J udgment was delivered on Tuesday week by the Wreck Com-
missioner, Mr. Rothery, on the results of the long inquiry into the causes of the collision between the ' Avalanche' and the 'Forest' on the 11th of September, off Portland, and its exact terms were reported in the Times of Wednesday last. He found that the main cause of the collision was negligence on board the 'Avalanche,' which being on the port tack, ought to have given way. The ' Avalanche ' was undoubtedly prima facie responsible for the collision, and the onus would lie on her to prove that she did everything in her power to avoid a collision. The Court, however, attached blame to the master of the Forest,' Captain Lockhart (who was among the saved), for want of activity and discretion in seeking to avoid the collision ; but though repri- manding him severely, the Court did not think right, looking to his many years of good service, and his good-conduct during the inquiry, to suspend his certificate. The Court further stated that as the ' Avalanche ' was within a fraction of coming under the operation of the Passengers' Act,—had another child been on board of her, she would have come under the operation of that Act,—she ought not to have had a steam-launch on board, which she would not have been permitted to have had, had she been liable to the provisions of the Passengers' Act. The truth seems to have been that Captain Williams counted confidently on the fast sailing of his ship to gain on the 'Forest,' and that as she had been so overloaded with the steam-launch, she failed to meet his ,expectations.
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