The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-20 00:00:00

INQUEST.

The Jury assembled at two o'clock yesterday
afternoon, before TnomAs PATTEN, Esq., Coroner
for the city of Rochester, at the Town Hill, and
afterwards went on board the Canada Convict Hos-
pital ship, lying off Chatham Dock-yard, to inquire
into the cause of the death of John Fisher, James
Coyle, and Samuel Parkes, convict, who were
drowned on Friday morning last, when the Dolphin
hulk sunk, and fell upon her broadside.
The Jury being sworn, proceeded on the Medway
in boats, to inspect the Dolphin. Some of them
descended to the lower decks, and from the ap-
pearances in the wards, it was evident that the con-
victs had made most desperate efforts to escape
from the lower deck in which they were locked.
The Jury afterwards returned to the Canada, and
viewed the bodies of the deceased persons. The
hands of the poor fellows were divested of the flesh,
particularly about the knuckles, and their fingers
were broken; there was a large hole on the side of
the face of one of them (Coyle). It was stated
that the appearances on the bodies were caused by
the rats; but from our observation we have no doubt
that the injuries had been inflicted before death, as
the wounds were bloody.
The Jury were introduced by Dr. Robertson into
the Surgery of the ship, and the following wit-
nesses were examined. Mr. Capper, of the Secre-
tary of State's Office, was present on the part of
Government, and appeared deeply interested in the
inquiry.

George
G Lloyd sworn—l am overseer of the Dol-
phin convict ship, lying off Chatham Dock-yard;
about half-past eleven o'clock in the night of Thurs-
day last, I was on board the Dolphin, and felt a
restlessness in my bed, in consequence of ►r.y body
turning over to the left; I rang the bell which com-
municates to the Quarter-master on deck, but did
not wait till he came, as I found the ship in a wrong
position, inclined to the staiboard side ; I ran to
the quarter-deck, and met the Quarter-master; I
asked him the reason the vessel was not in an up-
right position ? He said that he believed she was
hanging by the piles forward. I immediately went
below, and had the lower deck grating opened
(having previously called all hands through the sky-
light of the quarter-deck), and the first step I took
I was knee-deep in water ; I made my way to the
main hatchway to ascertain the depth of water in
the hold, and the boatswain and two prisoners re-
ported there were six feet water in the hold, and
that the water was entering through a leak on the
staiboard bow; I g►ot a pump opposite the ward I
was in at work immediately, by four men; I had
previously opened two wards on the lower-deck,
containing 27 convicts each, and I procured a key
from the Quarter-master and opened four other
wards; there were eight wards on the lower deck;
the two abaft were broken open by the prisoners. I
should have mentioned, that when I arrived at the
bottom of the stairs leading to the lower deck, I
. called out to all the prisoners to turn out of their
hammocks; there were about 200 convicts asleep
ou the low er deck ; it is a very large deck—it
ranges from one end to the other; I told the people
to go on with the pumps, and 1 would get others
to assist in getting the water out ; before I could
get from the hatchway to the gangway, on my way
to the Dock-yard to procure the pumps, the ship
sprung from the mud and came upon an even keel,
and inclined outwards towards the river on her lar-
board side instantaneously; in my opinion this was
caused by the motion of the convicts from one side
of the ship to the other : I ordered the bell to be
rung, and the military to be called out, and I also
directed a guard boat to be manned on the off side
of the ship ; by this time I was surrounded by great
numbers of the prisoners coining up the hatchway;
we commenced breaking away the lower deck port
bars, and a great many convicts were taken out at
the lower deck ports. I adopted other methods that
I deemed necessary fur the security of the prisoners
in all parts of the ship, arranging the guards, and
directing the men to assist where it was necessary.
I went to bed at half-past eleven o'clock that night;
the mooring chains have never been altered for six
years; they were of sufficient length at high tide;
a rope would move the vessel ; there are three
stacks of piles on the starboard side, and four on
the larboard, for the purpose of keeping the vessel
in a proper position. Quarter-master Hancock was
the person who had the command of the ship during
the night in question.
Mr. Crook (a Juror.)—The vessel was so top-
heavy, that it was necessary to have piles to keep
her upright ? Witness—Yes, it was.
Mr. Crook—l am surprised that, when the ship
was in an inclined position, such as you have de-
scribed it was when you were in bed, that it should
not have risen at that time with the force of the tide,
especially as there were six feet wa er in the hold.
Witness—l can only account for it by stating, that
the ship is aground till half flood, and that the quan-
tity of mud which had collected at the bottom sucked
her down till the convicts got out of bed and set her
in motion.

