The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-03-19 00:00:00

THE ASSASSINATION OF THE CZAR.

In. the HOUSE OF ComMoNs, Mr. Gladstone rose in his place
and said :—I hope the House will be unanimously of opinion
that the assassination of a great Sovereign, placed upon
°Jae of the highest thrones upon earth, would under
°rcihlarY circumstances supply a fitting occasion for us
to Carry to the foot of the British Throne the ex-
Pression of our sympathy and horror; but, Sir, in the
Pr esent instance there are many heightening circumstances
Which cannot be excluded from review There is, first, the
noble self-forgetfulness with which it appears that the
fliPeror, having escaped from the first deadly attack made
11,1300 him, was induced to disregard the cautious advice of
',nose around him that he should again seek the shelter of
Ilbis carriage, and to say, No—it was his duty to see to the
"'9llllded. (Cheers.) Again, Sir, we cannot but bear in
011 ad that the circumstances of this assassination have
,t'ached a pitch of cruelty and horror perhaps hardly known
the melancholy annals of such deeds. And, finally, we
Inust express our feelings of the black ingratitude to such a
°orereign which alone, according to all human jUdgment,
cri
e°llld have led to the conception and execution of such a
,„
"“e• It recalls to my mind some lines in which the
"triarch of all poets has recorded his fe,lings upon the
8,,e of a very ancient Sovereign, whose wise and good reign
Z
),:a failed to elicit the universal gratitude which ought to
rve been its consequence and its reward. As his thought
represented by Pope, Homer says :
Let tyrants govern with an iron rod,
Oppress, destroy, and be the scourge of God,
Since he who, like a father, held his reign—
"
Bo soon forgot—was just and mild in vain.
14Z„' ;Sir. all know that, whatever there may be in that great
to rre, as doubtless there may be found in all communities,
huinall for criticism or for censure on the imperfection of
institutions, none of it was owing to Alexander 11.
BolLe4,esisted it was part of the inheritance he received. The
Laheur of a devoted life was with him to improve that
tuteritance for the benefit of his subjects and of mankind.
the 8,
_ir, believe it is not the language of flattery, nor even
po,hat Language of mere feeling naturally excited by
coafid hal, occurred, which leads me to state with
nt a ece that there cannot be a doubt that the
reii
to of Alexander 11. in the history of Russia and in the
rY of regardedEurope and Christian civilization will ever
-
came to tr.

A disastrous collision occurred off the Start,
Plymouth, on Saturday, resulting in the total loss of
the Benin, a barque-rigged steamer, 969 tons register
1,530 tons gross, owned by the African Steamship Com-
pany, She left Monrovia, on the Liberian coast, on
February 14, with a valuable cargo of about 1,800 tens,
consisting of iron, ebony, palm oil, and coffee. She
touched at Havre on the sth instant, discharged 400
tons of cargo, and left on Friday evening for Liverpool.
Shortly before midday on Saturday a large steam-
ship was setn a long way astern of the Benin, but
running much faster and overhauling her. The two
vessels were apparently on the game course, but the
weather being fine and it being the fixed rule at sea
that every ship on overtaking another vessel shall keep
out of the way of the vessel so overtaken, the Benin
kept on her course, going at the same speed as
previously. The strange steamer maintained the
same course and very soon overtook the Benin, and
ran on her course until her bow was in a line with
the Benin's stern, and only a few length's distant.
Then there seemed to be an attempt made to star-
board her helm, but it was too late. The Benin
was struck with great violence on her starboard
side astern, and heeled over from the shock, and as
she rose was struck again. A large hole was knocked
in her side, extending two feet below her waterline.
She filled rapidly, and as it was evident that nothing
could save her, Captain Wilken gave orders to the
crew, numbering between forty and fifty, to lower
the boats. This was done rapidly and without mis-
hap, and in ten minutes the officers and crew were
clear of the vessel, leaving everything of value behind,
and pulled for the other vessel. She proved to be the
steamship Duke of Buccleuch, 1,942 tons register, and
3,083 tons gross, commanded by Captain Russell, and
belonging to the Teuton line.
When the Benin was abandoned there was between
fourteen and fifteen feet of water in her hold. The
Duke of Buccleuch lay to after the collision a short dis-
tance off, and almost immediately after the crew of
the Benin reached her the latter vessel sank, taking
with her a cargo estimated to be worth over £150,000.
The vessel was also estimated to be worth £30,000.
The crew of the Benin were sent on to Liverpool by
the midday train.