The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-12-26

DAN FRANCISCO, Dec. lOJh,
The Directors of the Oceanic
Steamship Company issued invita-
tions to dinner on board the Mari
posa for the evening of December
18th, and distinguished company
assembled in the spacious saloon of
that vessel at the hour appointed.
The guests were invited to be pre-
sent at the presentation of valua-
bic piece of plate to Captain II. M.
Hayward by the British Govern
ment, in recognition of his humane
and courageous act in rescuing the
crew and passengers of the British
bark Henry James, who were cast
away on Palmyra Island, low coral
bank few degrees south of the
line, and one of the outlying islets
of the Samoan group. The particu-
lars of the disaster and the rescue
of the shipwrecled people by Capt,
Hayward have been recorded in the
BULLETIN.
The facts having been reported to
the Board of Trade by the British
Consul at San Francisco, Her Ma
jesty's Government resolved to
mark its high appreciation of the
act by making suitable presents to
Captain Hayward, Chief Officer
Hart and the seamen employed in
the arduous task OF dragging
heavy boat miles across coral shoals
in the work of rescue.
The gift to Capt. Hayward was q
richly chased silver punch bowl,
twelve inches in diameter, having
the following inscription on polish
ed oval space:
presented by the British Gov
~ernment to Capt. II. M. Hayward,
master of the American ship Mari
posa, of San Francisco, in acknow-
ledgment of his humanity and kind
ness to the shipwrecked crew of the
barque Henry James, of Glasgow,
which was wrecked off Palmyra
Island, on the 10th of April, 1888"
John d. Spreckels, Esq, Presi-
dent of the Oceanic Steamship Com
pany, presided at the banquet,
which would have done credit to the
best hotel in San Francisco. After
dinner, Mr. T.. b. jerome, deputy
Collector of Customs, (in the un-
avoidable absence of Collector Ha-
ger), made the presentation in n
neat and appropriate speech, in
which he narrated the facts. The
presentation had been made by the
British Government through the De-
partment of State, to add dignity to
it. He trusted that Capt. Hayward
would live long in the conscious en-
joyment of having done noble and
meritorious act, which had been
signally recognized by the two
greatest and most enlightened ma
tions of earth, the United States
and Great Britain. This presenta-
tion was an honor conferred upon
the American mercantile marine.
He hoped that it might be so re-
garded, and that should occasion
arise it would stimulate others to
emulate the courageous conduct of
Capt. Hayward, who did not let
considerations of prudence alone in
fluence him. He had charge of u
valuable ship and cargo and was
trusted with its care and the lives of
the passengers and crew. The ship
he commanded also carried the
British mail under contract to be
delivered at San Francisco at a
given date. 1t was great response
bility therefore to change the course
of his ship, but Capt Hayward took
it, obeying the higher law of hui
manity and rescued onescore and
five fellow beings who otherwise
might have perished miserably. The
risk which Captain Hayward took in
changing his course under the cir
cumstances proved Captain Hay
ward to be man of the greatest
moral courage and the strongest hui
man sympathies.