Juror—Were the piles driven before the ship had
been in the position it is now in Witness—No;
they were driven after she was laid down, 12 years
ago, as a hulk, and she has been leisened 16 feet in
height, 20 in length, and 13 feet in breadth; they

have been taken down four years, I,tr the purpose of
easing her, and preventing any accident occurring.
Juror—She being a merchant ship, if the moo -
lug chains had been in the next deck, would they
have prevented the accident ? Witness—They
would not ; the mooting chains were more fore and
aft, as a security front gales.
Juror—You say the vessel first inclined to the
starboard-side, how then do you account for her
having afterwards fallen down on the larboard side ?
Witness—l account for it by the sudden jerk out of
the mud, and the re-action of the water, which threw
her on the larboard side.

Juror—On first discovering the vessel was in a
wroilg. position, how much was she on the star-
board. side ? Witness—l think about eight inches.
Juror—Then how do you account for it that the
ship, which was inclined eight inches on the star-
board side, should be suddenly turned on the lar-
board side? Witness—l answer, by the re-action
of the water.

Juror—l-lad the moorings been fixed more upon
the quarter, then the accident would not have hap-
pened ? They would not have bad that security to
hold her in gales of wind ; they laid more fore and
aft, and were necessary to her security.
Juror—l think Captain Lloyd said, that a rope
was sufficient to hold the ship ? Witness—Yes,
with the elects. There are ships' knees nailed on
the sides of the ship, which fall into grooves made
by the piles, and the vessel seldom lies on the
stretch of her cable.

Juror—Did you think the ship safe when you
went to bed ? Witness—Yes, I spoke to the
Quarter-master a few minutes past ten o'clock. Ile
told me the tanks containing fresh and salt water
were filled. The tanks, when filled, have a consi-
derable effect in keeping.the ship right.
Dr. Price—From the time you went to bed till
the time you awoke, do you not think the water
must have come in very rapid, to produce six feet in
the hold ? Witness—Half the time would have
done it. The bores of our privies, through which it
entered, areas large as the crown of my hat.
Dr. Price—Had you a watch on the lower deck ?
Witness—No; but the officer (Chief Mate of the
ship) has to go round all the wards, to ascertain if
the convicts are quiet and in their hammocks, and
to see if the ship is in a proper state. He reported
to me, at ten o'clock that night, that all was well.
He does that duty every night at ten o'clock.
Dr. Price—ls it not your opinion that a watch
should be stationed all night on the lower deck ?
Witness—We visit the lower deck several times
during the night, and I do not think a constant
watch is necessary.
Juror—Had there been a watch on the lower
deck, you would have had an alarm as soon as the
water had rushed into the ship ? Witness—Most
certainly.
Juror—Are the sides of the Dolphin formed like
other vessels in the Navy ? Witness—You will
scarcely find two ships alike in the Navy.
Juror—Are the sides of the Dolphin not very
perpendicular ? Witness—She is a wall-sided ship,
and I believe she was built at Bombay, where many
ships are built in that way.
Juror—lf the Dolphin had been formed in her
sides in the same way as other ships of war, would
this accident have been likely to have occurred ?
Witness—l cannot say it might not have happened;
but it would not have been so likely.
CORONER-If the Dolphin had been broader from
side to side, there would not have been so great a •
likelihood of her capsizing? Witness—Certainly..
If she had been broader, the piles would have been
unnecessary.

Juror—Was there not an increase of mud within
the last fortnight ? Witness—There was, and we
had the steam-engine, which took away about ten
or twelve lighter loads, of 30 tons each, about three
days before the accident occurred.

