The Sun. — 1858-10-04 (London, England)

MURDEROUS AFFRAY ON-BOARD SHIP.—CALT,AO, August 25.—The ship Oceanica, Captain Robertson,.on the 13th inst., in getting under weigh, the vessel' being in charge of Captain Todd, the pilot, the second officer, Mr. Crisp, refused duty, at the same time using abusive and insulting language. VUpon this thepilot immediately informel Mr. Crisp he would not take such language from any one with impunity, and enforced his statement with a blow, which Mr. Crisp got across the face. " This appeared to be a signal to the whole of the crew, who came aft and commenced an indiscriminate fight,finail ywhscurceckeendhe-desinancidulla:i: pins were pretty freely used, which lasted a considerable time, until Captain Robertson, Mr. Campbell, chief officer, and several other captains, Upon quiet being restored it was found that, quite a number had broken heads and faces ; also nr. Campbell, the mate, had his throat cut with a sheath knife. Medical__ assistance' was promptly obtained from H.B.M.'s ship Ganges ; the doctor reports the wound a very bad one, but not dangerous. Tho whole affair has since been investigated by H.B consul and Admiral Baines. Mr. Crisp has been discharged, and the ship finally sailed on the evening of the 16th hist; for-Q4etaktown, being detained three days. •  porter's attention. The letter from Mr. Smith NV,IS as follows:  " " Morley's Hotel, Oct. 2, 18,58. Sir,—As my secretary, Mr. Horn, was with me on the occasion of my visit to Mrs. Hall, I have' requested him to communicate with you on the subject of your note of this day's date, to remove the impression you appear to entertain that there may be some foundation for the statement of Mrs. Hall, that lam her brother. I called on Mrs. Hall, in consequence of her letter forwarded )to sue in Melbourne, in order to remove the impression she appeared to have entertained, and. I most distinctly informed her that I was not her brother, and upon a second occasion when she:called upon me with her mother, I also assured both of their mistake. I stated then, as I do . now, that I was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and that my mother (who died some three years since) was alio a native of that colony, and that this is my first visit to This part of the world. I was born on the 27th of April, 1810; in Phillipsstreet, Sydney, New South Wales, and have been for the last 20 years a resident in "Victoria. I distinctly informed Mrs. Hall of the object of my visit to her; .which was to assist her in'every way possible, on my rOttrrn in November next tOMelbourne, to find her brother, Ad I informed her of my knowing a person in that colony of the same name. gave her my card, so that she might find my address in London, and give me all the information in her power with regard to her brother, in order to aid me in the search, and bnt a few days since Mrs. Hall's mother wrote to me again on the subject if I was her son, when I instructed my secretary to write her back that, I was not, that I had assured her before I was not, and that she must not write to me again. I can only account for this annoyance from the fact of my having given the old lady's son a sovereign on the day he called with his mother, to buy him books, and giving the mother £2 towards the Sailors' Orphan's Home, to which she begged a donation. Mrs. Hall's claim t...) relationship is but one of four that has reached me since my arrival, and, singular, all the claimants are in needy circumstances. Mr. H. will furnish you with any other information you may desire.—Yours obediently, " J. 'l'. SMITH, Mayor of Melbourne. " To 11. S. Selfe, Esq., Thames Police-court." With the letter of the Mayor the following document with its enclosure came to hand