The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-27 00:00:00

THAMES.

DREADFUL Cnunury TO A SAILOR BOY. - Alexander
Gordon, the master, and John Cummings, the chief mate of
the ship Diathesis, from Brazil, now lying in the London
Dock, were brought before Mr. Broderip, charged with as-
saulting William Scott, an apprentice belonging to the same
vessel, on the high seas, within the jurisdiction of the Admi-
ralty of England.

Mr. Pelham defended the prisoners.
'William Scott, a youth aged sixteen years, stated that on
the oltward voyage, the day after crossing the line, he was
rather late in turning out of his berth, and the mate came
down with the end of the fore bowline (a thick rope), and
flogged him with it as hard as he was able. He was then driven
on deck, and sent up aloft with nothing on but his shirt to
take the rigging down. The mate followed him up, and
while he was upm the foreyard again beat him with the rope.
After he had received three or four lashes he ran further
upon the yardarm to save himself from the blows, and
was followed by the mate, who continued striking at him.
He then jumped off the yardarm, and made an attempt to
catch the backetay, which he missed, and fell into the sea.
The ship was going at the rate of seven knots an hour,
and she was put about, and he was picked up in an almost
insensible state. He had scarcely recovered his breath be.
fore the mate recommenced flogging him with the same rope.
The captain then dragged him to the after part of the ship,
and. exhibited a heavy cat, and said that was made for him,
and gave him a lash with it. The mate sent him up aloft
with the tar-bucket again, directly he had put on a dry shirt,
and he accidentally dropped some of the tar on the top-gal-
lant sail, in consequence of the rolling of the ship. He was
called by a boy to go to the wheel, and as he was about to
do so the mate seized him, and made him fast to the mizen
rigging, and after he had let down his clothes, and hauled his
shirt over his head, the captain gave him two dozen lashes
with the cat on his bare back. After he was released, and
while his back was bleeding profusely, the captain ordered
him to go on his bended knees and implore his mercy. When
he had done so the mate seized him up to the mizen rigging
a second time, and said he should give him another dozen.
The captain, however, would not allow. him to do so, but
called one of the boys, who was ordered to give him a dozen
lashes, and they were inflicted in the presence of the captain
and mate. He was not ill-used any more that night, but
on the following night the master said he intended to
put some vitriol on his back, and called upon the mate
to pour it over him, saying that he was afraid
of burning his fingers. The mate said he was
also afraid of burning his fingers, and ordered him to go
down on his hands and knees. When he had done so he was
stripped, and the mate poured a quantity of vitriol out of a
phial over his back. The pain was excruciating, and lie sung
out fur mercy. That night it was his watch on deck, and
the mate compelled him to walk about on the poop with a
handspike over each shoulder, and also made him count the
number of tails of the cat, and how many knots there were
there. The cat had eight tails and was very heavy. His
back was sere and inflamed for some time, and he could not
bear anything to touch it.
On cross-examination by Mr. Pelham, the lad said the
captain ordered him to return thanks to God for being saved
from a watery grave when he was upon his knees. and di-
rectly afterwards flogged him.
Joseph Morris, a seaman,who was discharged from the ship
in South America, confirmed the evidence of Scott in every
particular, and said there were three over-hand knots in each
tail of the cat. The lad's back was dreadfully lacerated.
He rubbed the vitriol off his back with a flannel, but the
lad could not bear it to be touched, and shrieked aloud with
pain. The boy was very badly used all the outward voyage
by the master and mate.
Two lads belonging to the Mathesis were also examined,
and corroborated the whole of Scott's evidence.

The prisoners, by the advice of their solicitor, said they
should reserve their defence ; but Captain Gordon said he
should be obliged if the Magistrate would prevent either of
the apprentices who had been examined from going on board
ship again.
. _

Mr.BitopEntP said he could give no such order, and asked
the captain his reasons for making such a request.
Mr. Pelham said that Capt. Gordon charged the boys with
theft, and was really afraid, if they went on board, they
would commit further depredations.
Mr. BRODERIP asked how long the ship had been in this
port? John Judge, inspector of Thamos police, who appre-
hended the prisoners, replied a week.
Mr. Buontsatp—Has the captain made any charge of theft
against either of the boys? Judge—None whatever.
Mr. BRODERIP said the fact should be recorded in the de-
positions, and then ordered the prisoners to find bail, each in
his own recognisance of 200/., and two good and sufficient
sureties of 1001. each, to appear and take their trials at the
present session of the Central Criminal Court.
The prisoners were then removed in the custody of the
gaoler.

TUESDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE.
DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS.
A. H. Chambers, sen., and A. H. Chambers, jun., New
Bond-street, bankers—first div. of 9s. in the pound, on Sa-
turday next, and three following Saturdays, at the office of
Mr. Groom, Abchurch -lane, City.
A. H. Cliambers, sen., New Bond-street, banker—first div.
of ss. 6d. in the pound, on Saturday next, and three follow-
ing Saturdays, at the office of Mr. Groom, Abchurch-lane,
City.

V. Barber and W. Marshall, Walsall, Staffordshire,
bankers—second div. of 6d. in the pound, any Thursday, at
the office of Mr. Valpy, Birmingham.
J. V. Barber, Walsall, Staffordshire, banker—second div. of
6s. 2d. in the pound, any Thursday, at the office of Mr. Valpy,
Birmingham.
C. W. Kesselmeyer, Manchester, merchant—first div. of
2s. 7d. in the pound, any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Fraser,
Manchester.
A. H. Simpson and P. H. Irvin, Blackfriara-road, Surrey,
engineers—first div. of Bs. 4d. in the pound, any Friday, at
the office of Mr. Follett, Sambrook-'court, Basinghall-street.
J. Bennett, Little Birch, Herefordshire, cattle-dealer—first
div. of Bs. 6d. in the pound, any Thursday, at the office of
Mr. Valpy, Birmingham.
C. Sharratt, Walsall, Staffordshire, saddler's ironmonger—
second div. of Is. 10'4d. in the pound, any Thursday, at the
office of Mr. Valpy, Birmingham.
C. Webb, Oxford, apothecary—first div. of 2s. in the
pound, any Saturday, at the office of Mr. Edwards, Frederick's-
place, Old Jewry.
H. Haynes, Scole, Norf.lk, innkeeper—first div. of ls. in
the pound, any Saturday, at the 'office of Mr. Edwards, Fre-
derick's-place, Old Jewry.
W. H. Baldock, Canterbury, banker—third div. of 10%d.
in the pound, . any Saturday, at the office of Mr. Edwards,
Frederick's place, Old Jewry.
J. Groombridge, Abbey-street, Bermondsey, licensed vic-
tualler—first div. of is. in the pound, any Saturday, at the
office of Mr. Edwards, Frederick's. place, Old Jewry.
T. R. Withers, Rumbridge, Hampshire, brewer—first div.
of 7s. in the pound, any Saturday, at the office of Mr. Ed-
wards, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry.
J. Lewis, Birmingham, card-board manufacturer—first div.
of 9id. in the pound, any Friday, at the office of Mr. Whit-
more, Birmingham.
T. W. Green, Leeds, bookseller—second div. of ss. in the
pound, any day, at the office of Mr. Young, Leeds.
T. Bousfield, Lincoln, ironmonger—first div. of ss. in the
pound, any day, at the office of Mr. Young, Leeds.
B. Wrigley, Saddleworth, Yorkshire, woollen cloth-manu-
facturer—first div. of 7s. sd. in the pound, any Tuesday, at
the office of Mr. Fraser, Manchester.
E. Lawton and T. Kay, Rochdale, Lancashire, iron-
founders—first div. of 2s. in the pound, any Tuesday, at the
offie of Mr. Fraser, Manchester.
DIVIDENDS.
Dec. 20, T. Shaw, Southampton, wine-merchant—Dec. 20
W. Parsons, Wood-street, Princes-road, Lambeth, corn-
dealer— Dec. 20, S. Davies, Somerset Wharf, Bankside, coal
merchant—Dec. 19, W. Best and J. Snowden, Southampton,
printers—Dec. 20, R. Evans, J. Foster, S. Z. Langton, and
T. Foster, Barge-yard, Bucklersbury, East India merchants—
Dec. 16, T. and T. P. Trapp, Church-street, Southwark,
tallow-chandlers—Dec. 16, J. Peake, Tolleshunt Knights,
Essex, miller—Dec. 16, J. Miller, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham,
patent sail-cloth' manufacturer—Dec. 16, W. C. Knight,
Great Suffolk-street, Southwark, builder—Dec. 16, D. Bid-
mead, Bread-street, Cheapside, warehouseman—Dec. 18, J.
H. Limes, Richmond, Surrey, butcher—Dec. 19, J. Courtney,
Bristol, banker—Dec. 19, W. Jones, Park, near Cardiff, ship-
builder—Dec. 19, J. Raleigh, T. S. Goode, and W. Holland,
MancUeter, merchants—Dec. 17, J. Carruthers, Blackburn,
lineuckaper—Del. 17, W. Brown and T. rrestonjuz,