The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-08 00:00:00

NAVAL COUlit-MARTIAL.-W 0 OLVi ICH,

*F
MS MAJESTY'S STEAM- , SSE L METEOR
the HARLEQUIN, MARGATE STEAM, PACKET.
On Saturdaya Court-mu-Oaf eras held on bard his Ma-
jesty's royal yacht, the WilPaiu and Mary, at Woolwich
to try Lieutenant Symonds, Coturilaatt of hie Majesty'.
steam-vessel Meteor; Mr. John Alexandtr
second rnastet ; and Mr. Becket, the pilot, fir running th
Harlequin, Margate steatil-p 10!et, on shore, and endanger
ing the lives of his Majesty's subjects on hoard that vessel.

The following officers were sworn in, and composed the
Court-martial :—Vice-Admiral Sir J P. Bereford,
K. C.D., President : Captains Warren, Bullen, Tobin, and
Plumtidge,
The Court-martial was field by orders of flit Lords of
the Admiralty, in consequence of a memorial addressed to
them by the p rssengers on hoard the Harlequin, complain-
ing, in severe terms, of the conduct of his Majesty's officers
on board the Meit&-., and which was signed by about sixty-
five individuals, who all eApie,tett themselves ready to come
forward to give evidence.
Michael Hubbard was second mate of the Hailer/II
Margate steam-packet, commanded by Captain Coltiyn.
He was on board the Harllquin on Tuesday the 26th of
July last, when she was on her Voyage from Mtrgate to
London. Off Deptford he observed a CloVanment steam-
vessel coming down. She was about half a mite distant
when he first saw her on the larboard bow. Witness was
at the wheel with the (Aber mate when directions were
given to port the helm, which vas done to clear the
Meteor; but not being able to accomplish that, the pilot
purposely ran her on shore, in order to prevent the Vessels
coming in contact. When on shore the Meteor Passed'.
within three or four yards. We were on shore on the
north side (the Essex side.)
By the COURT—it wanted about an hour and a half to
high water. We were going up with the tide at the fate
of eight or nine knots an hour. The Meteor was corning
down against the tide ; could not say at what rate she was
going, but not very fast. It is not usual when the tide fa-
vours a vessel to run her close in shore into the eddy tide ;
vessels going against the tide generally keep in shore. I
do not know what object there was in going inside the
Meteor and the shore hut only' to clear her.
A printed placard was here produced signed 't Crowder,
Mayor," ordering that all steam-vessels should slacken
their speed when off the east wing of Greenwich Hospital,
and not go faster than four miles with the tide and six
miles against it.
By the CounT—When we got afloat we proceeded on
our voyage up the middle of the river. Before the Har-
lequin was on shore the pilot waver, his hat to the Meteor
and called upon them to port their helm. He did not see
the people on board the Meteor do any thing.
Colonel Marcus Beresford, M.P., was a passenger on
board the Harlequin when the accident happened. The
Government vessel was about 200 yards a-head when he
first saw her ; he heard the shouts of the captain and
pilot, who were on the top of the paddle-boxes, calliag to
the persons on board the Meteor to port their helm. The
Meteor appeared to him to continue her course, and a
gentleman who stood by him said they had better run 'aft,
as they would come in contact. and.by that time the vessel
had run on shore, and the Meteor just escaped striking
the quarter of the Harlequin. The Meteor appeared to
him to come from the centre of the river towards the Har-
lequin, which was all the time near the north shore.
By the COU3T—When we first saw the Meteor, the
Harlequin was in the middle of the river, with the tide
in her favour.

