The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-05 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PonTsmotmr, AUG. 2.—The Victoria and Albert Royal
steam-yacht, Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, was taken
out of dock yesterday and alongside the shears and masted ;
she had also her new funnel fitted and fixed. There now
appears some probability of this fine vessel being again fit for
the service of her Royal owners. Her Noble Captain so-
journed in Portsmouth several days to expedite her fittings,
and now she has terminated her long residence in dock, it
may be presumed she really is to convey her Majesty and
Prince Albert upon their marine excursions.
The Seaflower cutter, Commander N. Robilliard, and Lily.
16, were undocked on Thursday ; the former, after having
been overhauled and repaired ; the latter to be brought for-
ward to compete with the new experimental 12 gun brigs,
which squadron, we are now told, will not be commissioned
until the whole (brigs and competitors) are ready for the
pendant.
The Dwarf steam-vessel, Lieutenant Commander W.Cham -
berlayne, arrived from Plymouth on Tuesday, which she left
on the previous day. On her passage, however, her boilers
were found to leak, and she was consequently compelled to
hoist canvass, under which she came into this harbour. She
appears very ill adapted as a sailing craft, being exceedingly
narrow and lugger-rigged, fitted with the screw instead of
paddles. She is undergoing repairs in dock here.
The Comet steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Pretty-
man, arrived on Monday from Woolwich, and will remain at
this port under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir
Charles Rowley.
The Firebrand steam-sloop was towed out of the basin on
Monday. It is expected that Captain A. L. Corry will hoist
a broad pendant as Commodore of the second-class on board
this splendid vessel, and take the command of the experi-
mental squadron.

The Queen, 110, Captain Martin, was taken out of dock
and entered the basin alongside the jetty on Tuesday. She
is entering hands to endeavour to make up her complement,
and otherwise completing preparations for sailing, to take the
command-in• chief at the Nore.

The Collingwood, 80, Captain H. Eden, flag of Rear-Admi-
ral Sir G. Seymour, is still at Spithead waiting sailing orders.
Her crew were mustered and inspected by Captain Eden (the
Commander-in-chief, Sir Charles Rowley, being still in a
very weak state of health) yesterday, and she will be paid
two months' advance this day.
The Spy brigantine, paid off at Chatham on Tuesday, will
be overhauled and repaired, and be brought forward for re
commission, being found too useful a vessel to be idle. -
The America, 50, Captain the Hon. John Gordon, sailed
frem Madeira on the 28th ult. for the Brazils. Private letters
speak of her sailing qualifications as first-rate.
The Amazon, 26, razde corvette, and Vulture, first-class
steam-frigate, are both ready for the pendant at Sheerness.
It is not expected that the Vernon, 50, will be recommis-
sioned at present.
The Rose, 18, Commander H..R. Sturt, was at Vera Cruz
on the 14th ult., awaiting the arrival of the Electra, 18, Com-
mander A. Darley, from the Leeward Islands, to relieve her.
Terrific gales have been blowing since Tuesday morning
from the north-west upon this coast. Their violence has
been unprecedented for this time of the year. Considerable
damage has been done to the corn standing near the beach,
and many boats and other craft have dragged their anchors
and gone out to sea. The violence of the wind is unabated,
although the tumult of the waters is somewhat decreased.
Yesterday and Wednesday the water washed over the walls
of the town as the tide rose with fearful rapidity, and heavy
showers have continued to pour down at short intervals ever
since Tuesday morning.
The new steam-basin in course of construction in the Royal
dockyard, for vessels of war, is rapidly being proceeded with,
and when finished will form one of the most complete and
spacious establishments of the kind in the world. Three
new building-slips, for ships of any class, are also in rapid
course of completion. These are in lieu of those demolished
to enlarge the site of the new steam-basin.
The Prince Regent is in speedy course of cutting down
from a first-rate to a 90-gun ship. Her new elliptic stern,
which is now being fitted, will add greatly to her beauty and
appearance.
The Vindictive, 50, Captain J. Toup Nicolas, is in bar.
bour, returning stores, preparatory to being paid off. It is
not expected, however, she will remain long out of commis-
sion, being such a crack ship.

