The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-06 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—Dec. 5,

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.

(Before Lord Chief Justice Cockburn and a Special
Jury.)

THE QUEEN V. RIIMBLE.-THE RAPPAHANNOCK.

This was the welleknown case against Mr.l
Rumble for enlisting sailors for the Confederate war
steamer Rappahannock.
The Solicitor'General, Mr. Lush, Q.C., Mr.
Hannen, and Mr. Vernon Harcourt were for the
Queen ; Mr. Bovill, Q.C., Mr. Karslake, Q.C., Mr.
Sergeant Ballantine, Mr. Macnamara, and Mr.
Giffard for Mr. Rumble.
The Rappahannock was originally one of her
Majesty's gunboats, the Victor. She was bought
from the Admiralty in 1863, and was repaired in
the dockyard at Woolwich. She was afterwards
taken out of the dockyard and moored at a Govern•
men t buoy, and her masts put in there, and she
was prepared for sea. She afterwards went over to
Calais, and hoisted the Confederate flag outside the

harbonr. It was for enlisting seamen for this ship

that the information was Jaid against the defen-
dant. The case against him, however, depending
on detached pieces of evidence, can be best learnt

from the evidence.

The information consisted of 166 counts, of which
the first 110 were 11 sets of counts charging the
enlistment, or attempt at enlistment, of eleven men
in the Confederate service. Then follow 15 counts
for counselling and procuring them to enlist. And
then follow 30 counts charging, as in the case of
the Alexandra, equipping, furnishing, or fitting
oat, or attempting to equip, furnish, or fit out, a
vessel of war for the Confederate service.
The Solicitor. General opened the case at con•
aiderable length. The evidence for the prosecution
was then gone into.

Capt. Wise, examined by Mr. Lusk—l am super-
intendent of the dockyard. I kno fr the defen-
dant, Mr. Rumble ; he is the inspector of machis
nery afloat. He has held that appointment over
two years. I knew her Majesty's gunboat the
Victor. She had been in commission. During
1863 she was sold out of the service. Before
being sold her gun fittings were taken
out. She was sold as a vessel without her
masts, spars, or rigging ; nothing in her but her
machinery and boilers. I had orders that she
was to be sold so. On the 11th of November she
was delivered to the purchaser. She was in the
Medway. She was docked. In dock her bottom
was examined, her valves put in order, and her
screw lifted and put into its place again. This was
to see that she was in order. She sailed on the
night of the 24th November. Captain Rumble had
nothing to do with her until she was delivered up.
Cross-examined by Mr Bovill—Mr Reece, the
master rigger, had nothing to do with her. She
was docked with the consent of the Admiralty.
Messrs Colman, the purchasers, applied to have her
docked, to the Lords of the Admiralty.
The Lord Chief Justice—Had the sale bean
completed when she was docked P—Witness—l
don't think it had been.

(The witness here read the requisition of the
Messrs Colman to the Admiralty to let the vessel
be docked in the Government dockyard.)

The Lord Chief Justice—That shows then thet
the purchase had been completed.
(Witness then read an order of the officer of the
dockyard that the vessel could be docked, dated the
17th September.)
Crosseeiaminatien continued—She was at that
time lying in the 'Medway. (Witness then road an
order of the Admiralty to admit the Victor into the
dockyard.) Sh 3 was pat into dock on the Bth by
the Govertiment officials. Nothing was done with
her on the Medway. It is a dry dock. While she
was in dock some of the turning machinery got
broken, and we put it right. She was taken out of
dock on the 13th October by the Government aus '
thorities into the basin. She remained in the basin
to the 2d November. No masts were sent her there
—the masts were put in the stream. Nothing was
done to her until she was given up on the 10th or
11th November. The masts were put into her by
Captain Hall, R.N., and her Majesty's ship Cum•
berland was used for the purpose. The rigging
was not put in by the authorities. She was then
half a mile from the dockyard in the stream. Mr
Iteece was not on board to my knowledge.
We did her just as well as if she were our own
ves,el. She was made fast to a Government
buoy. A Government vessel took her to
her moorings. I don't think she was at Go-
vernment moorings until she sailed. It was per-
fectly well known that she was fitting. There was
no secrecy. She was supposed to be going to China.
Every one would be glad to give assistance in such
a case. After she was delivered up I knew nothing
more about her. Her tonnage is about 800. I have
never dismissed any one for being a Federal spy.
There are spies on both sides. A man in the yard
named Warner applied for his discharge.
Mr George Evans, examined by Mr Lush—l am
registrar of shipping for London. I produce register
of ship under name of Scylla, dated Nov. 6, 1863.
Owner is registered Robt. Gordon Colman. Gross
tonnage, 529 tons. Built in 1857. Barque rigged,
Eeatimated horse-power, 320.
Thomas Firth examined by Mr Hannen—l am a

