ebt Cottntnj, A Court-martial, appointed to try Lord John Hay,
the Captain, and the other officers of the frigate Castor, which ran down the Canieleon cutter, off the South Foreland, on the 27th of August, as- sembled on Saturday the 6th, on board the San Josef, at Plymouth. The first part of the evidence was given by the two men and two boys saved f'renn the cutter. They stated, that the frigate was seen at sonic distance before she ran them down ; and that one of the men on deck said she was coming right upon them ; when the Mate replied, that so good a lookout was always kept on board a King's ship, that there was no danger. The weather was moderate and fine ; and if the frigate had varied her course half a point, she would have cleared the otter. She took the cutter in a slanting position, her starboard-bow against the starboard-channel of the cutter.
. Lord John Hay's defence consisted principally of evidence as to the discipline preserved on board his vessel, and his attentions to the printed Admiralty orders. There was abundant testimony to the good style in which eyelet thing was managed. The officer of the watch was Lieutenant James Johnson M'Cleverty; who read a written defence to the Court, from which the following passages are extracted. I took charge of the morning watch at five A.M. At half-past five, Lord John Hay sent for sae to the cabin ; and, after inquiring the state of the weather, desired me to shake a reef out, and make sail as soon as the decks were finished washing About tut A.1d. I saw a revenue cutter bearing W.S.W., distant about two miles; she was on the larboard tack, and was standing towards the shore. I conducts d site would truss esteems, far ahead of the Castor, which she certainly mast have done had she not ?trie; 41111 the circumstance mule no further impression on me. Within a very few minutes afterwards. in execution of his Lordship's orders. I proceeded to shake a reef I tiled the watch and idlers, mid sent the men aloft. I was in the very act of Mat: tile necessary orders. and directing me attention to the men aloft, whim I heatd the sassier call out "starboard, hard in sta'rboard." The heti, was immediately put tip; and on looking up. I saw the critter dose under our bows, head to w ind, her roast- h.ad just clear of the weather leach of the foresail. I ironic lintel), let go the boom- :17t. The ship not answering sufficiently quick, or I should rather say that the cutter 11-10g so close, we came in contact with her, and struck her on the starboard quarter.
. a • " I should ill deserve the character I have hitherto borne in his Majesty's service, if I were to conceal from the Honourable Court may conviction, that I suffered myself to be too perfectly. though momentarily, absorbed by the particular duty which I had ordered, and that the attention of the look-out men, being partially taken off flora their duty whilst we were making sail. I ought to have accompanied the order to make sail with some caution as to the look.eut ; vet I respectfully submit to this Honourable Court, that know ing how efficiently 1 had ever been supported by the officers of the watch, and the excellent discipline of the crew in general. I was justified in reposing confidence that every branch of duty would be carried on. without any caution being given by me.
" Up to this hour, I have never met with the slightest stain upon my character. On the contrary. I can appeal with perfect confidence to every officer with whom I have sailed as to my shict and uniform attention in the discharge or my duty. Upon this ',obit I shall clot Ite able to lay IWIbre the Court the personal testimony of many officers, because I have only sailed in four ships during the eleven years I have been in the service. I expect to produce letters from Admiral Sir P. Malcolm, with whom I sailed four Years, and who recommended me for pronsotiou. and Sir Richard Grant, my late Captain in the Castor. to hom I HIM,. as soon as I heard this Court was to be assembled. I appeal to Captain Lord John Hay, and the officers of the Castor, for the character 1 have sustained on board that ship."
It appeared from the evidence adduced by Lieutenant M'Cleverty, that he generally was very particular in keeping a good look-out ; but that on the morning in question, he was so much occupied in getting out some sail, that he neglected his usual precaution. It would also seem, notwithstanding the evidence in favour of Lord John Hay's good discipline, that signal and look-out men were not regularly placed at the mast-head and other parts of the ship, according to the Admiralty orders. When the Cameleon was run down, there was no mast-bead- man on the look-out.
The Court adjourned over Sunday; and on Monday afternoon, the decision was announced-
" That the loss of the Cameleon was occasioned by her coming in collision with the Castor ; that it would riot have occurred had a proper look-out been kept ; that a proper look-out had not been kept on board the Castor ; that the fault was that of Lieutenant James M'Cleverty, the officer of the watch at the time of the accident ; and that therefore he was, by the judgment of the Court, dismissed hisMajesty's service; and that Captain !he Bight Honourable Lord John Ilay, the remaining officers and the crew of tile Castor, were acquitted."
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