Ur. Price—After the officer reports to you at
night that all is well, is the lower deck visited by an
officer during the night? Witness—Yes, through-
out the night.
Juror—Had any officer visited the lower deck of
the ship from the time you went to bed till you
awoke ? Witness—l cannot say, but it was the
duty of the officer to do so, and the Quarter-master
can speak to that fact.
CORONER—Was there a report ever made that
the ship was cranky ? Witness—About four years
ago I made a report to the Superintendent, and the
hammock-house on the upper deck was taken down
to relieve the ship, and it materially did it. It took
off the weight of 500 men's hammocks, as well as
the weight of the house.
George Hancock sworn—l am Quarter-master of
the Dolphin; between eleven and twelve o'clock on
Thursday night I was the officer on watch on board
the vessel, and I observed her to lurch a little on
the flowing of the tide; she lurched a little on the
night before; and I let some of the water out of the
tank on the ice side, to right the vessel, and the
vessel then righted ; on Thursday night I turned
the cock of the tank, us I had done before, and I
found the ship did not rise ; I ordered Sambrook,
the guard, to go to Moorhouse, the boatswain, and
inform him that the ship would not rise ; Captain
Lloyd afterwards rang the bell, and I went to his
bed-room to answer it ; he was then in bed ; I went
immediately to the bow, to see whether the ship
was foul, and I afterwards went in a boat with the
guard, to see if there was any thing the matter with
the knees of the piles, and I found them all clear ;
while I was there she righted about two feet I ex-
pect, and I returned on deck again; I went down
to the lower deck as they were calling out for
lights ; they were all in the dark, and I returned
and got candles for them ; the convicts were then
ordered to get over to windward (the highest side)
to endeavour to right the vessel. By the motion of
the men, sallied twice to the larboard and once to the
starboard, the last time she inclined on the larboard,
and she remained in that position. The Captain or-
dered some guards to be stationed to prevent the
escape of the convicts. I was ordered in the near
side to receive prisoners, and they were conveyed
on shore.

Captain Lloyd recalled—From the time when I
rung the bell till the time the prisoners were re-
lieved was twenty-five minutes. I ran upon deck
the moment I rang the bell, and did not wait for
the :Quarter-master coming to me. 1 did not see
the Quarter-master till I saw him upon deck. I
said to him, " Good God! why did you not call
me before this had occurred ?"

Juror—There is some discrepancy in the evi-
dence of the Captain and •Quarter-master, the latter
says that the vessel went over to the larboard twice,
and the Captain says she went over only once.
Captain Lloyd—The vessel had but one motion :
the Quarter-master was very much agitated at the
time, and I was angry with him for not informing me
before of tha condition of the ship.
Hancock re-examined—After the report was made
to the Captain at ten o'clock that all was well, and
before the bell rung, in consequence of the ship not
righting as usual, the guard, Sambrook, went down
to the lower deck ; it was his duty to visit the deck
at half-past ten, and every succeeding half hour dur-
ing the night.

Thomas Sambrook—l am guard on board the
Dolphin : about half-past ten on Thursday night I
went on watch, and visited all the decks at that
time, and all was safe, and also at twelve o'clock;
it was about twenty minutes past twelve o'clock
when I first discovered that the vessel did not rise
with the tide; I was walking under the forecastle
and I perceived that the ship careeened ; I pulled a
plug out of the tub which leads to the scupper for
the purpose of letting the water which was running
front the tank flow overboard; I ran to the gang-
%vuy, and told Hancock that the ship heeled, and
looked over the side, thinking she hung upon the
piles; I saw she was clear, and ran down to inform
Moorhouse, the boatswain, and proceeded to the
lower deck and begged the prisoners, who were
loudly calling fur a.si,.tance, to keep silence; it was
then getting towards one o'clock.
Captain Lloyd—There was not a word to Le
heard on the lower deck.

Sambrook—The prisoners were up in a tumult,

milking a green noise as the water was rushing in at
the side. Captain Lloyd gave. orders to see what
water there was Ia the hold ; answer was given, but
the confusion was so great. I do not know the num:
her of fret ; 1 walked in the passage and obeyed
Captain Lloyd's orders accordingly as be issued
them ; I unlocked some of the cells, and so did
Captain Lloyd.
CORONER—The eOtiVictS t out in different
ways, I suppose ? lie,,s—Yes, at last, when
they found the wn'er rnshing in violently, they
could not be contented, and they mittle a rush at
ono-of site-hatchways, and forced me before them:
about 100 convicts were taken out of the bow parts
of the starboard side.

Did you receive orders to let the convicts pass up
the gangway before they made the rush you spoke
of? Witness—l heard no such orders.

By a Gentleman—Had you orders not to let the
convicts pass up the gangway from their wards till
the time they forcibly drove you up to the deck ?
CORONER—I can't see any reason for patting
that question, and will not put it.
Captain Lloyd recalled—l mustered the convicts
at day-light oa Friday morning, and the deceased
were missing.
Jonathan Moorhouse—l am boatswain of the
Dolphin; I was alarmed on Thursday night by the
Quartermaster, who said the vessel would not lift;
I got up, and the Captain told me to see what
quantity of water was in the bold; I went into the
hold, and was up to my neck in water; I was
drawn out by two prisoners, or I should have been
drowned. I foid the Captain there was six feet
water in the hold, and afterwards assisted in get-
ting the convicts on shore. After the muster had
taken place, I found the body of Fisher on the
lower deck, near the bottom step of the ladder, and
that of Parkes was a short distance from it. -The
body of Coyle was afterwards found, and placed
with the others

Captain Lloyd re-examined—Proved that the de-
ceased persons were in his custody on the night of
the accident.