IMPORTANT COURT-MARTIAL.
SECOND DAY.
Tlamwries••••• • • . • •
late commander of her Majesty's -firtgantine Bonetta. At
the request of Lieut. Gray, Mr. Elworthy read the defence,
as follows :—The first charge, and that in which, individually,
I am the most interested (as I believe I may venture to say
no evidence has or can be adduced to connect me with thi
second and third charges), is for disobedience of orders in
causing the French vessel to be detained and searched, she
having at the time displayed her proper colours, &c. Gen-
tlemen, I beg to state that it never was my intention to
ground my defence on my not having received the orders,
the breach of which is charged on me. I admit that I had
them, and I shall, I trust, show this Court that I intended to
be guided by them. As I understand the question for the
deliberation of this Court upon this first charge, it is whether
or not there was any sufficient cause for me to suspect that
the vessel which I saw with the French colours was not bond
fide a French vessel. I do not understand that the hoisting a
French flag was of itself to preclude me from satisfying my-
self of the nationality of the vessel; because if the mere act
of hoisting such colours would entitle the vessel so hoisting
them to the benefits of the convention between France and
England, the effect would be to give protection to the slave
trade, inasmuch, as in my case, there are ships looking out
for slavers which are not supplied with French warrants.
I therefore submit, that if I establish to the satisfaction
of this Honourable Court reasonable cause of suspicion, I
shall be entitled to an acquittal of this charge for dis-
obedience of orders in having boarded the Luiz d'Albu-
querque, and examined her papers. Beyond this, gentle-
men, I do not attempt to justify the search which was made.
I never intended it should be made, and I am compelled to
say I never intended she should be searched ; neither did I,
as far as I have any knowledge of what I did, give an order
for the vessel to be searched. It will be for the Court, when
the evidence is produced, to judge whether the officer who
searched acted under a misapprehension of my order or not.
As to the grounds for suspecting this vessel, I would first
state that the exterior appearance answered entirely to the
description of one I was in search of, stated to be a Brazilian
from Bahia. Her build and rigging were precisely that of
the Brazilian slavers. She was in the exact position I should
have expected to meet the vessel I was in search of. We
chased her for twenty-four hours before we came up to her.
During that time she steered a course to avoid me, and, up
to the moment of her hoisting the colours, I and all on board
took her for a Brazilian slaver. Upon her hoisting French
colours I remarked, " If she is French we cannot keep her."
Gentlemen, what led me to this remark ? It was my know-
ledge of the orders, and that I had not a French warrant.
But should I have performed my duty to my country, if,
with these suspicions on my mind, I had instantly given up
the chase? My feeling is, that I should not, and I most re-
spectfully beg to put this part of the case prominently to
every individual member of this Hon. Court. If it was my
duty to have instantly left the chase and resumed my station,
without taking steps to identify her nationality, then I am
guilty of a breach of my orders, but guilty under a gross mis-
conception of those orders, and of the service I was engaged
in. But if you, gentlemen, should be of opinion that
under these suspicions, I ought not to have been satisfied, by
the mere exhibition of the flag, but, that I had a right to
board the vessel to look at her papers and ascertain the truth,
if I may so term it, of the colours, then I hope you will find,
at the end of this case, that, as in the commencement I acted
as became an officer, so I continued to act to the end of the
matter; and, it is well known that the hoisting of false co-
lours is a very common deception. The French flag is not
very frequently desecrated by affording its sanction to slavers,
and therefore I the more readily doubted its being the true
flag of the vessel. With this impression I ordered, in the
usual way, the second in command to go on board the French
vessel, and examine her papers strictly. The fact of the men
I going armed, and of their being picked men, are, I humbly
submit, quite unimportant, because, for whatever purpose
they were sent, they would not go to a suspected slave ves-
sel unarmed; besides, I intended they should go on this occa-
sion to a vessel which I suspected would prove a prize. These
were the facts which preceded my sending the boat—these
the grounds of my suspicions—and these, I think, are all the
circumstances which are involved in the first question, my
sending the boat to examine the papers. I look at the
hands of this lion. Court for that consideration which is
always accorded to an officer in the zealous execution of
his duty; and, although I do not ask for myself anything
but what the facts of the case fairly justify, yet I do ven-
ture to beseech this Honourable Court to give to all the
circumstances thus far alluded to the construction, which
they would fairly bear if they were entirely separated
from, and wholly unconnected with, any other part of the
case. Now, gentlemen, it is for me to satisfy you as well as
I am able, that it never was my intention to search thisb
vessel, and, therefore, that I did not give the order.
to refer to that part of the evidence for the prosecution, whiche
proves that I sent an order to stop the search. The witness
said said he received an order by a quartermaster stop e
search ; he was asked if that was done after my report from I
him that he was searching, and his answer being in the
affirmative, the conclusion would be that I had altered my
mind, or that I thought they had searched enough. But,
gentlemen, the fact was, that having requested the clerk
(Mr. Parminter) to assist in examining the papers, and not
seeing our men, being on deck, I thought they were doing
that which I had not ordered, and I sent the quarter-master ,
with an order that they were not to search. From the time
my attention was drawn to the transaction, by their Lord-
ships' first letter, to this present moment, I have asserted,
both verbally and in my official correspondence, that Lieut.
Bullock acted under a misconception of my order. I now
declare, upon my honour, that I never did intend, nor, ac-
cording to my knowledge, did I, in fact, order Lieut. Bullock
to search the, vessel. That officer does not positively state,
that I gave such an order. He says that he acted
under the impression he had received such an order. As
further proof of the improbability of my giving such an
order, I would remark, that a search would not have proved
of the least advantage, even if we had found slaves on board,
because I had not the warrant ; but it was essential to be
sure that she was truly French. I submit, that in the ab-
sence of positive proof, and seeing that in all the other points
of this case my conduct was that of an officer carefully exe-
cuting a duty of great delicacy, this Court will give to my
solemn assertion that weight which, in a doubtful case, it
would reasonably be entitled to. I have been much employed
in service of this nature, and have ever been particularly
careful. Amongst my testimonials there will be found special
reference to my conduct on similar occasions. I will now

