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COURT MARTIAL ON THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE MUTINE FOR HER LOSS
On Monday morning a Court-Martial was held on board the Caledonia, 120, at Devonport, Captain Carter, for the purpose of inquiring
into the cause of the loss of the Mutine, at Chioggia, off Venice, on the 21st Dec., 1848, and of trying J. Jeris Palmer, Esq., the Commander;
John Curtis, Esq., Senior Lieutenant, and others, the officers nd crew, for the loss of the sloop.
The Court was composed of the following officers: Rear-Admiral Sir J. Louis, Bart., President; Captains W. B, Mends H.M.S. Agincourt;
J. W. Carter, H.M.S. Caledonia; Sir T. Maitland, C.B., H.M.S. Impregnable; Commander Charles Hall, and Wm. Eastlake, Esq., Officiating Judge Advocate.
The prisoners were desired to be present at the reading of the charge and certain letters which had reference to the loss of the Mutine;
after which, the Commander and Lieutenant having stated they have no complaint to make against any of the crew on the occasion of the wreck,
and the crew having said the same with respect to their commanding officers, they were desired to quit the room, and Commander Palmer was examined.
It appeared from his statement that he was not in the ship at the time of her loss, which he accounted for most satisfactorily,
on showing the servoce on which he was employed required his personal attendance in Venice on the unfortunate occasion, and he was detained there by stress of weather.
The evidence of Lieuts. A. J. Curtis and E. Maunder was taken at great length, and circumstantially the particulars of the wreck,
showing that the greatest exertions were made to preserve the ship; but that was found to be inevitable, the Lieutenants ran her ashore to preserve the lives of the crew.
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Several others of the officers and crew were examined, and they all stated the greatest efforts had been made to preserve the ship.
The prisoners, at the conclusion of the evidence for the prosecution, stated that they left their case entirely in the hands of the Court.
The room was then cleared, and, when re-opened, the Judge-Advocate read the following sentence: The Court having heard the narratives
of Com. John Jervis Palmer and Lieut. Alfred John Curtis, and examined part of the surviving officers and crew of H.M. late sloop Mutine,
and maturely and deliberately weighed and considered the said narratives and evidence, is of opinion that no blame is imputable to Com. J. Jervis Palmer,
Lieut. A. J. Curtis, or any other of the officers and crew, for the loss of H.M. late sloop Mutine; and the Court desires to express their high sense of
meritorious conduct of Lieut. A. J. Curtis, and Mr. E. Maunder, the master, as well as the officers and crew during the whole of the trying circumstances
under which they were placed, on the occasion of the loss of the Mutine.
The Court do therefore adjudge the said Commander John Jervis Palmer, Lieut. A. J. Curtis, and others, the officers and crew of the late sloop Mutine, to be severally acquitted.
The President that returned Commander Palmer his sword, expressing his pleasure in doing so; and in returning that of Lieut. A. J. Curtis, passed a high eulogium on his merit.
He said, "Lieut. Curtis, in returning to you your sword, I have been requested to express the high opinion entertained by the Court of the conduct
of Captain Palmer, and yourself and the master, Mr. G. Maunder, for the devotion and judgment you showed in preserving the lives of the ship's crew."
The Court then terminated, after having been engaged the whole of the day.
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