The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-24 00:00:00

IiTHE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 1860.

to Private G. Berridge, who made 10 points. A
short Enfield rifle, the gift of Mr. Stedall, was won
by Major Jeakes, making 10 points, but relin-
quished in favour of the next best—Corporal A.
Constable and Private W. Elsinore, who each made
9 points, but, in shooting off the tie, Private Els-
more won, a revolver, given by Major Jeakes, being
awarded to Corporal Constable. The last prize—a
purse of .£5, for non-commissioned officers, at 200,
300, and 400 yards, three rounds each—was won
by Sergeant-Major Hooper, who made 10 points.
A handsome flag, worked by the ladies of Captain
Corrie's family, was presented to the corps. After
which a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman
and, three chairs having been given for him, the
proceedings terminated.
The Paddington Volunteer Corps (36th Middle-
sex) on Friday was inspected by Colonel M'Murdo.
There were present on parade Major-Gen. Downing
Officiating-Adjutant John Clarke, Lieut. Penny,
Ensign Allen, Ensign Child, Ensign Smith, and
four companies of effectives. The corps was put
through several battalion movements by Major-
Gen. Downing ; Officiating-Adjutant John Clarke
put the regiment through the manual and platoon
exercises. After the drill Colonel M'Alurdo came
forward and congratulated the corps on their
smart and soldierlike appearance, and the steadi-
ness of their drill, which reflected the highest
credit on Major General Downing, their drill
instructors, and the corps at large.
Major Duperier, having passed a strict examina-
tion at Stonehouse, before a military board
appointed for the purpose, met the members of the
2d Devon Volunteer Rifles, during drill, on Wed-
nesday, at the headquarters, Plymouth, for the put,
pose of publicly resigning his post as senior captain,
upon the commencement of his duties as district
adjutant. The following order was read :
"In resigning the command, Major Duperier takes the
opportunity in this his last order to thank every member of
the corps for the attention, obedience, and good feeling
with which they have at all times received his instructions,
and, before leaving, offers the members a little advice. He
begs them to bear in mind that a good soldier is always
early on parade, and steady and attentive when there ; he
adheres strictly to uniformity in dress, and allows no laxity
to obtrude itself by appearing in public in partial uniform.
As cheerful obedience is the essence of discipline, so is dis-
content its umbling-bloek ; anything, therefore, savour-
ing of insubordination should be avoided moat strenuously.
It is a source of great pleasare to Major Duperier that he
is resigning the command into the hands of such a succes-
sor as Captain Bowes, who is so intimately associated with
the sympathies of the members, and under whose guidance
he feels confident that, by a steady adherence to duty, as
at present, the discipline of the corps will continue unim-
paired. In saying farewell, Major Duperier begs the mem-
bers to accept his best wishes for their happiness and pros-
' parity, and assures them that his experience and advice
will always be very much at their service."

Some hearty cheering for the retiring captain and
his successor followed the perusal of the order.
Major Duperier's battalion, as adjutant, includes
the Volunteers at Plymouth, Devonport, Stone-
house, Maker, and Tavistock. Several competent
military officers are named for the vacant captaincy.
Should the appointment go by seniority, First-
Lieutenant Mortimer Collier, of the 2d Devon, will
become second captain, and Second-Lieutenant Nor-
rington will gain a step; Ensign Butchers will be
second-lieutenaat, and the junior ensign, James
Hawker, will become senior. The vacant ensigncy
falls then to the nomination of the members of the
corps, now about 192 strong, raised chiefly in the
autumn of 1859.

