The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-22 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
COURT-MARTIAL—SENTENCE OF DEATR.
Poßramotrrif, Maatcx 19.—A court-martial, comprising
Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker, president; Captain Pasco,
of the Victory; Captain Chads, C.8.d8., of the Excellent; Cap-
tain Henderson, C. 8., of the Sidon ; Captain Milne, of the St.
Vincent; and Mr. George L. Greetham, Deputy Judge-Ad-
vocate of the Fleet, assembled this morning, at nine o'clock,
on board the Victory, 104, ordinary guard-ship in this har-
bour, to try John Barton, a private of the Royal Marines,
third class, belonging to the Salamander steam-sloop, Com-
mander (acting) Ricketts, just returned from the Pacific
station, whereon she has been employed during the put five
years, upon the following charges:—
" 1. For that he, the said John Barton, when a private
Royal Marine, and borne on the books of her Majesty's steam-
sloop Salamander, in commission, on the 25th day ofJannary
1847, on board the said sloop, did utter mutinous words, and
threaten Colour-Sergeant Miles Sager, of the said sloop, in a
violent manner, declaring he would have his life before the
ship was paid off, and did make use of gross and insubordinate
language.
" 2. For that he, the said John Barton, when such private
Royal Marine, and so borne as aforesaid, en the said 28th
day of January, 1847, on board the said sloop, in commis'
sion, did strike the said Colour-Sergeant Miles Sager, being
his superior officer, in the execution of his duty.'
Lieutenant Simpson Hicks Ricketts, Acting Commander
of the Salamander, was the first witness called, and stated
that the prisoner was brought before him on the report of
Sergeant Sager, shortly after one P.M. on the 28th ofJanuary,
1847, and that the prisoner then called the sergeant a false-
swearing man, and said he would have his life, which he
(the prisoner) tepeated several times, and made use of other
language—such as, the sergeant had always been down on
him, and that his report was false; in consequence of which
language the witness (Lieutenant Ricketts) ordered the pri-
soner into confinement, and then walked fg ward before the
mainmast; after doing which (witness) heard a noise on the
quarter-deck, and upon turning round saw the sergeant ap-
parently running away from the prisoner, who at the same
time kicked at the sergeant. Witness immediatelrwalked
towards Barton, and desired him to desist which he dfd, inky.
tag he would do anything he (witness) ; the witness
sent for the master-at-arms, and had the prisoner put in
irons until he could forward the case to Captain Hamond,
who was then ashore at the dockyard at Antigua.
By the Court—The prisoner had similarly committed him-
self about eight or twelve months before, as was reported to
witness. The prisoner submitted quietly to be put in irons,
but after he was in irons he broke the padlock of them, and
was then put in a strait-waistcoat by order of Captain
Hamond (then Captain] of the Salamander). On putting
to sea from Antigua witness released the prisoner from
irons, and put him at large until the evening of the same
day, when the sergeant stated on the quarter-deck that he
did not consider his life safe with such a desperate character
as Barton at large. Witness consequently ordered the pri-
soner again into irons, but during the day (weather per- ,
mitting) he was allowed to remain on the poop for some
hours each day. I ordered him (continued the witness)',
into the usual lock-up house in the sponson in the first
instance; his manner was strongly excited, as if he had
been drinking, but perfectly conscious of what he was
doing. When the prisoner was brought on the quarter-
deck, he was reported by the sergeant to me for upsetting
the mess grog, and quarrelling in his mess; but when the
sergeant attempted to make the charge, the prisoner inter-
rupted him by using the threats already named. The prisoner
is a hard-working man, but with a bad disposition.
Colour-Sergeant Miles Sager, of the Salamander, was next
called, and statei—l reported John Barton, the prisoner, to
Lieutenant Ricketts for upsetting the mess grog, and de-
stroying the mess things, on the 28th of January, 1847. At
Antigua dockyard, On the 28th of January, Corporal Joseph
Greaves reported to me that some mess things were broken
in my mess in the loft. I went up in the loft to see, and
found the mess dinner grog spilt, the basin and plates which
were OR the table broken.- In consequence of what Alexander
Dickson told me, I then went to Barton, and asked him if he
knew anything about breaking the mess things. He said he
did not. I then ordered him and Philip Marshall, a marine,
on the quarter-deck. I reported the case respecting the
breaking of the mess things and spilling the mess grog to the
Hon. Mr. Moreton, a midshipman, requesting the case might
be brought before the first lieutenant. I began to state to
the first lieutenant on the quarter-deck about the breaking
of the mess things and spilling the grog, but Barton would
not allow me to go on by repeatedly stating that I was a
false man, and would swear any man's life away. The first
lieutenant then ordered him to be put into the starboard
prison. Barton then made a start towards me. I attempted
to g
struckt
mo ofuetat t
hhei
bs
awdak.)o•
f,•
thhee
head,made wa
hbi
cl ohwe
awuisteldi hise
tofi satitt
wmhbileeh;
my cap fell on the deck, which I picked up, and ran across
the quarter-deck, when the prisoner made a kick at me with
his foot, which hit me on the backside; he was then taken
my life before.
by the master-at-arms to prison. The prisoner had threat-
ened The Hon. Herbert Augustus Moreton, midshipman of the
Salamander, confirmed the statement of the sergeant, which
was also borne out by Corporal Greaves, and Mr. William
Hall, the acting gunner.
Mr. Thomas Alexander Telfer, clerk of the Salamander,
produced the muster-book of the vessel, wherein the, pri-
soner appeared as having entered in the Salamander on the.
6th of July, 1841, having been draughted from the Woolwich
division. _ _ _

