§ SIR JOHN HAYasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether he has received any information with regard to the accident which occurred on board Her Majesty's ship "Swiftsure?"
§ MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMANSir, the Admiralty has received a report from the captain of Her Majesty's ship Swiftsure of the circumstances of the accident which occurred on board that ship while saluting the Portuguese flag at Madeira on the 31st ultimo. The breech-piece of a 25-pounder breech-loading gun was blown, when the gun was fired, across the deck, killing Charles James, gunner's mate, breaking the right arm of James W. Caroline, able seaman (afterwards amputated), and slightly injuring two other men. The inquiry which was held shows that the accident was entirely due to negligence on the part of the gunner's crew, and not to any defect in the gun itself. This negligence will, in due course, be dealt with by the Admiralty.