Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-11-26 00:00:00

Ibeen four hours before was driven ashore by the
force of the gale of wind, so that she must have brought
up. One of the witnesses, I think, said that she came
up E. half N., and fell off E.S.E.
Mr. Aspinall.—There is this difficulty, that these
men were not so well able to judge, and Captain Taylor
had three nautical captains to consult with.
Captain Harris.—l do not intend that these remarks
should cast a reflection on the character or conduct of
Captain Taylor. He is gone, and I will not attempt to
throw a shadow of blame on him, but I am merely
judging from results.
Mr. Aspinall.—We are judging from results from very
imperfect evidence. Captain Taylor had the facts before
his eyes of which we know nothing.
Captain Harris.—l make allowance for that.

Captain Martin said he.had been at the wreck; and,
it, was quite evident, that the bilge must have been
knocked right in before the ship parted, as the rock went
right through the bilge and left the stern unsupported.
Evidently, the whole weight -of the vessel came on the
centre, and the place where she went on could not have
been more effectual if it had been picked out for wreck-
ing a vessel. The cost of the ship, when ready for'sea,
was £34 per ton.

Captain Francis Boyce, on being called, deposed as
follows :—I was on board the ship one voyage, when Dr.
Gilmour was in her, and there was no such thing as
rattling of rivets. There never was a tighter ship
afloat. I commanded the Royal Charter for the first
two voyages, and I " wore" and " stayed" her fre-
quently without the aid of the steam power, both in
strong and fine weather. I attribute her broaching to
in the Bay of Biscay to her being overloaded at the
time. If the ship was going four or five knots she
would steer very well. When I• was going head to wind,
and she was not making 4 or 5 knots, I set sail and kept her
a little off the wind. The ship was splendidly sparred.
I did not consider her a weak ship, and I was in her
before and after the stringer was put into her. I was
on board when she got on the ground at Flint, and I
heard the report of the box kelson breaking. I know
myself that the damage was properly repaired.
Robert T. Steele said—l am an insurance broker, of
the firm of Rathbone and Martin, and the Royal Charter
was insured at the rate of 70s. out and home, which we
consider a low rate. We have been in the habit of in-
suring for Gibbs, Bright, and Co., for some' years, and
this rate of insurance was for the last voyage. That is
the lowest rate that it ever has been done at.. We make
no distinction between a wooden and an iron vessel, ex-
cept in the case of a steamer, and those we insure at a
lower rate. I may say that if anything had been wrong
with the Royal Charter we should have heard of it.
William M'Donald-1 am the superintendent of the
Liverpool Corporation testing machines ; and I have
tested six iron plates furnished to me as part of the
wreck of the Royal Charter. I made the experiments on my
own responsibility. The machine is worked by two double
levers, resting on knife centres at one end. The-other end is.
a scale, upon Which we put the weights. The subject of
the test is fastened to the end of the lever, -which rests
upon the knife centres, and the other end is fastened to
the other end of the machine. Thsrmotion is commu-
nicated by multiplying wheels, and the chain which
fastens all together passes round the machine. I tested
those plates of the Royal Charter by this machine.
I made some experiments yesterday, and' some to-day,
And the experiments of to-day are rather higher than
yesterday. We tried two to-day and fkr yesterday.-
The results are : the first plate we tried was 5' inches by
and it broke at the bolt eye at a pressure of 41 tons: I
I did not consider this a fair test. The next was 3'
inches by broke at 45 tons 10 cwt. This was a fair
break. The next was of the same dimensions, and that
broke at 42 tons. The next was 3 inches by 13-16th,
and that broke at 45 tons, Those of to-day, the first
was 2 inches 11-16th, and broke at 32 tons. The next
was 3 inches by 11-16th plus 1-32, and brclie at 28
tons. Of the five that were fairly tested, the- second,
averaged 20-22 to the square inch; the other. 18-66 ;
the first of to-day, 23-29, and the second 20-3% The
average of the five plates is 20tons a cwt., whirl) gives
11 tons over Pairbairn:s average which is 19- tons
5 Mt.
William Clay was called,. and said—l am the-super-
intendent of the Mersey Iroa, Works, and I was present
at four experiments made by. Mr. 31‘Danald. t am
practically acquainted with the- manufacture et iron.
