The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-17 00:00:00

THAMES.

AUDACIOUS ROBBERY AND CAROUSING ON BOARD SHIPS.
—Francis Harris, aged 40, a ship-keeper of No. 9, Sabber-
ton-street, Poplar, was brought up on remand, before Mr.
Partridge, charged with stealing 50 bottles of wino and
brandy, the property of Captain George Foster, the master
of the ship Pitchelee, lying in the West India Dock.
Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, conducted the prosecution,
and said the prisoner was a ship-keeper, and entrusted
with the care of the Pitchelee and her stores in the ab-
sence of the captain and officers of tho ship. The prisoner
was guilty of a gross breach of trust, plundered the store-
room of wines and brandies, and entertained his
friends and others on board the Chrysalite, another
ship alongside the Pitchelee, where there was high
life below deck, in the cabin, drunkenness, and a row.
It appeared that on Sunday night last a dock watchman,
named Sampson Rowland, heard boisterous merriment on
board the Chrysalite, alongside the Pitchelee, and an hour
later he heard bottles breaking and 'quarrelling on board
the same vessel. The prisoner came on shore the worse
for liquor, and roaring out, "One bottle more." He was
asked who he was, and he said he was ship-keeper of the
Pitchelee. The watchman ordered him on board the
Pitchelee immediately, and threatened to lock him up if he
saw him on the quay again that night. On the following
morning Liddle, one of the principal constables of the
East and West India Dock Company's police, wont on
board the Pitchelee, and saw enough to convince him that
extensive plunder had been going on. In the coal hole there
was a bottle which had contained brandy. The exporter's label
was gone. It was found upon the prisoner in his pocket,
and it corresponded exactly with the labels on full bottles
of brandy in cases onboard. There was a case which had
contained 24 bottles of wine empty in the coal hole. The
wine had been taken out. A case of brandy was missing,
including the case. An empty case was found in the dock.
Seven bottles of brandy were missed from another case,
and the stores had been made free with, and the prisoner
had bountifully entertained his friends.
Mr. Sowerby, second mate of the Pitchelee, saw the
prisoner delii'er a long boat hook to another man on Mon-
day morning and ask him to get an empty case out of the
dock. It was landed. There were initials on the case
F. 8., and 0. P. underneath ; the same brand was on other
cases on board. The prisoner appeared greatly confused
on seeing witness, and threw the case down on the quay.
He ordered the prisoner to take the case on board, and said
to him, " I am afraid rum work has been carried on in the
ship while I have been away."
Capt. George Foster identified the cases produced. The
label taken from the prisoner was exactly similar to those
on board the Pitchelee.

Mr. Gomm cross-examined the witnesses, and made an
address for the prisoner.

Mr. Partridge said that a stong prima facie case was
made out against the prisoner, who was guilty of a gross
breach of trust. He committed the prisoner for trial.

MARKETS.--.This Day.

MARK LANE.

Fresh up to our market to-day the arrivals of home-
grown wheat were very moderate. The trade ruled firm,
at the full prices of Monday.
With foreign wheat the market was moderately supplied.
In all descriptions sales progressed slowly, but at full quo-
tations.
Floating cargoes of grain were steady at quite late rates.
Barley was in short supply, and the trade was steady, at
full quotations.
Malt sold slowly, at late rates.
Oats were in large supply ; good and fine corn was
steady in price, but inferior qualities were dull.
Beans were dull, at Monday's currency.
Peas met a slow sale, on former terms.
Flour was in very moderate request, on former terms.
SHIP ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English and Scotch 1,190 1,150 1,580
Irish
Foreign 20,650 4,980 76,710

580 sks.
4,870 bls.

NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.
These markets are but moderately supplied with meat.
Tho inquiry is limited, at our prices:—
Per 81b by the carcase.
sd s d
Inferior beef 3 8 4 0
Middling do. 4 2 4 4
Prime large do 4 6 4 8
Prime small do 1 $ 4 10
Veal 4 0 5 2
Lamb. 53 8

''`-'7' s d a d
Inferior mutton 3 :0 4 6
Middling mutton 4 8 5 2
Prime do 5 4 5 8
Large pork 4 0 4 6
/mall pork. 4 8 5 e
Id to tia Bd.

BOROUGH HOP.

The hop market ruled quiet. The unsettled weather,
however, together with the unfavourable accounts from
the hop gardens, imparted a tone of firmness to the cur-
rencies, and in all business effected the prices realised ex-
hibited no reduction from the previous week.