Weekly News. — 1892-01-21 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

REWARDS FOR BRAVERY.  As a recognition of commendable bravery, the Royal Humane Society has bestowed its silver medal upon a mere child, aged 8 years—Frank Lines, of Hatfield, who, at the imminent risk of his life, saved a boy named Cochran, aged 10, from drowning. On December 28th a number of lads were playing on the ice, when Cochran broke through in deep water. He managed to cling to the frnaen surface, though up to his chin in water, and called loudly for help. The others, with the exception of Lines, ran away, presumably with the intention of summoning assistance. Meantime the little fellow Lines, quite 45 yards from the nearest bank, went to the rescue, crawling on all fours to the hole where Cochran was immersed, and with the aid of a stick, and by breaking the ice as he proceeded, reached hint, and, by remarkable bravery in one so young, got hint safely to the bank. By this tim other assistance was at hand, but the plucky le hero at once got Cochran home,evidencing in all his proceedings the tact of a person of mature years. Other recipients of the medal are: Gunner Gurloff, mate of a ship, for, with the assistance of John G. Collam,coastguard, saving T. Hughes, at Portslade, during a heavy gale; Private John Kelly, 3rd Hussars, for plunging into deep water, fully accoutred, and saving Private John Church, King's Royal Rifles,in Southampton 1316i1l ; Police-cotstable George Wilson. for saving T. Daniels, who attempted to commit suicide in the carat at il'est Bromwich; Thomas Richards, acting-seritearit of yolice, for saving Maggie Hitchings, aged 10, in the river Taff, Ferndale, Glamorganshire, the rescuer plunging in thin swclieti stream in his uniform; Walter Hargreaves, for saving a boy named Pearson, in the canal at attend tfe, near Sli,fliwal; on Sergeant Lawn-tie Hollywood, Royal Irish Coostabulary,for, •with the assistance of James M•Givern. saving Bornard Kane in the river Rostrevor, co. Down; and Timothy J. Sullivan, of her Majesty's ship Cleopatra, for saving J. King, R.M., eh° was in danger of drowning in 20ft. of water at Ensenada, Buenos Ayres. Other rewards were cot,f,•rred on Edward Brown, signaller, of the Indian Tel4ranla Depalmo•itt : Colour-sergeant E. Wilson, 4*.:1 lion rcht V. al-s Br!,!rers ; W. Hunter are J. IZ val Irbil Constabulary; W. St, ohie/s, and .4Hie:l Payne.  lee Gispuce uetwesin tne London, Chatham and Dover Railway Company and the French Government,in reference to the demand made by the latter for an indemnity of £l,OOO on account of the damage done by the company's steamer Victoria during a heavy gale some weeks ago, by striking the end of the Calais pier, has been settled by a compromise, according to which the company agrees to pay the SUM of £4OO. The Admiralty have ordered steps to be taken to press forward the new ships building at Sheerness Dockyard under the Naval Defence Act. The greater portion of the s'aff has been ordered on overtime, and sanction has been given for the entry of 40 additional shipwrights. The new hands are to be employed on the cruiser flagship Charybdis, which has just been commenced on the building-slip. The completion of the cruiser Brilli i aut s also to be hastened.  Some curious facts are revealed in Lloyd's latest returns of shipbuilding, one of them being the recent increase in the construction of sailing ships. Five years ago only 9 per cent, of vessels in course of construction were of this class, but since 'then there has been a steady rise, and now they are 25 per cent, of the whole. Many of these craft are intended for foreign countries. The United Kingdom is far in advance of any other country in this industry.