Tension:is an important quality: in iron used for ship-
building, but ductility is equally important. I concur
with the evidence, that this irom sustained an extraor-
dinary tensile strain. I may say that Governmeat, in
the construction of steam rams, have contracted foriron
to bear 22 tons tensile strain, to the square inch,
and have had difficulty ins procuring it. I think it-
would be bad economy to put cheap iron into aiship.
Mr. Aspinall then said, as the enquiry was finished
so far as the evidence was concerned, he would' isles the
court for permission to say a few words on the subject
as far as regarded the position of the gentlemen for
whom he appeared. As it was desirable that something
should be said, not so much that it was necessary, on
their account, as because so much had: been said before
the public, and it was most desirable that the public
should be satisfied so far as possible, that every precau-
tion had been taken to save, the ship. The inquiry,
though a painful one, had proved that all the reports
that had been circulated were nothing but fabrications
front first to last. Mr. O'Dowd had referred to Dr.
Scoresby's journal, and he should also make reference
to it in connection with the Royal Charter during
the COurse of his remarks, and he did not believe
that the court would be able to say that the ship was
inefficient, for there never had been a science on a busi-
, ness but what improvements had been made in it, and
be hoped that inquiry would lead to some improvements
in shipbuilding. He did think that they had gone into
the whole matter so fully that the public would not be
able to put their finger on one single thing that was
omitted from first to last. The evidence went to show
that Gibbs, Bright and Co. were anxious, as the gentle-
men who had previously owned the vessel were, that she
should be turned out one of the most magnificent ships
, that ever sailed. They had the evidence of Mr. Patterson,
who built the ship, and he might observe that the evidence
they had furnished to Mr. 0' D owd was not given by parties
.who were interested with Gibbs, Bright & Co. ; but public
officers, one after -the other—persona whose interests,
-if ho might so speak, were opposed—some of them em-
played by the Underwriters, and some' of them by the
Board' of Trade ; and, of all these,' there was not one
who had not examined the vessel as-it was his duty, and,
as the law required them to do, and every one had
spoken in the highest possible terms of the ship. With.
regard to the officers and the crew, nobody could find
fault with them. They had a lamentable exhibition
at the court the day before, occasioned by the doctor
who had been brought there by Mr. O'Dowd, whose
duty it was to have him there, inasmuch as he had
been calumniating the ship and those on board of her;
and after the exhibition that he had made, he was sure
the court felt, and the public would feel, that his
' statements were without foundation. Everything went
to prove that the ship was a good ship. They had the
evidence of Captain Boyce, who had sailed the ship, and
of Captain Martin, who had been out in her, and knew
her well ; and then they had Dr. Scoresby's experience
of her, who, though he was a minister at the time he
wrote of her, he had been a sailor in the early part of,
his life, and was a man of science • and, though there
was some little difficulties experienced at first, the
reason was fully given,
and the difficulties removed.