On Saturday afternoon the members of the 7th
Surrey (Lambeth and Southwark) Rifles assembled
at head-quarters Newington Sessions-house, in order
to bury with military honours Private John Temple-
ton, deceased, late a member of the corps. Shortly
after 1 o'clock the Volunteers, under the command
of Major Jones, the Adjutant, Lieut• Boys, and
Lieut. Brandeth Johnson, headed by the band of
the Ist battalion of Coldstreams, which was followed
by a firing party of 12 men, under the command
of Corporal Morgan, and the carriage of the chap-
lain to the corps, the Rev. Thompson Smith, marched
to the residence of the deceased in Meadow-row,
New gent-road, for the purpose of carrying the
remains of their departed comrade to their last rest-
ing place. The procession then proceeded to the
cemetery at Norwood, the band playing the "Dead
March" in Saul, the pall being borne by the mem-
bers of the corps. The burial service having been
performed in an impressive manner by the chaplain,
three volleys were fired over the grave, and the
corps marched back to head-quarters. The deceased
was much respected by his comrades.
The Cheshire Rifle Association, formed at the
meeting held at Chester on tho Ist Dec., the Lord-
Lieutenant the Marquis of Westminster in the
chair, is going on satisfactorily. At the first meet-
ing of the council on the Bth Dec., Lord Grosvenor,
M.P., was appointed chairman, and Mr. iohn Laird
deputy chairman. Committees were also appointed
to arrange for the place for the first annual meeting
at the end of August or beginning of September
next ; and if a sufficiently good range can be
found on the east side of this county, near Stock-
port or Macclesfield, it is intended to have it there.
A large amount of subscriptions, from S 5 per
annum downwards, has already been received,
and the rules have been submitted to and adopted
by the National Rifle Association as the rules for
all counties in England proposing to become con-
nected with the parent association. It is most
important for the general success of the ♦olinteer
movement that the county associations should be
connected with the national association, and it is
to hoped that many other counties will follow the
example of Cheshire, which has had the honour of
being the first to establish an association of the
kind. In furtherance of this good understanding
between the National and the County Associations
rule 2 of the Cheshire Association will do much.
It is as follows :
" The association will consist of all annual subscribers of
10s. and upwards, and of all donors of £•5 and upwards.
These may have the privilege of becoming members of the
National Rifle Association by increasing their annual sub-
scription of 108. to 205., half of whi.h ►ill be paid to the
National Rifle Association; or by doubling their donation,
half of which will be applied in the same manner."

Three prizes offered by Major Saltmarshe, of
Saltmarshe, were competed for by 28 members of
the Howdenshire Rifle Volunteers on the 18th inst.
It had been arranged that each competitor should
fire five rounds at 150, 250, and 300 yards ; but in
consequence of the shortness of the day the rounds
at the longest range were abandoned. The greatest
number of points was scored by Mr. C. Woodall,
auctioneer, who received the first prize of £3 103.;
Mr. H. B. Anderson, timber merchant, and Mr.
Appleyard, hatter, tied, and in shooting off Mr.
Anderson won the second prize of £l. Mr. Apple-
yard obtained the third prize, 10s. Major Salt-
marshe provided luncheon for the whole of the
corps. The shooting was superintended by Adju-
tant Griffiths, of the 2d East York Rifle Volunteers.

On Friday evening last a very handsome and
highly finished Whitworth rifle was presented by
the members of the Ist and 2d companies of the
Salisbury or Ist Wilts Rifle Volunteers (one of the
earliest corps formed), to Mr. T. Pain, of Laver-
stock Hall, near Salisbury, as an acknowledg-
ment of their appreciation of his kindness in
allowing the free use of a portion of the down, at
Laverstock, as a practice ground. The presentation
was made 4) suitable terms by the Captain-Com-
mandant, Mr. J. FL Jacob, the members of the
corps being drawn up in three sides of a square.
Mr. Pain in some appropriate remarks expressed
his deep thanks for the compliment paid him, and
said be should always feel the greatest pleasure in
promoting the interest of the corps. Three hearty
cheers and the National Anthem by the band ter-
minated the proceedings.

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THE LOSS OF THE MAGGIE WALKER.

TO TICK LORDS OP THE COMMITTEE OF PRIVY COUNCIL

FOR TRADE.

