British Whig (Kingston, ON), Nov. 29, 1883

p.3 Buying The Grain - The Kingston & Montreal Forwarding Company have been settled in Portsmouth. On Tuesday there was a sharp competition for the damaged grain in the schr. William Home. There were bidders from Montreal and Kingston, but a Kingston man ran the price up so high that the Montrealers retired. The grain will be sent to Cape Vincent and there resold.

Here and There - The tug Traveller will arrive this evening with the barge Princess in tow. The barge made a quick trip to Montreal and back.

A STRONG DENIAL.

Shortly after the loss of Capt. Dan Langan and his crew on the schr. E. Fitzgerald, which went ashore on Long Point, sensational telegrams were sent from Port Rowan, intimating that life was sacrificed because of the incapacity of the life saving crew. The statement is untrue. A gentleman of veracity writes as follows: "The unfortunate Fitzgerald came ashore about five miles west of here (Port Rowan) on, I think, Wednesday the 14th inst., about 10:30 a.m. Almost as soon as she struck the crew lowered their own yawl, and getting into it, started for the shore. When about one-third of the distance the man who had the steering oar lost control of the boat, and the next sea struck her on the broadside and upset her. The sea was very high, and the occupants of the boat were thrown so far that not one of them ever got hold of the boat again. One man got hold of an oar and was nearly saved, but the under tow was so great that he was carried off his feet and went with the rest of them.

As soon as the vessel struck a messenger was sent to notify the life-boat Captain, but before that messenger had reached more than half way here all that I have told about the loss of the unfortunate men had taken place. The men were all drowned before the Captain of the station knew there was a vessel in distress. When I state that, and it is a fact beyond dispute, the whole bottom drops out of the article. As to whether the Captain should have taken his boat and crew with him when he first started or not I have nothing to say. I leave that for those in authority to decide. As it may be of service on some future occasion I think it should be decided, but in the case of the unfortunate crew of the Fitzgerald it made no difference. The men lost their lives by taking chances in their own boat instead of waiting for those on shore to do something for them. When the vessel first struck she was 260 to 300 yards from shore. What I have stated in this letter is correct, and the facts can be verified at any time. You, as well as the public, will see the unfairness in charging the loss of the crew either to the Captain or men of the life-boat station here."

LIFE-SAVING REWARD.

Mr. M. Troy, of Wolfe Island, who has saved so many lives during the past few years, called upon us a day or so since to ask if it were true that the Marine Department, recognizing his services, was about to present him with a watch and chain. The information, we pointed out, came from Ottawa, and that its genuineness we did not doubt. He was pleased at his prospective recognition by the Government, but said that he would have appreciated the gift of a metallic and properly equipped life boat more than a watch. He hopes that in any case he will be given a boat, not for his own use and pleasure, but for the sake of the good service which he says he can render with it. He will in all probability have his ambition gratified. He ought to get the boat if willing to take charge of it without cost, so far as his labour is concerned, to the country.