proceed to what subsequently occurred. On my- arriving on
board, I saw three or four Portuguese. The master (Bello)
stated that be had no chronometer; that he was on a voyage
from Bahia to Wydah, and produced his log, which comisted
of lopse sheets of paper recently written, the ink being wet.
I had not the least doubt of the vessel being a slaver. I saw
the recently prepared papers, yet I knew that if truly French,
I could not detain her, and, therefore, most retuctantly
quitted the ship, first entering on the log a minute of my
visit, and t'he cause of my not detaining the vessel. Although
I apprehend that no part of the evidence already given sup-
ports the second and third charges, I shall feel it my bounden
duty, with leave of this Hon. Court, to'place the truth indis-
putably upon the minutes by prodifcing all the officers I can
find who were on board the French vessel, as well as to
show what were my orders on board as to the return
of the boat, and I trust there will not exist any ground for
imputation of neglect or want of discipline.
A statement of Lieutenant Gray's services waa here handed
into Court, together with - a number of testimenials from
various distinguished officers under whom he had served,
who spoke of him in the highest terms as an officer and a
gentleman.
Captain Foote, of her Majesty's ship Madagascar, was the
first witness called, and in answer to questions by the pri-
soner, said—
As commanding officer on the African station, if I saw a
vessel under the French flag, which I suspected to be a
slaver, I should feel it my duty to board her; to ask the cap-
tain in the most polite and courteous manner to let me see
her papers, and, having ascertained she was a bond fide
French vessel, immediately to quit her, if the weather would
permit me to do so ; but, if I had any reasonable grounds
of suspicion from incorrectness or falsity of the papers, then I
would take upon myself the responsibility of detaining that
vessel as a slaver, and search accordingly.
By the COURT—Does Captain Foote think the papers were
false ?

Captain Foote—l don't know anything about the circum-
stances. I was perfectly satisfied with Lieutenant Gray's
official letter to Commander Hope transmitted to me in the
usual course of service, and reporting his having boarded
the Luiz d'Albuquerque on the 4th of July, 1842, because
Lieutenant Gray stated in that letter, that although the
Luiz d'Albuquerque was fully equipped for the slave trade,
vet he could not detain her, having no warrant so to do ;
but there was nothing in that letter relating to the searching.
All officers employed on the west coast of Africa on boarding
a French or American vessel report direct to the Admiralty,
per order, without waiting to do so through the medium of
the commanding officer.
_ .

The following queition was then Put to the witness by the
prisoner—Would you have been satisfied with my conduct if
I had not examined the papers of the Luiz d'Albuquerque
under the circumstances? Captain Foote—lf I had received
information that Lieutenant Gray had seen a vessel which
hoistea French colours, and had not ascertained her nationa-
lity, I should have been very highly displeased, I,ecause I
consider that the mere display of a }much flag may be done
by the most arrant Brazilian and Portuguese slaver, to avoid
capture ; and it is very frequently done on the west coast of
Africa, both with the French and-American flags.
What is your opinion of the state of discipline of the
Bonetta whilst under your command? Captain Foote—l
never saw the Bonetta but once, about March, 1843. I then,
in the usual course of service, inspected her, and I was per-
fectly satisfied with her state of discipline.
Mr. W. APDermott, assistant-surgeon, deposed to having
gone on board the Luiz d'Albuquerque with the other offi-
cers; the object of the Bonetta going to New Sestos
was to look after a vessel of which they had received
information,, supposed to be a slaver. They saw the
Luiz d'Albuquerque the day before she was boarded,
and chased her until they came up with her. lie thought,
after he was on board of her, that she was a suspicious vessel,
from seeing two or three persons on board dressed in Spanish
or Portuguese costume, and from the captain not coming to
receive the officers, and when he made his appearance being
much agitated. There were several suspicious articles on
board—farina and beef, which is generally used fur feeding
slaves, a slave deck, which was pointed out to him by Mr.
Elliott, and some slave irons.
Mr. W. Parminter, clerk on board her Majesty's ship Col-
lingwood, and late clerk in charge of ker Majesty's ship Bo-
netta, said, that about two a.m. on the 4th July the haze

