The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-08 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.

John Thomas, first officer of the Anglia, who deposed
the general condition of the vessel previous to the accident.
On the evening of Nov. 9 they were off the south end of the
Arran Islands, at the entrance to Galway Bay, and fired
guns, burnt blue lights, and employed the signals gene-
rally used to indicate the want of a pilot. The Anglia was
due in Galway at 4 o'clock that afternoon. As no pilot came
on board, and the night was threatening, they anchored
under Black Head until 2 o'clock the next morning, when
they weighed and steamed slowly towards the roadstead.
The speed of the vessel was not more three miles an hour.
Men were kept continually heaving the lead on each side of
the ship, extra look outs were stationed on the paddle boxes
and in the bows, the signalling for pilot was repeated at
short intervals, and Capt. Prowso was on the bridge most of
the time. No pilot,however, came, and at 4.37, ship's time,
the vessel grounded gently on a ledge of the Black Rock.
The engines were at once reversed, but, it being ebb
tide, the vessel could not be got off. The third officer was
despatched to Galway, and returned with a pilot at 5.10.
The landing of the passengers was then proceeded with,
and completed after 10 o'clock. Preparations were next
made for floating the ship off at the flood tide ; and this was
effected at 3.45 in the afternoon, with the assistance of the
company's tug. She anchored in the roadstead, and was
found to be leaking a little. The cargo had not been re-
moved while she was aground. On Nov. 15, the Anglia
east off from the buoy, and proceeded to Liverpool,where she
arrived on the afternoon of the 17th inst. Witness consi-
dered that the beacon on the Black Rock was useless at
night. In his opinion the captain had adopted every means
to secure the attendance of a pilot,and to avoid the accident.
John Stubbs, third i. fficer, was next examined ; and ho,
as well as the other witnesses, confirmed in all important
particul-ars the evidence of Tt.oreas. At the time of the ac-
cident the night was clear,with bright starlight, the Mutton
Island light being right a-head, but the Black Ruck beacon
not being visible. The ship's head was E. IN.
Edward Sharpe, boatswain, said that four minutes before
the vessel grounded, the lead men found about 7 fathoms of
water on each side of the ship.
John Corkil], quartermaster, stated that at the time the
vessel struck, her head was E, N.
Andrew Russell, chief engineer, and Edward Pritchard,
a pilot, of Liverpool, were also examined, but nothing ad-
ditional, or in opposition, to the prevous evidence was
elicited from them.
Mr. O'Dowd said these were all the witnesses he pro-
posed calling.
Mr. Sharkey inquired if there would be any objection to

The inquiry was resumed yesterday.
Capt. Nicholas Prowse, having tendered himself for exa-
mination, said—l was captain of the Anglia on her voyage
from Liverpool to Boston, on Nov. 7 last. I hold a certifi-
cate of competency as master from the Board of Trade, dated
June, 1852. I have made 80 passages across the Atlantic,
and have been 18 times in and out of Galway Bay. I have
on three occasions passed through the bay successfully be-
tween the shoals, steering the same course as on Nov. 10—
viz., E N. Mutton Island Light is the only guide to the
roadstead. The tide flows east and west, or nearly so. The
two dangers are the Black Rock, to the northward, and the
Margaretta Shoal, to the southward. All vessels entering
the bay pass between these two dangers, the distance apart
being three-quarters of a mile. Mutton Island light is the
only light visible in coming through these dangers, and
affords only one bearing. Black Rock lies on the port side of
the vessel entering the roadstead. At high water that danger
is covered, but it shows considerably, perhaps to the extent
of five feet, at low water. It commences to show itself at
half ebb of the tide. The Margaretta Shoal is on the star-
board side of the vessel, and is always covered, but there is
a buoy to indicate danger. The signal of danger on Black
Reck is a parch, something in the shape of the mast of a
fishing vessel with a cross at top. The land by night over-
shadows this perch, or beacon, and at night, as also
by day, it is very difficult to see it until very near to it. I
always understood that the pilot's boundary extended to the
Arran Islands, and also that the compulsory pilotage was
between the roadstead and the rock—but nevertheless I was
always anxious to take a pilot whenever one could be found
outside, and was always on the look-out for one. On two
occasions, having the Mutton Island light direct ahead,and
steering Ei N, I thought this course took me somewhat too
near Margaretta Shoal, and I made a report to Capt.Thomp-
sonand found that course to
hav upon pi
no nv
atrhi
aebsl uyb js et
ecet
r. e
dDEu nNg,7 voyages since that time I
carry me in a good fair mid channel. I have steered this
course on two occasions in the Anglia, and with the same
compasses I had on board at the time of her stranding on
Black Rock. I expected to find a pilot at Black Head, but
the pilotage regulations of the harbour are miserably car-
ried out, On two previous occasion I had to go into the
roadstead without a pilot, once by dsy and once by night.
