He stated that a crime had been committed on board the ship, and it behoved every passenger to use his or her best energies to find out who had committed it. The idea of suicide had been talked about, but they would hear from the evidence of Mr. Monteith, an intimate friend of the deceased, that the dead man had distinctly denied having any such idea. He went to bed the previous night at half-past eight, and at seven that morning one of the stewards, by name Matthew Dalton, had gone to the deceased's cabin and found him lying dead with a stiletto in his heart. The stiletto would be laid before the jury, the evidence of the steward, the doctor, and of Mr. Monteith taken, and every attempt would be made to find the author of this dastardly crime. The first witness called was Dalton, who deposed that he had knocked at the door of the deceased at seven as usual, but receiving no reply had entered, and found him lying in the lower berth, with a stiletto (produced) in his breast. He was completely dressed, and as all the furniture of the cabin was in order, there was no sign of any struggle. The stiletto produced was a slender, steel instrument, about seven inches long, with a curiously carved ivory handle, representing the head of Bacchus, surrounded by clusters of grapes. Captain: Were the bed-clothes in the berth disarranged? Witness: No sir; he was lying on top of 'em. Captain: Quite dressed? Witness: Yes sir; just as if he was taking a sleep afore turning in. Captain: Any of his jewellery missing? Witness: No sir; his watch was in his pocket, and two rings on his fingers. Captain: When did you last see him alive? Witness: Yesterday, when he came on board at Valletta. Captain: How long was he ashore? Witness: About an hour sir; he came back at three o'clock; he seemed upset, and asked me to get him a glass of brandy. Captain: Do you know what time he went to bed? Witness: No sir. Captain: Was there any blood about the cabin? Witness: No sir; just a little oozing from his breast. The doctor was next called upon to give his evidence, and deposed that he had examined the body of Lionel Ventin, deceased. It was that of a man of thirty-seven, or thereabouts, well nourished; very little food in the stomach, but a faint spirituous odour, which showed that the deceased must have been drinking previously to his death. The deceased had died from a stab inflicted by a stiletto, which had penetrated the heart. The stiletto was in the wound when the body was discovered. Captain: At what time do you think the crime was committed? Doctor: That is difficult to say; it was quite cold when I felt it, at seven this morning. I should say at least eight or nine hours. Captain: From the way the wound was inflicted, did the idea of suicide occur to you?