The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-15 00:00:00

" PICKET BOAT NO. 1.

" The little vessel which has performed the deed
of destroying this noted ram is a boat not unlike a
ship's launch, and about the same dimensions. Six
of them have been built under the superintendence
of Captain C. S. Boggs, U.S.N. Their engines,
boilers, &c., were put in them at Schenectady, New
York, and were brought down here via canal.
" They were designed at first for picket boats
exclusively, and for the purpose of relieving

the seamen from the hurtful and unhealthy
work of pulling boats on picket in all kinds
of weather. Before they were completed, how-
ever, the idea of placing the torpedo attachment
on them was suggested, and immediately adopted,
and the wisdom of the suggestion is already proven.
"No officer has laboured more faithfully to de-
stroy this Albemarle than, has Lieut. Cushing. A
few weeks since he visited New York, and selected
some of the picket boats for service in Albemarle
Sound, and we now have the first results of his
daring and good judgment in using this new engine
of naval warfare, which in a short time will revo-
lutionise naval fights. The true plan is being
adopted. The bottom of a vessel is its most vulner-
able part, and by this arrangement it is reached,
broken through, and the vessel must sink or be
utterly destroyed."

The Ontario Inquiry, —Decision of the

Court.

The assessors of the Board of Trade gave their
decision in the case of the Ontario at Liverpool
yesterday. It was as follows :
The Curt, having carefully investigated the sir•
cumstances connected with the loss of the screw
steamship Ontario on Hasbro' Sands, on the morn-
ing of the 16th ult., has come to the conclusion that
this is not one of the class of cases in which blame
attaches to the master. The evidence shows that
the ship was under the charge of a licensed pilot
appointed by the owners, and that the master was
locally unacquainted with the coast. The Court
does not hold that in all cases the fact of a pilot
being on bond is to relieve the master from re-
sponsibility ; but in this case, as they see no
neglect or dereliction of duty, either on the
part of the master or his crew, Mr. John Brook-
ing cannot fairly be held amenable for the loss
of his ship. The Court has, therefore, great
pleasure in returning Mr. Brooking his cer-
tificate. The Court regrets that it cannot take
so favourable a view of the conduct of the pilot. It
is of opinion that Mr Alexander Scott evinced a
want of caution in the navigation of this vessel, in
continuing his course at full speed after failing to
make either the Dudgeon or Dowsing light vessels,
instead of hauling up and proceeding slowly until
he had ascertained his position. The Court cannot,
however, deal with the pilot under the provisions
of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, which regu■
lates these inquiries, but will feel it their duty to
report the opinion thus expressed to the Board of
Trade. It is unnecessary in giving this judgment,
to add anything bearing upon the collateral ques-
tion which has arisen out of this inquiry, relating
to the services of the Yarmouth lifeboat. The mat-
ter will be delft with in the reload which the Court
, will make to the Board of Trade.
Toe decision was read by Mr R4ftles, the legal
assessor, on the part of himself and Captains Harris
and Baker, nautical assessors ; and the certificate
was immediately handed to Captain Brooking.

PAINFUL SCENE.—On Friday last an eitraord

- - - - -
nary and painful scene took place at Woodston, near
Peterborough. The eldest son of Mr- Thomas Powell, a
highly respectable farmer of the village, having died, his
parents wished to have him buried in the pretty litle church-
yard of the parish. As a matter of courtesy, the Rev. A.
Murray, Independent minister, to whose congregation Mr
Powell belonged, waited upon the Rev. J. Ellaby, the
incumbent, and informed him that Mr Powell was a strict
Nonconformist, and objected to the use of some portions of
the Burial Service. Subsequently, Mr Ellaby went with
Mr Powell himself to the churchyard and chose a site for
the grave, and no obstacle of any kind was anticipated.
On Friday afternoon, when the funeral procession ap-
proached the churchyard, the grave was found prepared.
Halting at the entrance the corpse was placed on a chair,
while the Rev. A. Murray read a simple service such as
Dissenters use on such occasions. He was so engaged
when a messenger arrived with the intimation that the
Rev. J. Ellaby was waiting in the church. A courteous
reply was returned that the services of the clergyman
would not be required, and a move was made towards the
grave. Mr Ellaby issued from the church, and declared in
an excited manner that the corpse should not be buried
there. Mr Murray stepped. on one side and said, " You
are aware, Sir, that we have the privilege of silent inter-
ment." "I do not care for your privileges," the incum-
bent replied, " I will throw you into the Ecclesiastical
Court." He then left the churchyard, bidding the sexton
stand by the grave. Meanwhile the aldicted mourners
were looking on in a state of grief and perplexity which
may well bo imagined. At last the father stood forward
and said, " If no one would fill in the grave of his child he
would do so himself." He took a spade for that purpose,
but the sexton wrenched it by force out of his hands. A
crowd had gathered round, and hootings and cries of
" Shame" were raised, but Mr Ellaby did not return, and
without his authority the sexton would allow no one to
touch the grave. Eventually the relatives reluctantly with-
drew, leaving the body unburied. On the tollowing day
(Saturday) the grave was filled in by the incumbent's order,
but whether the Church Burial Service was read over it or
not our reporter hes been unable to learn,—Nancliester
Examiner.