The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-18 00:00:00

ADJOURNED INQUEST.

The inquiry was resumed at Dover on Saturday
last, before the borough coroner, on the bodies of
Miss !Meta Baines, _Mille. Koenig, and M. Frede-
rique M. Derrocq, three of the unfortunate five who
were drowned through the collision between the
mail packet Samphire and the American barque
Fanny Buck, off Dover, on Wednesday night.
Thomas John Northover deposed,--I am an ordi-
nary seaman of the Samphire. On Wednesday.-
night, when she left Dover for Calais, I was sta-
tioned on the forecas le to look out for any sails or
lights near the ship's course. The captain told me
to keep a good look out, and the mate did likewise.
About 20 minutes after leaving the pier I sighted
a sail 10 yards off, bearing on to the Samphire's
portbow, and I reported it. The captain answered,
and called out, " Hard-a-port." Seeing the vessel
close on us, I jumped down from the forecastle co
save my life, and the barque directly struck us, and
I was knocked down. I assisted in lowering the
boats, one of which upset from the passengers crowd-
ing in. We picked up till the passengers except
one ; he was a very heavy man, and wore a thick
cloak. We threw a line to him several times, and
he grasped it, but as we were hauling him in he let
go and fell into the water. Capt. Bennett- jumped
overboard and tied a line round his waist, but that
gave way and the man was drowned. I heard no
voices on board the barque, and saw no one. The
barque had a very dim, small, green light, but our
lights were burning brightly, and might have been
seen ten miles off.

Robert Malpas deposed,—l am an able seaman on
board the Samphire. On Wednesday night I was
placed on the bridge to look out. The weather was
dark and misty. I kept a good look out. I saw a dim
light off our portbow, and before I had time to cross
the bridge to report it to the captain the vessel struck
us. The sail was at the same moment reported by
the forward watch. By the captain's order the
steamer was stopped. I then went aft to help to
lower the boats. Several passengers crowded in as
we lowered it ; but the foremast runner hung up,
the boat half filled with water. I rowed after the
bark to come back immediately, but found it had
gone on without stopping to save our lives. We
then took our passengers to the shore. I have been
in the service six months. Previous to that I was
in the Royal Navy, and was on board the Bombay
when she caught fire and was destroyed by the an-
niversary of this very day. I heard no one hail
from the bark. The bark's light was very small.

Henry George Boyce ain an able seaman of
the Samphire, and was at the helm on the night in
question after the steamer had cleared the pier. In
about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour the cap-
tain called out " Hard-a-port, hard-a-port," and I
put the helm hard-a-port. In a minute or so the
bark struck us, the collision knocking me and the
second mate over the wheel. I helped to lower the
" dingy," but it was upset by the passengers
crowding into it. I and others were sent under
water. The " dingy" was lost, and on getting on
board again I lowered the second " dingy." The
passengers crowded into it and several fell over-
board. Captain Bennett ordered me to come with
the boat and pick up the passengers in the water ;
but those in the boat prevented me, fearing they
would capsize the boat. We then rowed for the
shore, having just thrown a lifebuoy to ono man in
the water. Captain Bennett gave orders for one
boat'to be reserved for the ladies; but the gentle-
men crowdedin and prevented thoir doing so.

John D. Lordlohle, a Belgian, sworn, deposed--
I am an over-sea pilot, and I shipped on board the
Fanny Buck on the 10th inst., at Helvoetsluys
pilot station, to pilot her from Rotterdam to Car-
diff. We passed down Channel on Wednesday
night, at 10 o'clock, the South Foreland light. The
wind was northerly, and it was middling clear. The
bark had every sail set, and a green starboard light
and a red light on the port. The bark had three
men on the look-out in the forecastle. The watch
reported a light on the starboard bow about an
hour afterwards. We still kept our course, but the
watch hailed the steamer. In a few minutes the
steamer ran into us on our starboard bow, and the
bark heeled round on the port-side. Finding that
the bark was stove in close to the water's edge I
steered for land. I heard screams from the steamer;
but we did not heave to, as we feared our own ves-
sel was going down.

