The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-27 00:00:00

another hat on. The officers were summoned on deck, and
the clerk came with his books, and the Captain dis-rated
Mr. B. The old hat was sent for on the occasion. I
don't recollect Mr. I3.'s reply when you told him you
should write for his discharge. I received an order to
prevent any communication being held with the prisoner
in consequence of his having had a serious row with the
Captain. / had orders that Mr. B. was not to mess with
his berth, on account of his bad behaviour. Once, when
the Captain came on board, I told him that I really con-
sidered Mr. B. in an unsound state of mind ; the Captain
replied that lie did not think so, and would try him by a
Court-martial, and ordered him to be placed in watch and
watch. I don't recollect any other conversation with the
Captain. I reported to the Captain on one occasion that
I found the prisoner forward in the cutter in an intoxicated
state.
By the CouaT—When the prisoner was ordered to
change his dress, 'ae did so in a respectful manner. When
I told him the hat he had on was not fit fir an officer, he
apologized and said that he had one making, which would
be ready in two hours, as all his others were lost in the
barge. I never knew him guilty of any neglect of duty
or contemptuous conduct, except at the time of his wearing
the hat. He was dis-rated for wearing that hat.
fly Capt. Belcher—l felt satisfied with the explana-
tion the prisoner gave respecting his dress.
Captain Belcher, the prosecutor, then advanced towards
the table to he sworn, but the prisoner having submitted a
written paper to the Court, objecting to his being sworn,
the Court was cleared, and after half an hour's conside-
ration was re-opened, when the Judge •Advocate stated that
Captain Belcher's evidence would be received in support
only of those caua where nobody but the prisoner and pro-
secutor were present.
Captain Belcher sworn and examined—Mr. B. once en-
tered abruptly my cabin, and tendered a bill for signature
and endorsement. I replied that he had not complied with
the regulations under which I engaged to become party to
his money transactions, that I had never received any in-
timation of funds to meet that or any other bill. But I
told him if I thought it would enable him to appear more
like an officer on the quarter-deck I would attach my sig-
n iture, and that he might leave it on my table for that
purpose. He quitted the cabin, and, in a most insulting
manner, walked up to the table and told me lie neither re-
quested my signature nor assistance, and my impression
was that he tore the bill up, just outside the door, as a
'nailer insult. This was the only instance that Captain

B. could positively swear to.
The prosecution having closed, the prisoner read a
written statement to the effect that he understood the pro-
secution had been closed yesterday, but fresh evidence
having been brought forward, lie felt it an incumbent duty
to ask for a further period of time to prepare his defence.
The Court gave two hours for this purpose, and adjourned
accordingly at twelve o'clock.
At two o'clock the Court was re-opened, according to
adjournment, when Mr. Minchin, having obtained per-
mission to read the defence, proceeded at great length to
notice the very general and indefinite nature of the charges
against the prisoner, who, he said, had received very harsh
and oppressive treatment from the Captain, while in the
barge on the coast of Africa ; in corroboration of which
he called a great number of witnesses, who all deposed to
his having conducted himself in a very respectful manner,
and endeavoured to do his best to please Captain Belcher.
The late period of the day at which the trial concluded
renders it impossible for us to give even an outline of this
part of the proceedings. The Court was cleated to deli
berate on the sentence at twenty minutes past five. On
the re-opening of the Court the Judge-Advocate read the
sentence to the following effect :—" That the charges re-
I icing to the transactions reported to have taken place on
the coast of Africa have not ben proved ; but that the
charge of insubordination while in the harbour, as far as
relates to breaking his leave, has been proved. The Court,
therefore, sentence the prisoner to be dismissed from the
iEtna and reprimanded, and admonished to be more careful
in future."