The Sun.
London, England, 1830-09-16 00:00:00

THAMES-POLICE.

Yesterday Ceptaia George Sherrard
Qemsnander of the Lowther Castle East Indiaman,
was charged before Mr. BALLANTINE with assaulting
I')liiitl'Orizzle, a seaman of that vessel, on the high
seas, during the voyage homewards.
The complainant, a tall powerful German sailor,
deposed that on the 7th of May last all hands were
called on deck. He was obeying the orders given
him, and was under the necessity of leaning against
some paint pots, when the Captain called out," Yen
Dutch son of a —, you have rubbed the
paint off the side of the ship.' The paint was wet
at the time, the vessel having been recently painted.
Witness replied, " Indeed I have not, Sir; it is too
bad to be Called such names for nothing at all."
Captain Bettie immediately came down the poop
ladder and struck him on the head with his spy
glass. He asked, " What do you do that for ?'
When the Captain struck him several severe blows
in the face, and made his nose bleed profusely. He
was then taken on the poop' as a prisoner, , his nose
still bleeding, where he remained, about a quarter of
an hour, when he was ordered to his duty. As he
passed the Captain, he showed him his trousers, to
show that he had not touched the paint, when he
was again sworn at, and told to attend to his duty.'
Samuel Morrison and Oliver Hildebrand, able
seamen of the Lowther Castle, were then called in
separately, and rigidly examined by Mr. BALLAN-
TINE. They gave exactly the same account of the
affair as Grizzle, and confirmed his evidence.
Captain Battle, in defence, said the whole state-
ment of the complainant was false. At the time
mentioned, one of the after-guard trod on Grizzle's
toe, and the latter called the man by a very offensive
and horrible epithet. He immediately called our,
" Come, Sir, I don't allow that language here."
The complainant then abused him, and behaved
very insolently, when he- pushed him on one side,
and ordered him aft, Captain Battle declared that
he never struck him with his glass at all.
Mr. Gilman, the chief officer of the Lowther
Castle, corroborated the captain's evidence.
The complainant was again called, and, said no.
thing of the kind.passed is sworn to by Mr. Ginner'.
Mr. BALLANTINIt—inid any man tread on your
too? Complainant—No one, Sir; nor did I have
an altercation with any person at the time.
Hildebrand and Morrison gave similar testimony,
and positively swore that Captain Bettie called the
complainant a Dutch son of a —, and after
striking him with his glass, knocked him down with
his fist.

The complainant said there were other witnesses
in attendance, but Mr. BA LLANTINe declined ques.
Boning any more.

Captain Battle said the complainant was stopping
all the work by the conversation, and it was neces-
sary to check him'instantly, to prevent worse con-
sequences.

Mr. I3ALLANTINE observed that officers must do
their best to preserve proper discipline on board, but
if they exercised undue severity, the crew had a
right to question their authority in a court of law
on coming ashore. In this case the assault had
been distinctly and clearly proved, and be should
call on Captain Bettie to enter into his own reco-
nisance* to the amount of 50!. to appear to take
his trial at the nest Admiralty Sessions. The Ma-
gistrate said if any of the ship's company insulted
Captain Bettie, or any of his officers, on leaving the
office, they should be immediately committed to
prison; but no such attempt was made.

The approaching Doncaster Races will pos-
sess unusual interest, as a desperate effort is to be made to
prevent the celebrated south country horse, Priam, from
running away with the St. Leger Stakes. Prism is the
property of Mr. CHUTNEY/ who was fur several yeirs
jockey to his late MAJESTY.

THE PLANET VESTA.—Last Hight, the planet
Vests was observed, with the five feet equatorial. She has
the brightness of a star of the sixth magnitude, bears a
very good illumination, and at 22 hours sidereal time her
right, ascension was about 1 hour, 34 min., 80 see., and
her southern declination is increasing about six minutes
and a half daily; for some nights no star of, equal bright-
nese wilt lie near her path ; hence she may be found without
difficulty.