, and James Sullivan, boatswain, of the
steamer Strathclyde. Further evidence was given by the
captain of the ill-fated vessel; and the chief mate, the third
mate, one of the quartermasters, and the second and third
engineers of the Strathclyde were also called as witnesses,
and the inquiry was adjourned.

On Monday divers were down at the Strathclyde two
hours. The quantity of loose gear prevented them from
sending up any cargo. They cleared the maintopsail yard,
and towed it in, and also cleared some gear off the fore
hatch. Nothing was done at the wreck on Tuesday on ac-
count of a heavy sea running.

THE FORSTER BEQUEST.
(From Monday's Times.)
Following the generous example of his friend, the
Rev. Alexander Dyce, Mr. John Forster, whose death
we recently lamented, has munificently bequeathed to MEMORIAL OF KEA.TS IN ROME.
the Department of Science and Art his valuable lib-
rary of books, his extraordinary collection of manu-
scripts and autoeTaphs, and the great bulk of his A telegram sent on Monday, from the Correspondent of
: •
painting 4 and drawings. Mrs. Forster had the option The Times at Rome, says
of retaining the property during her life, but she has "A memorial medallion erected to the Poet Keats,
liberally decided to give it up at once to South Ken- upon the pilaster of the gateway close to his tombstone
insington. the Protestant burying ground, was uncovered this
rT- afternoon in the presence of a large number of ladies
The mere enumeration of the titles of the books, and gentlemen. An address was delivered by Major-
briefly described, fills 272 closely-printed octavo pages General Sir Vincent Eyre in explanation of the cir-
of a catalogue which Mf. Foreter was passing through cumstances which led to the erection of the portrait
the press at the time of his death, and, as the sheets
which bad then been struck off end without finishing and the repairs of the well-known gravestone. The
sculptor, Mr. Warrington Wood, having generously
letter "T," They by no means exhaust ale contents, in declined payment for his work, Sir Vincent stated that
fine order and condition, of the shelves of tfie Palaee- the amount would be treated as a nucleus of a larger
gate House library. It abounds in history, biography, sum for the execution of a bust to he placed in Poet's
antiquities, travels, poetry, and dramatic literature, Corner, Westminster Abbey, provided the requisite
ranging from the first folio of Shakespeare to the popu- permission could be obtained, and. he made an appeal
lar pubhcations of the present year. The collection of for subscriptions towirds its completion. The hope
tracts and pamphlets, proclamations, broadsides, and was unanimously expressed hy those present that no
chapbooks, is of rare and varied interest. There is an obstacles might arise against the site being granted for
array of pamphlets, a collection in itself, bound in a bust in Poet's Corner."
535 volumes, dealing with such different subjects as
art, agriaulture, colonies, history, biography, India,
law, medicine, poetry, and the drama, sla very, social ques-
tions, &c. There is also, as might be expected from the
drift of Mr. Foreter's studies, a large number of tracts
relating to Charles 1., the Civil War and the Common-
wealth, and to Ireland and Swift; and there are 14
volumes of pamphlets collected and arranged by Lord
Macaulay, A glance through the pages of the cata-
logue shows the presence of many presentation copies,
and volumes enriched with autographs, letters, and
notes; of books that that have belonged to men of
mark or formed part of other famous collections ; of
original editions, rare and privately printed books ; of
illustrated books, and books on art. Avery few examples
will be enough to prove the value of the bequest. The
first page that we turnover contains Addison's "Travels
in Italy," with this inscription, "To Dr. Jonathan
Swift, the most agreeable companion, the truest friend,
and the greatest genius of his age, this book is pre-
sented by his moat humble servant the author."
Going on, we find Bvron's own copy of "English
bards and Scotch Reviewers," given by him to
Leigh Hunt, with Byron's autograph, and many
c-zrectiens made by him ; the original edition
of "Robinson Crime ; " the corrected proofs
of four of Dlckens's novels ; the first editions
of Goldsmith's "Traveller " and "Deserted Village;"
Pope's copy of Garth's " Divensary," with auto-
graph, notes, &c., bequeathed by him to Bishop War-
burton; the proof sheets of Johnson's "Lives of the
Poets," corrected by himself; Landor's "Imaginary
Conversations," the original volumes, with very large
additions in LanOor's MS.; "The Dunciad, with
this autograph, " Jeriath : Swift, 1729. Amicissimi
Auctoris Donuna ; " Pope's "Works,' with another
autograph, "To the Right Honourable the Earl of
Oxford, from his most obedient, humble servant, A
Pope;" and the first and second folio Shakespeare.
Among the art books may be specially mentioned
Hogarth's works, "a rare collection of his own plates,
with duplicates, showing various states in which they
were issued," and, what must be particularly accept-
able to the South Kensington Musegam, a wonderfully
illustrated copy of Granger's "Biographical History
of England,' in 31 folio volumes, containing 5,62
portraits and illustrations. This "Granger," formed
by its original owners at great cost, was still further
improved and amplified by Mr. Forster at a consider-
able outlay.

