Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-09-24
Captain Matthew Webb.
HIS WORTH, AND WHY HE Is AHERo.

ana sWlitest steamers that crosses the A
lantic ocean, was on a return voyage fro
So New York to Liverpool.
f For about a week the passage had bee
b. retarded by head winds, varying only
force. until the most patient of passenge
n became weary. On the seventh or eight
II day of the trip the, weather cleared, the su
r shone out brightly, the wind, which ha
been dead ahead, shifted and was favorable
Il it was wha. is known as a "stiA breeze, -
: and there was scarcely cloud in the sky /
d to break the mono.onous blue The sea wa
white with the foam of mgr wave.
. every stitch of canvass the good ship coul
| carry was spread and the Russia bowie
along at the rate of sixteen knots an hour
! almost as fast as she could be criven.
Nearly ali of the passengers were LeloV
, at lunch or in the smoking room-specalat
ing on the wind or driving off or succumbin,
to the inevitable d0ze at sea.
1t was just after meridian when the cry o
man overboard''- was heard from th,
quarter deck, above the Tapping of the sail
and the lash Of waves. 1t brought every
passenger who could move to the deck, anc
among them the writer of this, who being
nearer the gangway, was on deck among the
first and in time to see hat on the foam
in the wake of the steamer and the form OF
a man plunging into the water, astern. Seats
and life buoys were thrown over, the alarm
was given, the ship slowed, the quarter boat
manned and launched as soon as possible,
and while the boat was searching the sea
for the lost and the rescuer. the facts were
gradually elected from those of the crew
who witnessed the accident
\ seaman before the mast. going aloft
amidships. had lost his grip as the ship lurch-
ed helvily-and in a second C was over
board. His fall was witnessed by his com
| panion not. however, more than a com
| paniOn because a messmate y the same
crew-not rising 10 the closeness of a friend
lie gave the alarm, dropped his bucket,
ran, dressed as he was. clear to the stern
some go feet with bound cleared at once
| the railing and the screw, q blow from the
blade of which would have crushed him in
stdnily, and swan after his comrade. Long
before the steamer had turned around. both
the maa who thus Jumped and the boat tha;
IA !. 81.
sight 0s n! bal an officer who had been sent
to the main:op with glass 10 watch them.
Half an hodr pas>et, and the boat had
given up both men for lost aad WIS return
ing in obedience toa signal from the steam
er. when on its way lack it sightcl and
picked up tAc hero WHO had jumped into the
broad 0sean, 6e1 miles from land. Jumping
with top boots and tight fitting cardigan
jacket on, he was helped in to the boat
with nothing on bit his trOwSers (having di-
vested himself of the rest, while swimm.ng)
and blue with cold. He brought with aim
the hat of his comrade, who had sunk to
rise no more. having doubtless been struck
by the screw and killed.
The Russia proceeded on her voyage.
The passengers, headed By William J Flor
ence. the actor, subscribed $50 for the tam
ily Of the poor lad who was lost, and - for
the crew who picked the hero M; and they
raised and presented to him El00 in gold.
This act Of heroism was the most gallant.
the writer has ever scen--and it has been
his good fortune 10 have seen many, both il
the field and in civil life. The man was
sailor anu he well knew that such attempts
at rescue result generally in the loss OF b1:li.
He knew that it would be az least ten min
utes before the steiner could turn and drop
a boat and that then he would be three
miles astern and he well knew that unless
both be and the seaTchers for him mounted
the crest Of a wave at the same time and
very near each other, he would not be seen
and that his voice could not be heard above
the noise Of the wind He knew that
steamers are not apt to delay long to search
for men lost under such circumstances. lie
took all these risks but he took ne needless
risks, for be ran 250 feet to the stern before
he Jumped, to avoid the danger Of being
sucked under the ship and struck by the
screw, showing that he acted thought
fully as well as promptly. The mans
modesty was equal 10 his bravery.
He took the gift rather unwillingly
and with a speech worthy Of a hero: - /
thank you. and wish M comrade was here
to share it.''-IIe meant every words it
spoke from his eyee and from his heart :
be did not think Of what he had done, but
what he failed in doing, and of the cOrpar-
ion he had lost.
After this accident the passengers saw hut |
little Of him. He kept out of their way and (
seemed to feel that people were looking at |
him, and although he was cOrnered IN the |
forecastle once or twice by some OF the pas
sengers, he talked but little concerning his /
deed. He did say, however. tina. when he /
saw the boat give him up and pull away, |
his - life passed quickly before him." Had /
it been indeed his last review Of life, /
would not the errand he was on, and the /
hal he held in his hand, have passed him
in at the Gates -
There were among the passengers many
well-known citizens, jackson 5. Schultz, OF
New York, Mr.. Garretson, L. 5. COmmis-
sioner to Vienna, and many others. Mr..
Schultz made our hero the offer that if he
ever asked TO leave the sea. he would see
him for the offer, but did not accept II.
The Royal Humane Society of London,
deyiated from their rule, | think almost
settled, not to give medal unless life is
sdred and gave this sailor one-it was Justly
earned.
Ny hero AMI parted, supposed forever,
when the tug took US from the steamer at
anchor in the Mersey. lie was sloit on
duty, VIXEN the passengers as they were
leaving spied him and lusty cheers went up
to greet him. bat he only stopped his work
and slid rapidly down the rope, blushing
like girl as he hid himself from sight. |
understand that this gallant sailor is now
captain Of a small vessel running from Liv
erpool to some Irish port, and his name is
Matthew Webb, the man who swan the
Channel from Dover to Calais the other dav.
and who was in the water q - hours.
see By the English papers that he has said he
had received 50 many letters he did not know
what to do, and that SO many people wish
ed to shake him by the hand, he did not
know what to say : and | can fancy him to-
day in the heart Of London, standing erect,
more than six feet high, listening unwil-
lingly to bis own praises, tumbling with his
coat, embarrassed as a child, as be stood or
the deck of the Russia more than three years
ago.
II any of the passengers of that trip read
this little tribute, am sure they will wish
him God speed upon the sen or upon the
land for Matthew Webb was o hero, before
he swan the Straits of Dover.
Yours, J. Il. +.
Since receiving the graphic sketch Of an
act of noble heroism, performed by Captain
Matthew Webb when a seaman before the
mast, elsewhere given in our columns, We
have found the following allusion to the
same event, in the New York 1ri5upe:
Capt Webb, the hero of the channel feat,
is the lion of the day in England Sabscrip-