The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1888-01-07 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

HEROES OF TO-DAY.  The Committee of the Royal Humane Society, having just completed the examination for the year of cases of bravery displayed in saving life from drowning, have awarded eleven bronze medals in nine of the more prominent instances. One has been bestowed ' upon Edward Devereux, of the training-ship Exmouth, lying off Grays, in the Thames, for saving a boy of the vessel, William Manley, who fell overboard at night, on the 9th November, from the gig, when she was being hoisted on to the davits, he being quickly swept out of sight The electric light was shown, and Devereux swam after the lad, having to go about 500 yards before he reached him, the two being picked up , by a boat. Devereux saved a boy in a somewhat like _ manner last year. On the recommendation of the Ad- 3-1--"' miralty, a medal was awarded to George Beer, a firstclass boy of her Majesty's ship Nelson, for gallantly endeavouring to save Major Robilliard, R.M.A., in Jervis Bay, Australia. The deceased officer, with several other officers of the ship, was in a whaler under sail, which was capsized by a sudden squall. The efforts to right her were unsuccessful, and Major Robilliard, who had become insensible through the coldness of the water, was supported for a long while by the boy Beer, who was at last compelled to let him go. The rest of the party, Nth° were two miles from the shore and three from the ship, were picked up by a boat. A third medal was given to James Humby, master of a steam launch at Portsmouth, for saving a Royal Artilleryman named Allen, who, an the night of the 21st November, persisted in standing on the side of the launch till he eventually fell backward into the sea. There was a swift current running, but llumby managed to bring the man back to the launch. The fourth medal is bestowed upon Robert Stay, fourth officer of the Peninsular and Oriental steamer Lombardy, who saved a Chinaman in Hong Kong Harbour, the man having with others jumped overboard to reach his boat as the steamer was lea ving the harbour, but, unlike his comrades, failing to reach his boat. John Collins, a sailmaker's apprentice at South Shields, receives the medal for rescuing a boy of 12, who fell out of a boat he was sculling on the Tyne on the 21st November. Collins had to swim a considerable distance with heavy boots on before rescuing the boy. Another medal has been given to Piran Ditta, of the Indian Police at Lahore, for saving another native who had attempted suicide in a well, his rescuer having to hold on to the side of the well for some time before assistance came, and both were pulled out. Three medals have been awarded to two Cypriotes and a Turk, who very heroically descended a dry well to bring out two men who were lying there overcome by the poieonous gas inhaled while clearing out the shaft. One of the Cypriotes first went down, and then the Turk, but only in turn to become stupefied. Notwithstanding the imminent danger, the second Cypriote ventured down with a rope, which he fastened round one man, and immediately returning to purer air at the top, hauled him up, continuing his exertions till he had three of the four up, all of whom recovered. The fourth was beyond resuscitation. Another medal goes to W. Ferron, first-class boy of her Majesty's ship Lion, who saved another boy named Howson, who threw himself overboard at Devonport on the night of the 12th Nov. Hewson, finding himself being carried away by the current, against which he could not swim, called for help, and, despite the darknens, Ferron succeeded in rescuing him with a lifebuoy. The last medal has been voted to Constable Murdo Urquhart, who, on the 25th November, saved Malcolm Macdonald, a fisherman, at Stornoway. The last-named tripped over a ship's moorings at midnight, and fell into the dock, and the constable had to paddle a boat with a bottom board he had pulled up for about 300 yards, in a strong gale, before reaching the drowning man. The society's testimonial on vellum was awarded to James Price, a clerk of 17, for saving a boy named Lonergan, who had fallen off a barge at the quay at Youghal ; to Thomas Holden, a miner, for saving a boy from the canal at Barnsley, Holden running straight from his bed to rescue the lad; to Norman Caruth, a student, for saving Samuel Patton, who had sunk in deep water by the Pickle Rock at Bangor, co. Down; to Alexander Joy, a gentleman at Uppingliam School (and winner of the society's swimming medal in the school competition last year), for saving Mr. Hoare, the banker, at Sandsend, near Whitby, Mr. Hoare having been with his sons in a boat which capsized; to James Spring, fish merchant, at Hull, for saving a boy who had fallen into the dock; to George Frederick, a clerk, for saving a man whose outrigger was upset in attempting to get through Kew Bridge: to Constable Samuel Holbrook, for saving a little boy who fell into the milldam at Holmfirth while trying to slide on the ice with which the dam was covered; and to Michael Brick and Christopher Sheehy for saving Michael Hoar, whose canoe was upset at Permoyle, on the Kerry coast. Other testimonials on parchment were given to a man named Jones for saving John Lewis from the river at Aberdovey ; to Elizabeth M'Donald, a girl of fourteen, who rescued little boy who had been swept off a groyne at Bognor by a strong sea; and to five fishermen and two labourers for saving three men whose boat had capsized on Loch Neagh, four men being lost on the same occasion.