DE DICKEY-BIRDS NIL NISI BONUM.
(From Punch.)

Turning to the manuscripts and autographs, which
fill many bound volumes, it is well known that for
years past Mr. Forster had been amassing a collection
of great interest and value, particularly of documents
illustrating the two last completed centuries. Of its
contents we cannot speak with certainty in the absence
for the present, of the remainder of the catalogue.
But about the existence of one treasure there can, we
believe, be no doubt. South Kensington's thousands
of visitors will have the opportunity of inspecting all
the original manuscripts (with one exception) of the
works of the great humourist whose friend and bio-
grapher Mr. Forster was—Charles Dickens.
The paintings, pictures' drawings, and works of art
comprise works by Frank Hals, Guardi, and Terburg ;
Reynolds, G-ainsborough (notaby " His Daughters," one
of the attractions in the Royal Academy Winter Exhi-
bition of 1875), and West (original oil sketch for "The
Raising of Lazarus"); Bonington Harlowe, Cipriani,
Stothard, G. S. Newton (portrait Of Sir Walter Scott),
and Turner (two drawings) • Cattermole,4" Eastlake,
Clarkson Stanfield (specially "Castle of Ischia "),
Maclise (including "Scene from Werner," and a large
number of original drawings, many of them of
men of letters, living and dead, but not the " Caxton's
Printing Press," which is bequeathed to Lord Lytton),
and W. M. Thackeray ; Sir Edwin Landseer and H.
Wallis (interior—Shakespeare's house and his dog) ;
F. D. Hardy, F. W. Topham, Boxall (portrait of
Walter Savage Landor), Frith (particularly the por-
trait of Dickens, painted for Mr. Forster), and Watts
(portrait of Thomas Carlyle, also painted for Mr.
Forster). In all there are upwards of fifty oil paint-
ings, besides a considerable number of drawings and
sketches.
The conditions of the bequest are few. They com-
prise the acceptance of the gift, upon the trusts and
conditions of the will, by the Department of Science
and Art within a specified time; the provision of a
proper and sufficient separate room or gallery for the
reception of the library and paintings; and a stipula-
tion that no part shall ever be sold or exchanged.

Sir,—We have heard a deal of the cruelty of killing
and plucking Dickey-birds—dear little things! Bosh!
They ain't dear little things; leastways, not out of the
trade. They are nasty quarrelsome little varmint.
Watts says they "in their little nests agree." What's
Watts? He may have knowed a thing oe two about
lions and bears, but it's quite certain he didn't know
'much about Dickies. If he 'ad, this would have been
about what he would have wrote—

"Birds in their little nests agree
Till big enough to fight;
And then the biggest gets atop,
And sarve the little 'tins right ! "
Yours truly, A FEATHER DRESSER.