The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-14 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE JOSEPHINE WILLIS

Investigation this Day.

At noon 'this day the inquiry directed by the Board
of Trade, under the 432 d and 433 d sections of the
Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, (the 17th and 18th of
Victoria, cap. 101), into the circumstances attending
the unfortunate wreck of, the ship Josephine Willis,
which was run down off Folkestone, by the Manger
ton steam-ship, commenced before Mr. Yardley, at
the Town Hall, in High-street, Poplar. The
spacious board-room in which the inquiry was held was
crowded to excess with parties interested in the in-

qui ry.
Eleven o'clock was the hour appointed for the inquiry
to commence, but the magistrate did not enter the board-
room until twelve o'clock.
Mr. O'Dowd, a barrister, and assistant solicitor to
conduct criminal prosecutions under the Merchant Ship-
ping Act, conducted the case for the Board of Trade.
On Mr. Yardley taking his seat, he addressed Mr.
Ballantine, the barrister, and said, " I presume you at-
tend here as counsel t"
Mr. Ballantine—l attend here, sir, on behalf of the
steam-boat company, the owners of the Mangerton.
Mr. Yardley—And you, Mr. Parry
Mr. Parry—l attend here as counsel for the owners
of the lost ship, the Josephine Willis.
Mr. Yardley wished, at starting, to state the nature
of the proposed inquiry. It was not a judicial inquiry ;
but the objeot was to collect facts for the Board of Trade
and report to that board. At the present moment
there really were no partie■ before him. At the same
time, he had no wish to exclude assistance from what-
ever quarter it might come, but at present no parties
were before him. He wished to state at starting, how
the case stood.

Mr. Ballantine and Mr. Parry claimed a right to ro.
present the parties for whom they appeared, and said the
magistrate had the power of inflicting costs.
Mr. Yardley doubted whether he could inflict costs on
ally party who was not before him.
After a long discussion, in the course of which Mr.
Yardley said he wished to elicit the truth, and should
be g'ad to have the assistance of such acute gentlemen
as Mr. Parry and Mr. Ballantine, but he wished the
principle on which they claimed a right to be present
was understood. If the parties connected with

the two vessels had a right to appear by counsel, the re-
lations of the parties who had lost their lives might
claim a right to appear. This was in the shape of a pre-
liminary inquiry, like a coroner's inquest. Counsel did
appear before coroners' juries, and be should assimilate
the inquiry to that of a coroner's inquest, where no party
was supposed to be affected.

Mr. Parry contended that this was a judicial inquiTy,
and. that on a similar inquiry counsel and attorneys diu
appear. The discussion was prolonged fora consider.
able time, counsel claiming the undoubted right and
privilege of representing their respective clients. Various
clauses were referred to, and many cases cited. They
contended also that the words " try the same" in the
433 d section gave full force, to the proceeding being a
strictly judicial one.
Mr. Yardley asked if any parties had been summoned ?

Mr. O'Dowd said witnesses had been aurnmoned, but
neither of the parties belonging to the two ships which
came in collision.

Mr. Parry—The second mate of the Josephine Willis
is summoned here.
Mr. O'Dowd—As a witness ?

Mr. Parry said the proceeding was analogous to one
before a magistrate, where be madean order or Coririetid

a early.,,:

Mr.-Yardley despatched Mr. Livingston, the chief
usher of the Thames police court, fur his commission,
which he had left in his desk at the court. The magic.
trate was quite positive that be could not award costs
against any party who was not before biro, and there
really were no parties before him. There could
be no judicial opinion given ; he was only to
give a report. H•e could, if he thought proper,
conduct the inquiry with closed doors. He had no wish
to stifle inquiry, but he wished to conduct it in such a
way as to prevent error. If the inquiry was directed to
inquire into the conduct of any captain or mate, the
party would have a perfect right to appear by counsel
or attorney, and he would most readily admit his right.
No parties had been summoned before him, and
no person could be represented, but he should
be most happy to be assisted by counsel
or attorney, or to receive any suggestions from them,
in the same manner as a coroner did upon an inquest
where there was no party before the court.

