The Express.
London, England, 1859-04-02 00:00:00

THE ACCIDENT TO THE PRINCE FREDERICK
WILLIAM NAIL STET MEL

The magistrates who presided at the recent in-
vestigation at Dover Into the circumstance attending the
fatal accident to the Prince Frederick William, mail steamer,
neer Calais Harbour, have made their report to the Board of
Trade to the following effect
That the official number of the said ship celled the Prince
Frederick William, of the port of London, was 19,600, of
which James John Pittook was the roaster, and which ship
Winged to Joseph George Churchyard, of 56, Lombard-
etre% In the City of London. 2ndly. That the ship sailed
from Dover en the 26th of February, at 20 minutes before 12
o'clock at night, with the India mails, the ordinary British
midis for the continent, and 37 and was bound
for Cattle. &lily. That the ship arrived at the mouth
of Calcite harbour at about 16 minute to 2 o'clock on the
teeming of the 27th of February, the wind then being
W.N.W., blowing strong, and a heavy sea miming. 4th.
That it wu proved that the venal and proper signal lights
for the mail vessels to enter the harbour were shown. sth.
That when the said ship had nearly entered the port of Ca-
leb, beteg at the time In the proper channel, she tailed the
ground In mooing the bar, which caused her in some
measure to lose has steerage way, owing to which the fol-
lowing sea carried her violently against the East Pier, and
this accident resulted In the damage of her paddle-YU:id, so
uto disable her from moving her engines. She then
drifted on shore about half a cableM length to the east-
ward of the East Pier of Weis Harbour. She
came broadside on, with her head to the outward,
forming a breakwater, which enabled her crew to get
the starboard goseethost on shore in safety, with three
of the sew and six of the passengers in her. The port
guarterboat Ms appears from the evidence) must have been
damaged at the timo she struck the pis, and it was washed
away by the sea shout the time the starboard guarterboat
left for the shore. The tide at this time was making, and
shortly site- the starboard guarterboat had kit the ship, the
ship altered her position, bringing her head round to sea-
ward. The crew of the starboard guarterboat made several
attempts to get that boat off sgain to the ship, but failed,
pattly in consequence of the ship having changed her posi-
tion, and partly from other miens detailed in the evidence.
6th. That about two hours after the ship grounded, the
Cale' lifeboat was towed out of that harbour by the Outline
mail steamer, and am cut off by her just outside the mouth
of the harbour. In coming alongside of the Prince
Frederick William, the lifeboat, as appears from the
evidence of one of the crew, struck violently twice under
the steamer's counter, by which, in our opinion, the lifeboat
was injured. She was then moored alongside of the Prince
Frederick William, and seven or eight of the passengers on
herd got into her, when, from causes which are narrated In
the evidence, the lifeboat capsized, and three of the pollen-
' o'clock the same morning, the' tide having receded, the par
angers who had remained on board, and such of them se
regained the steamer, when the lifeboat espied, walked on
' shore.
Having maturely considered the statement of the muter,
and the voluminous evidence which has been adduced before
us, we are of opinion :
let. That the casualty which occurred to the steam-ves-
' eel the Prince Frederick William, on the morning of Feb.
• 27 kat, wu not eased by the wrongful act or default of the
• muter, Inasmuch salt has hen proved to our satiefaction
, that the usual signal lights were exhibited, authorising him
, to enter the harbour.
2nd. That with regard to ths lamentable loos of life which
subsequeniM occurred, we are furher of opinion that such
I loss of life was not caused by the wroorful act or default of
, the waster of the Prince Frederick William, and It appears
to us to have arisen from causes beyond the control of him-
self or of any of hie crew.
We have, therefore, in accordance with the provisions of
melon 438 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1864, nem ned to
the said James John Pittcek his cettificate of competency u
weer. Lewis STRAD; J.P.
EDWARD PERZAND ASTLZT, J.P.
I concur in the shove report,
H. Bseam, Nautical AweatOr.

CONSERVATIVE SPEECHES ON REFORM.— The
speech dative ed by the Chancelkr of the Exchequer on la-
endue ng his bill on the reptesentanon of the people, and
that of Sir E. B. Lytton on the cone subject, have bassi
separately printed in the pamphlet form—the ftra by Maas.
Routtedge and Co., the second by MeIIITS. Blackwood and
Son.

Mine Edith Heraud will read Antigone, in con-
javetion with Mr. Henry Nicholls, on Satarday next, the
oth init., at the Crystal Palace.

The new opera-house, Covent-garden, opens to-
tight with II Troratore ; the first appearanixs of Mdlle.
Lotti as Leonora, and of Signor Debassent as Il Omits di
Lima, In England, e the Royal Italian Opera ; Mdlle.
Didi,le as the Mucosa, and Signor Neri-Deraldt Maurice.
The Gardeners Chronicle remarks that the con-
tinue' absence of role from the metropolis is becoming a sub-
ject of very serious um Lathes'. Lam year the autumn sup-
ply woe to short as to compel the Inhabitants of aU the
valley of the Thames to open their wells end deepen
them, and it seems aa if matters were about to became worse.
The arrest in the f.ll of rein in the neighbourhood of Lon-
don may be set down, our coremporsry says, at in inches.,
From observations male on the depth from the surf cc. at
which the water Mood in a well in the gravelly stratum near
1 London, it seems that daring the three lest weeks the uneler-
I armlet water level hes been lowering at the rate of half an
I inch per week I
The Metropolitan Police force is at present being
regularly drilled at the Wallington Barracka by experienced
sergeants now serving in the polies office. " Thies," says the
Iraite,d Service Gentle," is a very proper proceeding. It gives
additional security to London, and may ultimately enable
the inhabitants to disp:nse with the presence of gourdetneoe
who seem not to know bow to conduct themselves."

TuE REPRESENTATION OF CAMBRIDGE UNIVER.
EITY.—Mr. Wigram having imaed sn ailthese auntie:teeing
that he shall immediately refire his scat, unless the nform
qaesticte leads to a dissolution of parliament, the period of
hesitation is at an end, the two candidate., Mr. Selwyn and
Mr. Hemsford Hope, are fairly in the field splint one ano-
ther, with the usual machinery of London and local tom-
mi.teee. Juestior from the addresses they have issued, the
principles of the two °maidens appear to be nearly Mettles!,
and say difference that exists Lets oit them can only be
gathered from the !merely of their respective friends and
opponente. A brisk castor is wing am and a close contest
appease to be inevitable; but at trams, it is imposed:le to
ju4e with what nsult.—Cheebridge lotelejeculeat.
MR. DISRAELL—No modern parliamentary
champion matt have acquitted bim•eU throughout a most
Mffbolt end dishatrening crisis better than Mr. Dlrraell
boos done• and whatever may le the effect of t•e policy of
LA4 Derby upon his party, his Chancellor of the Excbe-
qu•r has been seri at gather, and has sommulated s very
time amount of what in the slang of the day is celled poli-
tical capital. Nobody OW doubtel his genius; and the
wurrility that acct..' 0 doubt it answered Itself.
But be has in these later months shown so much ptheacer
skill, and ferbeermee, that it i, matter of regret that no re.
arrangement of offices can prevent his retires belay lest to
the country foe the preeeet. I was not a Disrielite in Weer
days—l am not one now; nor n.m Anybcdr, bate ; bat the
mm who withholds admiration f.Olll Ilr. ninth as Led
Derby's leader of the Comma., mply Gila to understand
parliamentary 'seem-0 Council of Tee," is Literary
Gicette.