He continued to say that it had been
'which spoke highly of "Journal of a Voyage
ag
He then read-from
passages,Dr. Scoresby B
tthoeAßusoytraallciah'a'rtseerv.eraTil
said that Captain Taylor anclhis officers were like a band of
brothers, and he considered, if .that was the ease, they
were the,more likely to preserve Order, and act in har-
mony for the interest of that vessel, by preserving disci-
pline onboard. On the morning preceding that terrible
night they had fine weather, and no appearance of a
, change. They were getting into the pilot-ground, and
there_was no indication of bad weather. The barometer
did not show it, and they were pursuing their coursele
with a hope of getting into Liverpoolall right on t
following 'morning; and almost immediately, there
came on such a hurricane as was scarcely ever seen on
that coast, and certainly never from that point of the

compass, which drove the ship on a lee shore ; and he
would venture to state that it was imppss,ble for
that court -to' come to a proper judgment on the
conduct of Captain Taylor, as they had no proof from
persons of science who were on board with Captain
Taylor, or who presumed to be capable of navigating a
ship. Captain Taylor was there with all the facts before
him, which they could' now only see through a cloud
imperfectly. As to the cutting away of the masts,
•Captain,Taylor was there, and saw and felt everything,
and, no doubt, with those .who were with him, with
whom he could consult, he did everything that it was
possible for man to do. He' was not there to answer for
his conduct. He hoped the court would deal with his
memory,' as they should like to be dealt with. With
regard to cutting away the masts, it was well known
that when the. Prince was lost off .Balaclava,
•the captain had been blamed for cutting away the masts
because they fouled the sc-ew. How far Captain
Taylor's knowledge of that fact had been used they had
no.means of -ascertaining. There were facts, no doubt,
that justified Captain Taylor for doing as he did, but
these facts were not before the court, and, therefore,
they should assume everything in his favour. Mr.
Aspinall then wentun to show that everything had been
done by the officers and crew to save the lives of the
passengers, like true British sailors ; and concluded by
asking the court, when the report was presented to the
Board of Trade, to say something in memory of those
that were gone that would be a consolation to those who
have been.left to mourn their loss.

Mr. Mansfield said he spoke his own sentiments, and
he thought those of Captain Harris also, when he said
he entirely concurred with Mr. Aspinall with reference
to the captain and crew, for it appeared that at the last
moment they kad done their duty nobly ; and when they
considered the manner in which the passengers had con-
ducted themselves, who were nearly all of the middle
and lower classes of Englishmen, it made him feel proud'
to be their countryman. One thing he lamented, that
notwithstanding what had taken plase in that court,
he understood that some persons had persisted in casting
a most malignant imputation upon Captain Taylor, as
to his sobriety. This had been given as coming from an
authority ; but when traced to any such person it was
always denied, and he must call it a most malignant
imputation. As Mr. O'Dowd had stated at the begin-
ing, it seemed to him that the whole story was utterly
baseless, and he would feel it his duty to make mention of
it in his report to the Board of Trade. There was no
doubt that' Captain Taylor was a brave sailor; and it
must be a feeling of malignity, from whatever cause, on.
the part of any person that would attempt to leave a
stigma on his memory, (Applause.)
The inquiry then terminated.

VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.

THE WELSH VOLUNTEER 'RIFLER -
A public meeting was held at one o'clock yesteniay
afternoon, in. the Common-hall, .Hackin's-hey, for the
' purpose of promoting the formation of a Welsh
Volunteer Rifle Corps. The chair was taken by
Mderrean john Buck Lloyd, and amongst those
present were Richard Griffith, Esq., Captain
Chambres, Wallasey Rifles ; Captain Bousfield,
Liverpool'Volunteer Rifles ; Ellis Yews, Esq., David
Evans; Esq.,- john: Rogers,
,Esq., TOwn Councillor ;
William Casson, Mg., John Roberts, its.q., Rev. Wm.
Howell, William tones, Esq., William ;;'. Griffith, Esq.,
Lewis Roberts, Esq., John Roberts, END,. Thomas Clea-
ton, Esq:, R. W. Pritthard, Esq., Roberißoberts, Esq.,
James Grynne Bateson, Mg., Richard. Roberts, jun. Esq.,
Thomas tloyd BowenrEsq., Lieutenant Bfady, Richard
Lloyd, Esq., H. Pritchard, ESq., William,Jones, Esq.,
Eleazer Pugh, Esq., Dr. Games, D. W. Davies, Esq.,
Thomas Llayd, Esq., David Davies, Esq.,- J. Morgan,
Esq., &c.
