Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-06-27
AN OCEAN HERO.
SAILING OVER $500 MILES IN
A BURNING STEAMER.
Captain Robertson, of the English
Steamer Eawkhurst, Decorated by
the Emperor of Brazil.

ertson, of the steamer .Hawkhurst, t
Messrs. Gustavus & Co., of Baltimore
brings the story of one of the most re
markable exhibitions of pluck, bravery
and fine seamanship on record. The fea
of sailing seven days over distance o
$500 miles on a burning vessel, and de
clining to stop at points where there
were no facilities for putting outthe fire
without endangering the cargo and ship,
was regarded by the Emperor of Brazil
as so noteworthy an achievement as t.
warrant his comforting upon the master
a medal of the first-class.
The Hawkhurst is a British steamer,
and belongs to the packet line running
between Antwerp, London and Brazil.
Captain Robertson at one time was mas
ter of the bark Amorquill, of Nicaragua,
and the steamer Elstow, of London. In
his letter narrating the event Captain
Robertson says:
1.-THE Hawkhurst sailed from London
on the 9th of March, bound for Rio Jan
GIRO, with a general cargo. Upon the
| 23d OF March we were in latitude ii de-
grees n, longitude ~ degrees w, 600
miles south OF the Island of st. Vincent
when at a. m. dense volumes of smoke
were observed coming out of the ventil-
ators in No. hold. We at once block
ed the ventilators, made holes in the
decks, pouring steam in from the main
boilers and water, too. The fire seem
ed TO have a great hold ON the cargo in
the lower hold, and it could not be put
out. During the next four days the decks
were red hot. | may mention that there
was a between-d deck of iron above the
fire, and above this iron deck were stow
ed 700 barrels of oil, tow, tallow and
sundry other inhammable materials. /
thought at the beginning OF this acct
dent / would put back to st. Vincent's,
but on further consideration / did not
reckon it prudent, as the wind WIS
strong ahead, besides, if / had gone
back, there were no appliances for put
ting out fires on the island. Therefore
steamed on TO Rio, passing PeInambu-
co, where they would not have enter
tanned a burning ship coming in the
harbor. My only resource had ! gone
TO st. Nincents, Pernambuco or Bahia
would have been to fill the hold with
water, and to do this, would have had
to ground the ship, which might have
caused total loss.
"Three days after the fire commenced
the starboard bunkers caught fire This
arose from the great heat of the decks
and hull of the ship. We put them out
in twenty-four hours. The following
day our port bunkers took fire, but we
could not extinguish them, and they
burnt for seven days. On our arriving
at Rio the authorities sent us their fire
brigade free Of charge. This brigade is
as good as any in the world. After two
days work they subdued the fire. The
distance we sailed while on fire was
2, 400 miles, and it took seven days TO
make the distance"
In recognition Of the good seamanship
and bravery of Captain Robertson, the
Emperor of Brazil, Dom Pedro H.. 4
wrote the Captain personal letter, and
gave him a medal of the first class,
which was presented TO the Captain by
Ferrerria Wanna, Home Minister Of
the Empire. The Captain also inclosed
to Messrs. Gustavus a Co. copy Of the
Emperor's letter, and also copy of the
speech the Minister made when the
medal was presented.
The letter Of the Emperor is as fol
lows: ''Thomas Robertson, l, the con
stitutional Emperor and perpetual de-
fender of Brazil, send you greeting, in
recognition Of a sense Of duty not com
mon to all men. The heroism and in
telligence which you displayed as COM
mander of the British steamer Hawk
hurst, of the Antwerp, London and Bra
I'll line of packets, having succeeded in
bringing her safely to the port of this
capital, where You arrived on the Sd
inst, the ship on fire March 3. At that
time you were at distance of 1900
miles from Rio de Janemo. BY this act
you, at the risk OF your own life, saved
the lives of all on board, and wishing to
give you proof of my Imperial approba-
tion for such distinguished service.
hereby grant you the medal of the first
class, as awarded by article LIST of the
minutes of the decree No. 1.579, March
IA, 1855. Given under my hand and seal in
the Palace of Rio de Janeiro. 9th Of APP
ril, 1889, sixty-eighth year of the indie
pendence of the Empire.
The Minister, when lie presented the
medal, said "CaptPin, the first-class
medal His Majesty the Emperor has
granted you in the name of humanity, ,
is high and everlasting token of the ;
feryent worship the Brazilian Nation ,
VOW to virtue. By ityou shall he every ,
where recognized as hero of duty. ,
The struggle you have sustained for so ,
many days against the fire on board /,
your ship will be one of the finest |,
trophies of human grandeur. Your :
noble-minded gratitude to the city of /,
Rio for the speedy and disinterested .
succor given you in such extreme and
circumstances heightens even /,
more, if possible, the respect we feel for
your character. Captain, greet You
To your firmness, to your intelligence
md your singular courage, the crew ON !
four ship are indebted for their lives. /,
"Ah. what anxieties, endured with !
he serenity imposed by the conscious
ness of your responsibility, never shaken
iuch long, lasting days Captain, nav !,
cation owes you an immortal feat. =
This vessel owes to you her celebrity, !,
instead of a means for the CONVEYANCE
# goods. She is to-day a monument Of !,
.