The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1875-04-27 00:00:00

PRESENTATIiiN Of THANKS.

.... .. . ... .......
An interesting eereur my, though one very little noticed,
station. I
took place on Monday morning last. at the roaatguard I
back of Fortune's Well, by rapt Clayton, R.N.. I
inspecting commander of coastguanl. The men of the !
Underhill station were ilsawn up in the yard adjoining, ,
azel it Is awe:iciest l.y sub a labyrinth that it is no
wonder only a few visitors were present. Any one would
have thought it was twessary to guard against some sur-
prise of the enemy, se oddly sloes the way wind in and
round ; but it finishes just before the pretty gardens of
the men ; which are most neatly kept, with not a weed to
be seen, awl here -vitro vegetahles more forward than any
we have seen elsewhere out of doons. But it would per-
haps have been ',caw to have seleeted a more public pLwe,
end • more wmveuient hour than ten o'clock in the
morning for the ceremony, that the public might have an
opportunity of giving Isonour to the brave men who
worked the rocket apparatus, and also of hearing the
gallant captain. Beside Cant Clayton, R.N., there were
present—Mrs. Clayton, Mr. 11. Price, Collector of Customs,
awl the coastguanl of Tophill and Underhill Int by Mr.
. . . ... •

'Oll4l-;,-,4-1.670.1,011. 'One man was there from'We,-
mouth, Jacob Wain, who has been so often mentioned in
connection *l4ll saving life.
Capt. Clayton said he had called them together on an
interesting occasion. Ile had great pleasure in having to
present the thanks of the Royal Humane Society to
Henry White. Jacob Moon, and John Howilen, for their
very gallant conduct at the wreck of the Marie !Leine. He
witi sorry to say the society hail not given the medals he ,
had asked them for, the only reason he could give WWI
that se many people bad been recommended. With regard
to the two men of the coastguard, he was very glad to have
picked out two men who were well deserving of the
honour. Moon had already received thanks for savtng
life. awl Itiwilen was equally deserving. With regard to
White, his conduct was most gallant, most splendid ; the
way in which he went down into the surf and risked his
life was most sable. In fact the conduct of all the
Portlawlers was as good as it could be, and he wished
more were present to hear what he said, With regard to
the running out towards a wrecked ship, he did not think
it was a prudent thing to do, there being no many running
out to the ship made those on board think they could run
ashore, awl at the wreck of the Marie Heine ono man was
drowned in that way; he got over the ship's sidle, tried to '
run on shore, and could not he saved. If the men on
board the ship did not understand the rocket apparatus,
then heaving canes are most useful. But he did not
wish to disparage any of the work that was done that day;
everybody behaved most gallantly, and did the beat they
coold have done. He presented the rolls containing the
votes of thanks to Jacob Woon, Henry White, and John
Howden, and continued that he hoped they might not
have the misfortune to have more wrecks on the coast;
but if they did, that things might go on as well as they
did last time. He believed the beachrnen had headmen
to guide them, and if those headmen would only put
themselves under his orders, the work would he done very
much bettor; he could tell them what they should do, and
direct; but as it was, at the wreck of the Marie Heine,
there MU confusion, and one man was drowned. Them
were a large number of Hum, and it was difficult to tell
which was the rocket line.—ln answer to Captain Clayton,
Henry White said there were twelve Portland lines. Capt.
Clayton continued to point out that in the multitude of
lines the rocket line was likely to he mimed. If people no
boanl did not understand the rocket apparatus, then
heaving canes are most useful ; but if they understood and
worked the rocket apparatus they would not he pulled no
desperately through the surf as with the other lines. In
conclusion he hail great pleasure in presenting these
thanks of the 'loyal Humane Society to them, and he
hoped, if they hail another wreck, to have the pleasure of
doing so again.
The coastguard were then dismissed.