My Lords,—l have the honour to report the
result of the investigation held by me in conjunc-
tion with Captain Harris, Nautical Assessor of the
Board of Trade, on the 30th of November last and
following days, into the circumstances attending the
abandonment of the ship Maggie Walker.
The Maggie Walker was a three-masted schooner
of 182 tons burthen. She was built at Bordeaux in
1846, and was then called the Echo. Twelve years
afterwards she was condemned at Sierra Leone, and
subsequently bought and registered here in 1858 by
Mr. Alex. Walker, of Freetown. She made two
voyages after being so registered at Liverpool. The
Maggie Walker sailed from Liverpool on the 12th
of September last with a general cargo for Sierra
Leone. She was compelled to put back in a leaky
state on the following day, discharged her cargo,
went into graving dock, and was thoroughly over-
hauled. In addition to other repairs she was
caulked all over, resheathed, and her butts were
felted and double zinced. Mr. Klein, the Liver-
pool agent for the Societe de Veritas, or French
Lloyd's, and Mr. Alexander, Surveyer for the
Underwrite's' Association of Liverpool, superin-
tended the repairs, and having both pronounced her
properly repaired and fit for the intended voyage,
Mr. Klein renewed her class in the society's books
equivalent to a second class English denomination,
and Mr. Alexander gave the usual certificate. The
Maggie Walker left Liverpool again on her intended
voyage to Sierra Leone on the 11th of October
last, under the command of Mr. Wm. H. Sewell,
who holds a certificate of service, dated 1851. Her
cargo consisted of 100 tons of salt in her main hold,
five tons of bar iron in the after hold, fifteen tons
of slates underneath the after hatch on each side of
the pump well, and from 150 to 200 tons measure-
ment goods. The hold was levelled off with the
keelson, and mats were placed over the dunnage,
and it was kept nine inches from the wing. Thus
stowed, and with a crew of ten hands (the master
inclusive), she was towed out of the river Mersey
to the Formby lightship, where she cast off the
steam tug, and with a fresh breeze from E.N E.,
proceeded on her voyage down the Channel. Ac-
cording to her log she passed the Bell Buoy at
1.30 p.m., on the 11th, and she was off the Sker-
ries, bearing S. by E., at 9 p.m. The course was
then laid S.W. by W. j W., and so continued till
8.45 a.m., on the 12th, when Bardsea. Island was
made, bearing S.E. by E. 15 miles. From thence
she steered S.W. by W. and S. by W. till 5 p.m.,
when the Smalls were made bearing N. by E. and
at 7 p.m. Lundy Island bore S.E. 8 miles. It is
impossible to reconcile the courses made with the
courses steered. It must suffice to say that the
ship wore round to the northward, and after a few
hours wore again to the southward and made St.
Ives light, then w ore again and made Lundy again,
E.S.E. 20 miles. The wind then became fair, and
they stood to the W.S.W., then made the Seven
Stones, and subsequently St. Agnes Light; from
thence they wore to the northward at 8 p.m. on
Sunday the 14th, and stood N.N.W. till she was
eventually abandoned in a position unknown to the
mate, but said by the master to be 57 miles from
Waterford. Captain O'Flaherty, of the Ottillia,
who took the crew on board, reluctantly confessed
that he thought they were about 35 miles S. of
Dungarvon. Such is the confused statement of
the voyage, as gleaned from the logbook, which was
certainly kept in a most careless manner. The
proper reckoning was never kept, and no sound-
ings were taken. The vessel, though alleged to be
leaking. was never sounded by order of the master
or mates, and no really useful record on which to
found a protest, should it be, as it really became,
necessary.
The master, who at the request of his own legal
adviser, was sworn togive evidence openly, declared
that he, in common with other masters of merchant
vessels, paid no attention to the log, and never
examined either the book or the slate so long as
he was in the Channel, and had the bearings of
the headlands and lights to steer by, and this
though the weather during the four days of his
most eccentric course was thick and foggy. In
his evidence he gave the courses, the bearings of
the lights, the speed, and the wearing of the ship
during these four days, from memory. As may
well be supposed, he and his log, which was written
up at noon daily, b}► the mate from the log slate,
are wholly irreconcileable. There is grave reason
to believe that, till he had communicated with the
Ottillia where he was picked up by her, he was
ignorant of his real position on the chart, though
he seems to have had an idea that he was some-
where between the Scilly Islands and Ireland ;
and he expressed an opinion that if the crew could
have been kept at the pumps on the Monday, the