cleared off, and they saw apparently the same vessel. Chased,
and fired a gun at a quarter-past 'three. She did not hoist
her colours until several minutes after the gun was fired,nor
did she bear up till a few minutes after that. She got to
leeward of the Bonetta about four o'clock, and he went on
board in the cutter with Mr. Bullock, Mr. Elliott, and Dr.
M'Dermott, with eight men. The passengers were not all
noted down in the papers, and his log was written on sheets
of paper apparently done that morning, from the colour of
theink being the same throughout.
Samuel Dumpily, Greenwich pensioner, was in the Bo-
netta on the day alluded to, and that he was doing duty as
master-at-arms, and that he searched the men one by one as
they came up the ship's side from the boats, on their return
from boarding the French vessel, and that he went down
afterwards and searched the boats, and found nothing what-
ever except a case of wine and a box of cigars, belonging to
one of the officers.

Lieutenant George L. Norcock, of her Majesty's ship St.
Vincent, had served several years on the coast of Africa, and
had repeatedly during that period of service boarded vessels
to ascertain their nationality.
By the prisoner—lf a vessel hoisted French colours, and
you suspected her of being a Brazilian slaver, what would
have been your duty if commanding a cruiser?
Lieutenant Norcock—Having commanded her Majesty's
brig Forester on that coast 18 months, I always considered
it my duty, on observing a vessel, to chase her, bring her
to, and board her, and ascertain her nationality. Finding
I was duly authorised to search, I did so. If I found she had
not hoisted false colours I did not search her. During three
years I served on the coast of Africa, I found that vessels
were in the habit of hoisting any colours they pleased. A
cruiser, therefore, could never ascertain what nation they
belonged to, or what trade they were employed in, as they
frequently had both false papers as well as false colours, and
the true ones have been frequently found concealed in the
most extraordinary places.
The Court was then cleared for a short time, and upon its
being re-opened.
_ _ _

The PiESIDENT declared that the Court was of opinion
that the ethArgthild-hcell..l4We.d.; Mas this mocivik..tlyiv.
primrnded, and cautioned him to be more particular in giving
orders for the future.

The finding of the Cot►rt appeared to astonish all those
who had listened to the evidence.

THE REGATTA AT HAVRE DE

GRACE.

The superiority of the English watermen has been again
proved in the regatta at Havre. Encouraged by the success
which has hitherto attended them in their competition with
our continental neighbours, two six-oared cutter crews,
composed of London watermen, made their appearance at
Havre to contend for some valuable prizes, " open to all the
world," but their reception was anything but consistent with
the spirit of fair play. The boats they had taken over were
objected to by the Frenchmen, and although they had new
ones themselves the English watermen were compelled to
row in two old ones of their selection or decline the contest.
The latter was not at all congenial with their feelings, so
they set to work scraping, dressing, repairing, and altering,
the boats to which they were perfectly unaccustomed, to
render them as fast as they could for the event, in which
they were determined to take an active part notwithstanding
the difficulties that had been thrown in their way. The trial
beat was rowed on Sunday, and eleven boats were afloat in
it, The London crews consisted of R. Coombes, J. Phelps,
R. Newell, T. Coombes, IL Doubledee, H. Green, and D.
Coombes, coxswain, in one boat; and W. Pocock, James
Dodd, W. Shelton, F. Lett, W. Robins, C. Campbell, and
J. Parish, coxswain, in the other. It was a runaway race,
and won by Coombes' party being first, and Pocock's second.
On Monday the French crews did not row, because it rained,
and Lett's place was taken by Parish, T. Dewes steering.
The grand heat was rowed with six boats on Tuesday, when
the foreigners hemmed in the English boats directly after
the start, and the French pilot-boat carried off the 1,500
francs, Pocock's party being second, and Coombes' third ;
thus receiving 300 francs as second, and 200 francs as third.
In the whale-boat race for 1,000 francs, the Londoners hav-
ing borrowed an old boat and " operated" upon her as before,
mixed their crews, and the following stepped into her to give
their opponents some work :—Charles Campbell, Phelps,
Newel, Dodd, and Pocock, D. Coombes steering. Five boats
started, but the Londoners went away from them, and won
in gallant style.
Our men complain very severely of the treatment they
altogether received as wagermen.