The Sun.
London, England, 1835-10-26 00:00:00

NAVAL COURT MARTIAL.

The result of the following Court-martial has already ap-
peared in our columns, but, as considerable interest has
been excited relative to the voyage of the Pique, we have
borrowed from the Hampshire Telegraph a more detailed
report of the proceedings :
A Court-martial was held on Tuesday on board the Vic-
tory (hulk to the Britannia), in Portsmouth Harbour,
composed of Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Maitland,
K.C.8., President; and Captains Lord Adolphus Fitz-
clarence, Vidal, Williams, Eden, Beechey, and Hastings,
with James Hoskins, Esq., Judge-Advocate, to try Cap-
tain the Hon. H. J. Rous, and Mr. Hemsley, Master of
his Majesty's ship Pique, for having, on the 22d September,
run that ship on Point Forteau, on the coast of Labrador,
oa her passage to England from Quebec. The proceed-
ings commenced by the Judge-Advocate reading the fol-
lowing letter, addressed by Captain Rous to the Secretary
of the Admiralty :
" His Majesty's ship Pique, .Oct. 13, 1835.
" Sir—l beg you will aquaint my Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty that I left Quebec on the 17th September,
with Lord and Lady Aylmer and suite on board. On the
21st, off Anticosti, wind southerly, I bore up for the Belle
Isle Passage, and being close in with St. John's Head, New-
foundland, at 6. 30. P.m., on the 22d, I stood over to the
Labrador side, to avoid the low shore and islands on the
opposite coast. At 10 P.m., the weather getting foggy,
wind moderate at west, shortened sail, and steered a chan-
nel course E. by N. At 10. 20., whilst the officer of the
watch was in the act of reefing topsails, the master and my-
self looking out, breakers were reported under the bows ;
put the helm hard a port, the ship immediately struck, and
hung ; dewed up everything, and the ship swung with her
head to the northward ; made sail again, and hove all aback ;
she tailed off, but the tide catching her, wedged her in be-
tween two rocks ; furled sails and sent the master to sound ;
down royal and top-gallant yards and masts, the ship strik-
ing heavily.
" The master reported four and a half and five fathoms
round the ship, excepting a rock with three fathoms under
the larboard main chains, and 17 feet abreast the starboard
chess-tree, deep water outside ; the weather being thick and
rainy, we could only discover a low rocky ledge, extending
about 50 fathoms E. S. parallel to the ship, distant about
60 yards ; out all boats, laid out the stream E.S.E. and
hove a heavy strain. The ebb tide made about 11 o'clock ;
employed starting water, heaving shot and guns overboard,
and pumping ship. At two A.M., wind freshened from
W.S.W., boats were obliged to lay under her larboard fore
chains for shelter ; frigate striking very heavily, and the
masts threatening to fall at every blow.
" On the flood tide again making, laid out a kedge S. E.
by S., and warped out the launch, carrying a bower anchor,
with the cutters and jolly boat buoying up a 100-fathom ca-
ble, hove a taught strain. 7.30. wind shifted to W.N.W.,
a point off the land ; set the foresail, bracing forward the
head-yards. 8. piped to breakfast ; 8.15. the ship forged a-
head a few feet (set the fore top sail), and heaving alternately
heavy strains, and the ship's company running forward on
the bow-sprit. At 9.13. she wormed herself out from her
bed of rocks, and ran into Ance or Loup Bay, and anchored ;
frigate making 13 inches of water per hour. This misfor-
tune was owing to the flood tide setting us to the N.W. as
we stood over to the N.E. from the coast of Newfound-
land. The following morning we were under all sail for
England. The leak increased gradually until the 26th
of September, viz., to 23 inches per hour. On the 27th
• lost our rudder, in lat. 50. 10., long. 40. 6. Sept. 28,
shipped a temporary rudder, which was carried away by a
heavy sea on the 29th. Sept. 30, not being able to wear
ship, in a heavy gale from the northward, we were obliged
to heave to, with our head to the W. ; ship labouring
very much, and the foremast working in the step, got top-
gallant mast on deck, cut away best bower anchor, and
cleared out every everything from the fore part of the ship.
On the Ist of Oct. fell in with the French brig Sitifren, of
St. Maloes, who offered us every assistance in her power.
Sent by her the particulars of our situation, lat. 48.48., long.
30. 20. Oct 4, the carpenter successfully stopped up a leak
in her fore foot, and mended one of the chain pumps which
had worn through. On the 6th rigged a Pakenhain rudder,
being the first fine day we had experienced. A heavy sea
carried away this rudder on the 10th, and we again broached
to in a heavy N.W. gale, with our head to the S.W. ; on
the 11th it moderated, wore round. At eight, P.M., on the
12th, were obliged to anchor in 41 fathoms, to the west-
ward of the Caskets, not being able to weather them with a
northerly wind, and at two r.ss., yesterday, got under weigh,
and anchored at St. Helen's at four o'clock, A.M., this day,
having run 1,500 miles without any rudder, and the ship
requiring to be pumped every hour. I have great pleasure
in recommending to their Lordship's notice the gallant and
steady conduct of every officer, seaman, and marine under
all these trying circumstances. It is not in my power to do
justice to their merits, and I am happy that no loss of life
or serious injury has befallen any one.
" I have, &c. " H. J. Rous, Captain.
" To Charles Wood, Esq." &c.

