The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH. 724,7:1863.

THE TRAGEDY AT BLACKWALL.

The mutiny of the Marines belonging to the Peruvian
corvette anchored at Blackwell, formed yesterday the sub-
ject of an inquiry before Mr. John Humphreys, the Middle-
sex coroner, at the Town-hall, Poplar.
Mr. Kendall, the Peruvian Consul, was present to watch
the proceedings on behalf of the Peruvian Government.
He also acted as interpreter.
Atter the jury had seen the dead bodies,
Captain Gaspar Ezeurrae was called, but not having been
on board when the mutiny broke out he could ne,t state of
his own knowledge hew it arose.
The Coroner said that in that casa he would take the
evidence of the officer in charge of the hulk,
Ensign Jose Sanchez Lego Marsino said,—l was in
charge of the hulk on Thursday last. I gave permission
to six or eight of the Marines to go ashore during the even-
ing, about 6 o'clock. There were about six others who had
been on shore without leave. Some returned en Friday,
others on Saturday, and the rest on Sunday. Two of the
sailors went on shore with the Marines on Thursday even-
ing. Pablo Vasquez was one who had leave to go ashore,
and he returned at 10 o'clock at night tipsy. At 9 o'clock
every night " silence" was sounded, and every one turned
in. That was done on Thursday night. The Marines
were berthed on the lower deck, and the sailors on the main
deck. My berth is in the stern of the lower deck. I did
not turn in at 9 o'clock. At about half-past 11 o'clock I
was called by Santiago, a midshipman, who said the men
were playing at cards, were in liquor, and they disobeyed
him. I went to the men. They complained that the mid-
shipman had threatened them with his sword, and they
were irritated at it. They said they were not allowed any
liberty at all. The guard was called, but did not come,
The guard was on deck. I sent for some of the ser-
geants of Marines tc compel them to go to bed. Two
sergeants came. One of them had been drinking. They
had got the liquor in consequence of its being the Saint's
day of one of the sergeants. He asked Ensign Vidal for
permission to bring some on board, and they brought, I
believe, three or four bottles of rum. I did not hear this from
Vidal, but I learnt it on board. After the mutiny broke out
they got at these spirits. One of the men playing cards had
his bayonet, and showed it. When the oergennta cattle I
gave orders for them to make the men go to bed. I went
Inwards my berth, but turned up on to the gun deck. I then
heard the clashing of arms below, and called up the crew.
The marines said they would go ashore with or without
leave. I went at once, according to my duty, to secure the
armoury, but unfortunately the mutineers had already got
some arms. lalso placed sentries on the hatchways to pre-
vent any of the mutineers coming on deck. There are no
hatches in the Venus, but the sentries over the mutineers
were placed at the hatchways. When I was on the main-
deck I saw some of the men force their way up with drawn
bayonets. I saw and beard muskets fired up from below,
The crew on the maindeck with me were 12 to 15 in num-
ber. The soldiers were 40 or 60. I think it was a combi •
nation beforehand, The soldiers tried to come on deck in
a mass. The crew beat them back with the buttends of their
muskets. The railors were successful in defending the hatch-
ways, but there was a small mast-hole elsewhere, and the
soldiers came up there one by one. We did not see them, for
the battery (gundeck) was dark. It was then about an hour
after the outbreak, and was between half-past 12 and 1.
Six or eight marines, headed by Sergeant Vargas, had got
on deck before we saw them getting through on to the deck.
they were armed with muskets and had their bayonets
fixed. They charged us. I ordered the sailors to stand firm,
but they were taken by surprise and got into confusion. They
ran up to the upper deck. I called out to them to return and
stand across the deck. Sergeant Vargas made a thrust at
me, from which I was saved by a sailor named Merchant,
who struck Vargas about the eyes, and told me to get up
quickly. I got to the upper deck and tried to raise the
ladder or stairs, as I had only four sailors to defend the
hatehway. I could not raise the ladder, however, because
the soldiers were crowding to it. The sailors used their
bayonets. Pablo Vasquez was one of the foremost of the
mutineers endeavouring to get up the ladder. He received
a bayonet thrust in the mouth and fell back dead, This
and the determination of the sailors caused the soldiers to
give way for a moment intimidated; they returned to the
fight, however, again and again during the night. Garcia
was wounded after Vasquez. He was struck with the butte
end of a musket on the back of the head as he was pressing
up. I ordered another man to be struck as he was in the
act of charging up at us with his fixed bayonet. That man's
name was Mango. He is now wounded. The captain came
on board towards morning. It was not possible to send on
shore for him. No one could leave the ship. There was
fighting all night. While the soldiers were kept down below
they broke open all the cabins, broke into the pantry, and
drank a quantity of rum out of buckets: Neither of the
officers in command of the soldiers was on board. Corpo-
ral Callejas lost his life in defending a midshipman who was
threatened by soldiers. He put himself in the way, and
said, "You will kill me first before you kill this officer."
A soldier then ran the corporal through with his bayonet.
Callejas was one of the mutineers. Ido not know who
killed him.

