The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-24 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT.

j On Moaday last, being Cowes Regatta, tile Reindeer
yacht, belonging to Moore, Esq., the Antelope,
Lord Powerscourt, and the Dream, G. Bentinck, Esq.,
were sailing for a silver cup, when, as the Reindeer
was nearing the Nab Light, the main-sheet being
racked, the racking gave way, hnd two of her men,
William Short and Robert Conway, fell overboard,
when the farmer lost his life. The bodies being picked
up by the Antelope, were conveyed to the Fortitude
Tavern, Broad-street Point, where Conway sti'l bee in
a precarious state. An inquest was held on Short on
Tuesday afternoon, before 'F. Martell, Esq., coroner,
and the following Jury :—Mr. 'F. Little, foreman,
Messrs. Faithful, Childs, W. Bayley, Woods, Oxen,
P. Suter, H. Sargeant, C. Hills, Main, Atlee, Wear-
thy. We feel we cannot speak too highly of the Jury
for their patient investigation, which lasted upwards of
five hours. Amongst the Jury were many nasktleal
men, and the foreman is an experienced sailor, who dis-
played great judgment and decision in conducting the
inquiry. The following persons were ewnined ea
oath :

James North, mariner, of Cowes, belonent to th,
Ernma, who was then waiting to convey the body of
Short to Cowes stated, he had known the deceased for
many years ; he bad left a wife and eight children ; his
wife being near her confinement. Was on board tile
Reindeer at the time the accident happened ; they were
belaying the main sheet when near the Nob Light ;
mainsheet was racked ; Conway and Short were hording
on ; the racking gave way and they fell overboard ; it
was then blowing very hard ; did not hear aby orders
given on board to go round and pick the men ep ; heard
Mr. Moore, the owner, say, “D
—n the cup, go and save
the men's lives." Heard a gentleman on board say the
persons had been picked up.
Tile Foreman then asked, if there were any means
taken on board to pick up the men after they were
overboard ? but the Coroner contended that the proper
way to put the question was, " In your opinion was
net all done on board that could be done r

The Foreman here expressed his disapprobation at
his and the Jury's questions being "construed" by the
Coroner, and not put in the manner he wished. He
contended that as a Jury to investigate the matter, they
had a right to propose what questions they thought
fit, and as a conscientious man he could not conic to n
decision without his questions being answered in a
straightforward way, without prevarication.
Mr. Childs, a juror, then proposed the question
again. " Were there any means taken on board, and
what were they, to rescue the men after they were
overboard ?"

Witness—The helm was put down for the purpose
of saving their lives.

Foreman—Could you have rounded the Nab Light:
without putting the helm down

Witness—So; we had a difficulty as it was.
A Juror—Were there any means taken to threw the
boat over

Witness—No ; the boat was not removed from the
deck ; the Nab Light's boat was close to tha people as
we rounded the Nab Lights.

By the Foreman—Suppose the yacht had been
your's, and ou had lost two men overboard, would you
not have rounded her, and endeavoured to save their
lives ?

Witness—The helm was put down—life ought to be
saved, if possible. I would have thrown the boat over,
but she would have swamped.
The Foreman then wished to put the question again
to the witness—Were there any means taken on
board to pick up the men ? As the question, al-
though asked many times, had not been answered as
he thought it ought to be, he wished the witness to
say yes or no, and not prevaricate about the helm
being put down, as be knew as well as the witness
that was for the purpose of clearing the Nab Light,
as had before been explained. If the witness said
there were moans used, he would not ask what they
were, and he thought that was the only way to get at
the truth of the subject. Thc Coroner again objected
to the questions being put iu that way, and said he should
adopt his own course, upon which several of the Jury
suggested, that as the Coroner bad so completely pre-
judiced the case, that they should be discharged, and a
fresh Jury ompannelled.
Robert Conway (the unfortunate man who was
thrown overboard with the deceased, and who wims so
ill in bed as only to admit the foreman and two oilers
to be in the room at the time of taking his depositions),
said he was on hoard the Reindeer yacht, belonging to
Moore, Esq. on the 17th instant, when near the
Nab Light, hauling main sheet aft, the racking broke
or slipped, and struck him and the deceased, and
knocked them overboard. He was picked up by the
men from the Nab Light ; did not think if the Reindeer
yacht had been put abbot, she could have rendered them
so much assistance as was rendered by the Nab Light
men and the Antelope.
The jury here expressed themselves anxious to ad,
journ the inquest until they could have the evidence
of the owner and Captain of the Reindeer, but which
was dispensed with, the Coroner stating he did not know
where to find them, and he had no power to force them
to appear.
Crawford, belonging to the Kestrel yacht, was on
board the Antelope on the 17th instant, and helped to
pick the deceased up. Did not see the men fall over-
board, but should judge from the distance the Reindeer
was ahead, that the men were in the water half an
hour. Should think it possible that the Reindeer, by
using proper diligence, might have picked them up in
much less time.