Evidence being then gond into, whereby the whole of the
facts stated in Captain Rous's letter were confirmed, the fol-
lowing testimony was given
Mr. Thomas Harby examined—l am the Master of a
merchant vessel, and have passed up and down the River
St. Lawrence upwards of fifty times. If I was on the

eastern point of Anticosti, the wind hanging to the south-
ward, 1 should most certainly consider it a safe course to
proceed through the Straits of Belleisle, instead of going
the southern passage. If was off the Bay of St. John%
r.ncl had a good view of the land, and perfectly knew all
position, 1 should certainly have no doubt of the pro-
priety of runring through the Straits in the night',..
There is a very strong current running in the Straits ot
Belfeisl!,, from the eastward in mid-channel, which is very
much affected by • the winds, which, by taking a ship on
either bow, would he very likely to throw her out of her
CtuINC. I have found it !to, I have observed that the
cortip:tr* are affected in the Straits, and in every part of
the Gulf and River St. Lawrence. Ido not believe the
latitudes laid down in the charts to be correct ; and caP"
hayfield is of the same opinion, so much so that last year,
when be Caine down to the Straits of Belleisle, he was un-
able to proceed en the survey on finding the headlands laid
down :7,9 inoccurately.
The Right lion. Lord Aylmer examined—l beg, to state
f(,' the Court in the course of a long professional. life,
1 have often been on board of his Majesty's ships, and have
witnessed the conduct of officers and seamen under most
varieties of the service ; the result has been to inspire me
with the highest admiration of his Majesty's naval service
but until the late events on board his Majesty's ship PO°
1 had no conception of what British naval officers and sea-
men were capable of doing. The intrepidity, coolness, de-
cision, and, if I may be permitted, not belonving to the pro"
fcssion, to say so, the seamanlike qualities displayed by Car
tang lions far surpassed anything of which I had Pre'
viously formed an idea. Every difficulty appeared to me .
find a ready remedy in his mind, and to judge by what
saw I should have imagined that the perilous situation of his
Majesty's ship Pique must have been a matter of daily oc-
currence, from the readiness with which Captain Rous pm*
to
vided for every emergency as it occurred. I beg leave
add that he appeared to me to be most ably and efficientlY
Beconded by his officers and ship's company ; his orde.rs
were readily and punctually obeyed, and in no instance did
it appear to me that the discipline of the ship was in any
way affected by the perilous circumstances in which she
was placed.
The evidence for the prosecution having here
Captain Rous made the following defence :
" Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Court—l apPel.r
before you to answer for the cause and circumstance of Ins
Majesty's ship under my command grounding on the coast
of Labrador, on the night of the 22d of September. .11,t
ten o'clock that evening it appeared to Lieutenant Estcourl
we COt&
Lieutenant Richardson, Mr. Hemsley, and myself,
command a distance of two miles with our night-glasses ;
every precaution was taken, the mainsail was hauled °Pi
both anchors clear for running, and the watch in the act °
reefing the topsails preparatory to heaving to, the shin
ended,
steering a channel course E. by N. At 10.20., when, frail
the recent departure from St. John's Head, our distance
was estimated five miles, and we considered the ship in per,
fect safety, breakers were seen a-head, and we struck th,e
rocks. Twenty yards further to the southward the Ell
