The Board of Trade has exonerated the officers of the
Bywell Castle' and of the 'Princess Alice' from responsibility in the destruction of the latter steamer. The captain of the former, Captain Harrison, is declared by Mr. Balguy, in his judgment, to have kept a good look-out, and to have stopped the engines the moment he per- ceived the danger. Mr. Dimelow, the chief engineer, executed these orders, and though he ought not to have run up on deck, his doing so did not contribute to the catastrophe. The second and third engineers obeyed orders implicitly, and the certificates are all returned. The Court finds, indeed, that all the charges against T. Long, the first mate of the 'Princess Alice,' of carelessness in keeping a look-out are proved ; but as his carelessness did not contribute to the loss of the vessel, the Court "very reluctantly" returns his certificate. The last decision, though, we presume, according to precedent, is hardly explicable. Surely, it is the quality of carelessness, not a par- ticular effect of carelessness, which should render an officer liable to the reprehension of the Board of Trade. That Board's duty is not only to punish guilt, but to prevent incompetence.
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