The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-20 00:00:00

STEAM-BOAT COLLISION.

At the Greenwich Police-court, on Friday, William Phil-
lips, captain of Waterman 12, appeared to a summons at the
instance of the Old Woolwich Steam-packet Company, for
alleged wilful damage to the Ariel steam-packet, under the
following circumstances:—
Mr. Lewis, of Hatton-garden, attended for the complain-
ant, and Mr. Pelham for the defendant.
The case had been adjourned from Friday week, in conse-
quence of the great length of evidence to be adduced, viz.,
four witnesses only out of seventeen having been examined.
The evidence, as in all such matters, is of the most con-
tradictory character. For the plaintiff, it was deposed, that
on the 24th of November last, at two o'clock in the after-
noon, both boats started from Woolwich for London, the
Waterman takint the lead, and arriving at Charlton Pier a
few minutes before the Ariel, and was taking in her pas-
sengers, moored head and stern, and occupied the whole
length of both piers, which are separated by about six feet,
the entire length being about one hundred. While so lying,
the Arid came up; finding her place.occupied by No. 12, a
rope was cast over from herquarter abaft thebits, andsecured
to the pier for the purpose of landing and taking in her pas-
sengers.
Immediately afterwards the defendant used some foul lan-
guage, and called to a boy for a hatchet, which having
been procured, he chopped at the rope three or four times,
and succeeded in cutting through three strands of it, when
the man on board the Ariel let go. John Ryan, captain of
the Arid, then desired the defendant to go astern, that be
might get his vessel properly alongside his own pier. This
the defendant did not do, but went forward, whereby two
stancheons and a rail were destroyed. The Arid then
moved astern, as did Waterman 12, when the latter turned
over towards the north shore. The Ariel to avoid contact
with the stern of a schooner, was compelled to keep her
stern-way, when the Waterman 12, ran her bow into her
stern and did considerable damage to the Ariel, and caused
very considerable alarm to the passengers in both vessels.
The damage amounted—for cutting the rope, 6s. ; the first
collision, 18s. ; and the second one, 31.145. 6d.
The witnesses were severally cross-examined by Mr. Pel-
ham, and their evidence much shaken, Mr. Pelham contend-
ing, however, principally in that matter, that the piers were
illegal, and that he should certainly appeal against any con-
viction,

For the defence it was urged that No. 12 Waterman, being
120 feet long, and the piers only 100 feet in length, she had
no alternative but so to place herself. That the piers were
not separated as so alleged by the plaintiff, and that the fol-
lowing is the true version of the affair, namely:—That whilst
so lying the Ariel crossed her bow and came in violent con-
tact, by which the first alleged damage was caused. That
the rope or string was cut not until after the captain of the
Ariel had been several times warned to remove it; and that
by its being placed &Daft the bits No. 12 had no power to go
astern. That the pier belonging to the Woolwich Company
had been removed from its usual and proper position, and
that when the Waterman 12 did go astern and placed herself
towards the north in order to proceed on her passage, the
Ariel also backed astern, and continued so to do until her
stern came in contact with the bow of the Waterman, and
which occasioned the second collision, and consequent damage.
The witnesses for the defence were sharply cross-examined
by Mr. Lewis, but in all the main points their evidence
agreed.
'The utmost pains were taken to place the dispute in a cor-
rect light by neat models of the respective boats, as well as
plans of the locality. After much recrimination between the
laws on both sides.
Mr. GROVE decided, that with regard to cutting the rope
it was an unjustifiable act, and therefore fined the defendant
65., being the amount of damage sustained. With regard to
the first collision, he thought the Ariel was to blame; and
as to the second, he adjudged the defendant to pay the da-
mage, amounting to 3/. 14s. 6d., and 17s. 6d. costs of wit-
nesses, and 2s. the summons.
Mr. Pelham then gave notice of appeal, the defendant
being nominally sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment in
default of payment.

COLLISION.—In the
fearful collision between the
to THE EDiaßmEocn:NcromSpaTnEy7
Gravesend,
Bull, Hamburgh
Jr:AT
erald steam-boat,
packet, on Saturday last, offaadrat4es
any
with serious accidents—one of whom, we have since learnt,
is Lieutenant Crofton, of the Company's East India C
Engi-
neers, stationed at Brompton Barracks, Chatham, who sus-
tained very serious injuries. On his arrival at his quarters
the same evening, Dr. Stewart Chisholm, of the Royal Artil-
lery, wss sent for, and on examination he found that the
gentlemaa's right arm and collar-bone were both fractured,
evidently done by a severe crush, and that his head and face
were much bruised and severely injured. It is considered a
miracle that he escaped with his life. Dr. Chisholm lost no
time in setting the bones, and we are happy to say that,
under his skilful management, his patient has not liad the
slightest symptom of fever, sad is doing as well as can be
expected. The officer, it appears, was standing near the
paddle-box, on the larboard sde of the Emerald, when she
was struck by the John Bull, the bows of which latter vessel
crushed him.
ROASTING A Bor ALtvL—On Wednesday, the
10th inst., one of the most barbarous acts ever known to
have been committed took place at Silkstone, near Barnsley,
by which a youngboy, named Charles Chappel, had a narrow
escape from death, even if he yet recovers. The case is re-
ported to be as follows :—On the men giving over working
at Mrs. Clark's colliery, seve-al young men began with their
foolish work of jesting and stylarking in the cabin, in which
was, as usual, a large fire, which ultimately ended in two of
them taking and fastening a chain round the waist of Charles
Chappel, by which they bong him to an iron bar which
crosses the roof a short distance from the fire, and before
leaving him threw a large shovel of fire upon him, some of
which fell into one of the poor fellow's clogs, which burnt
him dreadfully (his eyes and different parts of his person
being much burnt), so much so that the cries of the poor boy
caused some persons to go to his assistance, who extricated
him from his perilous situation. On Wednesday last a
young man was remanded br John Thornele,
—sq., at Barns-
ley, for examination, until 'Friday, charged with the above
offence. The others are not apprehended.—Doncaster Go-
zette.
YACHT CLUBS.—Application having been made to
the Lords of the Treasury by the Royal Harwich Yacht
Club, requesting for the members of that Club the same
privileges as the Royal Yacht Club and the Royal Irish
Yacht Club of Dublin, their Lordships have, through Mr.
Cardwell, one of their secretaries, signified that they have
been pleased to comply with the request. The particular
privileges requested refer to the right of being exempt from
certain harbour, or other duel, the disposal of stores, and
other matters of an internal and private nature.