The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-09 00:00:00

The Loss of the Jura.

The inquiry was resumed and concluded on Sa-
turday, before Mr. T. S. Raffles, legal assessor, and
Captains Baker and Harris, nautical assessors.
Mr Henry Bremner, solicitor, addressed the court
on behalf of the pilot, Mr. Wm. Parry. He said
that although the court did not possess any direct
jurisdiction over the pilot, yet the decision of the
pilotage committee would be materially affected by
the report the court might think it right to make.
On behalf of the pilot he adopted the full responsi-
bility of being in charge of the vessel from the time
she passed the Calf of Man ; and he would not in
any way attempt to throw blame upon the captain.
Still he would not pretend to say that the fact of

the pilot being in charge would exonerate the cap-
tain, if he saw the pilot doing anything wrong
and neglected to interfere. After reviewing the
evidence given before the court, he submitted
that no neglect of duty, bad seamanship, or care-
lessness on the part of the pilot had been shown,

and that the accident had resulted from an error of
judgment, aggravated by the circumstance that the
ship was at the time going slowly, and therefore did
not answer her helm so rapidly as if her speed had
been greater. He showed that during a long life
Mr. Parry's conduct had been uniformly commend-
able, and urged that such a man should not be
harshly dealt with for an error of judgment. In
conclusion, he laid before the court a large number
of testimonials from captains of steam and sailing
ships, including one from Admiral Dacres, the ad-
miral of the Channel Fleet (which fleet Mr. Parry
piloted out of the River Mersey), testifying to the
care and skill which his client had exhibited as a
pilot during many years, often under difficult cir-
cumstances.

Mr. Squarey declined to address the court in
reply.
After an adjournment for three hours the court
re-assembled, and the assessors delivered the fol-
lowing judgment :—" In this case, the Jura having
been in charge of a duly licensed pilot, and the
master having been at his post, and having had all
hands on deck and every man at his station, he
must be relieved from all responsibility for the loss
of his ship. The court has, therefore, great satis-
faction in restoring his certificate. The court has noc
jurisdiction over the pilot ; but it may
conthsiat the
tory to him to know that, after mature
l:e
tion, the court has arrived at the conclivrhioolne,
sat:deara--
rather
loss of the ship resulted, upon thhaen
from negli-
ediately
from an error of judgment t
gence. The grounds of this
urin cboenmelauseio.n will fully
appear in the report which
to the Board of Trade."
Mr.
e Sci . .
the advisability of making
ejoynsutogg
the Docks and Harbour
aßoard in regard to the lights in the channel.
representation
The pilot said there was no mark until the Rock

Light.
squarey said that after passing the CroAby
lightship there was no light on the east side of the
channel.
Mr. Raffles said the Dock Board would no doubt
take this into consideration if a report was made to
them.

It was afterwards stated that it was no unfrequent
thing for ships to get on the sand at the point where
the Jura was wrecked, and
Captain Baker said there ought to a floating
light there.