The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-06 00:00:00

YESTERDAY,

According to the terms of adjournment, the further inquiry
into this case was proceeded with in the magistrates' private
room, before Mr. Mansfield and Captain Robertson yesterday
morning. Before the regular proceedings had commenced,
J. W. Harden, Esq., Judge of the Cheshire County Court,
at Birkenhead, having applied for permission to the bench to
do so, said he had taken the liberty of attending on behalf of
his brother-in-law, the Bishop of Sydney, who had gone out a
passenger in the Mermaid on her last voyage to Melbourne.
The bishop had desired him (Mr. Harden) to state that he
entertained the very highest respect for Captain Devey, per-
sonally, and -that he regarded him as a most intelligent and
amiable as well as gentlemanly man. That he had experienced
the greatest attention and care from him, and had implicit
reliance on his Management of the ship as a prudent and judi-
cious man, 'an able seaman, and an officer of courage and
judgment.

i- the first witness called was Mr. Wilson Green, surveyor of
shipping to the Board of Trade. He stated generally that he
was acquainted with the character and structure of the Mer-
maid, having examined her shortly after she arrived in Liver-
pool from America, where she was built. She was a ship of
medium sharpness of bottom, and was well upon the floor. From
his knowledge of her form,' le would not consider her making '
from six to eight inches of water an hour, as indicated iu the
cell, through leakage, any cause for alarm ; and certainly would
not have thought it any reason for considering her unfit to
make the voYage-from Pernambuco to Liverpool. He came
to this conclusion because the well was small and 'would be
easily filled, as it contained but little room for water. To one
inexperienced in such matters it might appear alarming, but
he did not think it was any cause of danget% He had heard
the evidence given, and had read the report of the survey
made at Pernambuco. From all he had heard and read, and
front his knowledge of the ship, he should not think there was
any danger to he apprehended; indeed in passenger ships he
had found those the me-t healthy which did admit a little
leakage. From what he saw of the ship, he was of opinion
that she is equal in strength to the ordinary ships of the class
to which she bekmgs. Supposing the evidence he had heard
to be true, which he had no rembn to doubt, he should not
for a moment have hesitated to proceed in her from Pernam-
buco to Liverpool. If he had himself examined her there and
found the mztters in connexion with her as stated, he should
have said the ship was quite fit to proceed.
Mr. Robert James, and Mr. William Hazledean, ship
surveyors to the Board of Emigration, were jointly examined,
and they stated in general that they surveyed the Mermaid
when she came 'first to Liverpool, that was in April,lBs4, and
she was then a bran-new ship. She had been jointly inspected
by them and by Lloyd's. The examination was fOr classifi-
cation and also for registration to make the voyage as- a
passenger ship. Everytrung Was done to her to render .her
in all respects fitted for the purposes 'of a passenger ship.
When completed she was as efficient as a ship could be. She was
sound and Well built, and a superior ship of her claSs. She
was a starfish bottomed ship with a good rise of &or. They
should not consider a Ship•-of her build making six or seven
inches of water in the well during the first hour or so after it had
been pumped out, a matter of great consequence, and not one
indicating atiy danger. Their reason for thinking so was, that
she was very fall of timber, and he not much space for hold •
ing water, so that it Would show fast and rise rapidly. They
had examined her in the graving-dock since her last arrival.
In doing so, they observed water trickling down the keel, near
the garboard strake,•onthe larboard side, that is close tothe keel.' 1
On seeing this, they ordered the topper to be taken off, which
was done. On- the copper and felt being stripped oft there
was a rush of water, about three inches broad, which came
out of the joint at the garboard strake. Examination showed
this to have been neglected in the zaulking. The copper was
all stripped off, -and the whole' of the bottom was carefully
examined, but there was nothing else the matter with her.
No other .part of the caulking was soft. The part referred to
was caulked, and -she is now perfectly tight. She shows no
indication of having been strained in any way. Theptch was
not cracked forward nor aft of the leak, nor on her topsides.
Not a drop of water had been-made on the opposite side of the
keel to that where the leak was. They saw her in the dry
dock when she was about to depart ou her last voyage, as she
was then coppered, not having been done so on •her first
voyage. She was then perfectly sound, and well found in .
every respect. _. _

Ciiptaiii Samuel Reed, manager of the Ferries under the
Woodside Commissioners, was next examined. He said he
knew the port of Pernambuco well, having been six or eight
times in it, across the bar. There is not more than fourteen
feet water on, the bar. He knows:the Mermaid well, having
often examined her, he having at one Hine been intended to
command her. She is a vessel which would draw from nine-
teen to twenty feet, and if heavily laden would draw twenty-
one feet. In his opinion she could not have been safely
lightened.to a draft of fourteen feet, and he should have con-
sidered it dangerous to attempt taking such a vessel over
the bar. _ _ _

Evidence was then offered to show that the cargo had been
delivered in good order in Liverpool; but it was not•thought
desirable.by the gentlemen making the inquiry.
Mr. Hull then briefly addressed the bench, contending that
the .justification of Capt. DeveY's conduct ha I been complete.
Captain Robertson said, after hearing the evidence he had
consulted with his colleague, and they had agreed entirely in
the -statement made by the learned gentleman. They had
also thought it right to state what their report on the case
would be. It would be in substance nearly as follows : after
due consideration of the evidence and looking to all the cir-
cumstances-which had been brought forward, they were of
opinion that the Captain was justtfied in proceeding in the
Mermaid from Pernumbuco to Liverpool ; and that so far from
being to blame for doing so, they thought that under all the
trying circumstances, he had done all that could reasonably
have been expected from a person placed in so responsible and
trying a position.
This announcement was received with a ;hearty manifesta-
tion of.applauce.