The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-03 00:00:00

AN INCIDENT OF HEROISM.

In noticing the wreck of the Admiral Print Adalberl
(mentioned above) and the disaster to the lifeboat's
crew that went to the assistance of the ur.fortunate
ship, the Evening Standard has the following :

- -
An incident of heroism brightens the record of dis-
aster during the recent gales which deserves not merely
the honour of being chronicled, but reward more sub-
stantial and the highest distinction bestowed on those
who save human life. A German barque, the Prins
Adalbert, hard pressed by the fury of the hurricane,
was towed into Swansea, when the tug-rope broke
and she was driven ashore on the rocks to the west
of the Mumbles head. Once within the shelter made
by that bold projecting point, with its brilliant
white beacon, she would have been safe ; but now, she
was at the mercy of the billows. Her position was
noticed from the village behind, and immediately a
life-boat put out to her assistance, manned by eleven
gallant fellows. Five of these were members of one
family. Skilfully she was steered past the jutting
lighthouse, and impelled by sturdy arms alongside
the vessel, when a heavy sea capsized her, and
her crew were flung into the waters. With a rare
perseverance and intrepidity, they succeeded in
getting on board again ; but another gigantic swell
drove them and their craft on the crags. Of the
eleven four perished ; two were engulfed by the
receding tide, and seven managed to obtain a foot-
hold, but in a miserable condition, bruised, battered,
and lacerated. Of the family of five, three were
rescued, including the father ; but one of these
is not expected to survive, so terrible are his in-
juries. His scalp was torn, and both legs were broken
in several places; in this state he had to cling for
two hours to a rock beaten by the angry surf.
The two who lost their lives were discovered in
the splintered lifeboat ' • one had his neck broken,
and the other his skull smashed in by the violence
of the shock. Two brave girls, daughters of a
lighthouse-keeper, heard shrieks of distress, and rushed
to the edge of the boiling cauldron. They could dis-
tinguish a pair of struggling figures almost within
reach of them but still too far to be grasped. Then
one of them, them,
Ace—her name should be remem-
bered—had an inspiration. She took off her shawl,
and tying it to her sister's, threw it, rope fashion,
to the poor wretches. It was too short ; but the
dauntless child—she was only sixteen—did not hesi-
tate. She stepped into the waves to her waist, and,
flinging it out a second time, was enabled, under God,
to bring the despairing waifs out of danger. The
spirit of Grace Darling is not dead in our island race.
That Welsh lassie should be coupled in loving fame
with the daughter of the lighthouse-keeper on Long.
stone Island, who, with her father, saved nine men
from the wreck of the Forfarshire steamer nigh four-
and-forty years ago.

Mr. E. G. Tayler writes to the Daily Telegraph :
"Your generous leading article (on the 27th) has encou-
raged me to address you on behalf of the sufferers amongst
our little lifeboat crew, of whom four have perished in
attempting to rescue the crew of the Admiral Prinz
Adelbert, of Dantzio. Especially tragic is the fate
of the family of Jenkin Jenkins, an old man of
great repute as a boatman, captain of our life-
boat. Two of his brave sons, Jobn and William, and
a son•in-law, perished, while another son, George—a
splendid specimen of the British sailor—lies with
his leg broken, and his head terribly cut. His life
was only saved by his brother Dick, who, though
almost equally disabled, succeeded in dragging his
helpless brother though the wild breakers to a cave
beyond the reach of the tide. Here they were found,
when, after three hours' waiting, the tide receded
sufficiently to permit explorers to search the coast.
The old man himself lies also in great danger,
having sustained fearful injuries to the head by the
sharp rocks. Those of your keaders who have passed
their holiday time in the Mumbles will many of them
remember Jenkin Jenkins and his sons, who have in-
variably carried off all the boating prizes at the local
regatta for many years past."

In Rome, the other night, a disastrous fire occurred
at the Palace of the Duke Sforza Cesarini. It began
in the chamber of the Duchess, who had that night
returned from Naples. She had barely time to escape.
The destruction of property is estimated at fourteen
thousand pounds sterling. Among the articles burned
is the autograph correspondence of Sixtus V., which
had come to the Sforza family by an alliance with that
of Peretti.