The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-15 00:00:00

ME CASE OF CAPTAIN WILIIISHURST.

We have already stated that at the close of the court
martial which has sat for more than a week at Portsmouth,
Captain Arthur Wilmshurst has been honourably acquitted
of all the charges brought against him. It will be remem-
bered that these charges were of a very serious
nature, though the counts of the indictment
were only two in number. Captain Wilmshurst was
captain of H.M.S. Flora, and, in the absence of the com-
modore of the station, commanded the Island of Ascension
in the autumn of last year. It was said that early in
August the merchant ship Dremensis, laden with cotton
and other goods, was wrecked on the island. Part of the
cargo was saved by the crew of the Flora, when Captain
Wilmsburst gave orders that the work of salvage should be
stopped, and compelled a survey of the ship. On the surveyor
reporting that the ship and her lading should be sold,
they were sold by auction and bought by the captain for
ea); afterwards the salvage works were resumed, and 600
bales of cotton rescued, neither the purchase of the ship
nor the clearance of the cotton being for the benefit
of the owners or underwriters. Further, it was
alleged that in the month of October Captain Wilms-
hunt sold some of the cotton and other articles for
£365, for his own benefit. To these charges Captain
Wilmshn►st returned specific answers. All that could
be done for the salvage of the wreck, with a due regard
for the public service, had -been done, although the
underwriters seemed to think that the public service
must be utterly neglected to serve their interests alone.
Labour was -very scarce, the whole labour of the island
being the crew of the Flora ; and he was the only one
who could buy the wreck, though he did not buy
it fur hiniself. The cotton was also sold for and on
behalf of the underwriters. He had never expected to
save anything but the anchors ; the 600 bales of cotton had
been unexpectedly recovered, owing to the extraordinary
fineness of the weather. He had certainly expected that the
underwriters would have given him a bonus, but all they
had given him was the prosecution. He had proposed to
Captain Webster to return to England to see his owner,
and to bring, a ship to take home the cotton
salved from the wreck meantime; but this Captain
Webster refused to do. The underwriters had
gained all by the transaction, while he and his
men had lost seriously. Evidence was called
by Capt. Wilmslirst, supporting his statements, and
'Toying that he had called for volunteers to work out the
salvage, au.J certificates of character from five different
admirals were put in. The court, after an hour and a
half's deliberation, declared that neither of the charges
had been proved, and the president expressed his pleasure
in returning Captain Wilmshurst his sword.

The Express says the Marquise de Boissy, having
given to the world the Countess Guiccioli's recollections of
Lord Byron, is unfit reood to be engaged at present in com-
posing the memoit s of the Marquis de Boissy.

On Weds( slay the trial of Mr. Theodore Watkins,
solicitor, and of John Cunningham, for rioting in Bristol on
the polling day was concluded. The Recorder summed up at
acme length, and expressed his belief that Mr. Watkins wag
mixed up wig' the mob. The jury wero four hours and a
half before they could agree, but finally returned a verdict
of " Not guilty," which was received with a buret of ap.
VP)use, repeated_again and again outside thl court.