The Sun.
London, England, 1822-01-22 00:00:00

ADMIRALTY SESSIONS.

Yesterday these sessions commenced before the Right Hon.
Lord STOWELL, who delivered the following address to the
Grand Jury:— - • • .
Gentlemen,—lt is my duty to address you respecting the
duties- you are called upon to perform. It is the duty pf this
Court to inquire into all offences committed on the high seas. .
It is a jurisdiction of great importance, inasmuch as it extends
to wherever the sea rolls in any quarter of the globe; It is
Matter of great surprise, and of great credit. to those persons
engaged on that element, that so few cases of human depravi
ty occur within that jurisdiction. On the present Occasion-there
• are-but two cases for your consideration, both of which are of a
' very serious nature, and will require your serious attention. The .
first that will be preSented to you is a charge of a capital na..
tore, and one of very unpleasant occurrence. The charge is of
rape, alleged-fa-have been committed upon a Married. woMan;
the wife of another seaman serving in the same ship. In the •
shape under which the case first reached us, it appeared
one likely to give rise to a question of law; for it was re:.
presented as one in which the accused had introduced him.
self into the 'bed of the woman in the character. of
husband ,• and, availing himself of that :deception, that he •
had perpetrated the offence : lint upon looking et the deposi.
tions, although in the-first instance, befOre he had completed MS
intention, he was discovered, he afterwards, however, 'con. .
Summated the act with violence. If the casehad stood as Was -at
first represented, then a question .would have arisen whether,
the offence having been committed by fraud, and without
the ingredient of force, this case came within the descriptioft of . •
rape, which must always be perpetrated with riole.nce .;. bnt'aS , •
the case now Stands, you will consider it one of an ordinary de•,.
scription,. and pursue your inquiries in the -visual Manner,. -
There will he another case presented to you of a singular .na-
tare, and ora very grave description. You are aware of the
use of certain vessels denominated .life-boats, which are often
highly instrumental in the preservation of. human life when
ships are-stranded. The offence charged was, that upon a
taro occasion, when one of these boats had approached a vessel
in distress, the prisoners went out to plunder her, and in order
to effect this purpose, cut away the rope by which the life-boat' • •
was attached to the distressed vessel ; and by that means ear.
wally prevented its approach.' The result was, that the lives of
the captAin and three of the crew were unfortunately lost. You
will. feel that this is a transaction which calls for the most
Serious inquiry, and I have no doubt it will receive at. your '
hands the attention due to it. I have no further remarks to of- .•:
fer, and therefore I recommend an immediate application to - ,
business." •

The Grand Jury then retired • they soon afterwards returned,
having found a true billk,•=ainsf CHARLES BENwETT, for fe-
loniously committing a rape on the body of Jane Newman, on
the high seas, 300 leagues off the coast of Sierra Leone; on 'the
3d June, 1021.• The prisoner was brought-up and arraigned ;
he pleaded Not Guilty.
From the nature of the offence we abstain from publishing a
detail of the evidence, which occupied a considerable- time. The
Jury found the prisoner Not. Guilty. • •
The Grand Jury again entered the Court, having found a
true bill against John Stebbings, alias John William Stebbings,
William Butcher, jun. Thomas Ellis, John Denny, and
liam Butcher, for having on the 6th December cut away the
tope by :which a life-boat had been fastened to a vessel in dis.
tress, and thereby preventing the said life-boat from succouring
the said vessel.

Mr. Griffiths, the Foreman, in presenting the bill observed,'
that he had been desired by the rest of the Jury to intonate to
the Court-the high sense whicri they entertained of the'exer-
tions of two Lieutenants in his Majesty's service, Lieutenants
Palmer and Carter, who had nobly risked their own lives in
the a:tempt to preserve others. It was the wish of the .Jury
that the circumstance should be made lenoWn to the Admiralty
Board.

_Lord STOwEr.r. said, that the Court would have an oppor-
tunity of hearing the evidence of 'thoge gentlemen, and would .
attend to the. suggestion of. the Grand .Jury.
• The.prisonersast mentioned wire then put to the bar and
arraigned. They all pleaded Not Guilty..
litlng asked whether they would he tried_now or at the net
?-they all replied tbat they would be tried now. • •
Mr. Justice BAYLEY inforthed the: Jury that this trial ryas
likely to last. icowlidemble tiine,-and that as a'pro/onged ab-
nee
_froth:home might be .inconvenient to themselves, aiid
•4:agreeible to all parties to adjourn the trial
:viler it haa,Once commenced, it was 'judged that it would be-
,,ttier •to .dtfer the trial until an eaxly,..bour on the, filllowing •
morning. . .
• The Jury assented; and the.case s'aCructingly.deferred.

ATeste'rday a 14ardniote was helo-4Cthepitirch
of se. Nicolastole Ahhey, Old. Fish-street, bti,- •
fore'th6 Right *WorAipful
defpid; for the ele'Cti-On of; a ComrtiOn
inn for
.'-the 'Ward of -o,ueenliithe; ht. the 'rOottt.
.C:1 rriltiuAs:
111:6:11 WA
•duly eletpd I:vith otkly •one
voice.

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