The CORONER read over the evidence, and ex-
pressed his opinion that the apparent discrepancies
were caused by the alarm and confusion that existed
at the time the accident took place.
Juror—ln my opinion the tanks were placed in a
very improper position. They were on the top of
the ship's main deck, the same place from whence
500 hammocks, a house, and other erections had
been removed, because the vessel was top heavy,
and crank.
The CORONER h tying co►acluded his address to
the Jury, left them to consider their verdict.
The Jury were in consultation fur a long time,
and it was supposed they would not have come to
a decision till after midnight.
The following is the verdict, delivered at a late
hour:--

" It is the unanimous opinion of the Jury on the
Inquest:held on board his Majesty's ship the Canada,
upon the bodies of John Fisher, James Coyle, and
Samuel Parkes, that they were accidentally drowned
on board the Dolphin, convict ship, on the morning
of Friday, the 16th of October
"They are also of opinion, that the said convict
ship, the Dolphin, is improperly constructed for tliat
purpose, and they beg to recommend another ship,
or that some other means be adopted to prevent
similar accidents in future.

" The Jury, at the same time, express their unani-
mous opinion of the steady and good conduct of
the Overseer of the said ship, Mr. George Lloyd ;
as it appears to us in evidence, that had it not been
for his prompt exertions on the trying occasion, a
greater number of lives must have been lost."
Captain Lloyd thanked the Jury for the opinion
they had expressed of his conduct; and he assured
them that he had risked his life more than once in
pet forming what he conceived to be his duty.
The Jury applauded the Captain's brief but perti-
nent speech.

His Grace the Duke of ARGYLL has been
pleased to nominate Mr. A. F. STEWART, Preacher of the
Gospel, to be assistant and successor to his father, the Rev.
Mr. F. STEWART, Minister of Craignish, Argylesbirc.—
Caledonian Mercury.

On Sunday evening, between the hours of
seven and eight o'clock, as the servant of Mr. COVING-
TON, 17, George-street, Adelphi, was going up stairs with
two of the children to bed, they suet upon the stairs a man,
with a pistol in his hand, coming down, upon which they
screamed out and ran down again into the parlour, where
Mrs. COVINGTON and a lady were sitting. The man fired
his pistol, either by accident or design, and retreated to the
top of tl.e house, where it appeared he had entered through
the front attic window, which had been forced open. The
police were soon upon the spot, and searched the house,
and the adjoining ones, which are of a certain description,
but without discovering the man. The police stated that
they had been watching the greater past of the slay the
movements of six suspicious characters about the neigh-
bourhood, and they had no doubt the entrance was ef-
fected by one of them. Mr. COVINGTON had not been
gone out half an hour.

Yesterday morning, at two o'clock, the exten-
sive flour-mills belonging to Messrs. REID and ALLAN
were discovered to be on fire. Notwithstanding all the
exertions that it was possible to make under the circum-
stances, the entire building, iu which was a large quan-
tity of wheat and flour, was consumed. Several thousand
pounds' worth of property have fallen a prey to the de-
vouring element ; and, what adds to the calamity, a man
engaged in the establishment, who was aiding in dissever-
ing the connecting timbers between the mill and the dwell-
ing.house, fell into the flames, and was so frightfully burnt
as to leave but little hopes of his recovery. We are in-
formed that the occurrence was purely accidental, being
Occasioned by the friction of part of the machinery, caused
by the neglect of the men in charge of the mill. The
premises were largely insured. The damage is supposed
to exceed 15,0001.—Cork Mercantile Chronicle, Oct. l G.

