The Staffordshire and Potteries Examiner. — 1881-04-23 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY.  On 'Wednesday, at a meeting of the Royal Humane Society, held at the offices, Trafalgar Square, London, Mr. J. M. Case presiding, a long list of cases of saving life in various parts of the world was investigated by the committee, and rewards of more or less value, according to the nature of the services rendered, conferred. The Society's medallion was unanimously voted to Private John Evans, of the let Royal, stationed at Malta, for the following act of bravery :—On a dark night in February last four soldiers were crossing the harbour iat Malta n a Maltese boat, when it was capsized. The boatman and two of the soldiers reached the shore without assistance, but, owing to the rough+ nese of the sea, the others, named Craig and M`Far• land, were unable to do so. Seeing this, Evans ran down to the landing-place, and, although encumbered with heavy boots and other clothing, without hesitation plunged to the rescue. He first saved M`Farland and took him to shore, and then returning, swam to the assistance of Craig, who hadbecome entangled in a rope, cleared him from it with con, siderable difficulty, and took him also to shore. The medallion was also awarded to Thomas 'Webster for plunging into the River Tyne at North Shields to the rescue of J. Brazill, who fell from the dock wall into the river, and at much personal risk swimming through a mass of broken ice for more than 30 yards. Diving under the lad as he was sinking for the third time, he took him to the surface on his back; a steamboat then went to their assists ance, and they were taken ashore. The medallion was also given to Albert E. Taylor for plunging into the sea in latitude 10.60 south, longitude 11.30 west, and rescuing Ange Droquet, a French seaman, who threw himself overboard in a fit of temporary insanity, the ship being under steam at the time and going at the rate of 13i knots an hour, the gallantry of the act being much enhanced by the probability of encountering sharks. The medallion was also awarded to Dr. E. S. Pattison for saving William Jackson, who was capsized from a boat oil the island of St. Vincent in a very rough sea and in the known locality of sharks; to Daniel Mutch for jumping overboard to the rescue of Alexander Mann at sea, and supporting him until they were picked up. by a boat; to Joseph Campbell for saving John Wright, who, while stepping into a boat, fell into the Blackßiver, Jamaica, and being attacked with cramp sank directly to the bottom' a depth of 16 feet, the water being infested with alligators; to Bernard Doover, of her Majesty's ship Liffey, for rescuing William Littlefield, who jumped from a main deck port into the harbour at Coquimbo, with the intention of committing suicide; and to William R. Flower, a youth of 17, for saving J. C. Taylor, who was in danger of drowning in a pond near Dorchester on the 11th ult. Handsome testimonials recording the services rendered, and the acknowledgments of the society, were also given to Frederick Baker for diving from the bank of the river Cam at Grantchester, and rescuing Mr. S. C. Woods, an undergraduate at Queen's College, Cambridge, who was in danger of drowning from the capsizing of his canoe; to John O'Brien for jumping into 20ft. of water, and rescuing William Lee, who fell from the pier head at Queenstown, 20ft. from the shore; to Frank Fielding for saving Kate Doulan, who while partially intoxicated walked into the canal at St. Helen's, Lancashire, on the 9th ult. ; to Ann Blewden for rescuing Hannah Devoy and her child who were in danger of drowning at Shrewton, Wiltshire, on the let ult.; to William North for plunging into the canal at Oxford, and rescuing Sarah Holmes on the 11th ult. ; to Julian Jeffries a youth of 17, for saving Gertrude Dalton, who fell into a river at Eye, Suffolk, and was being carried downwards by the current; to James Raskin, for diving into the River Colne, at Watford, and saving George Molt on the 29th ult. ; to Margaret O'Neill for saving M. Driscoll, who was in danger of drowning at Queenstown on the 7th ult.; to Margaret Banks for saving Sarah Pitt, who got into a deep hole and sank while bathing in tbe Bacot River, Blackhall. Queensland; to Duncan C. Brown for saving Alexander Black, who was in clanger of drowning at Obin on the 15th ult.; to R. F. Wright for saving P. Hansen, who fell overboai d at sea on the 4th ult.; and to David Davenport tor rescuing J. L. Holt, who threw himself into the Bridgewater Canal at Sale, Cheshire, on the 26th