The great necessity is to take a pilot outside of danger,
where they sea be of use, but I have had to take him on
board on several occasions when within danger, and, sup-
posing the wind to be blowing a gale from the westward I
do not think it would be possible, with any am tont of wait-
ing, to get a pilot outside the entrance. (Captain Prowse here
read the entries made in the ship's log of the voyage from
Liverpool, and which is contained in the evidence of the
chief officer our the first day of inquiry.) Had the weather
at 6.45 p.m. of the 9th been as clear as it was at three
a.m. of the 10th, I should have gone into the har-
bour, notwithstanding there was no pilot on board,
as I considered there was not the shadow of en excuse
for remaining any longer, and I should have expected
to be severely censured by my employer for losing
valuable time had I done so. lied I remained at anchor
under Black Head until daylight I should not have been
in the roadstead until between nine and ten o'clock.
Mr. Train—Can you account for the vessel being
stranded on Black Rock, the light at Mutton Island being
ahead of you ?
Capt. Prowse—lt has been given in evidence that the light
bore E N, and, if this was so, I cannot account for it ; but
I think that the engines being worked at " dead slow" the
compasses must have been attracted by the land.
By Capt. Harris—l have never noticed in passing slowly
through the roadstead whether the compasses have been
affected or altered by attraction of the land. Oa two previous
voyages the same compasses were used, and were then found
correct; and at G dway, after the stranding, they were
found not to be affected, having corrected themselves.
Mr. Traill—lt would be an impossibility for the compasses
to have corrected themselves as you mention.
Mr. Valiance, on behalf of the company, said—As that
was all the evidence proposed to be taken, he wisher' to hand
in for the use of the Court a copy of the regulations issued
to commanders of the company's vessels, one of which regu-
lations was as follows :--" You aro aware from the nature
of the engagements of the company with her Majesty's Go-
vernment, it is of the greatest importance that your passage
should be made with the utmost possible rapidity ; but I
am directed to impress on you in the strongest manner,
that even that most essential object should be regarded as
subservient to the safety of the ship and passengers. You
are expected, therefore, never to incur any danger for the
sake of effecting a rapid passage, and I cannot too strongly
express the importance of the utmost possible caution when
you encounter fog or ice; and if darkness or the weather
should indicate danger, that yea should rather lay to and
await daylight or improvement of the weather, than pro-
ceed under manifest risk, You will enter in the fullest
manner in your logbook all the
,facts and reasons of your
conclusions. You will, of course, at all times ascertain your
true position, giving due consideration to the erects of cur-
rents and variation of compass, and in nearing land you
will keep a most careful and constant look-out, and the lead
continually going."
Mr. Sharkey then addressed the Court on behalf of Capt.
Prowse, contending that he had used every precaution and
discretion uader the circumstances in which he was placed,
and handed in several letters bearing testimony to his high
professional character as a nautical man.
Mr. Traill said there were two points for the Court to
consider, viz., whether Capt. Prowse was justified in mak-
ing the entrance to the harbour without a pilot ; and
secondly, if so, whether such entrance should have been
taken at so early an hour as 3 o'clock in the morning with-
out such pilot.