The CiimitmAx said he: had been requested to take
the‘chair on ,tat'occasior., as being, and having been
;himself connected with the' Principality; and as there
was a movement in the borough—for their- Scotch
ffiends had 'a Highland corps—it had been considered,
knowing the number of those who resided in-Liverpool
who were connected with the Principality, that there
should be a Wash Rifle Corps established (Hear,
hear, and cheers.) They knew this, that W7itslimen in
Liverpool Were very numerous indeed, as connected
with the buildinv trade in particular—with mechanics
and other pursuits; . and it was. believed that they would
form :a large, and he was sure: an efficient corps,-if it was
the pleasure of the meeting to organise sucb.. a corps.
The, other evening,. at St. Gborge's-hall, he- was sure
that those who attended must have left it with an in-
spiration that they would themselves, if caile.d upon,
join in-the present movement;: and although perhaps it
would not be well that they should sever the town into
sections of nationalities,- nevertheless, if this movement— -
the Welsh movement—should! cause to be carolled :a
hundred Welshmen, it-would, he thought, be-adinittet I
that they had done a service te'the country by g
those men, who, probhbly, under other circumstance s
would not'have joined'any corps. (Hear, hear.)'. Os ir
Scotch citizens had thought it right to. do s o,
and he, did not- think . that they were, fritterb ig
away time, as had been' insinuated, when they were 'at-
tempting to form a Welsh YOltinteer Corps for-this par's of
the county of Lancashire. They knew this, that if it did
nothing else, it would?. give pastime to many—it would
give them, if not on animmediate occasion,, at least on
some future occasion, the military drill anct the us e of
arms, which of itself .vrould be very important to. this
isolated island of our .own, where we had our army dis-
persed over the whole globe.. He would'say, let them
form themselves into. a body of riflemen, 'so that they
could be prepared at any moment, in any emergency that
might arise, to assist the• Government of the country and
our noble regular army in. the protection, of our nation.
(Cheers.) This was, not a. war movement. (Hear,
'hear.) He would• say fearlessly, that this was a great
peace movement—(hear, hea,r)—because if they showed
from their, spirit and ardour and zeal, that they were
willing to devote a,few of their leisure hours to a move-
ment such as this, so that if an oppression by a fOreign
Statemere contemplated, they might, be ready when called
'upon to take their proper position and their proper part
in the defence of their country, then the common enemy
would be deterred from carrying his contemplated
aggressive movement into effect; and so it would be
proved, that those leisure hours which they were now
called 'upon(*) devote to the study of the profession.of
arms, had ;not been thrown away, and that the study
and use of discipline and arms bad been of material
service. to the state. (Cheers.) He would recom-
mend to the notice of gentlemen who had not already
seen it, a lecture that was given at a meeting of the
Army and Navy Club, by Colonel Wilford, upon the
use of the rifle. It was instructing and amusing ; and
it would be the source of much good, he was sure, if the
Army and Navy Club would publish it in the form of a
pamphlet, and circulate it. It was a practical, and at
the same time an amusing mode of telling as to what
extent the rifle might be used in thepresent mode of Warfare.
They had examples before them of deeds of valour by their
Welsh friends and compatriots, and he would only refer to
one regiment in Her Majesty's service—the 23rd Welsh
Fusileers. (Cheers.) He thought from the time of the
formation of that regiment down to the present they
could show from its colours that it had been at the front
of every engagement in which it had been called upon
to act a part. (Cheers.) Upon the colours of the ,
gallant corps Were inscribed Minden, Egypt, Corunn,
Martinique, Albuera, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria,
Pyrenees, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse, Peninsula, and'
Waterloo. (Cheers.) The gallant deeds of the glorious
23rd did not end there, for when they brought down its
' records to more recent dates they all knew what it did
at the first attack at the Alma—how it was engaged at
Inkermann, and that it bore also upon its colours
"Sevastopol.” (Cheers.) They knew that at the Alma
it was one of the first regiments that mounted the
heights; and that the slaughter committed amongst • its
officers was great—that amongst others they had to
deplore the loss of a gallant officer, Captain Wynn
—(hear, hear)—who was brother to a lady who was the

wife of one of the principality's princes—Sir Watkin
V. :Wynn, who took the deepest interest in every move-
ment connected with the principality and its charities.