breaker of ships. In the autumn of last year I was
engaged to work on board the Scy'.la. I was en-
gaged by Mr Ferguson. He said he was the chief
engineer. I met Mr Carr alone. There were Cole
and I. We were to meet Mr Carr at the Arsenal,
and then go to Sheerness. Mr Carr told me to see
Mr Rumble at Sheerness. Carr went with us to
the dockyard. We got there at eleven. At half-
past one Mr Rumble came into the dockyard. Mr
Carr spoke to him. We went to waterside, and Mr
Rumble called out and told me to go out of the
dockyard and on to the wharf to meet a boat and go
on board the Scylla. I did so, and went on board,
Mr Rumble was on board, Ho spoke to Mr Carr.
I was then put to work. Mr Carr was second en.
gineer. He told me to look after stores. I was at
work until she sailed, and afterwards. Mr Rumble
paid me my first week's wages. He paid me on
board ship. Ho said he would allow me a guinea
a week while we stopped and our provisions. I
asked him where the ship was going, and he said he
didn't know, but if I lived to come home ogain with

the ship I shouldn't have to work any longer. Then
he said he would like to go me halves. Mr Rumble
was there all the time. I was at work three weeks
and one or two days. Mr Rumble was on board
sometimes twice a day, sometimes more, until he
was taken ill. He told me if we wanted any.
thing we were to let him know. We told him
of several things. They were for the use
of the ship—shovels and raker, stools, and a
fl :sk of oil. When we asked him for things he put
them down in his pocketbook ; they were afterwards
sent on board. I went away on a Tuesday night,
batween 9 and 10. I didn't see Mr Rumble on board
that night. I saw him that afternoon, just as we
-were going to dinner. I was called into the cabin.
Mr Rumble was there. Mr Rumble asked me if I
was going:to sign the ship's article. I said yes. Ho
offered me SA a month. I asked £B. Mr Rumble
said he was one of the owners. Mr Pearson—He
can't afford to give more than V. Afterwards be
said he would give me £B. I think thet was Mr
Pearson. Mr Rumble asked me how I'd like to have
it paid. I said I wanted to handle my own money.
He asked me if I couldn't trust him to send it home
to my wife. I said no. I wanted to buy a shirt. I
had nothing but what I stood upright in: Nothing
passed afterwards. I wouldnq sign. Then he told
me to go out and send my master in. I did so.
During the night I was in the engine room, The
same afternoon I agreed for a fortnight. We went
to Calais. I did. not know Where she was going nor
when she was going to start. On the Saturday we
were told she was going on Wednesday, and she
went on 'Thursday night. We sighted about 4 in
the afternoon of Wednesday. Mr Ramsay corn.
mended. We dodged about off Calais all night, and
sent up rockets. WTo went in nest day. A flag was
hoisted outside—a white flag, with red stripe do sj,
the middle and 13 stars each way on a cross in the
corner. I was told it was a Confederate flag. I re-
mained on board at Calais three or four days. I did
not like to go in her when I saw the flag. Another
captain came on board inside. He was dressed in
plain clothes. He called us aft, and asked us if we
would go with him. Some said yes and some no.
He said she was a Confederate man of war, and he