leaving the docks her commander during the last five years, Captain Oates, was stopped by a Treasury warrant of subpoena to attend the Tichborne trial, it being understood that he was the last man who saw the real Roger Tichborne when the latter left Rio. The vessel was quite ready to sail when the warrant was served, and Messrs. Patton having perfect confidence in Captain Oates's chief officer, Mr. Knowles, gave the command of the ship to him, and allowed him to take on board with him the lady to whom he had been married about a month ago, and who is among the few saved.

After leaving Gravesend the "Northfleet" encountered the full force of the late stormy weather, and Captain Knowles felt it prudent to anchor under the North Foreland, where she remained. until the Tuesday. The passengers meanwhile, though the ship was in some degree sheltered, suffered great inconvenience from the bad weather. Captain Knowles, in a letter to the owners on the Monday, stated that the surgeon's hands were very full in attending upon the female passengers. On the Tuesday, the weather having slightly moderated, the "Northfleet" weighed anchor and sailed down Channel, and was reported at Lloyd's as having passed Deal "all well." On the Wednesday at sunset she came to anchorage off Dungeness, about two miles from shore, in eleven fathoms water, between No. 1 and 2 batteries, and almost opposite the coastguard station.

About ten o'clock the ship was taut and comfortable for the night. Almost all the passengers had turned in, and none but the usual officers and men of the watch were on deck. Just as the bells were striking the half-hour past ten, the watch observed a large steamer, outward bound, coming directly towards them. She appeared to be going at full speed, and the shouts of the men on watch, who called upon her to alter her course, roused Captain Knowles, who was on the afterdeck. But in another moment the steamer came on to the "Northfleet," striking her broadside almost amidships, making a breach in her timbers beneath the water-line, and crushing the massive timbers traversing the main-deck.

The shock is described by the survivors as like the concussion of a very powerful cannon. One of the strangest things was that, immediately after the collision, the steamer cleared the ship, and before many of the terrified people below could reach the deek, she was out of sight. Most of the passengers were awakened by the shock, and a fearful panic ensued. Captain Knowles acted with singular calmness, promptitude and decision. He caused rockets to be sent up, bells to be rung, and other signals of distress; but the gun to be fired would not go off, the touch-hole being clogged. Meantime he directed the boats to be launched, giving orders that the safety of the women and children should be first secured. There was a disposition to set these orders at defiance, and, on some of the crew crowding to the davits, with a view of effecting their own safety, Captain Knowles drew a revolver, and declared he would

shoot the first man who attempted to save himself in the boats before the women were cared for. Most of the crew seemed to understand that the captain was not to be trifled with; but one man, Thomas Biddles, refused to obey the order, and the captain fired at Biddles, in a boat alongside the ship. The bullet entered the man's leg just above the knee.

Meantime, the pumps were set to work, but with little or no effect, the water pouring in through the opening in the ship's side. The scene on deck was frightful. Many of the passengers were in their nightdresses, others had only such scanty clothing as they could secure on quitting their berths. Children were screaming for their parents, and parents searching in vain for their children; husbands and wives were hopelessly separated. The horror was increased by the darkness of night. The captain's wife was placed with other women in the long-boat, under the charge of the boatswain; but the tackle being too suddenly set adrift, the boat was

stove in.

By this time the "City of London" steam-tug, having perceived the signals of distress, reached the spot, and succeeded in rescuing nearly the whole of the occupants of the boat, as well as several others of the passengers and crew, to the number of thirty-four. She remained cruising about the spot till early next morning, picking up such of the passengers as could get clear of the wreck, and in the hope, which proved vain, of rendering assistance to those who might have floated on fragments of the ship after she settled down. The Kingsdown lugger "Mary" was likewise attracted by the signals of distress, and succeeded in picking up thirty passengers. The London pilot-cutter No. 3, and the " Princess," stationed at Dover, also got to the spot, and succeeded in rescuing twenty-one, ten of them from the rigging. The total number thus rescued was eighty-five persons.

The ship went down about three-quarters of an hour after she was struck, the captain remaining at his post till she sank. One of the survivors states that he was standing close to the captain when she went down. The former managed to lay hold of some floating plank, and was borne to the surface. The captain, however, was not again seen. The pilot and ten others had taken to the mizentopmast, from which they were rescued. Captain Knowles and the whole of the officers perished.

