The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-30 00:00:00

THE LOSS OF TBE BLERVIE CASTLE.

Anxious inquiries have been made daily at Lloyd's
and of the charterers of the ill-fated outward bound
Australian ship Blervie Castle, relative to the fate
of the unfortunate passengers and crew. Unhappily,
not the least doubt is entertained but that they
must have all perished in the ship, and this belief
is confirmed by the reports that have since been
made by the French fishermen, to the effect that
they had seen numbers of dead bodies of men,
women, and children floating among the wrecked
goods and cases.
That the catastrophe took place during Tuesday
1 night or Wednesday morning, and on either the
Varne or Ridge Sands, has now been satisfactorily
ascertained. It appears the wreck was first seen
about 8 o'clock on Wednesday morning by the
captain and chief officer of the General Steam
Navigation Company's steamer Panther, while on
their passage from Boulogne to London, and who,
from some oversight or other, omitted on their
arrival in the Thames to report the fact either to
Lloyd's or the Shipping Gazette, by which the loss
of the Blervie Castle would have been known
48 hours before it was actually announced. The
wreck was observed to the eastward of the Varne
and Ridge Sands, and some 10 or 12 miles off the
French coast, the wind blowing hard at the time
from the south-west, with a high sea. The chief
mate at first perceived something large looming in
the distance, right in the course of the steamer.
His impression at the moment was that it was a
species of whale which is occasionally seen in the
, Channel, but soon afterwards he detected it was the
wreck of a 600 or 700 ton ship, floating with her
bilge out of the water. The course of the Panther
was direct at it, and it was only by her helm being
put hard apart that she cleared the wreck, other-
wise she might have sustained serious damage.
The wreak was sheathed with yellow metal, and
she appeared to have been painted a buff colour
inside her bulwarks and stanchions, or rather
what remained of them. Captain Russell, who
was despatched to the French coast by the un-
derwriters at Lloyd's to collect all the authen-
tic information on the melancholy subject,
writes to say " that the wreck of the Blervie
Castle was seen on Saturday driving about
12 miles N.E. of Calais. Foils fishing boats had
had it in tow for 16 hours endeavouring to get into
some place on the coast, but were at length obliged
to relinquish their charge on account of the strong
wind. The fishermen describe the wreck to be
much damaged in her stern, that all her masts were
gone and she was lying on one side." The next that
is heard of the wreck is from the officer of the Dover
and Calais steamer, which escaped coming into col-
lision with it in the course, of Saturday night. On
Monday night some Deal luggers came up with the
wreck between the Kentish Knock and the Gal-
loper, 50 or 60 miles from the Varne Sand, and they
got it in tow and suceeeded in getting it on to the
main to the eastward of Ramsgate Harbour. From
its shattered state it was evident that some vessel
had struck upon it during the time it had been
driving about. Lloyd's agent at Ramsgate describes
it as the port side of a ship from the stem to stern,
of about 600 tons, broken off at the floor heads,
yellow metalled and fastened, all black outside, and
partly planked with oak or teak. It was painted
with a narrow white streak, and the poop and top-
gallant forecastle appeared to have been newly cop-
pered. The general opinion is that the wreck
is that of the Blervie Castle, although as yet it has
not been clearly identified as part of the ill-fated
ship. It may be remarked that some doubt has
been expressed as to whether the wreck really is
that of the Blervie Castle, and an impression has
been entertained that it belonged to some other
ship which had come in collision with the Blervie
Castle, and had met the same fate. This conjec-
ture has arisen from the circumstance of pieces of
wreck having been seen floating in the Channel
different from that of the Blervie Castle, but its
driving about for so long a period would account
for its somewhat altered character, and it is only
reasonable to suppose that it is part of the lost
vessel. There has been a large quantity of
wrecked goods landed, not only at several of
the French ports, but at Ramsgate, Dover,
Margate, &e., some of the cases having the
words "Blervie Castle" upon them, and others only
the figures and marks. On referring to the ship's
manifest, however, it has been clearly ascertained
that the greater bulk of the goods brought ashore
formed part of the cargo of the Blervie Castle.
The circumstance that nothing has been heard of
the boats of the unfortunate ship has exeited some
attention, and with a few of the relatives of those
on board has raised a kind of hope that some of the
people might have escaped from the wreck, and
have got on board some outward bound ship. This,
however, painful as it is to announce, is exceedingly
doubtful. The Blervie Castle was a first-class, stout,
;:oak-built ship ; and, bearing in mind how speedily
she was broken in two, it is easy to imagine that
the boats could not have withstood the fury of the
tempest with any better result. It is very probable
that they were crushed with the ship.
offfa mNtiol
iset of
London,
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and
r many
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etheir
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Captain
left f the
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,lia
andrd y
had been for a long period in the service of Messrs.
Dunbar, and his loss has excited the deepest regret.
In connection with the sad case, a telegram was
received yesterday from Marseilles, announcing the
wreck of the Kindrochet at Caaringa, and that Only

one seaman and eight passengers were saved. Among
those who perished was the master, Capt. M'Hardy,
who is stated to have been a brother of the unfor-
tunate commander eF the Blervie Castle.