Captain Harris said the whole fact appeared to him to be
simply whether it was prudent or imprudent for Captain
Prouse to enter the harbour at the time stated. From the
facts as he gathered them, the vessel was due in Gatway at
4 p.m. of the 9th, and Black Head was made at 5 30 p.m.,
or very near the proper time. At the time of finding the
weather thick he thought Capt. Prouse had acted prudently
and properly in putting back for the night, having fired
guile and used blue lights, as a signal for a pilot, and no
pilot coming oa board. On the Admiralty chart the light on
.Nlutton Island was marked as bearing E by N, and not E
N, In his opinion, on entering the harbour, every precau-
tion, such as heaving the lead, was carried out ; but it ap.
peared they had been groping about at night for a buoy,
about which there was no need to care, if the light was visible
and ahead. It must also be taken into consideration that
the passage was very narrow, the angle not being more than
10 deg., and that it recpired great nicety in navigating at
night time. He could not, therefore, help thinking that
Capt. Prouse was hardly justified in running in before day-
light, and as a prudent commander he would not have done
so himself. There was an Admiralty agent on board, and his
advice was that this individual should be consulted under
such circumstances, and if he testified to what was being
done as correct as entered in the leg, all responsibility and
blame would be taken from the company. his own opinion
was, and he was sorry to have heard the blame put upon
the compasses, that the error lay in running the vessel on
E I N, with the tido on the starboard side of the ship.
Mr. Traill, in expressing his concurrence in these obser-
vations, remarked that it was with pleasure the Court had
arrived at the conclusion of delivering up to him (Captain
Prouse) his certificate.
Captain Prouse having thanked the court, the proceed-
Lnga terminated.

PENAL LEGISLAT:ON IN SERVIA.—The different
modes of punishment specified in the Sery lan code
are death, hard labour, imprisonment, dismissal from pub-
lic functions, fine, the bastinado, civil degradation, a prohi-
bition to exercise certain trades, and lastly, expulsion. The
persons condemned to death are shot; they may, however,
dispose of their property by will. The punishment of
hard labour is for periods of from two to 20 years. The
convicts are employed in prison or in the fields, and wear
chains varying in weight from five to ten pounds, accora -
ing to the judgment of the tribunal. Women do not
work outside the prison, and are never charged with chains.
Persons condemned to imprisonment aro put to some em-
ployment, and in certain cases this punishment may be con-
verted into hard labour, eight months of the latter punish
meat being counted as equivalent to one year's imprison-
ment. Fines cannot exceed one-third of the fortune of the
person condemned ; if that proportion is exceeded, the sur-
plus is converted into an imprisonment, at the rate of one
day in prison for every 10fr., to the amount of 1,500 fr., and
beyond that sum, of one day's imprisonment for every 15fr.
The bastinado is only applied to servants, apprentices,
workmen, and thieves or vagrants, and never to persons
who have attained their fiftieth year. In the latter case im-
prisonment is substituted for the bastinado, according to a
fixed scale, the minimum of the bastinado, or ten strokes,
being converted into three or 15 days' imprisonment, and

the maximum into from throe to six munths' imprisonment.
Civil degradation is pronounced for periods of from one to
five years. The prohibition to exercise a trade is applied
to such persons as have been guilty of a crime through the
medium of that calling. It may be perpetual or for a
limited period. Expulsion from a certain locality with
forced residence in a certain place is limited to a maximum
of two years. Foreigners alone can be banishee from the
country. The regime of the prisons is mild, and the labour
imposed on the convicts far from excessive. The food,
which consists of two pounds of bread and three ounces of
meat, or a portion of beans daily, is wholesome, and the
clothing good and sufficient. On New Year's Day and on
the Princes' fete day, a certain number of pardons are
accorded to convicts who have served one•half of their
time, and whose conduct has been without reproach. The
two principal prisons in Servia are those of Topchider6,
near Belgrade, for prisoners under sentence of hard labour,
and of Tchupria for persons condemned to simple imprison-
ment. Each of them has accommodation for about 500
prisoners.

