The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-01-31
liz MREcTD
or @AZA2D

whole length from the deep, and then, turning
over, she foated for a few moments on the surface
with her FURNISHED copper glistening in the sun.
Such was the fate of the Queen Charlotte, the Sec
ond largest ship in the British navy Of her day;
and quite recently an effect almost as striking
was described by those who witnessed the burn
ing of the steamship Volturno in mid-Atlantic.
1t is on the heroic aspect of shipwreck that one
would prefer to dwell, when the awful peril I'M
pending gives opportunity for the exhibition OF
fortitude and bravery, and when the imminence
of death brings out those noble traits of character
which havo ever distinguished the seamen. In
the excitement of battle each man joins In the
conflict, excited and encouraged by the cheers OF
his comrades and the hopes of victory. But it is
when suddenly confronted by the danger of ship
wreck, when neither the nimbleness, dexterity or
resource of the sailor is OF much avail, that the
moment arrives for him to display his self-pos-
session, his devotion, his courage, and seldom has
he failed to prove his merit in these c1rcum-
stances. Over and over again we may read Of
a gallant fellow who would not desert their COM
panions in misfortune, of the intrepidity OF oH1cers
who could not be persuaded to quit their ships
while a man remained on board. Quite recently
the British admiralty named a destroyer In mem
ory Of Capt. Charles Lydiard, who, with a dis
tinguished war record, was commanding the An
son. a fine 40-gun ship, in December, 1907, when
in a hard gale, owing to the thickness OF the fog,
she ran ashore to the west of the Lizard. The
gale was tremendous, and when the vessel took
the ground many of the men were washed away
by the huge seas which swept the deck Many
others were killed by the falling spars, the crash
ing sound of which, as they came from aloft, min
gled with the shrieks Of the women on board, was
heard by the spectators on shore amid the roar
of the waters and the bowling Of the wind.
Calm and undaunted amid the terrors OF the
scene, Captain Lydlard Is described as displaying
in a remarkable degree that self-possession and
passive heroism which has been so often the
proud characteristic of the commander of a Brit
;sh ship of war under similar harassing condi-
tons. He was able to restore order, TO assist the
wounded, to encourage the timid, and to revive
expiring hope. By the main mast, which in falling
overheard served as a communication between
the ship and the shore, the captain pointed out
that there was a means, dangerous certainly, by
which the land could be reached. 1t was fated,
however, that he should not himself enjoy the re-
ward Of his humanity. When seemingly every
one had left the vessel, and he was about to un'
dertake the passage, he heard the cries Of some
one in terror, and found a youngster, a protege Of
his own, ~clinging in despair to a part OF the
wreck, without either strength or courage to
make an effort for his own preservation. Captain
Lydiard's resolution was instantly taken. Throw
ing an arm round the boy, with the other he chung
to the spars and rigging and attempted the peril
GUS passage ashore. But nature was exhausted
by the mental and physical sufferings he had en-