Samuel Mogg was In the Reindeer at the time the
men were thrown overboard, in the alter part of the ves-
sel, about two yards from them. In rounding the Nab
Light, the gentleman on board called to the men at the
Nab Light to get their boat out, which was done im-
mediately. Captain Popham, R.N., was on hoard, and
said if the boat was lowered from the Reindeer there
would be more lives lost than could be without
doing so. Did not attempt to unlvish the boat, which
was on deck, bottom upwards. Did not hear any or-
ders given to attempt to save the men, excepting to the
light-vessel. They kept their course, and did not hear
anybody say they should go round. Cannot say
what would have been the consequence to the men in
the light-boat if the Antelope had not picked them up.
Wi❑d was blowing very hard at the time.

Joseph Woolgar—Was on board the Antelope, on
pleasure, on the 17th inst. Did not see the accident,
but was in the boat that picked up the deceased. As
soon as Lord Pow•erscourt knew of the accident, he
said, " Never mind the cup, look after the men." De-
ceased was hooked by the waistband by a person on
board the Antelope. Witncs.: jumped into the chains,
and held on with one hand and caught the leg of the
deceased with the other. Should think the men were
in the water from twenty minutes to half an hour.
They run down with loss of main theet. The time in
getting the main-sail stowed, bearing up to the light-
boat, till they picked up Short, was less than half an
hour. Was of opinion that the Reindeer could have gone
to the leeward of the vessel and renderad assistance to
the men in about ten minutes. Saw the Reindeer
round the light. Didn't think there was any delay
after she was round it.

Henry Slight, Esq., surgeon, stated that he {tai
called to the Fortitude on the 7th inst., to attend two
men who had been drowned. He found the deceased's
bodya hut the chest quite warm, about the natural.
w
nith of the body ; wax of opinion the deceased was
drowned, its there were no marks of violence on the
r stiff,
body excepting a slight bruise on the shin.

The CORONER said the Jury had heard tho whole of
the evidence he had been able to procure. lie con-
sidered it was a perfect accideitt, and he thought if the
Jury acted hostilely to the proprietor of the Reindeer
by levying a dcodand upon that particular part of the
v(.ssel, (viz. the racking), which caused the death, it
might be injurious to the wife anal children. He could
but consider it very prsiseworthy in the Antelope people
in rendering the valuable services they did to the parties
as well as to the Nab Light boat.

The room being cleared of all strangers, the iury
consulted together for upwards of an hour and a half,
and returned a verdict of Accidental Death ; at the
same time expressing their belief that the conduct of
Mr. Moore, the owner, the captain, and all others on
board the Reindeer, was highly reprehensible and de-
serving censure, no language being sufficiently strong
to express their feelings against them for their inhuman
conduct, as the evidence before them proved that had
they used proper diligence, the deceased's life might
have been saved. They conceived much praise was due
to Lord Powerscourt and all on board the Antelope,
for their praiseworthy exertion ; and that too much
could not be said in favour of the men from the Nall
Light, who risked their own lives in endeavouring to
save those of others. They much regretted it, was not
in their power to make them some compensation....
llanipshire Independent.

LOItD NORMANBY'S VISIT TO IRELAWD.—..
We have some reason to believe thnt the Marquis of Nor.
manby will visit this country for a short period abspt the
28th instant. His Lordship will behold, fa the iserfect
tranquillity of Ireland, the triumph of the hcinast and im.
partial system of government which characterried his aci•
ministration amongst us, and which has been so steadily
followed up roy our present enlightened and patriotic Vice.
roy.—Dublin Evcning Post.