The Express. — 1853-03-18 (London, England)

MASSACRE IN THE BERENICE AND BURNING OF THE VESSRL.  A most tragical event has unhappily befallen the master, his lady, and officers of the English ship Berenice, in the Straits of Gaspar, while on a voyage to Sydney, who were horribly murdered on board, and their ship afterwards destroyed by tire. A previous mail lied given rite to some fears of • vessel having been burnt in the Straits, and an impression was sntertaiaed that the dilated ship was the Berenice, which was missing ; and from the fact of some of the fragments of the wreck having been picked up bearing die Berenice'. initials, little doubt was felt in the matter. Much anxiety then 'arose as to the fate of those on board, who comprised Captain Candy, his wife, first and second mates, a Frenchman (a passenger for Australia) two servants of Mrs. Candy, and about 35 hands. With the exception of the officers, there were but few Europeans among the crew, whn, for the most part, were Java and Manillamen. The ship sailed on the 6th o: Jane from Singapore for Shanghae, and then from that port to Sydney on the 4th of November, with the intention of calling at Java. Several of the crew evinces! a strong desire to leave the vessel on her reaching that island, hut the captain holding out an increase of wages and additional rations to take the ship on to Sydney, they ware induced to remain, and the vessel proceeded. Nothing was heard of her until about the 10th of December, when a report reached Marabaya, the residence of Togel, of the remains of a burned wreck having been discovered in the Straits. A day or two previously, a boat containing 15 persons arrived at Mamba's, who, on landing, dispersed themselses inland before the authorities had time to institute inquiries about them; and on the day following another boat came in with a similar number, and same character of men, a mixture of Java and bliusillamen. When interrogated, they stated that they were the crew of a pral.o belonging to Rhio, laden with gambrie, which they represented lied capsized, and that a boy had been drowned. The whole of them adhering to that one statement, they were released, their story at the time being believed to be true. The police, however, had their suspicion meowed by the conduct of some of the men, as they displayed much anxiety to part from each other's company and to leave the place, and it was not until they had been subjected to a most searching inquiry that the truth was revealed. Some of them at length confessed to having belonged to the Berenice, and to the horrible fate which the captain and his officers met with. According to their representations, it seems that, on the 2nd of December, a mutiny broke out amongst several of the Manillamen, on account, as alleged, of the muter not having allowed them the additional rations which he had previously promised. About midnight, they got Mr. Candy on the quarter-der k, where they horribly murdered him. His wile, hearing his cries, rushed on deck with two of the officers, when they also immediately fell a sacrifice. The third mate and the French passenger,'who witnessed the tragedy, leaped overboard to wimps the vengeance of the wretches, and perished. Mrs. Candy's servants shared • similar fate' as their unhappy mistress. Tne whole of the bodies, with weights attached so them, were burled into the sea. The ringleaders then took to plunder the ship of everything that was portable, and, after some two or three days' riotous living on board, they commenced destroying her. Having lowered the boats they kindled a fire in several parts of her, said when she had got completely alight they abandoned her. By the last accounts the authorities were aging *very effort to bring the principal actors in the barbarous acts of murder and piracy to justice, and u many as nine had been lodged in the gaol of Togel. The Berenice was freighted with a valuable cargo of tea, and her loss is, therefore, considerable.