would have been clear of danger. I can only aeceu.„ll
for this misfortune by the local attraction of the CO"'
pass, which is always experienced in the Gulf of
w.
Lawrence, and the current setting us to the N.
With reference to the report I had the' honour t°
transmit to the Secretary of the Admiralty, I hope till
Court is of opinion that every step in a seaman-like PT:11
of view was taken for the preservation of his Majesty's sue,:
and that no blame can be attached to Mr. Hemsley, f_";
acted under my responsibility. lam happy to say We „-
mutual confidence existed, that Lord and Lady Aylfre;
and the rest of the passengers, although offered a Passab-
to St. John's or Halifax, preferred the dangers of a hoil'rt
ward voyage with their old companions in misfortune•
is my duty to add, that during the night of the 22d, vitt:
the destruction of his Majesty's ship appeared inevital
nothing could exceedithe activity, coolness, and devotion °e
every Officer, seaman, and marine, by whose exertion tee
Pique was restored to his Majesty's service—that the sand
high spirit carried them cheerfully through the fatigues a,
difficulties of bringing a leaky ship across the Atlantic,lrit
out a forefoot, without a keel, without a rudder, working
every hour for three weeks at the pumps, and steering by
the sails ; and if it had pleased the Almighty that the Fit
should have stranded on the rocks, or sunk silently in tri'd
deep, the survivors would have proved to our King .„a"r
country that she was not lost until it was out of the Pi"-
of man to save her."
Mr. Hemsley called on Commander Dilke, of the Wit'./ci'
derer, to speak to his character. Commander Dilke
he considered him a zealous, attentive, and efficient vibe
Mr. Hemsley having handed in written testimonials to tl
same effect, the Court was cleared, and shortly afterwarw"
re-opened, when the following sentence was read ;-- ,;„ti
" The Court is of opinion that from some cause,
had not been accounted for in the evidence, his Idaies,tY,,
ship Pique was four miles to the northward of the situation
that the course and distance run between twenty-fire
minutes after six, when the ship's position was carefully fa
termined, and twenty minutes after ten, would have places
her her in, by which means she run upon Point Forteau,
those on board had every reason to suppose that the su'ps
was four miles distant from the land. The Court °;
further of opinion that no blame is attached either to the ta
Captain the Hon. H. J. Rous, or to the said Mr. WilLlia,4--
Hemsley, for their conduct on that occasion, inasmucn,
they had a personal knowledge of the Straits of Belle's -a
having beat through them on the passage to Quebec, alich
ascertained the coast of Labrador to be safer to fullyaPPr
than the opposite shore. The Court does therefore a
acquit both the said Captain the Hon. H. J. Rous,ena,
Mr. William Hemsley, and they the said Captain the 011,,,
H. J. Rous and Mr. William Hemsley arc hereby
'
acquitted accordingly."

The quantity of hops grounded this year at We;
hill fair amounted to little more than half that of last Ye°
The vintage at Beaune is finished. The soli
was very favourable, and both the quantity and ValitY
the wine promise to be superior to the expectations Pr
Tiously:entertained.

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B IR
On the 24th inst., the lady of B. Hebeler, Esq., of Yorl41ace'
Portman. square, of a son. f the
On the l ith inst., at Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, the lady °-
Rev. J. Balfour Magenis, of a daughter. 0. Henri
On the 22c1 inst., in Craven- t ' t Ch .
of s rem , Charing-cross,
Le Breton, a daughter.