Sir J. BEREsFoan—Can you account for the Harle-
quin prolonging her voyage by going out of the tide into
the eddy ? Witness—l cannot.
Colonel Beresforil here stated that there was a great
deal of angry feeling on board the Harlequin at the time
the accident happened, as it was stated that the Govern.
ment steam-vessel was the same that ran down a barge on
the previous day, when four lives were lost, and it was
with that impression that himself and the other passengers
drew up the statement and forwarded it to the Admiralty.
He had since discovered his mistake, and was happy that
he had got rid of that feeling.
Captain Bur.r.xx—lf you had not heard of that fatal
accident, and not supposed that the Meteor was the
vessel that ran down the barge, would you and the others
have made this complaint to the Admiralty? Witness—
! cannot answer for others, nor can I say what I should
have done myself under the circumstances.
By Lieut. Symonds—There was great alarm amongst
the passengers on board the Harlequin at the time.
By the COURT—Steam-vessels are sometimes forced to
run all over the river, to get out of the way of each other.
There is no regular guidance for steam-vessels passing each
other. The pilots generally wave to each other. There
was a brig at anchor in the middle of the river. The
river is about a quarter of a mile broad where the acci-
dent happened. The Harlequin could not go between
the Meteor and the brig: there was not room.
Lieutenant Symonds being called upon for his defence,
put in a written statement, which was read to the Court,
and was nearly as follows :—After a service of thirty-four
years in his Majesty's navy, this was the first time in his
life he had been called upon; to answer for his conduct
before a Court-martial. That this misfortune had not
' been through his fault he should be able to prove, he hoped,
to the satisfaction of the Court ; and, feeling himself in •
nocent, he could not hut rejoice that he was allowed to so
before such impartial judges. The charge against hitn
was, that he had navigated his vessel in an improper man-
ner—in substance, that he had by perverse management
forced the Harlequin to run ashore to avoid the destruc-
tion of that vessel and her passengers. The circumstances
were briefly these :—The Meteor, which he had the
honour to command, was going down the river against
the flood-tide, close along the Essex shore. Off Deptford
they met the Harlequin coming up, with the tide in her
favour. He saw at first no occasion to interfere; but as
the vessels approached each other, he saw the. Harlequin
attempting to pass in shore. There was no obstacle
whatever to prevent that vessel from keeping out in
the tide. On his part it was very immaterial ; but
feeling that it was not too late for the Harlequin to
pass outside, while the Meteor would have ru❑ a great
risk. and if a collision had taken place, he should have
incurred all the responsibility, he instantly stopped the
engine, and took great credit to himself for preventing au
accident of a more serious nature &cm the effects of the
mismanagement of the Harlequin. He felt reluctant to
say any thing in his own behalf, but no person that was
acquainted with him would suppose that he bad any inten-
tion of doing any injury to the Harlequin and her passen-
gers. He had been a Lieutenant in the Navy 26 years.
He was lower-deck mate of the Victory at the memorable
battle of Trafrlgar, and the day after the battle he was
made a Lieutenant. He did not mention this as a boast,
but it was a circumstance he was justly proud of in sharing
the honours of that glorious day. Until the present time
he had acted without reproach, he had never injured a
human being in his life, nor had ever a man suffered pu-
nishment on his account. The nature of the charge against
him caused these observations, and he trusted the Court
would excuse any thing he had said which might be con-
sidered irrelevant to the matter in question.
Sir JOHN BERESFORD had received a letter from Sir
John Mrlcolm offering to attend the Court-martial, and lt,
had returned an answer that if his attendance was necessary
an express should be sent for him. He had no objection
to have the letter read to the Court. It ran as follows :

" My- dear Sir John,—l hare received a note from Lieutenant
Symonds, of the Meteor, informing me of his being about to be
tried by a court-martial for running the'llarlequin steam-packet
on shore, and endangering the lives of the passengers of that
vessel. He wishes to call upon me to speak to his conduct when
commanding the Meteor during the '2.`2 days I was on board that
steamer, on my passage from Malta to Plymouth. I shall, it
possible, attend to give: the testimony he desires; but if acei.
dents prevents me, I write this to state, that being cooped up so
long in the small vessel he commanded, with a crowd of pas-
sengers, and being devoted to the-tractical study of the power
and application of steam at sea, under all circumstances bf ad-
verse and violent weather, I bat] an opportunity of continuall
observing Lieutenant Symonds, and a man more efficient to his
peculiar duties, of more calmness, firmness, and
.iodgment in the
performance of them, I cannot imagine. He appeare(i to me,
from what I saw, singularly considerate and humane, not only
to those under him, but to others,and it was in consequence of
these qualities that I formed a friendship with this" excellent old
sailor. I regret touch his misfortune in having his conduct
brought forward on this occasion,—not that I apprehend an,
guilt will be established, but the numerous accidents which,hav'e
recently occurred with steam vessels have very naturally raised
a feeling that operates pre judicially any one whose name -is
associated with them. • • .

• ,t I remain.yours sincerely,
•' JOHN MA LCOLM.
,"co Sir J. P. Beresford, K.C.8."
Captain Fisher, the harbour-mater, stated that Lieut.
Symonds was a most careful man.
William 13urdon stated that there was room for six of
c;ght ships between the Meteor and the brig in the middy