day on which she was abandoned, he might have
made Cork on the following day. Before leaving
the nautical part of the question, it is necessary to
point out that the vessel rounded the Skerries with
a fair wind for the Tuskar, and that a course was
laid for that point. This wind continued till they
passed Bardsea, when the ■hip broke off to S.W.
by W., and eventually to S. by W., when instead
of tacking to the N. and W., they stood on, got
within the influence of a strong flood off the
Smalls, and hence visited the Bristol Channel
and the coast of Cornwall, instead of finding
themselves off the Tuskar, on the following
morning. This is the only solution of the ex-
traordinary course above given. The log and
the statement of the master alike show that they
drifted into the Bristol Channel at the rate of 47
miles in two hours—that is, between 5 and 7 p.m.,
while heading aS.by W. course. My colleague,
Captain Harris, carefully laid out on the chart
the different courses, both according to the log
and according to the master's evidence, with the
extraordinary result I have now endeavoured to
describe. I come now to the main point for con-
sideration—the subsequent abandonment of the ship.
About 9.30 on the evening of Friday, the 12th Oc-
tober, according to the log and evidence of the
master and second mate, who, I think, wrongly
makes the accident to happen between one and two
a.m. on Sunday, the 13th—a heavy sea struck the
ship, carried away the jibboom, and stove in the
berthing of the forecastle bulwarks on the port side.
Immediately before the accident the first mate
sounded the pumps, and found no water in the
ship. During the time they were clearing away
the wreck of the jibboom the chief mate set two
unemployed lads to keep the pumps jagging. The
well had not at that time been sounded since the
accident, and at four a.m., when the wreck had been
cleared away, the ship was pumped dry. After
this it would seem that there were one or two men
generally kept at the pumps untll the Ottilia came
in eight, when the men refused to pump any longer.
But on no occasion, from the accident up to the
abandonment, were all hands set to work at the
pumps, nor was the well ever sounded by the
master before leaving the ship. It may be well to
mention that there were two pumps on board, side
by side, abaft the mainmast. One was a patent
four inch pump, which the surveyor stated would
not choke; the one was a common wooden one, six
inches in diameter. On Sunday, the 14th, some of
the crew came aft early in the morning, and refused
11 to pump. The master was informed of this, and
he remonstrated with the men, and they went back
to the pumps, and continued pumping, more or less,
till Monday, when, as above mentioned, the Ottil-
lia was signalled. It does not seem from the evi-
dence that the master or mate made any effort to
induce the crew to continue at the pumps after this
time, though the master, so late as breakfast
time on Monday morning, apprehended no imme-
diate danger, and seemed to think that if the crew
could have been kept to the pumps and the weather
had continued moderate (which was:the case), they
might have reached a port on the Irish coast early
on Tuesday morning. The master and mate were
by no means unwilling to leave the vessel, the long-
boat was got out, and they proceeded on board of
the Ottillia. Previous to leaving the vessel the pipe
of the water-closet, which was about 18 inches
above the waterline, was cut in order to sink her,
and so prevent collision with other ships. The mas-
ter seems to have had some doubt of the propriety
of this proceeding, as the mate in his evidence de-
poses to a conversation on the subject between him-
self and the master and second mate, but the mate
remarked that the circumstance could only be
known to the three then present. The pipe was ac-
cordingly cut by the second mate, whilst the first
mato started the woodwork, the master being then
in the longboat, where they joined him after they
had done the work. The ("alp evidence that could
be had as to the depth of water in the vessel previ-
ous to leaving her is that of the second mate, or
boatswain, who says that at 10 a.m. " the pump
sucked," that he so reported to the master who de-
sired him to let her rest, and that at noon on Mon-
day he sounded, and found two feet in the well ;
and after cutting the water-closet pipe, and just
before getting into the boat, he again sounded, and
found three feet. All the witnesses say that no salt
was pumped up, which must have been the case had
there been much water in her, when we consider
the size of the vessel, the depth of her hold (11 feet)
and the fact that the salt was stowed on the kelson
with only a mat intervening. This would seem to
prove that there could not have been much water
in tho vessel.