MARRIED. rharles
On the 24th inst., in St. Marylebone Church, the Hon. -- ~, e
Lennox Butler, youngest son of the Right lion. Lord Dul'airiV,
to Eliza, only child and sole heiress of Thomas Lindsey lin
Esq., of Cornwall-terrace, Regent's Park. fourth
On the 22d inst., at Aberdare, Charles T. Alleyne? Esq" f par'
son of the late Hon. John Forster Alleyne, of the Island °„,tice,
badoes, to Margaret Frances, eldest daughter of John BrucePI
Esq., of Duffryn, Aberdare, Glamorgan. Paul's,
On the 24th inst., at the Church of St. Gregory by St. r,,hia.
George Elde Darby, Esq., of the 45th Regiment, to Sarah t-1
lette, daughter of F. Wilson, Esq., of Knight Rider-street.
poi,
On the 24th inst., at Lambeth Church, Edward Lewis inhpei./
Esq., to Catherine, second daughter of the late James Lloyd,
of Gainsborough, Lincoln. Egl''
On the 22d inst., at Mark's, Kennington, Justinian Quare,-,.' ,ua''ll
of Kennington, to Harriet Eliza, third daughter of the late Lin-
Benjamin Bunn, lion. Company's Service.
On the 224 inst., at Hackney, John Dyer, Esq. ,_of Chickiasrdie.:
lodge, Wilts, to Sophia, daughter of the late Joseph Weed°°'
of King's-square, Goswell-road. f gem
On the 224 inst., at Mion, Kent, Mr. William Lnekez° tr.
gent-street, to Sophia, younitgest daughter of the late John I'J",O '
the Bank of England. of Lin'
On the 2'2d inst., at Chelmsford, Henry Methold, Esq., pre-
doln's Inn-fields, youngest son of the Rev. Thomas Meth '0
Wplo
bendary of Norwich, and Rector of Stonham, Suffolk, t0_,71 side
Jane, only daughter of the late George Porter, Esq., of ea' mon
Lodge, Essex, and niece of the Lord Chief Justice of the Cc°
Pleas. IVir• Cer'
On the 17th inst., at St. Augustine's Church, Bristol, •_
''f St.
nelius Brown, of Lawrence-lanee, London, to Miss Brunsdon,
Augustine's parade.
DIED. „ ife "1
On the 224 inst., at St. Leonard's, aged 40, Emily'
Woodbine Parish, Esq., formerly his Majesty's Charged
at Buenos Ayres. a P4'
On the 24th inst., on Clapham Common, Samuel Lawfor, for f
in his 87th year. Sersh
On the 24th inst., at Beaumont-street, Marylebone,
Maria, wife of the Rev. Theyre T. Smith. y, I`4" v
On the 25th inst., at Earl's Court, Old Brompton, - On:
of Robert Gunter, Esq., aged 27. ,_..oline,
On the 18th inst., at Rowley Rectory, Yorkshire, t-,)!Aiter
est
(l
wife of the Rev. Lovett Edward Thoroton, and young
a"
of the late Sir Alexander Grant, Bart. r-Place'
On the 19th inst., Alexander Allan, Esq. of Grosveno of oar
Cheltenham, youngest son of the late James 'Allan, Esti"
ham-rise. f the 'lite
On the 20th inst., at Barnard Castle, Jane, w:dor %shire.
Joseph Hanby, Esq., Captain, R.N., of East Wood, Yori pie al.
On the 28th ult., in his 61st year, the Rev. SanlSlthedre f
8,D., rector of Hartlebury and prebendary of Hereford . iiiiii, v
On the 23d inst., John Filden, son of Mr. John Robert " .
Stockbridge-terrace, Pimlico, in his sth year. Rich°
On the 234 inst., in Chapel-place, Caverlish-square,
priest
Oswin, Esq., of Huntingdon, in his 75th year. Mfg.
On the 20th inst., on Blackheath-hill, aged 75,
relict of the late James Innes, Esq., of Stratford, Essex. , joelen"
On the 19th inst., at Broadstairs, Grace, john
der,' Esq., of Gloucester-place, Portman-square. A Tar, .
On the 224 inst., at Camden-street, in his 53. ).
_to /nog
Morice, Esq., late of St. Helen's-place; and on the prole
et
ing, Marianne, his eldest daughter, aged 24. Drompto i
On the 21st inst , at the house of her daughter, inof the 113
Susannah, relict of the late Thomas Medland, Esq.,
......e.
India College wife of Robert

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