Star.
London, England, 1825-06-09 00:00:00

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sent. Mr. Charles Wright. of the Opera Colonnail.
Haymarket. who reaUy weeded himself by the rich-
ness and variety of those produced on this occasion.
niemet=== •
MOH COURT OF ADMIRALTY, Julia&

TH2 &OWTH amstl.a.
This was an action brought by a seaman on board the
Honourable East India Company's ship Lowther Castle,
to recover' compensation in damages for a severe whip-
ping indicted upon him (for alleged improper conauct),
under the orders of Captain Barker, master of the
The vessel was lying off Canton when the alleged mis-
conduct took place, and the circumstances had been
submitted to a Court of Inquiry, consisting of the several
Officers of the British ships then lying there, who ex-
amined into them, and di-ected the seaman to--ye
dogged. On his arrival in this country he i.,stitu•ed the
present action.
Lord STOW2LL, in delivering the judgment of the
Court, ofsserved, that the Captains of vessels were war.
ranted in applying bodily punishment to an extent
commensurate to the offence. In this case, it appeared
that the plaintiff was employed in removing some logs
of timber on board the vessel, and which he did in so
idle and slovenly a manner as to draw on himself the
laughter of the rest of the crew. On being remonstrated
with for doing so, he refused to alter his conduct, and
made use of Lcveral contumelious expressions ag inst
the Captain, as well as the service in-which he was
engaged. This was an aggravation of his offence, and
the Captain resorted to the usual m-thod in such cases,
namely; to institatte a Court of Inquiry, who, by the
rules and regulations of the East India Company, were
competent to Inquire into them. They did so, and als
heard evidence that the general conduct of the seaman
was extremely indolent ; and that on several occasions
he had acted in an equally reprehensible warner. The
Court of Inquiry, taking into view that conduct, were
bound to consider this not as an isolated act of insu-
bordination to the lawful aulority he was ti en under,
but as parcel of a system of conduct which might even-
tually lead to mutiny, and the total loss of the ship.
His Lordship, thelefore, under all the circumstances,
was not prepared to say the punishment inflicted was
more than the plaintiff deserved. The master was jus-
tified (taking the demerits of the case into consideration)
in acting as he had done. He was, therefore, dismissed
from all further observance of justice in this case.

SPECIE FOUND AT SEA.
Sir C. Rostrisoti stated this to be a case of a quantity
of specie found by the Integrity, Walker master, in a
vessel abandoned on the high seas. On behalf of his
Mtiesty, he prayed the judgment of the Court.
Ur. LIJSHINOTON, on behalf of the salver, stated that
the vessel was found derelict by Captain Walker, who
boarded it, and removed from it a chest containing
eight hundred gold coins and two gold watches, also
two dozen of claret, and a variety of smaller articles.—
Not being aware that there was any law which required
that goods thus found should be paid into the Registry,
of this Court, he proceeded to divide the booty among,
his crew, after the proportions in which prize money was
allotted on board his Majesty's ships. On reaching this
country he leaf ned he had done wrong, and immediately
made an the restitution in his power, by paying into this
Court the shale reserved for himself, being 430 gold
coins and two gold watches. The Learned Counsel
hoped the Cour4 under these circumstances, would not
only abstain from inflicting any penalty, but also award
him a proportion of the booty.
'Sir C. Romans aid he should not oppose such course.
Lord &slowest, under all the circumstances of the case, decreed
to him a moiety of the coins and one of the watches.
VEXATIOUS ARREST.

At the rising of the Court the Proctor for the Ad-
miralty moved that a person then in custody of an offi-
cer for an offence against the Admiralty laws should
be taken into custody of the Marshal of the Court, until
the petition which bad been presented by him respecting,
the case should be decided on by the Lords of Admiralty.
Lord Stownz—What are the eircentetames?
Here some diseaseion arose ea the subject between Sir C itto.
blame, the Hines Adgreane, and the Proctor.
The Proctor for the prisoner then stated that his name
was Rickard:that he was owner and Captain of a small
vessel belonging to Fowey, in Cornwall, and that he
had been taken into custody under the following trivial
circumstances :—On the Ist of March last his vessel
was coming into the harbour' of Fowey, and, as was
usual, was boarded by a pilot to bring her in. The
Crew of the vessel having learned the pilot had been
that morning married, and wishing to do him all due
honour on the occasion, they hoisted a piece of red rib-
bon, under which they gallantly steered into port. This
occurred in the open day, and without attempt at con.'
cealment. The officer, commanding the revenue cutter
there (the Sprightly), however, immediately boarded
the vessel with some f his men, and demanding to see
the Captain (the prisoner), he was told he was on shore.
He was however sent for, and, on reaching the 'resod,
be explained the circumstance to the officer, who indig-
nantly directed the ribbon, or broad pendant, as the
officer tamed it, to be pulled down, and represented the
whole affair, most likely, in such glowing terms to the
Lords of the Admiralty, tbat proceedings were insti-
tuted by them; the result of which was, the warrant had
been issued under which he was arrested at Fowey, on
the 2d inst. and had been dragged here from his home
and business. A petition was presented to the Admi•
ratty yesterday, with an affidavit of these circumstances,
and that they occurred totally without the prisoner's
knowledge, which be thought would induce them to
drop the proceeding.
Lord Oftwats diromed the r inser to ton takes into the esetody
et the Menhal. andiledred that Do time amid be lost labringlng
the maim se Issue. -

%UM Nurrucs.—Our Readers are not perhaps
aware of the existence of a curious wedding ceremony
amongst the Webb. The bride gathers round her a
party of friends on horseback, and being herself mounted
upon the best hone she can get, she sets off, pursued
by the husband and his pasty, similarly equipped.
When the bridegroom has caught the bride, he becomes
widest to espouse her. These races are more or less
numerously attended, according to the respect in which
the parties are held ; and are some;inses obstinately
prolonged. Even after the bride is caught, the race
continues for the prize, which is some mark of dis-
tinction given to the winner. One of these marriages
took place last week, at Merthyr Cynog, to the great
entertainment of that part of the county of Monmouth.
One hundred safe* horses had a race of 23 miles,. at
full gallop, during the whole of which distance the
bride was one of the foremost ; and was captured with
much difficulty by the bri m. The race was at
last won by a grey mere, adttlir°ac's our informant sayll
none of the slenderest.