" THE GENUINE, REAL SIR ROGER."

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 77, 22 November 1884, Page 3

" THE GENUINE, REAL SIR ROGER."

Auckland Evidence in Favour of the Tichborn© Claimant. Though a court of law has decided that the notorious Tichborne Claimant is Arthur Orton, and though the adipose individual referred to has "served his term" for perjury in connection with his claim, there are many people who persist in believing that the " much-wronged nobleman " fairly made out his right to the vast fortunes and estates of the Tichborne family. It will be remembered that a point was made against "Sir Roger" because of his testifying that when the Bella was wrecked he was picked up by a three-masted American schooner called the Osprey, bound for Melbourne. Inquiries were diligently prosecuted at Melbourne, which proved that no such vessel had ever visited Port Phillip, and the story of rescue was therefore set down as a groundless concoction. It would appear, however, that this conclusion was rather hasty, and that such a schooner was actually in these seas about the time of Roger Tichborne's travels. A story reaches us from Wellington by telegraph, which though a palpable "mare's nest," is worth referring to, since it has been the means of calling to rcollection certain remarkable evidence in Auckland. This story is to the effect that while removing a number of ammunition cases from Mount Cook Barracks, Wellington, some of these were found to be marked "transport Osprey," dated variously 1844, 1846, 1854, and 1856, and bearing the names of destination— " For Melbourne," "For Hobart Town," "For Sydney." To conclude from these facts that the transport Osprey was the vessel which saved the wanderingTichborneheir would beas unwarrantable as the former conclusion that no ship of that name had picked him up. The recollections of an old Auckland resident on the subject throw considerable light on the question, his statement in effect being as follow? : — He remembers that a British transport called the Osproy visited New Zealand with stores shortly after the settlement of the colony. That was a large vessel, and she was wrecked on the coa&t. Her figure-head, a large wooden representation of an osprey, was saved with other wreckage, and gave its name to a public-house situated in High street, Auckland, At the great fire over twenty years ago, the Osprey Hotel was burned down with a lot of other property, and the wooden figure-head which had escaped destruction by water perished by fire. It could not have been thib ship which picked up young Tichborne, as lie would never have made the mistake of describing it as an American schooner. But tho gentleman who informs us of these facts has a clear recollection of a three-masted American schooner called the Osprey arriving in Auckland Harbour. This Mas shortly after the breaking out of the Californian "gold-fevor," and the Osprey was the first vessel to reach New Zealand direct from San Francisco, the circumstance being well remembered, through local merchants having sent goods to the " diggings," and being anxious to obtain direct information as to the markets, which the churlish skipper of the Osprey refused to give. This, then, conclusively establishes the fact that there was a vessel, exactly answering the description given by the Claimant, trading in these seas at a time corresponding very nearly with that of his alleged rescue ; and as there is some talk of the claim being prosecuted afresh, this evidence may have considerable effect in corroborating the story &o circumstantially told, but which was believed to be pure fiction. Other old Aucklanders will no doubt call to mind the visit of the Osprey, and may be able to confirm the tale told to us by an "old identity," which suggests the question — What if, after all, it should prove that tho real Roger Tichborne has been imprisoned for asserting his claim to his own ? Since the above was written we have received the following particulars of the wreck from a correspondent : — " H.M. Ship Osprey, IS guns, was wrecked near Hokianga in 1846. No lives lost. The crew marched overland, and were for some time stationed with the two j companies of the sSth Regiment at Victoria Hill, Bay of Islands. The captain was tried and acquitted. Part of stores, guns, &c, were recovered by Sir Everard Home, R.N., and lodged in the magazines in the Britomart and Albert Barracks. The figure-head of the ill-fated brig was for many years decorating an inn in High street, and so the interesting discovery is explained. The Press Association has a romantic imagination."