By Mr. Edwards—l have been at sea 50 years.
The bark's lights were not of a large size. I saw our
lights up after the steamer was reported. The reason
why we kept our course is that as we were on the
starboard tack it was the duty of the steamer to
keep clear of us. At the time of the collision there
were seven men on deck.

By Mr. Knocks—l am not a certificated pilot.
The captain was sick, and down below ; but the
mate was on deck. I could see the North and South
Foreland lights, but not the Dunkirque and Calais
lights. I saw the chief mate take the lights, one
after the other, into the pantry and trim them. I
also saw them filled with oil at sunset. We had two
small boats, but did not launch them. We reserved
them for ourselves in case we wanted them. Five
minutes after the collision the barque had made no
water, but in half an hour she had made 18 inches.
She now only makes five inches an hour.
By Mr. Fox—The moment before the collision I
was on the poop. lam certain that lights were ex-
hibited outside the bark, and that the green light
was not the binnacle. I did not take any precautions
to avoid the collision, although I saw it was inevit-
able, because if I had altered my course I should
have been responsible for damage done. I thought
the steamer would sink, as I heard screams, and
from the damage she appeared to have sustained ;
but I did not heave to, nor send a boat to their
help.

One of the crew of the bark was tendered as a
witness to corroborate the pilot's evidence, but he
was not examined.

The jury, after about an hour and a half's delibe-
ration, returned the following verdict :—" The jury
find that the deaths of the three persons in ques-
tion was accidental ; but that the accident in ques-
tion might have been avoided if the bark had shown
a better light. In recording this verdict the jury
could not separate without expressing their admira-
tion of the conduct of Capt. Bennett and the crew
of the Samphire for the coolness and intrepidity
displayed by them in their trying position, which,
under God's providence, was the means of rescuing
so many lives ; also, that great praise was due to
Capt. lloet, of the Belgian steamer, for his ready
assistance."

The collision, we understand, will form the sub-
ject of a Board of Trade inquiry as to who shall
pay for the Samphire's damage.

CHURCH OF NOTRE DAME OF FRANCE, LEICESTER-
SQUARE.—Service was held in this recently-opened Roman
Catholic church last evening, and was numerously attended.
The Rev. Father Faure gave a discourse in French.
COLLEGE OF PRECEPTORS.—At a meeting of the
council of this corporation, on the 16th inst., the following
were elected members of the college :—Mr. John F. Dows-
well, Pershore, Worcestershire ; Mr. Crawford Duncan,
Commercial College, Stoke Newington ; Mr. John Brett
Eminson, Plas Machynlleth ; Mr. Jabcz Moden, Park
House Academy, Wellington-street, Gloucester ; Mr. 11. J.
Moore, British School, Cheltenham ; Miss E. Palmer
Groat Coram-street ; and Mr. John Robson, 8.A., Univer-
sity College.

THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE ARTS CLUB took
place the other evening. Mr. Charles Dickens was in the
chair, and gave the toast, " Success and Prosperity to the
Arts Club," in his usual happy manner. Mr. Leighton,
Mr. Henry Leslie, and Mr. Digby Wyatt also spoke. The
rooms were decorated with paintings lent by members of
the club.

NORWICH MUSICAL FESTIVAL.—The next trien-
nial musical festival at Norwich is to be held in September,
1866. Mr. Benedict is to be again secured as conductor,
if possible. It is said that the Prince and Princess of
Wales will probably honour the festival with their presence.
THE NEW PEERS.—" Sir John Romilly, Bart.,
who is about to be raised to the peerage, will," says
the Observer, "take the name of himself and of his distin-
guished father. It has been usual to place the Master of
the Rolls in the House of Peers, the predecessor of Lord
Romilly—Lord Langdale— being one of the latest examples.
Sir Francis T. Baring, Bart., will succeed to the peerage
as Lord Northbrook, in the county of Hants, after 30 or
40 yea'ts' service in the House of Commons, and holding
some of the highest offices of the state."