I regret to have to conclude, after a patient in-
vestigation, and a careful review of the evidence,
that the Maggie Walker was hastily and prema-
turely abandoned, to say nothing of the negligent
mode of navigation which might have resulted in
her loss, as the weather was moderate, and the
Irish coast so near. I think that the master should
have used some efforts to keep his aclen at the pumps,
and that he showed too much readiness to leave the

ship when the Ottillia came in sight. It must also
be remembered that he had a large and sufficient
boat on board had the leak increased as he neared
the land. It is possible that he might allege the
insubordination of his crew, but when I bear in
mind that upon arriving in Liverpool he made no
complaint against them, but allowed them to re-
ceive 10s. each as a gratuity, in addition to their
monthly advance, I cannot admit the excuse. It
would be highly detrimental to the interests of
owners and underwriters to allow such conduct to
pass without censure. It was mentioned by the
second mate or boatswain, that the master of the
Maggie Walker was occasionally the worse for
liqxor, and he himself candidly admitted that he
had had a glass too much on taking leave of the
pilot and captain of the steamtug, on the afternoon
of the day on which the ship left Liverpool, a cir-
cumstance to which the chief mate also speaks. i
Rather large supplies of grog, too, were served out
to the men, on the plea of their suffering so much
from the wet, and having so much hard work at
the pumps ; and it would seem that there was ground
to impute drunkenness to one, if not to two men, at
the time the vessel was abandoned, and one of the
witnesses belonging to the Ottillia said that one of
the two men was the second mate, who charged the
master of the Maggie Walker with the same offence.
The manner in which the captain gave his evidence
favourably impressed me as to his veracity, and while
I think he displayed a lamentable ignorance of his
duties as a master in the navigation of his vessel, and
evinced a culpable want of effort to save his ship,
when by courage and determination he might have
done so, I acquit him of wilful intention to abando❑
her. Being, therefore, of opinion t aat the Maggie
Walker was prematurely abandoned by default of
her master, I forward herewith, in compliance with
the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, the
certificate of Service of William Henry Sewell to
the Board of Trade, to be dealt with as their lord-
ships may think fit. Captain Harris and I were
rather in doubt as to retaining the certificate of the
mate also, but we eventually agreed to return it,
cautioning him for the future to keep a more cor-
rect log-book.—l have, &c., S. S. RAFFLES,
Stipendiary Magistrate, Liverpool, Dec. 15, 1860.
Captain Harris concurs in this report.

THE LOSS OF TB! CONNAUGRT

STEAMER.

Mr. Traill, magistrate at the Greenwich Police
Court, before whom and Captain Harris, the official
inquiry into the loss of the Connaught steamer, be-
longing to the Atlantic Royal Mail Steam Naviga-
tion Company, was conducted, has received the fol-
lowing letter from the office of the Board of Trade :
" Sir,—l am directed by the Lords of the Committee
of Privy Council for Trade, to acknowledge the
receipt of the report of the investigation and
minutes of evidence in the matter of the inquiry
held by you, with the assistance of Captain Harris,
touching the loss of the steamship Connaught, an d
I am to convey to you their Lordships' thanks for
your laborious and valuable report. With regard
to the suggestion in your report,-1. That steam-
snips should be inspected by Government sur-
veyors while building; 2. That captains of mer-
chant steamers should be examined in steam ; and
3. That engineers should be examined and have
certificates of competency ; I am directed to offer
the following observations :-1. My Lords are of
opinion that it would be inexpedient to establish
any supervision by Government officers of steamers
during their construction, as such a course would
tend to remove responsibility from the kuildars and
the owners. The special survey of mail steamers
under contracts with the Government is not, as you
are probably aware, now in the hands of the Board
of Trade. 2. As regards the examination of masters
and mates in matters connected with the steam en-
gine, I am to point out that such examination could
not be made compulsory without the interference
of the Legislature ; but a system of voluntary ex-
amination in steam has been for some time in ope-
ration. These examinations are conducted under
the superintendence of the various local marine
boards, and any master, or any first mate or only
mate, is at liberty to present himself for examina-
tion as to his practical knowledge of the use and
working of the steam-engine. If any master or
mate holding a Board of Trade certificate passes
this examination the words passed. in steam' ars
endorsed on his certificate. The value of this en-
dorsement would be greatly enhanced if steam
shipowners were to require their officers to pass in
steam. 3. The question whether engineers should
be compelled to pass an examination, and to obtain
certificates from the Board of Trade, is very impor-
tant. But it is a question for the Legislature, and
my Lords are not in a position to offer any opinion
upon it.—l am, &c., J. H. FARRER. To Mr. James
Traill, Police-court, Greenwich."