Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-08-12
BLEW UP HIS SHIP.
Dutch Captain Who fired III. Maya
zine Rather rhan surrender.

Dutch Captain Who flred His Maya
zine Rather rhan surrender.
The Dutch man-of-war Van Speijk,
which took part in the great naval
review at New York, recalls to tha
Times an act Of self sacrifice SO gleri-
GUS that at the time il took place the
whole world sang the praises Of the
man whose name this Dutch craft
bears In 1880 the Belgian rebellion
had broken out and Dutch squadron
OF eight men-of-war had been sta
toned before Antwerp for the pur-
pose of preventing this important
city from joining the rebels. On
October ~ the populace Of Antwerp,
after having broken open the powder
magazine, opened fire upon the
vessels and very badly damaged a
small gunboat under command of a
naval lieutenant. j. G. j. Van Speijk.
The commander OF the squadron. who
at first had only answered the fire of
the city from his small pieces, was
at last obliged TO bring the heavy
guns 10 bear upon the rebellious
place, and. assisted by the artillery
from the fort. Antwerp was bonn
barded for several hours. The re-
suit of the punishment was that a
large bonded warehouse and $50
dwellings were put in ruins, 100
buildings were nearly destroyed and
300 were more or less damaged. while
many OF the inhabitants were killed
or wounded Van Speijk, who years
before IN the East Indies had merited
promotion for bravery. behaved so
courageously that his king decorated
him with a military order.
An arnistice had been concluded
between the warning parties. and
the squadron before Antwerp, while
keeping itself ready for reaction.
never once broke the conditions Of
the truce. Van Speijk was stationed
with his gunboat near the little vii
lage OF Oocsterwell, 10 the north OF
Antwerp. On the OF February.
1891. sudden squall drove the vessel
from it, anchorage, and il was hurled
against tho bank Of the Scheidt
While the sailors were trying 10 Goat
the craft crowd of armed Belgians
Unexpectedly boarded the ship. tore
down the Dutch colors. trampled
them under foot and demanded an
immediate surrender. Resistance
was out Of the question, assistance
from the other ships could not be
had. but the valiant young com
mander preferred death 70 sur
render. Under preteSt Of going for
his papers he went down 10 his cabin,
met his cabin boy and called 10 the
latter: boy. save yourselt The
boy flew on deck. jumped overheard,
and hardly had he done so when a
terrific explosion occurred. Van
speijk had set fire to the ships
powder. and had saved the honor Of
himself and his country's flag by
blowing up friend and foe alike. Be-
side large number Of Beigians,
fourteen 81 has own men persisted,
aud only Eve, including the boy. were
saved. After some time fragments
Of the hero's body were found and
honored with splendid public burial
in the new church at Amsterdam.
where tomb was erected in Van
Speijk's honor. while a monument in
the Civil orphan asylum, where he
had been brought up, keeps his mem
DRY forever green with the orphan
boys. who never grow tired Of hear
ing and telling his story. At the
time Of the gallant deed a new sloop-
of-war was building which received
the name Of Van Spciik, while roy
al decree ordered that for all time TO
come a Dutch inan-of-war should
bear the name Of the gallant young
Lieutenant The deed created the
Widest enthusiasm throughout the
country. Orators, poets, historians
and painters united in immortalizing
the memory Of the man. who like a
second Claasscn. hurled with him
into death the enemy he could not
conquer Van Speijk's nearest rela.
tivcs received pensions, while the
five sailors who had survived were
also pensioned.
And fhp Glad Rolls Rang