The Blackpool Herald. — 1881-02-11 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

MUTINY' ON THE HIGH SEAS.—In the Police Court, yesterday, before Mr. Raffles. a Russian Fin, named Erik Raik, was charged with mutinous conduct on board the barque Petunia, on the high seas in December last, and with attempting to murder all the hands. The prisoner was shipped on the vessel as an able seaman and, although he did not understand English, he was made to understand orders by means of signs and motions. The barque left Swansea on the seventh of November on a voyage to Algoa Bay, South Africa, with a crew of 14 hands. All went well till the sth of December, I when the prisoner, without the slightest provocation became very violent, struck one of the seamen on the eye with a belaying pin, and made an attempt I to hit the mate with the same instrtunent. He then disappeared down the forehold, and for a period of eight days defied the whole crew, nearly all of whom were sent down at different times to try and bring him up, and received injuries from being struck with pieces of coal thrown by the prisoner. He was supported during his self incarceration by bread and cans of water let down to him on a string On several occasions he shied coal at the can of water, and always upset it, but it was ascertained that he had removed a plug from the water tank, and by means of a towel and a line supplied himself with water. On the 13th December the Captain, who was wounded by the prisoner, ordered the whole crew to bring the Russian on deck, and they were assisted by the mate and four seamen from the ship Superior, of Liverpool, homeward bound, which had come alongside. They succeeded in taking him, and the man was then put in irons. The barque sailed for Pernambuco, and the British Consul there sununoned a naval court, before which the prisoner was brought. The result of the enquiry was that he be ordered to be brought home to England on the charge of mutinous conduct and attempting to murder the crew. During his stay in the hold he stabbed a fellow-seaman named John Cohla, while the latter was sitting on the hatch. Mr. Raffles asked if the prisoner was a lunatic. Mr. Gilford, the mate, replied in the negative, and explained that he had done his duty and behaved well prior to the outbreak in December. Mr. Raffles remanded the case, and ordered that in the meantime the prisoner should be -examined by a doctor. The African royal mail steamer Mayumba, which has arrived in the Mersey from the West Coast of Africa, &c., was, as reported on Monday, in collision in the Bay of Biscay with the Sunderland barque Severn. The particulars of the disaster furnished by the survivors of the crew, who were saved by the Mayumba, show that the Severn was Qua voyage from Sunderland to Buenos Ayres with a cargo of coal, and on the morning of the 30th ult., when about ninety miles from Madeira, she collided with the Mayumba, the stem of the Mayumba striking the Severn on the starboard side, near the forward rigging, and cutting her almost in two. The second mate, Rd. F. Cook, and two seamen scrambled on board the steamer immediately after she struck their vessel. The Severn was under the command of Captain Rutherford, who was in bed when the disaster happened. The chief officer, J. Bowman, was also in bed, but both he and the captain rushed on deck, not having time to put on their clothes, and were hauled on board the steamer by a line' just as their vessel was disappearing. foseundaferroemd.theTthime steward eteowf arthde anclllysanitown:bulmnetiisnleuamttl:enSh:dvmeanrnelaag above the water by the aid of floating wreckage and managed to keep themselves were rescued. A boat was lowered from the steamer, but this was smashed. A second boat was lowered and cruised about the spot for about an hour and a half, but no others of the unfortunate crew could [be found. It appears that two voices were heard distinctly calling out for help, the persons being in the water, but when the boat reached the spot they could not be seen. Finding that nothing further could be done the Mayumba proceeded on her voyage. The Severn was manned by a crew of 12 hands, of whom but seven were rescued, those who perished—five in number—being an apprentice named John Emerson, aged about 17, belonging to Sunderland, and four able seamen, all foreigners.  TRYING to do business without advertising ia like winking in the dark; you may know what you are doing but nobody else does. _ .