The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-02-01 00:00:00

THE INQUEST ON MR. BRAND.

The inquest on the body of Mr. F. S. Brand was
opened at Lydd on Saturday afternoon before Mr.
Phinn, High Bailiff and Coroner at Lydd. Mr.
Stringer, Town Cleik of New Romney, conducted the
Inquiry on She part of the High ; Mr. Knocker,
solicitor, of Hythe, appeared on behalf of the ownersof
the Murillo : Mr. Forster, French and Belgian Consul
at Dover, appeared as the representatives of Lloyd's,
and before the proceeding. opened read to the jury a
telegram containing the Queen's mesmge iespecting
Mrs. Knowles. The first witness worn wait
Captain Thomas Oates, who said,—l was until lately cap-
tain of the 1 inthltert, Captain Knowles. who had served
under Inc In the anip for five years as chief officer, having
hem appointed to the command at the last moment, as! had
to leave the ahlp muldenly at Uravesend. The ship left
Oravesend on the morning of Friday, the 17th of January,
being then In eliar..e of Mr. Knowles and a licensed pilot.
Of my own knowledge I know nothing of the circumstance
connected with the subsequent loss of the vessel; but I have
seen the body of the deceased, and recognise it as that of
Mr. Brand, a cabin pamsenger, whom I had seen freqnently
prior to the ship's sailing. tile father is a surgeon in Com-
illa (Shown photograph.) that is a photograph of the
deceased while living, Be would be from twenty to twenty-
three years old.

John Stanley, mate on board the pilot cutter Princess
No. 3, of London, said,—On Wednesday evening, Janusry
22, we were cruising off Dungeness. Many ships were at
anchor there—l should say from 210 to 3d. It was a very
squally, dirty, dark night At times we could see the
riding lights of the vemels, but at other times the rain and
hail which fell hid the lights. The wind was from west to
west-north-west, but It was s' hie wing about" and did not
keep steetilly on in one direction. Between Dungeness and
Dymchurch is our station. It was my watch below at half.
past ten, and at that hour I was called and told that a ship
was bur Meg blue light* and rockets. I Upheld it woe a ship
that wanted a pilot When I came on lecle the time was
about ten minutes to eleven and, looking in the direction
of the vessel which my mates thought was signalling for DR,
I saw live or tin blue lights burning altozether. As fast as
one went out another was lit. When I heat saw the lights
we were about a mile from the Northeset, anti they burned
so fact that we then thought "somethiug extra" must be
happening. When pilot boats are sigualled by ships re-
quiring pilots It is usual to answer by bunting a "flare up
anti as the people on board the chip seemed NJ urgent, we
burnt rather more than rums' of these answering signals. I
had previously noticed that the snip hadtLjaight riding
light burning; it was as brilliant a iwit as ever a
ship could have. Both our bode were got ready, as is
usual when pilot cutters are signalled, in order that the pilot
may go aboard, and our cutter bore down upod the vessel.
When I came on deck the night, sal said, was dark and dirty.
Ile wevcr, I could then see the signal lights of some of the
ships which were at anchor in the Ronde. It wee about ten
minutes after I reached the deck before we Rot close to the
Nertkleet, and found she was In distress. We then eaw the
ship go down head first, flee or six blue lights burning up to
the last. It was a dreadful sight—one I shall never forget. By
the help of the blue lights we could distinctly see the people
on deck, many of them holding up children in their anus, and
screaming to us to save them. The dock was very cross ded,
and at a little distance we could see two boats fillet with
pet ple. We went as close to the sinking ship saws could,
and, after pasting her, tacked the cutter as soon ne possible,
and lowered the two boats I was in clurge of one with
three hands. By the time we got up to the chip she h
sunk. I could see her isottling down while the, boat was
makieg way towards her, anti I could see the people floating
about, and hear them calling for help, Unfortunately we
shipped a sea, and the light I had in the boat was washed
out. so that lathe darkness I could no longer lee the people
though I could hear their cries all about, I could not pick
nit anyle dy to the sea. We rowed round the ship to
see how we could best approach the people
whom we saw in the rigging,, and we took tcn
men fri m the MiNeil rifling, That rustle fourteen perilous
in tad boat. It was quite as many as she could safely hold.
I therefore put back to the cutter, which was by this time
from • mile to a nide and a half from the wreck The reason
was that it was looking after the other Meet My object was
to take the people from the rigging, while our turn in the
other boat tried to pick up ail person, who were !hating
about. It was about a quarter to one o'clook before we
reacies I the cutler: SLII.I, after putting on hoard the ten men
we had reecued, we rowed back towards the wreck. On our
way from the wreck we hal seen a strange hoot, and sang eat
to the men in her to take in the people we bad left clinging to
the main rigging. There were plenty of ships anchored near at
the time. One was not a quarter of a mile distant from the
wreck. On retuning to the wreck, I aske I the people
If any of their number had been taken by the other boat, but
nine had. I said, Never mind my lads; I will save you
all but be quiet" On that trip I took five persons from the
main rigging. 1 here were then six bet in the fore rigging.
but I did not like to take an many the risk wculd have been
too great with such a sea. The cutter was this time about
half a mile from the wreck, and it did not take us long to
reach her. I returned to the ship for the third time, and
took the six men from the fore-rigging. It was than about
two o'clock.