The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-12-04 00:00:00

PUBLIC HONOUR FOR BRAVERY.

In July last, it may be remembered, a lad named
Walter Miller, 16 years old, distinguished himself by very
bravely rescuing a child from the harbour, just as it was
on the point of being drowned. Mr. Webb and Mr.
Harker getup. subscription, the lad was presented with
a new suit of clothes, and the Royal Humane Society
awarded their thanks, on vellum, to Miller. This la a re-
markable distinction for a hot only 16 to gain, and the
honour was more fully proclaimed by the Mayor, who on
Tueolay last preserved it in open ciaprt.
When the magistrates hail take% their seats on the
Bench, and there twine a pretty munerous company in the
Guildhall, the Marna nail: Before we begin the business
of the Court, I should like to present, on behalf of the
, Royal flumaneSociety, to a lad who is here in Court, •
te•timorial which has been sent to him. I believe that
, Mr. Webb, who is present with us this morning, has
taken some interest in this matter, awl the society, con-
sidering. very properly, that this was a very brave and
very humane action on the part of the lad, would wish
some public presentation, in order that the lad himself,
and the thou at large, might know how the brave deed
was appreciated.
Mr. WEBB then put forward the lad Walter Miller and
little Bowling, the latter a child six years old, and mid
, this was the lad and this the child he had saved. The
clothes which Mill r stood up in had been subscribed for
by a number of frieuds living in the town, as a alight re-
cognition of the bravery he had displayed. When the
secretary of the Humane Society called on him with
reference to the matter, he (Mr. Webb) said "Give the
boy a medal :" but the secretary answered—" No, we will
give him something better, namely, an address on vellum,
on which can be inscribed the record of his bravery," and
this the Mayor now hell in his hands.

The NiATOR continued: There is no doubt the society,
in presenting this, have done that which would be most
likely prererviid by you, Miller. Some have thought that
if a sovereign or two had been given to you, it would
have been better for you; but I do not agree with that,
and I have no doubt whatever that you will get this
nicely framed and hung up, so that whenever you or your
parents look upon it, there will be a memorial before you
or them, that at the early age of 16 you had the courage,
the humanity, the bravery, to joule into the harbour, and
save this childs life. I think it is quite due to you that I
should read the resolution of the committee, so that the
trienila present may know that public notice has been
taken of it.—The Mayor then read az follows :
" At a meeting of the committee of the Royal Humane !
Society, held at their office, 4, Trafalgar-square, on the !
214 day of Au..ust, 1877, present, John March Case, Esq.,
is. the chair, it was unanimously reeolved that the courage
and humanity ilisplaved by Walter Miller, in having on
the 24th of July, 1877, jumped into the harbour at Wey-
mouth, Dorset, to the rescue of William Bowring, aged 6
years, who hail fallen therein, and whose life he saved,
calls for the ialmiration of the committee, and justly
! entitles him to the honorary testimonial of the society, on
vellum, which is hereby awariled."—AßGYLL, President;
J. M. Case., chairman : LAMISTON YOUNG, secretary."
The MAYOI continued Now, keep this my last, let it
! be kept by you, and whenever you look at it, may it have
! the desired effect that it should have upon you, and
! remind you that in this stage of life, you have thin, been
brought before those who live in your native town, and
that you stood before them as a lad of more than ordinary
courage and huwanity—l say more than ordinary courage,
because although such circumstances may bring out the
bravery and humanity of those around us, yet such an
opportunity does not present itself to aIL As long as you
live, remember that you stand before the world, and they
expect better things of you than from ordinary toys,
because of the notice taken of you, and that your
companions and associates may also remember the
acknowledgment thus shown to them of the bravery,
courage, and humanity, you displayed. I an. glad to find
that there were energetic friends, Mr. Weld., and other
friends, who were not satisfied with only the testimonial
thus presented to you; but that they have subscribed for
and given to you the suit of clothes in which you stand
before us.
_

—Alt.Ter-p-resenting the testimonial, the MAyoft concluded:
Now be a good boy: try to preserve the character you
now have of being brave, humane, and courageous ; and
as long as such lads as you stand before us, we shall have,
I think, no fear of the degeneration of the British sailor,
or of a want of sailors to man our Fleet, when they may
be called upon. (Applause.)
MILLER : I thank Mr. Webb, and I thank your
Worship.
The SIAToR added that he should have said that Mr.
Harker had also taken great interest in this matter, and
to him as well as to Mr. Webb, thanks were owing for
raising the subscription to give the boy a suit of clothes.
Mr. WEBB fully agreed with this. The lad and his
friends then left, amid marks of interest from the people
in Court.