They knew, too, the ,interest that Lady Wynn took in
the memorial- to that gallant regiMent, and that the
Welsh community in Liverpool, down to the very chil-
dren in the Welsh schools—who contributed their
pennies to send £5O to Lady Wynn, that she might
dispose of it in any way she pleased in connection with
the regiment in which she took so deep an interest—
sympathised deeply with her' ladyship -in her hereic
determination.- (Hear, hear.) From the. Crimea that
regiment was moved to India; and let them re-call what
it did on its approach to Lucknow. At Lucknow it had
in its ranks a young' officer who was connected with
Liverpool, the grandson-of one of our most worthy mer-
chants—Sir Thomas Tobin's son. He was wsunded at
Lucknow; and, lamentable as it was to- the'friends and
relatives of that young man, he died under the wounds.
that he there received. (Hear, hear.) New, he thought
they had sufficient on the pare of historY to show that
Welshmen, when called upon, had not been backward
in responding to any call 'made upon their patriotism ;
and if this , movement was to he for the: pro-
tection of our shores, then he would say that
it had not been wrong that Welshmen had been called
tOgether to consider whether, at the present moment,
they' should not establish and get embodied a Welsh
Fusilier Corps:for Liverpool. (Cheers.) He would
only urge upon them this—that they should not be care-
less, because of the excitement at the moment they had
enrolled. Let those who enrolled themselves consider
that they must keep up the: esprit, and not let' it pass
away at a moment when some little change .might take
place, but let the movement be thoroughly established
amongst them, and let the rifle become the national arm.
(Cheers.) Let theni consider what a relief it must be
to the Government to know that: when they liad-no
standing army in the country, they could cominand, at
any moment, such a magnificent rifle corps as -they saw
at St. George's-hall the other evening—young menfull
Of vigour and ardour, Willing, if necessary, to fight their'
country's battles, for the.protection of their wives and
children, their homes and theiraltariragainst any potentate
Sovereign or foreign Government that might commit, an, i
aggression upon our shores. (Cheers.) He would only
further say that there would be feund in: Liverpool such
a body of Welshrrien to come for Ward as- would be second
to none in appearance and diicipline, if it 'was the
Pleasure of the meeting that day that Welshmen should
be called upon: to enrol themselves
:in connection with
the present movement He was certain that; if enrolled,
the Welsh Volunteers would-be found ready,- loyally-and
patriotically, to respond to any 'call that it: might be
found hereafter necessary to make upon thenacheers)
—in. defence of our shores-; and that the motto-which
appeared on the .flags of the gallant Welsh
I'Li,.Silters 'wont & be' apPlfrable to them also—" See:
aspects terrent.'" (Loud and protracted cheer/n-2;0
Mr. ditirprrnwthen rose, and, after remarking. that he-
had 'great- pleasure- in acceding to the • request of the.
