The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-03 00:00:00

MAGAZINES.

COLBURN'S UNITED SERVICE
MAGAZINE.

" Our Naval Chiefs of other Days" is continued
with the usual spirit and interest. The history of
these worthies is confined chiefly to Admirals during
the reigns of Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth, in
which the house of Howard greatly distinguished' it-
self. Two of that family reached the rank of Lord
High Admiral ; Edward, the second son of the Earl
of Surrey, held the title first, and at his death he was
succeeded by his elder brother Thomas. Interesting
details are afterwards given of another scion of that
illustrious line, Lord Howard de Effingham, well
known in English history for his Memorable victory
over the Spanish Armada, and also of the gallant Sir
Francis Drake, who appears to have been more dreaded
and hated by the Spaniards and Portuguese than ever
Nelson was by the French. The " Journal of an
Excursion into the Interior of the Northern Island of
New Zealand, by Captain Best," will be found inte-
resting. The following melancholy account of Capt.
Symonds' death, who accompanied him, is furnished
by the Editor of the Magazine :
We deeply grieve to record the premature and melan-
choly fate Which, since the above was transmitted, has
befallen the highly promising officer in whose company
Capt. Best made the journey described in this narrative.
Capt. William Cornwallis Symonds, of the 96th Regt.,
eldest son of the present Surveyor of the Navy, to whom
our naval architecture is so deeply and practically in-
debted, after studying, with marked distinction, at the
Senior Department of the Royal Military College, pro-
ceeded to New Zraland, his regiment being stationed in
New South Wales, with the appointment of Deputy
Surveyor-General, for which he was in every respect
qualified. Of his assiduity and intelligence in the dis-
charge of very active duties in a region gifted by nature,
but as yet imperfectly known, we have recently had
proofs in a journal kept by Capt. Symonds' with a pe-
rusal of which we were favoured ; and we
have reason to
know that his personal popularity was unbounded
amongst the New Zealanders, whoin his manly and
humane character materially tended to conciliate and
civilize. It is unnecessary to add that he was justly re-
spected and beloved by the European residents. An act
of noble solicitude for one of the latter occasioned his
lamented death on the 23d of November last. The wife
of a missionary at the settlement being ill, and no medi-
cal aid at hand, Capt. Symonds, with characteristic feel-
ing and energy, proceeded himself, at all risks, to a vessel
at some distance, to procure the necessary assistance.
The weather was rough, the sea mil high, and, on re-
turning from the ship, the boat swamped. Poor Symonds
—remarkable for his athletic and handsome person—
was an expert swimmer, and struck out manfully to gain
the shore, some miles distant, with his companion, Mr.
Adams, who, after a stout struggle, sank and rose no
more. Symonds still persevered, and was long seen
buffetting the waves with unsubdued vigour and presence
of mind ; but when close to the shore he suddenly dis-
appeared,—a shark had pulled him down. The monster
was taken, and a portion of the remains was found in its
stomach. Thus miserably perished one of the finest
young men in the British service. Capt. Symonds had,
not long before, purchased his company, and paid the
difference to come on full pay ; he has found an early
grave in the public service, and in the immediate per-
formance of an act of humanity, at great personal
hazard : it is a case for the favourable consideration of
the proper authorities.