On Wednesday night the temperature indicated
by the thermometer in Hyde Park was 1530 deg.
—that is to say, 11 deg. below that of the previous
night. Yesterday morning, at 9 o'clock, however,
the mercury had risen to 1930 deg., a temperature
3 deg. higher than that of the preceding day. The
wind was from the N.N.E., and in the morning the
atmosphere was dry, but foggy. Towards evening
the temperature rose several degrees.
The sheets of water in the Parks presented yes-
terday a scene more animated than on any preced-
ing day. The crowd and the assemblage of car-
riages in Hyde Park and Rotten Row are said to
have been larger than any seen there since the
opening of the Great Exhibition in 1851. At one
time, it was computed by Mr. Young, the secretary,
and Mr. Williams, the superintendent of the Royal
Humane Society, there were not fewer than 7,000
persons upon the Serpentine. A great many per-
sons were received into the house of the Royal Hu-
mane Society with heads cut. Their wounds were
dressed by Mr. Young and Dr. Christian, Two
serious accidents happened—in particular one to
Mr. Hudson, of Newcastle-court, Strand, and another
to Mr. John Edwards, of Barnet. These were also
attended to at the Royal Humane Society's receiv-
ing-house. When night fell, skating and sliding by
torchlight commenced. In St. James's Park, had
it not been for the exertions rendered by Deputy
Superintendent Perry and the men under him, it is
quite probable that several lives would have been
lost, for at one period no less than 3,500 persons
were skating or sliding upon the ice, which towards
the after part of the evening begin to part. Seve-
ral persons fell in. Five persons had wounds
dressed by Dr. M'Cann, of Parliament-street, and
Mr. Langhnan, who assisted him.„ In the Victoria
Park yesterday about ten or eleven thousand per-
sons were either sliding or skating upon the ice.
No accident beyond a few cat heads (=need during
the day.
At Chatham on Wednesday night the thermo-
meter fell to 10 deg. The whole of the canals and
ponds in the neighbourhood were covered with ice
several inches in thickness, allowing vast numbers
to skate and slide. The canal leading from Roches-
ter to Gravesend was yesterday visited by some
thousands of persons. The water in the docks at
Chatham dockyard was yesterday frozen over, but
in consequence of the rise and fall of the tide the
ice was not of sufficient thickness to allow of per-
sons venturing upon it. There was yesterday a
quantity of ice in the harbour which had been
floated down the stream, showing that the upper
portions of the river were frozen. On both the
South-Eastern and the London, Chatham, and
Dover railways every precaution is taken to pre-
vent accidents during the frost, by a constant exa
mination of the tires of the carriages and engines,
which in consequence of the intense cold are more
than ever liable to become fractured.
The weather since Friday has been bitterly cold
in the Eastern Counties. The rivers and water-
courses were yesterday covered in some places with
ice of more or less thickness. In one country dis-
trict the thermometer has descended as low as 22
deg. below the freezing point, but the variations of
the instrument at the Norfolk and Norwich Literary
Institution have been as follows since the com-
mencement of the new year:—Jan. I—Highest,
33 aeg. ; lowest, 30 deg. Jan. 2—Highest, 31 deg. ;
lowest, 29 deg. Jan.4—Highest, 3') deg. ; lowest,
25 deg. Jan. s—Highest, 31 deg. ; lowest, 25 deg.
Jan. 6—Highest, 27 deg. ; lowest, 19 deg, Jan.
7—Lowest, 18 deg.
Oa Wednesday the frost continued with unabated
severity in the neighbourhood of Nottingham.
Yesterday a dense fog prevailed. The canals were
all frozen over, and transit was entirely stopped.
Upon the river Trent masses of ice had formed, and
in some pieces it was said the river was frozen over
—a circumstance of rare occurrence,
In the Midland Counties the frost of Wednesday
night was remarkably severe. In the country round
Worcester the thermometer fell as low as 10 deg.,
and was 12 deg. at daybrelk yesterday. The day
was cloudy, and it rose very little all day. The
ground, being unprotected by snow, is frozen to a
considerable depth, and the earth is white with hoar
frost, which the sun when it shines has not the
power to melt. The wind went round from E. to S.
on Wednesday eveuing, bat yesterday the weather
cock pointed N.E. There is every present indica-
tion of protracted cold weather.