The first body recovered was that of Mr. Samuel Frederick Brand, railway engineer, who was one of the two cabin passengers. A reward of 107. was offered for the recovery of his body, and it was picked up off Dungeness in the night, by the Dover pilot-cutter, which was cruising about the place. The body was floating in the sea, being supported by a life-belt. The young man had died of cold and exhaustion. An inquest was held on Saturday, at the village of Lydd, by Mr. Phinn, High Bailiff and Coroner; but was adjourned for more evidence. Mr. Brand's body was interred at New Romney, on Sunday. An official inquiry was opened at the

Custom House, Dover, before Mr. G. Braggett, Collector of Customs, acting for the Receiver of Wrecks. Several witnesses have been examined. A statement has been made by James Beveridge, the only survivor who was on deck at the time the collision occurred. He says that at half-past ten o'clock he went on deck. After he had been there about five minutes he heard one of the crew shout out, Ahoy! ahoy!" and he then blew a whistle. The men continued to shout and whistle about five minutes, when he saw a two-masted steamer with a straight bow come stem on and strike the "Northfleet" amidships. He saw the riding light of the "Northfleet " at the time of the collision; it was burning brightly. He called out to the steamer to stand by the "Northfleet," as they had 400 souls on board, but no answer came back.

Another witness was Thomas Biddles, the man who was shot by Captain Knowles. He said that amid all the noise and confusion was heard the voice of Captain Knowles, who, having seen his wife into one of the boats, stood at the wheel giving directions for the firing of signals and devising means to save as many lives as possible. The captain aimed his revolver at Biddles, who heard the first ball fly over his head. He shot at another man, but the pistol missed fire. The tug had just steamed up to the spot and lighted up the horrible scene. Hardly had the boat, containing nine persons-the captain's wife, the boatswain, and four labourers, with three of the ship's crew-got alongside the tug, when, by the gleam of the last rocket in the sky and the lights from the tug, the figureheed of the "Northfleet" was seen slowly to sink under water. The crowded stern rose up in the sea, and then, with a loud rushing noise, almost immediately disappeared, leaving several hundred people struggling for their lives in the water. The shrieking of the women and the loud cries of the men for help were awful, and must have been heard miles off. Some of those that could not swim were floating in the water on barrels and pails, of which they lost their hold from sheer exhaustion. Biddles noticed one friend of his in the water; a man who, with his wife and only child, was clinging to a ladder, when a wave came and washed all three off; the woman and child sank and never rose again; the man managed to clutch the ladder, but it was out of his power to save his wife and child.

In reply to some comments which have been made, Messrs. John Patton and Co., the owners of the "Northfleet," have published a letter in which they affirm that their ship was in all respects fully and properly equipped for her intended voyage. She was a strong, stanch vessel, built principally of teak, A 1 at Lloyd's, just out of dry dock, newly metalled, and in excellent trim. No expense or trouble was spared in her outfit. Mr. Patton, assisted by Captain Oates, attended personally to her equipment, and nothing was wanting which was requisite and usual in the fitting out of an emigrant-ship. She was well manned, and had a full complement and measurement of boats and stores according to the Board of Trade's requirements.

It must seem remarkable that while the "Northfleet" showed lights and other signals of distress within two miles of shore, during twenty minutes or half an hour, no notice was taken of them. When a ship is in difficulties in the night, it is usual for her either to fire guns or exhibit a flare of lights. But here even the vessels close at hand thought that the ship was only signalling for a pilot; and at the time there were nearly a hundred vessels at anchor in the roadstead, with their lights burning brilliantly. Those on board the three ships nearest the wreck would have instantly sent help had they imagined that there was a vessel in distress, and they could have got to the ship in a few minutes; for, although the night was dark and squally, it was clear at intervals, and any boat could live, the sea not being rough. It appears that the "Corona," an Australian clipper, chartered by Messrs. George Thompson, jun., and Co., of Leadenhall-street, was lying at anchor within 300 yards of the "Northfleet" when the disaster occurred, but neither the terrible shock of the collision, the subsequent cries for aid, nor the rockets continuously fired from the deck of the sinking ship, could arouse the man who was the only watch on deck to call up either his comrades or the officers of his ship. Captain Bates, the commander of the "Corona," assured the chief officer of the Coast Guard that had this man roused either himself or any of his officers, all the passengers and crew of the "Northfleet" might have been saved.