It may be stated that the ship was provided with
two signal-guns and rockets. Inquiries have been
made of the keeper of the lighthouse on Cape Gris-
nez as to whether he had heard any signals of dis-
tress fired during the night of Tuesday or Wednes-
day morning, and he answered that he had not.

CHARGE. OF AT.TE3IPTING TO BRIBE
A G'OVERN-11.ENT OFFICER. ;

John A. Salmon, described as staying at the
Temperance Coffee-house and Hotel, 37, King-street,
Cheapside, appeared at the Mansion House yester-
day to a summons, issued npon the complaint of the
Lords of the Admiralty, charging " that you, on
the 12th day of December inst., in the City of Lou-

don, and unlawfully did attempt and endeavour to
bribe one Thomas William Miller, then one of her
Majesty's servants, in her Majesty's dockyard at
Portsmouth, thereby corruptly to induce him
to neglect and do some act contrary to
his duty as such servant, namely, to give
his certificate allowing certain sums of money
claimed by you for certain work and materials
done for and supplied to the said dockyard, against
the peace," &c.
Mr. Douglas Brown appeared to conduct the
case, and Mr. Sleigh for the defendant.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Brown said the circumstances of the case
were very simple and very brief. The defendant
was charged with attempting to bribe an officer
belonging to the Portsmouth dockyard. Some
time ago the defendant was employed to fit a
smoke-consuming apparatus to a boiler in the dock-
yard, and a similar apparatus to a reverberating
furnace in the smiths' shop, the contract for the one
being £96 and the other £6O. Mr. Miller, the
person whom the defendant was charged with
attempting to bribe, had the superintendence of the
work. It was his duty to see that the work was
properly done, and to certify that it was in such a
state as to entitle the defendant to payment. After
the work was completed Mr. Miller was surprised
to receive an envelop addressed to him, and enclos-
ing the half of a £3 note, without a word being
said as to the sender, or anything about it ; and
soon after that he received a letter from the pri-
soner, in which the other half of the £5 note was
enclosed, but without any reference at all being
made to the fact. The learned gentleman then
read the letter, which related principally to the
apparatus fitted by the defendant to the reverbera-
ting furnace in the smiths' shop, and asked to be
allowed another trial, the learned gentleman stating
that the apparatus had not worked satisfactorily.
In conclusion, Mr. Brown said he should be able to
prove the defendant's handwriting ; and then, he
thought, it would be the Lord Mayor's duty to send
the case to a jury.
Thomas Wm. Miller said—l am assistant chief
engineer in her Majesty's dockyard at Portsmouth.
I know the defendent from his having been at the
yard erecting a t.,:noke-consuming apparatus. He
had the order in January, and the work was put
up and the first trial made by the end of March.
It was my duty to see that the work was rightly
done. Mr. Salmon had come down in December,
and represented that he had a patent apparatus
for consuming smoke, and that he had been sent
from the surveyor's office in London. I told him it
was hardly worth his while to try to consume smoke
in Portsmouth dockyard, as it was already done
very effectively; and I pointed out to him several
simple contrivances for effecting that object. I also
showed him a boiler with a common fire door, and
told him, if he liked, he could try his apparatus on
that boiler, provided he got the sanction of the
Lords of the Admiralty. That was in December or
the beginning of January, I cannot positively say
which. Subsequently an order came down from the
Lords of the Admiralty, and was handed to me by
the superintendent oftheyardtopermit Mr. Salmon
to try his apparatus under certain conditions. He
had also something to do with a reverberating fur-
nace ; but that was not in my department, and I
took him to the master shipwright. He said he
could consume the smoke in such furnaces, and he
received an order with that condition. I have seen
the bill of the boiler that was sent to the Accoun-
tant-General at the Admiralty, and on the back of
the invoice I certified. I received the envelope pro-
duced on the 13th inst., in which was enclosed the
half of a £5 note, which I also produce.
Mr. Sleigh—Stay a minute. Whose handwrit-
ing is that address in ?
Mr. Brown—l can prove that.
Mr. Sleigh—Then you had better do it at once.
Mr. Brown (to witness)—You received another
letter ?
Witness—Yes, on the afternoon of the same day.
Mr. Brown—Then before I go further I will call
a witness to prove the handwriting.
Mr. John Field—l am brother and assistant to
Chas. F. Field, of the private detective or inquiry-
office, Devereux-court, Temple. I saw defendant this
morning. I saw him write, and know his hand-
writing. I saw him write on the back of that letter.
By Mr. Sleigh—l was sent to get the defendant's
handwriting by a gentleman connected with our
office. I was instructed to do my best to get his
handwriting, and I pretended that I wanted to do
some business with him, so that I might see his
writing and know it.
Mr. Sleigh—ln order that you might come here
to-day and swear to it?
Witness—l know nothing at all about the trans-
action. I only did as I was told.
Mr. Sleigh—Did you want to buy any of his ap-
paratus ?
Witness—No.
Mr. Sleigh—Then you were sent down to this
gentleman by the Admiralty to inveigle him out of
his handwriting by false pretences ?
Witness—You may call it what you like.
Mr. Sleigh—Very well, then, I call it a trap, and
a very disgraceful trap, too, on the part of the soli-
citor to the Admiralty. How much did you see him
write ?
Witness—What is on the back of that letter.
Mr. Sleigh—Six words and two figures And
from that you come here to swear to the handwrit-
ing of a bundle of letters ?
Witness—No, I do not.
Mr. Sleigh—Then what did you come here for ?
Witness—To swear to that which I saw him write.
Mr. Sleigh—And to nothing else ?
Witness—Not that I know of.
The Lord Mayor—Then if that is all, Mr. Sleigh,
you have done with him, I think.
Mr. Sleigh—Yes, I think so, indeed.
Mr. Brown—But I have not done with him.
What farther took place between you ?
Witness—l asked him how much it would cost
to fit his apparatus at -Winchester, including rail-
way expenses, and he said £5O. I said I might
forget, and asked him to put it down on the back
of this envelope, and he did so.
Mr. Brown—Well, now, look at that letter (that
received by Mr. Miller.)
Mr. Sleigh—Stay, first give me those other docu-
ments that you hold. I object to your speaking to
one while you hold the other.
Mr. Brown—l want him to compare the writing,
and I think I am entitled to do so.
Mr. Sleigh—l object. This is a case to which
the doctrine of comparison does not apply.
The Lord Mayor—l think so too.
Mr. Brown—Very well, then, I give' it up. Now
look at that note, and say whose writing you be-
lieve it to be.
Witness—l believe it to be Mr. Salmon's—that
is, the letter. The envelope I cannot speak to.
Mr. Brown—l have nothing more to ask.
Mr. Sleigh—You ground your opinion as to the
handwriting upon the six words and two figures
which you saw him write this morning ?
Witness—Yes, and upon the letter which he sent
down to Winchester, as to the apparatus I inquired
of him about. I mean by comparing one with
another. I showed him that letter, and asked him
if it had come from him. He said " Yes."
The point of evidence by comparison was here
argued at considerable length by Mr. Sleigh and
Mr. Brown.
Mr. Sleigh—When did you look at the endorse-
ment and compare it with the Winchester letter
itself ?

