The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-12 00:00:00

THE DAUNTLESS AFFAIR.

CONCLUSION OF THE COURTS-MAR_
PORTSMOUTH, IVIDNISUST.—The court met this
morning at 9 o'clock. Besides the members mentioned
as being present yesterday, there were present to-day
Captain Hay and Captain Lyons.
Captain Ryder.prosecuted. Mr. Brown (assisted by
Mr. James Hoskins, of GoFport), attended as the friend
of Lieutenant E'phinstone.
The charges against Lieut. Elphinstoue were read by
the Deputy Judge Advocate as follow :-
1. For that the said Lieut. William Bulwer Elphin-
stone, being then ofH.M. S. Dauntless, and in active service
and full pay of H. 31. fleet,, did neglect his duty as lieu-
tenant of the said ship, on the night of Sunday, the 17th
September, 1854, in that he being senior officer on board
H.M. hulk Victorious, did knowingly suffer and per-
mit two women to remain on board the said hulk after
sunset on the said 17th September.
2. For that he, the said Lieutenant William Bulwer
Elphinstons being senior °Meer present did neglect his
duty, in that he failed in dilly repotting the presence of
two improper women on board.
3. For that he did on the said night, he being senior
officer present on board the said hulli, allow wino and
spirits to be given to the said women in imusoderato
quantities.

The court proceeded with the first charge. The wit-
nesses examined were Paymaster Grant, Dr. Heath,
Lieut. Jervis, Lieut. Dench, and Mr. Hancock, mid-
shipman.
The evidence was to the effect that Lieut. Elphin-
stone went on board the hulk on the night of the 17th
ult. abort 11 o'clock. Shortly after he went on board
a message was sent him by the chaplain that there were
two improper women on board, and it was his wish
they should be sent on shore. Mr. Elphinstone was not
aware at the time that he was the commanding officer,
and ho declined to interfere. As soon, however, as he
became aware that he was commanding officer, he sent
a sergeant and a file of marines, with peremptory orders
that the women should leave. It was also proved that
Lieutenant Elphinstone was not in company of the wo•
men.
Evidence was then led on to the second and third
charges, the, witnesses being chiefly the same as were
examined on the first charge.
On the second charge it was made evident that Lieut.
Elphinstone thought tae matter would be reported by the
officer of the watch, or the chaplain, or both ; and on
the third charge it was proved that he did reinenstrate
in strong terms against furnishing the women with the
imModerate quantity of brandy, which proved so fatal
in its attendant consequences to one of them.
In defence, Lieut. Elphinstone read a statement of
some length. He said it had been proved that when he
came on board he was not aware that the first•lieutenant
was absent, but that as soon as he became aware that
he (Lieut. Elphinstone) was commanding officer, he
gave immediate and peremptory orders for the women
to leave the ship, and saw that as far as practicable these
orders were obeyed. There was no evidence to support
the first .charge, and with regard to the second, he had
reason to presume that the fact had been reported by
the officer of the watch, or the chaplain, or both, to the
first-lieutenant. With regard to the third charge, it had
been proved that be had positively remonstrated with
Lieutenant Knight, and protested that no brandy
should be given. In conclusion, Lieutenant Elphin-
stone said he trusted he had satisfied the court that
throughout the whole of this unfortunate matter he
had done nothing to tarnish the name he bore and
the commission he had the honour to hold. Mr. El-
phinstone said he had unfortunately left his testi-
monials at Sheerness. He called Lieutenant Woodman,
who corroborated a portion of his defence. He then in
succession asked several members of the court to state
what they knew of him. Captain Masaie, Captain Cris-
pin, and Captain Ryder gave the prisoner a very high
character.

opening,Th e cotuhret wasp ep uttby ejnu
dclgoes ed for
Avo a
Advocate
attei
rheoaudr . t h
•Of
on
lliot re
ws
iu
g
finding :—" Thu court is of opinion that the charges are
partly proved against Lieut. W. B. Elphinatone, inas-
much as although he remonstrated against these dis-
graceful proceedings, brought under his notice by the
chaplain, he did not with sufficient promptness ascertain
whether he was the senior officer, and did not, as the
senior officer, prevent by the exercise of his authority
these disgraceful proceedings ; and tho court doth ad-
judge the said Lieut. William Bulwer Elphiostone to be
and the said Lieut. W. B. Elphinstone is
hereby a.nionished accordingly."
The court rose about three o'clock.

was
just
terbweafrodrse rt7el2-0
DEATH PROM CHOLERA IN THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD.—
Oa Monday week last, Mr. Bailey, livery porter in the
Mr.
foarup. dr
Bailey,o
proceed e d
royal establishment, Buckingham Palace, was seized
to Windsor Castle
moved to his private residence, where he received the
most prompt and careful medical aid, but he expired
with an attack of choler
by the time the Court arrived there.
ordersin g
IRONMASTERS QUA
atltiteacTkb, uhr:idaryeefeoivileodw
QUARTERLY MEETINGS. WOLVER-
HAMPTON, WEDNESDAY.— was
There . a large attendance
of the trade at the quarterly meeting
held in this town to-clay. The cof the ironmastere
these assemblages take 1 Corn Exchange, in which
ti,) ace'
was at one time densely
crowded with parties in
manufactures of the aistreircested in the iron and other
t.'As already anticipated,
the prices of last quarter
determined upon a fortnight
ago were firmly adhere
anything, to boa shaded to, but pigs were stated, if
weaker. This appeals to be
somewhat unaccountable, inasmuch as unusually large
orders for manufactured iron are already, or very soon
will be, in the market. Two houses alone are, we un-
derstand, prepared
to enter into contracts for several
thousand tons. The demand is chiefly for home con-
sumption, although there are good
export orders from
Liverpool. . The great meeting of the quarter will be
held in Birmingham to-morrow, and the concluding
meeting at Dudley on Saturday. The prices of ooal and
limestone are steady, and as winter approaches a re-
duction can scarcely be expected.
SHIPWRECK AND Loss OF LlFE,—About eight o'clock
on the evening of Friday last, the sloop Robert and
Alice, of Inverness, in entering Hoy Sound, struck on a
point off Brecknese, called Brago. The night was stormy
and dark, and the sea ran high. She only remained on
the rocks for about two hours, when, the tide having
made, she disappeared, all on board perishing. g
a part of the time she was on the strand, the cries for
help of the unfortunate crew were distinctly heard ; but,
even with daylight, no assistance could have been rand
en-
dered, the situation being one where many
larger
better vessels have shared a similar fate. The sloope was
laden with herrings from Brora for Ireland.was
27 tons register and 51 years old.
GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN Y.
RAILWA--Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Oct. 7, 1854 £5,773 14 5
r.:orresponding week last year 5,122 0 8
Increase in 1851 ~,,, ..,, gr. £651 13 9