C
v.'
''
O „-
:°).9

3,168
6.920

16,255

36,143
699
4,555

5,272

7,308
1,563

442
1,035

5,66

-- - ------
This closed the case for the prosecution, and the prisoner
being called upon for his defence, said he had no witnesses,
nor could he call any one as to his character; he said he had
no recollection of the circumstances contained in the charge,
and threw himself upon the mercy of the Court.
The Court was then cleared for deliberation, and remained
closed about one hour, at the expiration of which time it was
re-opened, and the members were found sitting with their
cocked hats on.
The witnesses having been called over,
The JunGE-AnvocArs read the following sentence:—
" The Court is of opinion that the charges have been fully
proved against the said John Barton, and doth adjudge him
to be hanged by the neck until he is dead, at the yard-arm
of such one of her Majesty's ships, and at such time, as the
Comissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c.,
for the time being, or any two or more of them, shall direct ;
and the said John Barton is hereby ordered so to suffer death
by being hanged by the neck as aforesaid accordingly
The prisoner seemed quite unmoved at this awful sen-
tence, and was delivered over to the Provost-Marshal to be
detained by him a close prisoner until the sentence is ordered
to be carried into effect. He appeared to be a young man,
aged about 30.
The St. Vincent, 120, is progressing fast in her re-equip-
ment in the basin. She has had a complete gang of new
rigging slow and aloft. She will be docked the last thing to
clean her copper, it having been found that copper fouls very
quickly while lying in the basin.
to proceed to
Woolwich. She is waiting for some portions of her ma-
The Sphynx steamer is nearly ready.
and left behind.
i tie' g &c., ever
chinery which were got out while she was ashore at Brook,
The Portland, 50, has been refitting, Pe-n— '
certainly
was not
now to look somewhat ship-shape, which made,
t of vessel,
since she arrived from Plymouth, eleven days ago, and begins
the case on her first arrival. The quick outfit
ss bids
about which there has been a great deal
,le &c there was not
As she has only jury topmasts, yards,
~
much to take credit for after all,
sailed to-day with
fair to realise the old adage, "the more hoasf tefuthe less speed."
The Manceuvrer and Rochester lighters
stores for Plymouth.
The Sidon steam-frigate, Captain next. With
" reported " ready for any service on Thursday
onths' pro-
all her sea stores on board, guns, water, three m
ver way
visions under
,hatches for 320 men, and in e i
y
-00 toes of coals,the
complete for sea service, including I
lower sill of the first port abaft the beam on the main deck
lower deck
is 8 feet 4 inches from the water, higher than anyhi her b 2
...T-Tenderson, C. 8., is
ports of any line-of. battle ship in the
to the Govern-
inches higher than the Retribution, according
feet 2 inches than the Terrible carries sheerrvsic;e ;and g 2
feety4i
ment document printed in May last.
Woot.wicit. MARCH 19.—Captain Hall arri
Terrible steam-froi-
wich this morning to take charge of the .
h revisions.
gate, under orders to proceed to Ireland With
NorthPStar recently
ved at Wol.
The African steam-vessel towed the
paid off on her return from China, from
Wool-
wich on Wednesday, the latter vessel being Chatham
intended for an
to Wool-
hospital-ship fur convicts, to be moored oPPes'te the Royal
Arsenal.
The Terpsichore steam-vessel was towed to Woolwich yes-
