The sun., 1893-05-25
BLEW UP HIS SHIP.


a Dutch Captain who Fired Rls
Magazine Rather Than surrsn.
der.
The Dutch man-of-war Van Epeijk,
which took part In the great naval re-
view at New York, recalls to the Times
an act of self-sacrifice so glorious that
at the time it 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 stationed
before the port Of Antwerp for the
purpose Of preventing this important
city from joining the rebels On Oct
y the populace of Antwerp, after hay
Ing broken open the gunpowder maga-
zine, opened fire upon the vessels and
very badly damaged a small gunboat
under command of naval lieutenant,
j.. z. j. Van Speijk The commander
OF the squadron, who at first had only
answered the fire Of the city from his
smalI pieces, was at last obliged to
Drlng the heavy guns to bear upon the
reDeInous place, and, assisted by the
arullery from the fort, Antwerp was
Dombarded for four hours. The result
of the punishment was that q 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 in
habitants 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 armistice had been concluded be-
tween the warning parties, and the
squadron before Antwerp, while keep
ing itself ready for action, never once
broke the conditions Of the truce Van
SpelJk was stationed with his gunboat
near the little village of Ooesterwell,
TO the north of Antwerp. On the 5th
Oh rep, 1881, sudden squau drove the
VeSSei from Its anchorage, and it was
nurled against the bank of the Scheldt.
Wnlle the sailors were trying to float
the craft a crowd of armed Belgians
unexpectedly boarded the ship. tore
doWn the Dutch colors, trampled them
under loot and demanded an immedi-
ate surrender. Resistance was ont of
the question, assistance from the other
ships could not be had, but the valiant
young commander preferred death to
surrender. Under pretext of going
Tor his papers he went down to his
cabin, met the cabin boy, and called to
the latter: boy, save yoursefr' The
boy flew on deck, jumped overheard.
and hardly had he done so when ter
r1tlc explosion occurred. Van Speiik
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. Besides large number of
Belgians, fourteen of his own men per.
1shed, and only five, including the boy.
were saved. After some time frag
ments of the hero's body were found
and honored with q splendid public
burial In the new church at Amster.
dam, 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 men,
ory forever green with the orphan
boys, who never grow tired of hearing
ana telling his story. At the time of
the gallant deed a new sloop-of-war
was building which received the name
OF Van Speijk, while royal decree or
dered that for all time to come q Dutch
man-of-war should bear the name of
the gallant young lieutenant. The deed
created the widest enthusiasm through
out the country. Orators, poets, his
torians and painters united in immor-
taliZing the memory of the man who,
like a second Claassen, hurled with
him into death the enemy he could not
conquer. Van Speijk's nearest rela-
tives received pensions, while the five
sailors who had survived were also
pensioned