The learned conneel adopted the course pointed out by
the magistrate, and said they could be of as much zee
to their clients as if their full right to appear was ad-
mitted.

The inquiry is expected to )wit several days.

ALARMING AND DESTRUCTIVE FIRE
THIS DAY.

About six o'clock this morning an alarming and de-
structive fire broke out on the premises occupied by Mr.
Jas. White, timber merchant, Yardley-street, Clerken-
well. It appearethat- as several workmen were proceed.
ing to their employment they observed flames issuing
from the counting-house of the wood-yard, when the
alarm was given, and messengers despatched to the
several fire-brigade stations in the district. Meanwhile
the flames had communicated from the counting-hoes
with the premises, Nos. 1,2, and 3, .John-street, which
are i.nmediately adjacent. These houses being in•
habited, the utmost alarm prevailed amanget
the inmates, most of whom were awakened from
sleep, and with much diffieulty escaped. The de-
structive element prevailed uncontrolled for some time,
despite the utmost exertions of the workmen employed
on the establishment, and detachments of the West of
England Fire Brigade. Much valuable timber was de-
stroyed, and nearly the whole of the implements and
tools belonging to the workmen. The firs, in its course,
next seiatd the houses occupied by Mr. Patten, eating-
house keeper, and Mr. Cole, furniture broker ; and they
also shared the mama fate—goods and household priperty
alike falling a sacrifice. The attention of the Fire Brigade,
who seeing their efforts almost fruitless in arresting the
flames, which had so strongly prevailed, was now
directed to cut off communication with the adjoining
Premises, and in their endeavours they were ultimately
successful. Fortunately there was no loss of life.
The losses are estimated at between 20,000/. and
30, 0001.—Mr. White himself having lost, it is con-
sidered, no lees than 10,0001. A similar conflagration
occurred at the same establishment about foer years ago.

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN
RAILWAY.

Meeting this Day.

The ordinary half-yearly [meting of this company was
held this afternoon at the Waterloo.road Terminus; Mr.
in the chair,
W. Chaplain, M.P.,

The report of the directors, and the statement of ac-
counts, which have both been published in The Sun, were
taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the reception and adop-
tion of the report, congratulated the meeting on the
satisfactory state of the company's receipts over expen-
diture during the pait year, compared with that of the
previous one, and which he hoped showed them that
their interests were properly attended to by the direc-
tors. A resolution would be submitted to them for
their approval, empowering the directors to carry
to the capital account 23,6921., for plant and
20,2491. for new works that had been paid out of revenue
during the past year. The gross receipts up to 31st
Dec , 1855, amounted to 817,7011., and the plant
charged to capital, including the vote to be asked for
that day, 686,6651., which he thought showed they had
not charged so much to capital as many other com-
panies bad done. During this half-year in comparison
and 8,000/.
with that of 1853, they had received 12,000/, for warlike
for traffic,me merchandise
asdis teh e
traffic,includingconveyance
ft rrapts ,t
to the
Ahlershott.
Camp, making an excess of 20,0001.; and he was san-
guine that if they had peace that the legitimate traffic
of their lines would greatly exceed the amount that had
been received for the past half year.
Mr. LACEY (director) seconded the motion.
A. brief discussion ensued, after which the report
was adopted, and a dividend declared at the rate of
Si. 12s. 6d. per annum.

A resolution for capitalising the expenditure for the
past year for plant and works was also agreed to.
Mr. Sergeant Gazelee and Mr. Hutchings, M.P.,
were re elected directors, and Mr. A. Hayes, auditor.
Tito meeting shortly after terminated.

SIR Josarra. WALIISLEY'S MOTION.—The following
is the precise form of this motion, as it appears in the
Voaitenassaieny,_B
dProrciteiesdhinfusoeuf
mth,
&c,—That, in the opinion the Souse :—" Sir Joshua
w
of this house, it would promote the moral and intellec-
tual improvement of the working classes of this metro-
polis if the collections of natural history and of art in the
British Museum and the National Gallery were open to
the public inspectitl gfter mar service oti Sundays'.