ARRIVAL OF THE WILLIAM MUTINY ON BOARD.

Evening Post, Volume IX, Issue 138, 25 July 1873, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE WILLIAM MUTINY ON BOARD.

It is not often that this quiet port is treated to a genuine sensation nautical drama of the most approved " blood and thunder" class, but the arrival of the American ship William Tapscott has unexpectedly provided materials for half-a-dozen. The facts, -bo far as we could learn to-day on good authority, appear to be somewhat to the following effect ; — The William Tapscott is a ship of no less than 1630 tons register, and rather above 20 years of age. She was bound from En. derby Island to Queenstown, Ireland, with 2000 tons of guano on board. The captain according to the crew's story, soon began to) indulge in the wildest excesses and commit the utmost brutalities on his men, who for a time bore them patiently. One of his reported freaks appears to have originated in a laudable desire to improve the cleanliness of the crew ; accordingly he insisted on having them all scrubbed with birch brooms in Bpite of strenuous remonstances. This and other eccentrities at length roused the seamen to resistance, which at first did not improve the state of affairs, the chief recalcitant being cut down with an axe, another " pinked" with a cutlass, and a third shot, beside a liberal administration being made of handspikes and belaying pins. Happily none of these affrays ended fatally, but at length the captain proceeded to make a target of the first mate. On this the other side were compelled to open fire, and the captain received a shot in the knee, and being disabled and finding himself "raked fore and affc." had to succumb, and was accordingly handcuffed and confined to his cabin under a strong guard. To add to the complications, of the affair, the ship proved to be leaky and making water so rapidly that it is stated she must have foundered in a very short time unless she had succeeded in reaching this port, where she was brought into harbour by Pilot Holmes. The cr«w seem to have adopted a novel expedient for recording the true report of the occurrence, viz, by entering in the log a most elaborate pictorial representation of the various sensation scenes — the captain with axe in one hand and revolver in the other — the man at the wheel just cut down, &c — a capital subject for some ' startling theatrical scene painting, which ' we commend to the notice of Mr Massey. We fear, however, that this work of nautical art will scarcely be legal evidence in a Court of law. The American Consul, Capt. M'lntyre, went on board soon after arrival, accompanied by the captain of anether American vessel, the Horatio Sprague, for the purpose of investigating the case. The mutiny' and subsequent occurrences having been committed' on. the high seas, and under the American flag, we believe our courts of law have no jurisdiction,

and if the offender?, whether captain or I crew, are to be brought to justice, they will i have to be forwarded to America for trial, on the application of the Consul, and under the provisions of the Extradition Treaty. A survey is to be held on the ship. Since writing the above, we have received the captain's version of the affair, wriich is briefly as follows :— The ship left; Enderby Island on the 9th June, and all proceeded quietly and well until the twenty -third day, when off the 2sa\igators Islands. The chief raate then sulked duty, and was therefore ordered to i his cabin by the captain. The mate denied • the captain's authority, and challenged his power to keep order. He also asked that all hands should be called aft. in order to hear the grounds on which he was placed under arrest. This was complied with, the mate stopped the captain from explaining the matter, and and complained to the crew of the ship being unfit to proced round the Horn. He used violent language, and the crew also became violent, insisting on the vessel being run to the nearest port. The captain replied he did not think the ' circumstances justified this course, bat, if necessary, he would adopt it. The crew then refused duty. After some negociation between oaptain and crew, the latter rushed the formed, knocked him down, put him in irons, and by the orders of the second and third officers, confined him in his cabin. In the evening the captain got the irons off one hand, and arming himself with the only available weapon, an axe, went on the poop. The second mate threatened to shoot him, and was about to_ carry the threat oub, when the captain struck him with the axe on the cheek. The mate had previously fired a revolver*shot from the main deck at the captain, bub without effect. A second shot took effect in the captain's left knee. The crew then began to pelt the captain with all sorts of missiles, and five other shots were fired at him by the mate. The captain was at last obliged to go below, being severely bruised, and since that he has been kept in his cabin in close arrest.