Captain Ezcurrae, recalled, said,—When my steward
called me in the morning I went on board. I found Ensign
Sanchez and the midshipmen at the head of the crew, who
were armed. They were besieging the mutineers,who were
below. I went down to them instantly. I made them
form in line. I ordered them on deck, and they came quite
subordinate. To test their submission I ordered them to
arm themselves. When they formed and armed I ordered
them to mutiny then. (Sensation.) After that I ordered
them to lay down their arms, and made them form again.
I then asked them their reason for acting as they had
done. They gave me reasons which, for the discipline of
the ship, I omit to state. I then sent to the stores for
handcuffs. As soon as they came on board I put them on
all those whom I deemed most criminal. I next ordered
the doctor to attend to the wounded, and I reported to my
superior what had occurred. I took measures to prevent the
renewal of the occurrence, which was very painful to me.
By the Jury—When I went below the sailors followed
me. The handcuffs were not the only irons I placed on the
mutineers. I put irons on their legs. If I had been on
board I am certain this affair would never have happened.
To bring liquor on board is expressly forbidden. Nobody
has authority to give permission to do so. _

Midshipman Santiago said—On going below I found two
Marines quarrelling and making a great disturbance. I
gave orders to the sergeant on duty to put one of the sol-
diers below in the hold. Corporal Messa took a bayonet from
a belt that was hanging up, and seeing that, I went to my
cabin and got my sword. When I returned I found that
several other soldiers had got out of their berths. The
sergeant was then below, putting the men in confinement.
Seeing that there were so many men opposed to me, I
drew my sword, thinking they would fall upon me. By
that time other soldiers had seized their bayonets, and I
told them that I would defend myself if they attacked me.
I then got an opportunity of going to Marcino and told
him whit was going on. A man, named Perez, said he
would raise his voice for all the soldiers to arm. I told
this to Maroini, we called up all the other midshipmen,
and we took possession of the hatchways. When the
soldiers forced their way on deck they charged
the sailors, shouting death to the officers and crew !" They
repeated their attacks off and on up to 7 o' clock in the morn-
ing, Callejas told me he was bayonetted by Oliva, the man
whom I had ordered to be taken below by the sergeant for
being drunk. Perez was close by at the time.
Dr. Jose Preto, surgeon to the crew, said that Simon
Garcia died of a fracture of the skull ; Pablo Vasquez of a
bayonet wound in the mouth and neck; and Callejas of a
bayonet wound through the lungs. Midshipman Guardia
Marino was suffering from measles, and he died, no doubt.
from fright.
In reply to the Coroner, it was intimated by the officers
that if time were allowed for the conclusion of the inquiry
they had instituted, they would, no doubt, be able to adduce
evidence as to the persons most implicated, especially with
reference Co the murder of Callejas.
The inquiry was adjourned accordingly.