The chief Coast Guard officer reports that the night was starless and very dark and showery. He was on the look-out, and saw the rockets fired from the "Northfleet," but was uncertain whether or not they were merely signals for a pilot; he went into his cottage for a telescope, and before he could get his glasses bright and return to the beach the rockets had ceased. He neither saw nor heard anything more until daylight, when the spars and topmast of the "Northfleet" showed themselves well above the water. Later in the day he went in his boat and boarded the "Corona," when Captain Bates narrated to him the miserable story.

Various reports were at first current as to the name of the vessel which ran the "Northfleet" down, and which passed straight on her way without taking any heed of the disaster she had caused, though it must have been clearly known on board of her, if not, it is to be hoped, to the full extent of the calamity. Suspicion attached to the "Murillo," Murillo," a Spanish steamer bound for Lisbon from Antwerp.

The "Murillo" arrived at Cadiz on the evening of Thursday, the 30th, having stopped at Belem, the entrance to the port of Lisbon, on the day before, and having then been warned by a telegram to go on to Cadiz without landing her Lisbon cargo. Upon her arrival at Cadiz, an official inquiry was commenced at the instance of the British Consul. From the report of Mr. Macpherson, Lloyd's agent at Cadiz, it appeared that her starboard bow had been newly painted, black and red, to the water-line, and her port bow showed marks of

a slight indentation near the anchor davit. It was stated, however, on behalf of her owners, that the painting was done in London or Antwerp before she started on her present voyage, and that the indentation had been made on entering the port of Havre two years before. An inquiry was instituted in the Spanish Courts, and the committee appointed for that purpose declared that the "Murillo " was not the vessel which ran down the "Northfleet." The "Murillo " was therefore released. Her owners brought an action against Mr. Macpherson, Lloyd's agent at Madrid, in which they claim the sum of 20007. in respect of damage sustained through the publication of untruthful statements in telegrams sent by him to England.

The verdict on the Coroner's Inquest in England was as follows: "That the Northfleet' was run down while at anchor by a steamer whose name and nation are unknown; but that there must have been negligence or carelessness on the part of those in charge of the steamer. The jury add to their verdict that great praise is due to the masters and crews of the pilot-cutter Princess' and the tug City of London' for their exertions in saving the lives they did. The jury also consider that if the steamer which caused the collision had stood by the sinking vessel, instead of so unmercifully leaving her to her fate, most, if not all, of the lives would have been saved. They also consider that a distinct code of signals should be established."

In the City of London, when the story became widely known, the Lord Mayor, desirous of aiding in the relief of the lamentable distress, not only of the survivors from the wreck, but still more of the wives and families of the men who have perished, lost no time in rallying round him a number of gentlemen in the City, including Mr. Samuel Morley, M.P., the Sheriffs of London, and Mr. George Moore, among others, with the view of setting on foot a public subscription. On the first day about 5007. had been raised by way of a beginning, the Messrs. Rothschild heading the list with a donation of 100 guineas, and Mr. Thomas Baring, M.P.,100 guineas. The Queen has since given 2007., and the fund subscribed now amounts to several thousand pounds. There are eighty-five persons to be provided for; but out of forty-one or forty-two married couples on board, some with children, representing 143 lives in all, only three men, one woman, and two children were saved. One of these is a little girl, named Maria Taplin, ten years of age, both of whose parents and her brother and sister are drowned. She has been kindly adopted by Miss Forster, sister of the Belgian Consul at Dover.

Captain Edward Knowles was the son of Mr. Knowles, of Northwich, Cheshire, and grandson of the late Mr. Charles Knowles, assistant magistrate's clerk of Manchester, and formerly of Shrewsbury and Rugby. Captain Knowles was born at Gravesend, Kent, within two miles of where his ship was built, but was removed from the place of his birth at two years of age. He was about thirty