The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-05 00:00:00

COURT,MARTIAL ON OFFICERS AND CREW.

On the re-assembling of the Court yesterday tho follow-
inn evidence was adduced :

Robert Gilpin, master of the Ringdove, said he was put
in the sick list on the evening of the 17th of last May.
After that he did not continue to keep the ship's reckoning.
He told the captain he would assist and do as much as ho
was able. He last laid down the ship's position on the
chart at noon on the 18th. He marked her position on the
chart, but ho made no reckoning that day. Ho marked her
position from observations given him by other people. He
had taken sights that morning at eight, but was too ill to
work them. At six o'clock on the 18th he particularly
requested that the course might be altered to SE , to stand
in and take soundings on the bank. The commander for a
long time was disinclined to do it. Ho spoke of the dan-
gerous coast, and the prevailing current, which was very
uncertain and very rapid, and said the exact position should
be obtained, if possible, before dark. At my suggestion the
course was altered about 6 o'cl,ck. I then lett the deck,
and I was very ill afterwards and unable to shops the
course for the night or to give any advice.
By the Court—When I was on deck about half past
seven the vessel was stopped, and I heard the commander
say, " If I don't get soundings I shall stand on for the
night ;" but I was too ill to attend to anything. I went
to sleep, and have no recollection of waking again until
the morning when she struck. I did impress upon the
captain the necessity of making soundings to ascertain the
true position of the ship more a dezm times between four
and six o'clock. I did see the land on the morning of the
18th between eight and nine o'clock, and we stooc: on for
the land till half-past 12, when it was clearly in sight. Had
no recollection of taking bearings of the land, and was not
aware that they were taken. Did recognise the land. Had
no doubt as to the regularity of the chronometers under my
charge. Had only been on board the ship about a fortnight,
having been in hospital at Hong Kong for three weeks,
Had opportunities of rating the chronometers after to the
ship. Oa the morning of the 12th took 21 sights, the on•
tries of which were contained in the book produced. The
result of those eights were quite satisfactory. Had taken
every opportunity to correct the variations of the compass
between Hong Kong and the time I went on the sick list.
It was net the custom to state how those variations arose in
the log-book.