The severe frost still continues in Yorkshire. The
lowest temperature marked at Melton on Tuesday
night was 24 deg. The keenest frost of the season
occurred on Wednesday night, when the mercury
receded to 12 deg. The highest temperature in the
shade on Thursday was 25 deg. The effects of the
severe weather upon the wheat crops are beginning
to cause anxiety to farmers, who all wish for a
covering of snow. The lakes at Castle Howard and
Welham are daily crowded with skaters. Oa the
latter, on -W
ednesday afternoon, some alarm was
caused by a young m sn having a severe fit on the
ce. There is every prospect of a continuance of the
frost.

The weather in Keswick is intensely cold, and
the whole of the Der, wentwater, from the Landings
to the entrance of Grange, is one mass of thick ice,
probably presenting the finest skating ground in
England, being three miles long, one mile and a
half at its greatest breadth, and about nine miles in
circumference. The rivers Greta and Derwent are
partially frozen over.
Since Monday the pools and ponds in the neigh-
bourhood of Liverpool have been covered with a
thick coating of ice, and sliding and skating have
been favourite amusements all through the week.
On Wednesday the ornamental water in Prinee's
and Wavertree parks, and the flooded portions of
Sefton meadows, were crowded with skaters, and
yesterday, the frost having gained rather than lest
in intensity, the different fields of ice presented a
still more animated and gay spectacle. The erne-
inental lakes in Birkenhead Park have been thronged
by skaters, not a few of whom were ladies, O❑
Tuesday a match at curling took place at the Bir-
kenhead Park, between Mr. T. H. Galloway and
Mr. Dempster, who between them mustered 18
channel stones. After a well. contested game of 21
shots, victory rested with Mr. Dempster, the game
having been witnessed by a numerous concourse of
spectators. The cold is still growing in intensity,
and yesterday morning a thermometer placed in a
garden at Oxton indicated a temperature of 15 deg.;
near the ground, on the Liverpool side of the Mersey,
the indication was 14.5 deg.
The Scotsman of yesterday says—" During the
whole of yesterday the frost continued, bat it was
hardly so severe as on the previous day. A thick
mist prevailed throughout the day, and it was feared
that this would be followed by snow, but tha prog-
nostications in this respect proved fallaciou_. The
lochs were, from morning till evening, crowded
with curlers and skaters, all of whom seemed to
enjoy their sport to the greatest extent. Prince
Alfred visited Duddingston Loch shortly after
11 o'clock, and had two hours' skating, a pastime in
which his loyal Highness proved himself very pro-
ficient. The ice was of course in a worse condition
than on Tuesday, the surface being covered with the
powdered ice which had been scraped off by the
bleating, as also by large quantities of orange peel
and reeds, which rendered skating to a ce,rtain extent
both unpleasant and dangerous. Seeing that so many
of the inhabitants turn out to have a day's recreation
on the lochs, it would be a vast improvement were
the Town Council to send out a staff of scavengers or
policemen at daybreak to sweep up at least Dud-
dingston Loch, so that the ice might be made keener
and the skaters might have a better opportunity of
observing the ruts and breaks which are so fre-
quently a cause of those unpleasant falls to whieh
skaters are peculiarly liable. A correspondent,
referring to the rare opportunity which the present
frosty weather presents to skaters for enjoying their
exhilarating pastime, and the comparatively slight
trouble which it would cost to keep a e ice clean and
in good condition, suggests that the Edinburgh
Skating Club or the police authorities should cut
holes of three inches in diameter in the ice, and
pump up the water till it overspread the loch a few
inches. By adopting this simple expedient, which
is almost • niversally practised in Canada, the loch
would be covered each morning with fresh keen ice
that would add immeasurably to the comfort and
enjoyment of the skaters,"