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Wellington Independent, Volume IV, Issue 270, 13 May 1848, Page 2

Piracy on the High Seas—Trial of the Crew of the "James Campbell," of Glasgow. —The trial of several sailors belonging to the ship James Campbell of Glasgow, Graham master, and which has created much interest in the shipping ports of the Clyde, came on before Mr. Justice Williams, at Exeter, on Monday. The indictment charged the' prisoners with having, on the 29th March last on the high seas, feloniously assaulted and imprisoned AVm. Graham, master and commander of the merchant ship James Campbell, bound from Glasgow to Singapore ; and another count charged them with makin" a revolt in the ship, and assaulting the master. The whole of the prisoners pleaded not guilty. The facts, as disclosed in evidence, were shortly as follows :— The ship was bound for Batavia and Singapore, and the master was part owner of her. Her cargo was valuable. During the first part of her voyage all went smoothly ; but off Cape Finisterre the occurrence took place which ended in this trial. It was Sunday. The captain came on deck, and observing or thinking lie observed something strange in the conduct of the man at the wheel, he ordered him away, and bade him go and grease the masts The man refused, upon which the captain pushed him along the deck, and told them all to grease the masts. They all refused, alleged that such work was the business of the boys, and that it was not needed at the time. Then the captain stormed and swore and running down into his cabin, reappeared immediately with a cutlass, which he nourished above his head, declaring that he would be the death of some of them. His demeanour was so furious, that the men were all intimidated, and said nothing In his rage he took away the beef that was boiling for the men's dinner, and threatened to put them on short allowance. The meat, however, was given them at a later period of the day. He then went down into his cabin, and remained there for several hours • but on receiving a message from the men that 'they wised to speak with him, he returned on deck Here he was immediately seized and ironed, and afterwards confined in his cabin for the remainder of the voyage. The crew took the ship back to

Falmouth, and there preferred their complaj llt a( v the captain. He, however, turned the table and dieted them as above mentioned. It did 110t v IR - that he had received no ill-treatment beyond the confinement- Everything was given him tunn* required. On his cross-examination he ml m '„ having been repeatedly charged with i]l-treatiii e i, his men during previous voyages. J lls t before » one in question lie had suffered a six months' • prisoiiment in Newgate. He had also beeii f for beating his steward. The jury returned a of Not Guilty, and the prisoners wore iinmedian discharged, amidst applause from some persons • Court, which was, however, immediately sunnr™ \ n — The Witness. v esseii >

Important to Mariners.—The following i cription of a new reef lately discovered, was a' to Captain Dewar of the barque Statesman at li " kong. The reef is situated directly in the track*"" vessels proceeding to China, and was discovered the sth October last, by Captain Jones, of the p" Julia, then on her passage to Hongkong, a 1 having been lowered, it was particularly examM by the chief officer. It appeared of coral format about 500 feet iv length aud 200 feet in breadth"' the bottom very uneven, and quite visible in fift'"" fathoms. Though three and a half fathoms was a" least found, there may be less over some of the la/ rocks. AVhen the boat was anchored in three &Jt half fathoms, the centre of Pulo Supata, bore north" west by west, and the current setting east half norS' two and a half miles an hour, caused a strong rim/ to the eastward. From the centre of the Pui Sapata the reef bore south GO degrees east, distant four miles, the Great Catwick just shutting hi w _,l the south end of Pulo Sapata..— Australian.