The President—Have you any reason to doubt the cor-
rectness of the chart you were Bailing by?—No.
How do you account for the ship striking on that shoal,
when, according to the reckoning, she ought to have been
ten or 15 miles off I' had made an allowance of ten or twelve
miles for a current setting to the eastward before making
the land, on account of knowing the very strong currents
of the coast and the irregularity cf their setting in. I
told the captair, , when I wished him to alter the course
south-cask, that I was not positive of tho ship's position
within 10 or 12 miles, and entreated him to strike the bank
for soundings, where the exact position of the vessel could
be ascertained before dark. This took place when looking
at the chart a little before 6 o'clock. I found my impression
of an easterly current running to the extent I have named
was not correct. I had no opportunity of ascertaining the
set of the current and its extent. I believe there was no
current. I had only taken the precaution to make the laud
I did not consider there was danger attending the pers_ver-
ance in the south-east course until w 3 could obtain sound-
ings, supposing the soundings were taken every hour.
Knowing our latitude at noon, and approximately at dark,
by steering for the land, we could have ascertained her posi-
tion exactly by soundings when we got on the bank. No
ordinary current that might have been running would have
rendered such a course dangerous. There was no reason to
anticipate danger from the Collingwood shoal by pursuing
such a course. There is no other shoal which would have been
dangerous under such circumstances. I consider I was not
doing duty after the ship struck only assisting, by answering
any question put to me or giving any information. I believe
the sights I took on the morning of the 18th were worked
out by Lieut. Arundeli. I never thought of the sight when
the ship's position was ascertained at noon—the latitude had
been observed, it was a beautiful clear day, land was fairly
in sight, cross-bearings might have been taken at any mo-
ment, and soundings got on the bank to correct any errors.
I was in my cot at the time, The 'ethnic and longitude by
which we laid down our position on the chart that day were
the observed latitude and longitude, to the best of my
knowledge. I worked no sights, I was told the latitude and
longitude, and I put it down. I was anxious to see how
far we had gone south, and that we wero clear of shoals. I
did not think about soundings till 4 o'clock, and then I
spoke to the captain about it. His reason for not taking
them then was that he did not like losing so much time. I
answered that two hours was nothing where the safety of
ship was concerned. I did not point out to the captain that
if the observations were correct we must have been in sound-
ings from noon until 6pm.Atl2 30 I said t ' captain
—" We may as well alter course, and steer t u not
sufficiently acquainted with that part of the know
the headland and remarkable points, and em 1. L are of
any of the officers being so. Cross-bearings can I. / taken
with certainty by persons not acquainted with the coast;
the land is very remarkable." Had no doubt as to the cor-
rectness of the ship's position at noon. I never thought of
it on account of the latitude, and knowing i 3 t _met position
could be taken at any moment on the bank. It is usual,
after being out of sight of land for some days, to verify the
observations by bearings of the land anl sounding, if to
be obtained, Sec. I should have done so if I had been able
to move about, but I was suffering very much from dysen-
tery, and had little thought beyond myself atter the latitude
had been taken, and the exact position could be depended
upon by soundings or cross-bearings. I did not keep the
chronometer journal from the time of leaving Hong-Kong ;
I save it to the secondsmaster to keep. It was my 1.i,._. ice
to examine that journal daily, but I cannot say wht :eer I
did so. I either wound, or saw the chronometers wound,
daily up to the time of going upon the sick list. The ship
was at Hong-Kong for about a fortnight ; and as we were
only going for a four days' passage we wont to sea without
having obtained fresh rates for the chronometers. The chro-
nometer "A," upon which I depended, was rated as gaining
three seconds a day. From subsequent observations I have
no reason to believe that rate was au erroneous one.
If the entries made between May 23 and June 7 in the chro-
nometer journal show the rate to be losing instead of gain-
ing I cannot say whether the Court Es to infer that they are
incorrect. I was not on board, but the chronometers might
have altered wonderfully coming from Shanghae, where it
was very cold, and getting into warmer weather-1 found
the chronomers always gaining, I cannot say whether the
position marked in the chart is that I gave to the captain
as the position of the ship at noon on the 18th. To the best
of try knowledge it is. I did not say the captain refused to
stand in to strike the bank, I only strongly recommended
him to do so. I did not work any r eckoning. I was merely
doing my best in giving information. I can account for the
difference of a minute in the chronometer A, as shown in
my work and the chronometer journal. When the ship was
on the reef Mr Jackson remarked that the chronometers had
very much altered their rates, and had been jumping about
a great deal. When the land was observed I had given up
all responsibility of taking charge or doing anything at all.
Mr Gilpin was cross-examined by Commander Brown
and Mr Jackson at some length; but nothing material was
elicited tending to contradict the evidence in chief.
Mr Jackson was exatninel, also the quartermaster on
duty when the ship struck, and the men on the look out.
These men said they had been cautioned that night to look
out for rocks and shoals and broken water; thot they saw
nothing until the ship struck. At daylight the rock was
visible for about a mile ; and was from two to four feet
above water,

The Assistant Surgeon proved that on the night tho ship
struck Mr Gilpin, the master. was on the sink list from
dysentery, and that he administered morphia. He was
unfit for duty.

This closed the prosecution.
The Court asked the commander, master, and second
master if they wished o make any additional statements,
or if they required time.
The reply was in the negative.
Testimonials were then read, produced by CAmmander
Brown and Mr Gilpin.

PORTSMOUTH, Friday.

The Court-martiial closed this evening, when the com-
mander was reprimanded, and ordered to be more careful
in future. The master was admonished for not having
ascertained the proper state of the chronometers before
leaving Hong Kong.