The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-04-20 00:00:00

SERIOUS REVOLT AT SEA.

(From the New York Daily Express, March 13.)
An examination took place yesterday in the U.S.
court room, before Judge Betts, of the crew (24 in num- 1
her) of the ship Shakspeare, Captain Collins, upon a
charge of mutiny, during her late voyage from Liver-
pool to this city.
From the testimony of Captain Collins it appeared
that about the 20th February last, about 8 o'clock a.m.
a portion of the crew comprising the starboard watch
came aft, and complained to him of the bad quality
of the bread served out for the use of the men. Capt.
Collins replied to them that the bread complained of
being at the bottom of the locker, all cause of complaint
would be removed at twelve o'clock, when the new
locker would be broached, from which the bread would
he served, and that it was all important that there should
be no waste of bread; with that explanation the men
went away, and Captain Collins thought no rryore of the
matter. At twelve o'clock; upon the larboard watch
being called to duty, all hands refused to come up. It
blowing pretty fresh at the time, and a heavy sea run-
ning, Captain C. found it necessary to take in sail, and
was compelled to send tl►e two cooks, the two stewards,
and the mates aloft to furl the foresail, who was assisted
in that duty by the Captain,- the man at the wheel, and
a gree►► hand, who had stowed himself away on board
when the vessel left Liverpool. After the ship had been
laid to under close reefed topsails, Captain Collins went
to the steerage and personally ordered all hands on deck,
threatening that, in case of their refusal, he would fire
upon them. Not being obeyed, Captain Collins dis-
charged the contents of three pistols into the steerage,
the first being discharged with a blank cartridge, and
the two others with balls. Upon the discharge of the
third pistol the men came,on deck, but still manifested a
desire to continue their insubordinate conduct, where-
upon three of the ringleaders were tied to the rigging
and flogged, when they.promised to return to their duty.
Some of the others•were placed below in irons, and kept
upon bread and water until they consented to perform
their duty.

•
The accused brought forward John Welsh, the sea-
man who was at the wheel at the time of the revolt, who
testified that the bread given to the men to eat, was
mouldy and wet, and unfit for use. Upon a cross ex-
amination, he admitted that the people's breakfast on
the morning of the revolt, consisted of a quart of pota-
toes to each man, a quart of coffee, a small allowance of
boiled beef, and some sweet bread dealt out with that of
an inferior quality.
Judge Betts observed to the prisoners that their con-
duct was altogether unjustifiable, inasmuch as it would
have been in their power, provided improper provisions
had been served out, to have sought. redress in a court of
justice upon their arrival in port. This was u case of a
qipst flagrant nature, as it appeared from the statements
nTade that the weather was so rough at the time the crew
refused to come on deck, that the want of their services
endangered not only the safety of the ship, but the lives
of every one on board of het.
The prisoners were required to give bail in the sum
of- 200 dollars each for their appearance at Court to an-
swer the charge, and in default of which they were com-
mitted to prison.