The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-28 00:00:00

The Late Fatal Collision in the Channel.

The court authorised by the Board of Trade to
investigate the circumstances of the collision between
the mail packet Samphire and the United States
barque Fanny Buck off Dover on the night of the
13th inst., continued its inquiry yesterday, in the
Town-hall, Dover. The Mayor and Dr. Astley sat
as magistrates ; Capt. Harris and Capt. Baker as
nautical assessors, and Mr. O'Dowd as the repre-
sentative of the Board of Trade. Mr. Knocker
again appeared in behalf of the mail-packet service,
Mr. Fox for Capt. Bennett, and Mr. Edwards for
the own ers of. the Fanny Buck.
Robert Malpas sworn, examined by Mr. O'Dowd
—I am an able seaman on board the Samphire, and
have been at sea about seven years, part of which
time I was in H.M.S. Bombay and Trafalgar. On
the night of the 13th inst., three minutes after the
Samphire left the Admiralty pier, I was stationed.
on the bridge to look out. The weather was dark,
thick, misty, or hazy. While upon the bridge I
could see the South Foreland light, and the sheen
of Cape Grenez. I saw a vessel's green light then.
bearing very nearly ahead, about two points off the
port bo-.v. It was a very small light—smaller than
what sailing ships generally carry. On seeing the
light, I had barely time to cross the bridge to report
the light to Capt. Bennett and back again, whenthe
barque was on us. Whilst I was reporting to the
captain, the man at the forecastle sang out, " Sail
on the port bow." Capt. Bennett immediately
ordered the wheel to be put " Hard a port," and the
helmsman answered him. 3I passed the captain's
orders to the engineer to " Stop her." The call-boy
went to the pipe after I did, and called out " Stop
her," and " Back astern." By that time the barque
had struck us. I ran forward to see what was the
matter; and on returning Capt. Bennett directed
me to clear away the boats. I went to the star-
board lifeboat, but had some difficulty in clearing it
away, through the passengers crowding into it.
Two of the crew and the second mate assisted me in,
lowering the boat. The foremost roller got jammed.
I cut away the runner. We shoved off from the ship
with nearly 20 persons, including three of the crew
and two of the barque's sailors who had jumped in
without my knowledge. I saw no female passengers
in the boat. Witness then deposed to coming after
the American vessel, but without being able to board
her.

By Mr. Fox—l was at the starboard side of the
bridge, the captain was on the port, and the call-
boy just at the left of me. Capt. Bennett did not
leave the bridge at all. I saw him keeping a look-
out with a night glass. The vessels cleared them-
selves after the collision by the steamer backing
astern. The passengers inboard were quiet, but
those in the boat were in an excited state, and
they caused much confusion. The lifeboat when
lowered half filled with water, and then with being
so full it shipped more water when rowed to the
shore. The reason why we rowed to the shore in-
stead of to the steamer was the passengers expressed
a wish to be taken ashore, and we were advised to
do so by those in the other lifeboat.
By Mr. O'Dowd---Water came over the bows of
our boat by the boat's lurching through the colli-
sion. I saw a gentleman bailing water out of the
boat with his hat. I cannot say whether the plug
was put in the boat's bottom before it was lowered,
but I afterwards heard some of them talking about
a plug, and I handed two corks to them. I saw no
one using a handkerchief to stop a hole in the boat's
bottom.

By Captain Harris—lt was before the order to
"stop her" was given that Capt. Bennett ordered
" Port," " Hard-a-port," a pause of a minute or so
intervening. The captain was looking in the direc-
tion of the light when I reported it, but Ido not
know whether he saw it.

By Capt. Baker—During the five months I have
been crossing the Channel, we have generally slack-
ened speed in foggy weather, and blow the whistle,
but I do not think the weather on the night of the
13th called for those precautions.
Thomas John Northover deposed—l am an ordi-
nary seaman, having been at sea two years and sight
mouths. I have been employed as look-out on
board the company's mail steamers. On the night
of the 13th I was on board the Samphire, and was
ordered by the captain to go to the gallant fore-
castle and keep a good look out, which order I
obeyed. I saw the South Foreland and Cape Gre-
nez lights, but no lights afloat. I saw no other ob-
ject until I descried a sail two points on our port
bow. It was then about 40 yards off. I called out
" Sail on the port bow." The captain gave the
orders " port," " hard a port." I stood on the gal-
lant forecastle a couple of seconds, and then rushed
down, but before I reached midships I observed a
very small dim green light, simultaneously with
which the barque struck us, and I was knocked
down by the collision. I had no time to sing out,
I assisted in lowering the port lifeboat, and I saw
the starboard-quarter boat; it hung by the after_
runner, which became unhooked, and turned tha
boat bottom upwards into the water. The boat
then disappeared and was lost. I saw two male
passengers in the water, and I threw a rope several
times to one who appeared to be drowning. He
caught the rope, but let go as his weight came upon
it. Capt. Bennett then jumped overboard and put
a running bowline over his body, and we had hauled
him up level with the rails of the steamer, when the
rope slipped and he disappeared overboard. The
other passengers whom I saw in the water got on
deck again, as he afterwards asked me to lend him
a pair of trousers. To my knowledge no one
looked after the two lady passengers then in the
fore cabin.

By Mr. Fox—l heard Captain Bennett persuade
the passengers to keep quiet, and order one of the
quarter-boats to be reserved for the ladies ; but
the male passengers all flocked to the boat, and I
lowered one lady into it, another also getting into
it. Captain Bennett seemed to be calm and
collected. After the collision the steam whistle
was blown at intervals of about five minutes. All
besides myself, Capt. Bennett, and five others, left
the steamer in charge of boats with passengers.
William George Boyce gave corroborative evi.
dence.

The second mate, Datlin, having been recalled to
prove that there were the means of signalling in the
magazine at the foremost bulkhead which was filled
with water after the collision,
The court adjourned until to-day.