3 
which the qualities of readiness and cool courage in an emergency were eminently 
displayed by British officers, occurred here in connection with the recent wreck 
of the English ship Volga. On Sunday, December 10th, this vessel, a three- 
masted steel ship, was driven ashore off Yigie Point. Besides her cargo of rice 
and linseed, she had on board 643 coolies, who were to be landed at St. Lucia 
and Jamaica, having been engaged as labourers for the sugar estates. The news of 
the wreck was speedily taken up to the military quarters, where at the time there 
were only three young officers—Lieutenant S. C. Halse, R.A., Lieutenant P. 
PI. Parken, R.A., and Lieutenant Harrison, A.S.C. Without the loss of a moment 
the three lieutenants, who were in mess kit, saddled their horses and galloped 
down the Morne to the shore, intending to call out the crew of the garrison boat. 
The men were, however, not to be found, and the officers determined to put off 
by themselves to the Volga. The boat, which was a heavy six-oared gig, was 
launched with some difficulty, and the three young fellows started on their heavy 
pull out to the wreck, which was on the rocks, about a mile-and-a-half off. The 
tide was running strongly against them and, with a brisk wind blowing, the sea 
was high. Yigie Point terminates in perpendicular rocks, and a heavy surf was 
breaking over them. It was all that the officers could do by pulling their hardest 
to keep their boat from being driven by the wind upon the rocks. When at 
length, after a most exhausting row, the three officers reached the Volga they 
found her on the rocks with a heavy list to port, and the waves dashing over her. 
A large number of the crew and of the coolies had before this put off to the 
shore in the ship’s boats, but there were still many on board, and the three 
lieutenants had to use great caution in approaching the ship for fear their boat 
should be swamped by a rush of coolies. They succeeded, however, at length in 
getting alongside, and filling their big boat with coolies, whom they eventually, 
together with the Volga 8 log and papers, landed safely in Castries.” 
MAIiTA. 
At the Auberge de Gastille, on Wednesday, the 20th December, the R.A. and 
R.E. Officers entertained at dinner His Excellency the Governor, Sir II. A. 
Smyth, k.c.m.Gt., to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first commission in the 
Royal Artillery, and to bid him farewell on his approaching departure. 
Besides the Governor and his staff the principal guests were the Naval Comman- 
der-in-Chief, Sir Michael Culme Seymour, Bart., k.c.b., and his staff. Altogether 
there were over 60 officers present. 
On rising to propose the Governor’s health, Major-General Nicholson pointed 
out that he had assumed office here at a particularly difficult period. A new 
legislative system had been introduced during the governorship of Sir Lintorn 
Simmons, but had hardly time to be consolidated before Sir H. Torrens assumed 
the governorship, and the latter’s ill-health and sudden death had prevented much 
being done during his short tenure of office. Things were therefore in a transi¬ 
tion state when Sir Henry Smyth arrived, and it was chiefly owing to his great 
tact and his cool judgment that the new system had been successfully established 
with the minimum of friction, opposition, and discontent. Sir Henry had many 
friends on his arrival here, but very many more on his departure, and to his social 
success Lady Smyth had greatly contributed. “ Some years ago, sir,” said 
General Nicholson, “on the occasion of your assuming the command at Wool¬ 
wich, I heard you say that no man should boast when buckling on his armour. 
Now that the time has arrived to lay yours aside, you may be assured that boast¬ 
ing is unnecessary. Other tongues will be ready enough to tell of the good work 
you have done here.” 
11b 
