MORE ABOUT THE NORTHFLEET.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1075, 27 May 1873, Page 4

MORE ABOUT THE NORTHFLEET.

Tho London correspondent of the Birmingham News supplies the following incidents connected with Captain Gates aud Captain Knowles:— For more thau seven years, Captain Oates lias, lie tells me, been fretting and fuming in the toils which the Tich borne case ca°t around him, as being an important witness against the claimant. Captain Gates is the only man living who saw .Roger Tichborne safe on hoard the Bella, at .Rio, bound to New fork, aud he was subpoenaed by the counsel for the voting heir as soon as the claim of the popularly esteemed Sir Bogerwas put i■>.. When the Northfleet was ready for sea Captain Oates secretly (eared detention; but as he had ahoady made a deposition, which was in i'>o liands of the leading counsel for the prosecution, he put a bold face on matters and weut on with the preparations for tho voyage as if no subpama were hanging over his heaad. When the lawyers heard that the Northfleet was about to sail, they intimated to Captain Oates that he was " wanted" in April, and must not sail, under heavy penalties. "Fine me £2OO or £3OO if you like," said Captain Oates, " but I must sail in the Northfleet; on Saturday next." •'No," said Mr Hawkins; "we must have your body in court, and if you attempt to sail you will be arrested. The North lleofc was to have sailed on Saturday, the 11th instant, and only on the previous Friday Captain Oates, from informa* tion received in the shape of sundry formidable instructions of the law, said it was impossible for him to sail. After a hasty consultation with his brother owners (Captain Oates had a share in tho ship) it was decided to give the command to Capt. Knowles, who had sailed with Capt. Oates for five years, and of whom a very high opinion was held. All the personal effects of Capt. Oates and Mrs Gales were at the time on board the vessel, and were hastily removed to give place to those <f the new captain and his bride. Mr Knowles had been engaged for some time to be married, but had always said he would wait till he got a command. The waiting was so long that about Christmashe determined to tarry no longer, and here with wonderful good luck, as it appeared to the poor fellow, a command tumbled into his hands when he had been married only a few weeks. He and Mrs Knowles gave up the apartments they had taken and furnished, and. on Wednesday week Mrs Knowles joined tho shin at Gravcsend, taking up her residence in the superior cabins which Capt. < Jates had specially fitted up for himself and his wife. The rest of the story the world knows; but there are some curious incidents connected with it which have not yet been published. About seven years ago, Mr Knowles being then chief officer, an emigrant ship outward bound from London was lying in the Downs, when his ship was run into 'by a steamer and cut down to the water's edge. Fortunately assistance was at hand, and she was towed back safely to London, and there underwent repairs. What adds greatly to the remarkable character of tho coincidence is that George Brock, the pilot in charge of the Northfleet at tho time of her being run down, was also in charge of the other emigrant ship of which the hapless captatu was chief mate.