Witness—lmmediately after I left the defendant
this morning, or before I left his room. After he
wrote it, I formed my opinion as to the letter re-
ceived by Mr. Miller being in defendant's hand-
writing partly on the eix words which I saw him
write this morning, and partly on. the Winchester
letter, which he said was his.
By Mr. Brown—l saw him this morning, at 37,
King-street, the hotel where he stops when in town.
Mr. Brown—Tbe letter to Mr. Miller is dated
from there.
Mr. Miller recalled—l received the envelope
marked A, and on the afternoon of the same day I
received an envelope marked B, containing a letter
and the half of a £5 note, also marked B.
Mr. Brown—l now put in the letter. It is the
one to which the witness Field has pledged his oath
that Le believes to be in the defendant's hand-
writing.
The letter was read ; but, as stated by Mr. Brown
in opening the case, it, made no reference to the
halves of the £5 note.
Examination resumed—The two halves of the £5
note form one. rheleztei is dated Dre. i o. i reported
its receipt to the superintendent of the yard, and
hence these proceedings. I do not think Mr. Sal-
mon is paid yet. I do not know personally whether

the reverberating furnace in the smith's shop has
been tried yet, but I believe it has.
Mr. Sleigh—ls that the whole of the case, I
should like to ask my learned friend ?
The Lord Mayor—l should like to ask the wit-
ness a question or two myself. You state to me
that you are assistant chief engineer at Portsmouth
Dockyard ?
Witness—Yes.

The Lord Mayor—And is it necessary for you to
certify that the work has been done before payment
has been made ?