terday to be fitted for sea.
The Bloodhound steam- vesseel, Lieutenant-Commander
Phillips, arrived at Woolwich on Tuesday to be refitted.
The Monkey and Myrtle steam-vessels arrived here on
Sunday from Portsmouth, where they were employed in
getting the Sphynx afloat from the place in which she had
got aground on the Isle of Wight.
out of dock on the 15th instant, and taken alongside the
CHATHAM, MARCH 19.—The Semarang, 26 guns, was put
sheer hulk, and had a new main and mizen masts put in
place; and the riggers of the yard are proceeding rapidly
with the rigging, in order to be ready by the end of the
month
The North Star, 26 guns, was taken into dock on the 15th,
and had her false keel repaired, the copper cleaned on her
off 'without the
removed.
bottom, and the defects made good, and was put out of dock
on the 16th, and towed to Woolwich by the Charon steam-
tug, there to serve as a temporary hospital she,ipsefcooresdiciknecostne-r
con-
victs at that port.
The Cleopatra, 26 guns, Captain Christopher Wyvill, was
packet, for the lonian Isles, pro-
in the forenoon, having on board
li,. 1
rS.he
Penn,left herthe
her.
towedbßurlo bulkheads
edasnst.eor tr 1
Thea. iy into oh harbourCleopatra
i nternibas yi
to
otthmeb
eeNnVtpislatli
being Wildfire,
:taatltetnrdiaalnat'esotfertdbaey.
dock-yard; Mr.
The Arab, 16 guns, will be launched on the 31st instant
ln'llcii:eohrpiena
moorings
Anstneatrteslnoaiprneee noso,teewlaomck painting
constructor of the engines; Mr. Lawrie, engineer of the
eAelerd. eld
iaorineya, nt
heex
dock .. ard ; and Messrs. Moore and. Lang, master ship-
wrights'
Lloyd, superintendent of steam machinery;
assistants. The vessel proceeded as far as the
Sheer-light, and returned to her moorings
Pmerairnstee
again at four,
r.m.
The roofs of the second and third building slips in this
yard are to be covered with galvanized zinc, instead of the
roofing-paper with which they are now covered. The work-
men have commenced stripping the paper from the second
roof, preparatory to putting on the zinc.
Two Artesian wells for the supply of
water, as condensing
water for the engines of the new metal mills, are being bored
for by the contractors, Messrs. Clark, of Tottenham-court-
road ; one well is completed, at a depth of 126 feet
below
the surface of the flooring, and receives a full sup ply of
in -c
water. When the two pumps, which ate to be ten • h
completed, the supply from both is expected to be 4 , are
00 gallons
per minute.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]—The Registered Paletot of
Llama cloth, the most fashionable coat for both the present
and approaching seasons, still retains the same moderate
price, which, with its usefulness and gentlemanly appear.
ance, has secured such geceral popularity. It has been made
by special command for their Royal Highnesses Prince
Albert, Prince George of Cambridge, Prince Edward of Saxe
Weimar, his Grace the Duke of Wellington, and the several
royal visitors to the British Court. In London it can only
be purchased of the patentees, H. J. and D. Nicoll, Court
tailors, 114, Regent-street, and 22, Coruhill. Agents for
Liverpool, Dawbarn and Son, Bold-street ; for Dublin, Geo.
Nlact, na, Molesworth-street ; for Birmingham, Wareing and
Son, New-street; and the principal tailors in other large
towns.
We are requested to state that Sir Montague J.
Chomeley paired off on the factory question, in favour of the
Ten Hours' Bill, with Sir John Johnstone.