The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-27 00:00:00

COURT-MARTIAL.

On Monday last a Court-martial took place on board of i er
Majesty's ship San Josef, lying off Plymouth, before Rear-
Admiral Warren, president ; Captain ;John Forrest, and Cap-
tain J. M. Taylor, C. 8., Captain Morse, Captain Eden, and
Captain T. Nicholas, C. 8., to investigate the charge laid
against Lieut.-Corn. Bastard James, and the circumstances at-
tending the loss of her Majesty's packet brig Spey, which oc-
curred in November last. The master, Mr. Barratt, and the
officers, were also tried for their conduct on that occasion.

The Judge Advocate stated that the Spey was lost en her
passage from the Crooked Mands to Havannah, on the 26th of
November last, by striking on a coral reef. The charge against
Lieut. James, &c., was, that by imprudently attempting a
passage between the Racoon and Bona Mesta Keys, instead of
the old Bahama channel, the vessel was lost. From a letter dated
the 26th of November, received by the Lords of the Admi-
ralty, from the defendant, Lieutenant James, it appeared that
the Spey arrived at :the Crooked Islands on the 23d of that
month, and proceeded on her way to Havannah by a passage
between the Racoon and Bona Vesta Keys. On the 26th they
arrived in sight of the beacon on Racoon Key, when sail was
shortened and a good look-out was kept. The ship was mak-
ing about five knots an hour—the lead at the time was going
all the time, and every precaution was adopted to prevent the
ship running on any rock. A few seconds before the ship
struck the soundings showed nine fathoms of water, and before
the leadsman could make another cast the vessel had run into
a dangerous coral reef. The officers'and crew worked day and
night to save her ; but on the following day she became a wreck.
Evidence was given in support of the charge, and the
parties were heard in their defence, when the Judge-Advocate
delivered the following verdict and sentence :—" The Court,
having attentively considered the evidence on the circum-
stances attending the loss of her Majesty's packet Spey, aril
having heard th defence of Lieutenant James, and the mas-
ter, Mr. Barratt, was of opinion that nothing had been shown
to justify the attempt to make the passage they did, instead of
the old Bahama channel, and that great blame was therefore
imputed to the commander and master on that occasion. That
no blame was imputed to the rest of the officers and crew.
But, in consideration of the exertion of the lieutenant and
master after the ship struck, and of their former high charac-
ter and creditable service, the Court only adjudged Lieutenant
James to be severely reprimanded, and be placed at the bottom
of the list of lieutenants. That Mr. Barratt be also repri-
manded, and be placed at the bottom of the list of masters.

ANECDOTES OF THE LATE SIR

ASTLEY COOPER.

Sir Astley entertained a supreme respect for the
Duke of 'Wellington, on whom he looked with a sort of
super-human res cream Not long ago, while visiting.
his Grace at Strathfieldsaye, he chanced to be invited to
amompany him to church, and afterwards to join in a
walk through the ilJasure-grouncli. To this important
event Sir Astley was wont to refer with great satisfaction
as the proudest day of his life ; and when the Duke,
who is notoriously punctual in answering notes and re-
turning visits, called to inquire for him during his last
illness, he was positively enraptured. The imperturb-
able patience with which the Duke listened to the par-
son's drowsy homily—equalled only by the resignation
be displays under Lord Aberdeen's more balmy ha-
rangue;, had struck Sir Astley (who )awned himself)
with equal admiration and astonishment. "Ab !" said
the expiring surgeon, whose thoughts were beginning to.
wander, " he sat out that sermon with extraordinary de-
votion—he has the finest kitchen-garden I ever witnessed
in my life !" _ _ _

Sir Astley, indeed, had an overweening affection for
rank, even when unaccompanied by any true nobility.
When summoned, in 1822, to Windsor Castle, to ex-
tirpate a tumour from the back of George the Fourth's
bead, he exhibited considerable trepidation on being
ushered into the presence of royalty. The Earl of
Liverpool, who witnessed his nervousness, took him into
a side room, and counselled firmness ; but Cooper, per-
haps unwilling in his agitated state to use the knife, ad-
vised that the excrescence should be removed by liga-
ture. " Your plan is too tedious," said the Premier;
" the thing is an eyesore, and must be instantly re-
move(l. Courage, Cooper! Ccesarem vehis et fortunas
—you aro going to cut a tumour from the head of
George the Fourth." Sir Astley, under this impres-
sive adjuration, quickly recovered sell•possession, and
perforrnel the opration with his wonted skill ; though
he was strangely puzzled, and used afterwards heartily
to laugh, at the Earl's magniloquence and curious Wet
of an " eyesore."*: Sir Benjamin Brodie was the King's
future surgical attendant.

__
• And yet, though thus inordinately devoted b rank,
Sir Astley was not unapproachable to those of humbler
bil Ct. A dentist of some repute in the City, and now,
we belie' e, attached to the hospital with which Sir
zki''l e
long
his
i s connected,fortune. Desirous of giving some
is chiefly indebted to the
lt' i
demonstrations in tooth-drawing at Guy's Hospital, he
applied to Sir Astley, who was astonished by the sim
:i7a r waso ne tso
for
P.
lcity of the application, inasmuch as the applicant
had " neither father, mother, brother, uncle, first cousin,
nor any other relation" connected with the institution.
' Do you know no old woman about the place ?" asked
Cooper. " No," replied the other ; - "my mother's
dead !" "Poor little fellow !" said Sir Astley, touched