chairman, read the • first resolution, which was as
follows That this-meeting concurs, in the general:
opinion that it is necessary to form a Velinter Rifle
Corps throughout the country, which; permanently
'established, will' moire an: efficient means of national
defence." He then proceeded to state that he thought
the- resolution sufficiently recommended itself ; and he
feb-aure it would meet with their unanimous support::
He- might, therefore,. having- read the resolution, sit'
down without making ,any further eominents, but he
thought that his young friends- would alloW him to go
on. .(Cheers.) He was-quite satisfied thatthe volunteer
corpel, when called out, would be found ready to meet
anything that might happen. In proof of this he might
menden an example that- occurred within his own
recolleetion. It was 'stated ,;that a -French frigate
was lying at the mouth of the Mersey, and the report
of some guns that were fired from that direction
threw the inhabitants of Liverpool into 'a 'state of great
consternation. The volunteers however' cTiSplayed the
greatest firmness and courage, every man at was his post,
and had the danger been. 'much greater than it was' he
had no doubt they-wohid have had the same result. He
believed that the-. sank spirit which actuated those
volunteers would be found' actuating and encouraging
the pregent corps. He remembered 'that when in his
youth. he was told of Napoleon BuonaparteTheing a
fatalist, and of his repeatedly declared intention to
invade. England, he (Mr. Griffith) used to say "Don't
you wish you may get it." At that tinie'moreoVer, the
French might actually have come over while they (the
English) were asleep in :their beds. The. courage of
Welshmen was proverbial, and the chairman had related
many proofs of this. But there was one grand example
of this fact occurred in the last war, when on the occa-
sion: of some 1,400 Frenchmen landing on the coast of
Wales, they surrendered to, and were taken prisoners
by, a company of Welsh persons not exceeding, six
hundred in number, and of whom a great many
were women. This' 'slight attempt was the only
French invasion which he knew of ; and, as for
another, he cared nothing whatever about it.. These
600 Welsh men and women, undisciplined,as therwere,
had overcome a body of Frenchmen of twice their own
numerical strength ; and if undisciplined Welsh ' men
and *oinett could do that, what would a 'set of
'ciplined riflemen not do. As-Welshmen and as ancient
Britons they looked bank upon those ancient deeds of
'daring with a feeling of thpgreatest pride. The chair-
man, however, had recounted their acts of bravery-so
completely that he would say no more nnon that sub.
ject. When they first talked 'of a Welsh 'Rifle Corps
they were advised. to amalgamate theni, but,: be dill not
consider that that was thebeskplan ; and, as a Welshman,
he could onlfsay Oaths felt sorry they had perhaps. lost
a few men in consequence of being late in the field; but,
he should feel very muck disapPointed," if the young
Welihmen Of Liverpool did not immediately join' this
corps, at least as many of them -as possibly could; He
thought that this corps would most likely enlist those men
who would not otherwigo have joined the movement at all.
The speaker then. referred to the unfortunate; conflict
respecting the'prineipality; and, after .paying a graceful
tribute to the Prince of Wales, concluded by calling
upon his countrymen' to 'come forward and enrol them-
selves in the present corps. _

Captain CHAMBRES, of the Wallasey Rifles, rose
to second the resolution. -- In doing so, he said
he could not abut feel that he was but a feeble
initrumeht in furthering that cause. But, however
feeble he might -feel-himself to be, he also considered
that it was his duty to come forward and do his
best. The chairman, he said, in opening the meeting,
had's° ably represented the claims of the "Welshmen;
that he did not think he could do any more respecting
that subject. 'He would, however, consider, in the first
place, the objections to the volunteer force. And what
were they? It 'Was said that it would give them a taste
for martial pursuits ; but let them ask who were the
people that were joining this corps ? If they were
thoughtless, flighty young men, he could agree so far with
the objectors. But when he saw their worthy chairman,
and the gentlemen by whom he was surrounded, taking
an active part in the movement, he could not but think
that they were doing what was perfectly right. They had
also been told that 'foreign 'nations might look with a
jealous eye upon these corps, and that, therefore, it was
a sort of needless provocation. He was one of those
who thought that the French Emperor had never in-
tended to invade this country. But he might be forced
into an invasion, or some other poteutate might either
willingly, or through force, be brought to invade this
country. Let them look at what they had to defend.
They had, in the first place, a glorious Constitution—a
Constitution ,that is now almost alone in giving freedoM
of thought and freedom of the press. He would here'