Witness—No ; but in this case the chief engineer
was away from the yard while the apparatus was
erected, so that he did not know much about it, and
therefore I did certify that the work was properly
done, and sign the invoice.
The Lord Mayor—Did you sign before you re-
ceived the £5 note ?

Witness—One half came before I had signed and
he other half after.

Mr. Goodman (chief clerk)—Was it absolutely
necessary that the invoice should be signed before
payment ?
Witness—Yes.

The Lord Mayor—Had Mr. Salmon any know•
ledge as to the time you would certify for pay.
ment

Witness—Not at all. The invoice had been lyin
with us about a fortnight, and it was signed on the
day I have referred to, in obedience to an order
from London, stating that Mr. Salmon was press-
ing for payment.
Mr. Sleigh—lt might be quite necessary to press
for payment, for I am told the Government officers
are not too prompt frequently in settling such ac-
counts.

The Lord Mayor—l think it hardly fair to say

that.

Mr. Sleigh—Oh, red tapeism, my lord, sometimes
keeps money back which parties require for the
purposes of their families. When you signed and
certified, Mr. Miller, I suppose you certified the
truth and nothing more ?
Mr. Miler—Nothing more.
Mr. Sleigh—Now then, I ask my learned friend,
where is his evidence to sustain the charge ?
Mr. Brown—And I ask his lordship whether he
will commit as the evidence stands.
Mr. Sleigh—Why, there is not a particle of evi-
dence, so far, to prove anything.
Mr. Goodman—Perhaps it would be better to
have a remand for the production of the original
documents, the invoice, and so on; and perhaps Mr.
Brown can produce something further to show a
corrupt motive.
Mr. Brown—Yes, I will ask for a remand, and
then I shall be prepared with all the necessary for-
mal evidence which I have not now, as I was only
instructed late last night.
Mr. Sleigh—Then I ask you, my Lord Mayor,
whether there is evidence to justify you in remand-
ing the defendant, and calling upon him to appear
here again to answer such a charge. Mr. Miller
told you that he only certified to the truth, and
there is nothing whatever to support the charge of
corrupt conduit on the part of the defendant in any
way, and nothing to show that he intended to bribe
Mr. Miller to do any act which was incompatible
with the proper discharge of his duty as: a Govern-
ment servant. lam not here to show, that Mr.
Miller did not receive the two halves of a 1.:5 note,
but only that there was no attempt to bribe on the
part of the defendant, who is the patentee of some
most ingenious inventions and apparatus, which
have been extensively adopted both by public and
private establishments with immense success ; but
I wish to draw your lordship's attention particu-
larly to the means 'which have been adopted to
prove the defendant's handwriting. I will not go
into the merits of the Private Inquiring Office, or
whatever they may choose to call it, of the Fields ;
but I will say that it is a disgrace to the Admiralty
to stoop to the employment of spies, as has been
done here, for the purpose of entrapping a gentle-
man into a criminal charge. It is a foul disgrace
for a great Government department, with all legal
means and appliances at its command, to employ
such means as these, and I do not believe that the
Admiralty Commissioners dream of the way in
which this case has been got up.
Mr. Brown—That is all very well, Mr. Sleigh ;
but will you admit the handwriting ?
Mr. Sleigh—l repeat, it is a disgrace to the Ad-
miralty; and if you know anything about criminal
law you would knew that I can admit nothing.
But I say again there is no evidence to support the
summons, and I ask your lordship to dismiss it.
The Lord Mayor—There is something in one of
the letters received by:Mr. Miller about a steamer
which the defendant expected to have to fit hit
apparatus to. I should like to know the date cf
that letter, as the bribe might be in connection wilh
that expectation.
Mr. Brown—Mr. Miller received only one letter,
my lord. It is that in which the defendant arks
about another trial of the furnace in the srailfs
shop, and in which the second half of the £5 ;etc,
was enclosed.
The Lord Mayor—What is its date ?
Mr. Brown—lt is dated the 13th December, and
the passage you refer to is this. After referriLlg to
some apparatus which he fitted to the stfaraer
Monkey, and which he says works well, the defen-
dant goes on—c, I hope I shall get a betterlressei,
with more boiler power, to do next." I 'lllll, on
the next occasion, complete the case, and all the
evidence I shall then bring forward will be only
formal. I think that when the two halves of a£s
note are sent to a public servant, having the con-
trol of public works, although not a word is said,
by letter or otherwise, as to the object of the enclo-
sures, there cannot be a doubt as to the existence
. of a corrupt motive.
The Lord Mayor—At all events, I shah remand
. the defendant, but I will take his own recognisance
in £4O to appear here again.
The case was then adjourned for a fortcght.