The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-14 00:00:00

NAVAL COURT-MARTIAL.

A naval court-martial, under the presidency of
Rear-Admiral F. Warden, C. 8., assembled on board
her Majesty's ship Victory, at Portsmouth, on Tues-
day, and continued its sittings, by adjournments,
over 'Wednesday and yesterday, for the trial of
Lieut. C. Oxley, Senior Lieutenant on board her
Mniestyle--abip Wolverine, Capt. Cochran.,:Lieut..l
Oxley was charged, Ist, with having allowed
men belonging to the Wolverine to remain
too long in a coal lighter alongside the ship
at the time in danger of being swamped, by which
negligence Henry Baines, leading seaman, Connor
O'Keife, ordinary seaman, and William Haddon,
ordinary seaman, were drowned ; 2d, with hav-
ing neglected to make sufficient preparation
to secure the safety of the men on the lighter, and
with not making sufficient endeavours to save the
men after it was swamped, whereby the three men
were drowned. From the evidence taken for the
prosecution it appeared that the Wolverine, lying
off Quebec on the 4th November last, under orders
to sail for England, was taking coal on board from
two lighters, one on each side, under the supervision
and direction of the prisoner. The work was begun
about 8 o'clock in the morning, when the weather was
quite calm, but soon afterwards a strong breeze
sprang up coining down the river, and by half-past
9 it blew violently. During this squall the Wol-
verine swung across the river on the flood tide, and
the lighter on the port side of the ship, in which
20 seamen were filling her coals in bags for hoist-
ing into the ship, was placed on the ship's weather
side and exposed to the full force of the wind. A
hawser was passed to the lighter by the prisoner
order to keep her head to the sea, but she shipped
large quantities of water, and became altogether so
unmanageable that the two men in charge of her
refused to stay any longer on board the Wolverine.
A short time afterwards the prisoner gave the order
for the seamen to leave the lighter and return on
board the Wolverine. While they were in the act
of doing so the lighter rolled completely over, and
lay keel uppermost alongside the ships. Ropes were
thrown over the ship's side to the men as they
were struggling in the water, and by this means
all but four were got safely on board the ship.
One of these was after wards picked up.
After hearing the evidence and the prisoner's
defence, which was read by Mr. Thomas Cousins,
solicitor, as his friend, the Deputy Judge-Advocate
read the decision of the Court. It was as follows :
The Court considered the first charge proved
in part, inasmuch as the prisoner did allow the men
belonging to her Majesty's ship Wolverine to re-
main in the coal lighter too long after she was in
danger, but that his doing so arose from a grave
error in judgment, and not from negligently per-
forming his duty. The Court were further of opinion
that the second charge had also been proved in
part, inasmuch as the prisoner did not make suffi-
cient preparations to secure the safety of the men on
board the coal lighter, but that after the accident he
made every endeavour in his power to save the
lives of the men. Considering the unusually
large number of very high testimonials received
by the prisoner during the whole period of his ser-
vice, for zeal, good conduct, and professional ability,
the Court only sentenced him to be severely repri-
manded and admonished to be more careful in the
future. The Court, before separating, desired to
express its disapprobation of the manner in which
Lieutenant Erringtou had given his evidence to the
Court." Lieutenant Oxley was then " severely re-
primanded" and " admonished" for his share in the
fatal accident. The censure cast upon Lieutenant
Errington, who was officer at the watch at the
time of the accident, is understood to refer
hfetrte coal
ohaisl
refusal to give an opinion as to any danger
lighter might have been in after the hawser passed
to her from the swinging boom, and just before she
rolled over.

RACQUET MATCH AT ETON COLLEGE.—ETON V.
HARROW. —On Thurday an interesting racquet match be-
tween Eton and Harrow took place in the fine new court
at Eton College. The players for Eton were Messrs. Otta-
way and Tritton, Harrow being represented by Messrs.
Murray and Walker. Play was commenced soon after 12
o'clock in the east court, the gallery of which was thronged
with spectators. Mr. William Gray acted as umpire. By
2 o'clock the match was brought to a close in favour of the
Etonians, they having won seven games and the Harro-
vians four. The three first and the last games were won
by Messrs. Ottaway and Tritton for Eton. The play on
both sides was excellent as well as main, and met
kith Wicii Appian.