A general Court-martial was held at Triehi-
nopoly, in the East Indies, on the 11 th of March last, on
Capt. THOMAS DANIEL, of the 89th Regiment, on a
charge of having, in a disgraceful and unbecoming man-
ner, engaged in a personal conflict or struggle, in No-
vember last, with Ensign DEWES, of the same regiment.
The Court declared him Guilty, and sentenced him to be
dismissed the service, but at the same time earnestly re-
commended hint to the merciful consideration of the Com-
mander-in-Chief, on account of his long services and the
insulting language he received from Ensign DEWES. The
Commander-in-Chief, whilst confirming the sentence of
the Court, adds, that he will not fail to bring under the
gracious consideration of his MAJESTY the provocation and
the insulting language to which Capt. DANIEL was ex-
posed from Ensign DEWES, which, his Lordship trusts,
may in some degree, be considered as palliating the breach
of discipline of which Capt. DANIEL has been found
guilty."—At another Court-martial on Ensign DEWES,
for the same offence, the Court found him guilty, and
sentenced him to be publicly and severely reprimanded,
observing, that so lenient a s:ntenee had been passed on
account of his having been struck by Capt. DANIEL in the
fir tt instance, and of his having engaged in the struggle in
self-defence. Tho Commander-in-Chief, in confirming
this sentence, refuses his approval of it, on account of the
insulting language used by Ensign DEWES, and desires that
lie may be sent to England, to report his arrival at the
Horse Guards, and there await his MAJESTY'S decision.

Further accounts have just been received of
Captain Ress, who, in the Victory steam ship, was, on
the 25th of Juiy, in latitude 57. N. The fair wind with
which they sailed left them the day after, and they clinic('
away part of their fore-mast; but would not touch at any
port to refit, lest it should give rise to unfavourable re-
ports. After five days more, they got again a fair wind,
which in a fortnight 'carried them to the harbour of Hol-
steinberg, in Greenland, where they providentially found
the Rockwood, of London, deserted by her crew, and from
which, therefore, they replaced their toast, and supplied
themselves with provisions and stores. In a few hours
afterwards they sailed in a more complete state than when
they left England. They were all in good health and
spirits, and had received the most cheering account pos-
sible of the state of the ice, the inhabitants saying they had
never seen so little ice ! and if ever the north-west passage
was to be made, it wou!d be this year. The wind was
fair, the weather extremely favourable, and the crew be-
having in the most exemplary manner. It may not per-
haps, be known that Captain .lAmEs CI.A ILK Ross, F.R. S. ,
the Captain's nephew, who accompanied bins and Captain
PARRA- in all the former voyages to the polar regions, has
also gone out in the present expedition.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL'S.

The butter part of the afternoon was occupied in set-
tang the aecounts for the N,winarket Second October
Meeting-, whic:l were unusually heavy. especially en the
two gloat matches tun by Ilte two Oaks mares, Green
Unit eam I \Tama. To gise all idea of the extent of the
specula ion, we lieud only state that 1200 to 800 was
laid in one bet on Green Mantle ! An important change
has taken place in the Oaks betting, which it is not very
easy to account for ; the Lreway filly has been first fa-
vourite fur ti.e Oaks, notwithstanding her defeat by
Manche ; they say she ran a stouter mare ; but it appears
more likely that the alteration is effected by the force of
money. Mummer is a shade butter than last week, 1000
to 150 having been taken by a good party ; Mahmoud
(the Advance colt) rose several points, from his running
on Friday last. The Cressida colt has a numerous and
rather influential party ; be is an amazingly tine horse,
and must become a better favourite. NVe subjoin the pre-
sent state of the market :

' CRITERION STAKES (NEXT MONDAY).
Cetus is the favourite, but no odds are quoted.
DERBY, 1830.
7 to 1 agst Sir Mark Wood's The Mummer (taken)
12 to 1 agst Mr. Petre's Brunswicker
16 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Malimoud
18 to 1 agst Mr. Dilly's Cressida colt
20 to 1 agst Lord Selton's Sal cult
20 to 1 agst Duke of Grafton's Rupert
20 to 1 agst Mr. Petre's The Major
20 to 1 agst Mr. Thornhill's \Vat Tyler
20 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Red Rover
25 to 1 agst Lord Sefton's Manche
25 to 1 agst Mr. Dilly's Cetus
25 to I agst Lord Jersey's Cobweb colt
25 to I agst Lord Sefton's Captain Arthur
It is proper to mention that there are three Red Rovers
in these Stakes :—Lord Exeter's Red Rover, by Middle-
ton ; Mr. Rids,lale's Red Rover, by Tramp; and Gen.
Grosvenor's Red Rover, by Nicolo.

OAKS.
8 to 1 agst Mr. Stonehewer's Leeway filly
9 to 1 agst Lord Sefton's Manche
10 to l agst Lord Exeter's Shumla.
No alteration in the St. Leger.
_

The racing season terminates next week with the New-
market Houghton Meeting, wLich is expected to be a re-
markably full one. There are already 13 races fur the
first day. It will occupy the whole of the week.