CO129-195 - Governor Hennessy - 1881 [1-4] — Page 106

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but that, even as they spoke, the junks and boats by their very side were being rapidly reduced to wrecks, then the cry of "Save life" was heard in the darkness on every quarter, and the Police had enough and more than enough to do, to help all who came forward craving for their assistance. They were then, as they had certainly not? been before, glad to get off with their lives! and nothing else. At first they hung on to i the line sent to them, and refused to do anything towards their being brought on shore. They had not the slightest objec tion to making the line fast to their boat and keeping it there as a safe-guard in case of emergency should the storm grow worse in a short time, for instance; but as the lines were wanted for immediate use if any reasonable number of those who were in danger were to be saved, these lines had to be dragged out of their hands or a threat had to be made that, unless they either camo on shore, or let go the line they would be abandoned, before they would agree to take any active steps towards their own safety. When, however, they were brought on shore not a man or woman aniongst them who was not full to overflowing with gratitude to those who had saved them from the fate which they then saw had over- taken some of their companions. This gratitude, in almost every case, took the most extravagant form in its expression. Those who had been rescued could not be prevented from seizing the hands of those who saved them and wringing them in a spirit of gratefulness, condescending to fall down before them and kiss their boots in thankfulness. In calculating to whom credit is due for the magnificent work of saving life performed last night at Yau- mah-ti, the fullest recognition has to be given to the humane and daring achieve ments of Acting Chief Inspector James Cradock and seven Europeans who were at Yau-mah-ti at the time and gave valuable aid, without which perhaps nothing like the splendid number of lives saved could There are, possibly have been rescued. belonging to the Yau-mah-ti Station, Ina- pector J. B. Cameron, who is at all times able to render a good account of himself in whatever department of the work of the Forco he is called upon to take part, and one sergeant and three constables. There had been landed a detachment of seven Euro- peans from the "Chop," under the charge of Acting Chief Inspector Cradock. These had come ashore, with some Chinese lukongs, early in the day; and while they were being lodged at Yau-mah-ti in safer quarters than on board the Hulk which has over and over again, heen declared quite likely to go to picces at any moment, and were in greater readiness for any emergency than had they been at thier ordinary post or station. When the opportunity arose for them to show their ability to distinguish themselves, they did so like Britous, and none will ever be more ready to frankly and fully acknowledge that fact than their Yau-mah-ti colleagues, from the Inspector himself to the junior constable. If any reward for merit, in the hands of the Cap- tain Superintendent of Police or the Gov. ernment or any other authority, here or at home, depends upon such work as was ac- complished last night by Inspectors Cradock and Cameron, we sincerely hope they will speedily have the honour and pleasure that would belong to its being presented to ther. Not only in their case is there the mere bravey, the fact that every man who took part in what was done there virtually carried his life in his hand, not only the physical endurance called for and not incurred without risk even by the strongest men; but there is, above all, the magnificent result which their joint efforts succeeded in bringing about. What was done by these men may be fairly judged from the fact we have already mentioned as {

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to the number of men, women and children who were saved, and from the fact, too, that over two hundred (200) junks caine immediate grief during the few hours the gale lasted. A number of boats also sunk at their moorings and their masts are now to be seen froin the shore, showing how much more or less deeply they are under water and imbedded in the mud. There were, moreover, a number of steam launches wrecked, including that belonging to Mesara MacEwen Frickel & Co., also one named the Wing Sing, and another steam launch which, we are informed, is the property of a Macaogentleman, and has been lying there for some time back under going repairs. And out of all this loss and damage to property, out of the thousand or more lives involved in the craft concerned, how many were sacrificed? So far as has been proved up to the present time of writing-five only. If ever there was an occasion in the history of this Colony when the Police, not only those at Yau-mah-ti but elsewhere, have; given a good record of themselves, it is the present, when tact, wise precau- tion, valour in saving life, and kindness towards those succoured have distinguish- ed, it may be said, all and sundry whose action has come under our notice, on whatever position. The Spartan, belonging to the Insurance Company, broke from her moorings and was very considerably dama ged. A large trading junk laden with rice, to save the craft, pitched 350 bags of rice overboard. The two small steam-launches belonging to the Police, No. 2 and No. 3, both came to grief during the gale. The latter was driven on the sandy beach in the Bay. The former was fouled by two junks, who caused her to drag her moorings, and although 80-lbs. of steam was kept up, she was not able to hold her own against + the gale, and ultimately she collapsed on the rocks. She is now lying on her side, and it is not known how great the damage is which has been caused to her; but it is be lieved that the side is out of her. It would seem to be so from the way she lies in the water. It may be mentioned in this con. nection that the virtuous natives belong- ing to the villages situated in the neigh- bourhood of the scenes which we have just been describing, did not allow the golden and glorious opportunity to slip by them of turning a dishonest ponny by the wreckage, The result was that there was one of the hugest display of cases before the Magistrates to day in which the charge against the culprits was unlawful possession that we have seen for many and many a day. These rascals were sentenced to various penalties and terins, running from four weeks to six months, į The most melancholy case of the lot was that of a Chinese policeman, No. 433, who i was caught by an Indian Sergeant carrying away a bundle of newly made Chinese cloth ing which he had taken from a bale, landed quite close to the station, amongst other wreckage, a bale which there was every reason to believe this pretty limb of the law had cut open for his own theftuous purposes. Of course this energetic gentle- man, so valuable in the case of a typhoon, will not from to-day ornament the Force longer. Through the energy of the Po lice over three hundred pkgs. from the wrecked cargo-boats were secured within the Police compound, and there duly taken care of. To finish with Yau-mah-ti, it may be mentioned that in the afternoon Inspector Cradock, besides losing his launch through: no fault of his own, had a narrow escape of finding himself in considerable difficulty with regard to the safety of himself and his crew. They started, when the storm began to show what it really meant, to get back towards the "Chop" in the rowing boat;: but the oars were blown right out of

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the rowlocks, the men were nearly blown out of their seats, and, wolens volens, the

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