LOSS OF THE STEAMER ONEIDA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1153, 17 May 1870, Page 2

LOSS OF THE STEAMER ONEIDA.

By the barque Benefactress, at San Francisco, we have particulars of the loss of the U.S. steamer Oneida. The following is taken from the Japan Gazctto of the 29th Jan, :— • This most appalling disaster occurred on the evening of the 24th January, at about 6 o'clock, within a few miles of the anchorage of our harbour— which she had left less than a couple of hours before. The vessel had been in and out of Yokohama and the Japanese ports constantly, during the past two years ; and her officers were more than ordinarily well known and well liked ashore. As .they were leaving the station homewardbound, farewell festivities bad been accorded to them during the preceding week, and they left, accompanied by the most cordial good wishes of all their acquaintances, afloat and ashore. Yet within two hours after their departure, with a complement of officers and men numbering 176, only 56— including Dr. Studdard and two junior officers, are living to tell the tale of the disaster that had resulted in their ship and their comrades finding a watery grave. The iron steamer Bombay, belonging to the 1?. and O. Company, had run into her, and she sank in 15 minutes. The following account is from one of the men saved from the Oneida ; we give it as we received it ; but before we judge the captain of the Bombay, we must have his account of the melancholy affair, and the statement of others on board, A naval courtmartial has been demanded by the captain of the Bombay : — The U.S. steamship Oneida, which has been on the China and Japan station for a little over two years, having arrived at Kone on the 27th of December, 1867, to be present on the opening of the ports of Hiogo and Osaka on the Ist of January, 18C8, left Yokohama harbour about 5 o'clock on the afternoon of January 24tb, homeward-bound, The United States minister had visited her in the forenoon, and she had saluted him, and returned the salute of the British ironclad Ocean, which ship his Excellency also visited. The guns had also been loaded with blank cartridges, in expectation of having to return the expected salute of the Russian gunboat Vradniok, which, however, did not salute Mr. De Long, and consequently the guns were left loaded. On her steaming out of the harbour, the crews of the other men-of-war in the port gave her three cheers, and wished her a prosperous voyage. On passing Saratoga Spit, the wind being fair, the fires were banked, and the steam was commenced to be blown off. About seven o'clock, while the officers were at dinner, the look-out man on the forecastle sang out, " Steamer lights ahead ;" and the midshipman, also on the forecastle, gave the order, "Port the helm." Everything seemed so still on board the other steamer as to lead to the belief that she had not observed the Oneida, although her lights were burning brightly. The steamer, now known to be the P. and 0. steamer Bombay, came right on, and ran into tho Oneida, striking her on the starboard side, aft the gangway, at about halfway between the main and raizzen rigging, cutting a hole in the side of the Oneida, through which the whole of the interior of 'the gunroom was visible, carrying away the gig, binnacle, wheel, and rudder, killing the two men at the wheel on the spot. All the officers who were not on deck rushed up, and sail was immediately shortened. . It was evident to all that the ship was a total wreck. The Bombay did not stop, but proceeded on her way ; and, as the guns happened to be loaded under circumstances already detailed, they wero fired at short intervals to attract the attention of the Bombay, and to bring her back. The order had been given to "lower away the boats;" but the life- boat was the only one available, as the cutter was in the cradle inboard, and, as already stated, the gig had been carried away, The lifeboat was manned, Dr. Studdard, a boatswain, and fifteen of the crew going aboard of her. Fivo guns were firod, but before the sixth could be fired the vessel sunk. The life-boat was obliged to leave the side of the sinking ship, to avoid being upset or Bwamped by her. The whole must have been over within ten minntes after the colli. sion. None of those saved saw a man or heard a voice on board the Bombay, When there was evidently no hope of saving the ship, the officers gathered around Captain E. P. Williarus, on the poop, and ho was heard to say that he would not leave tho ship if she wont down— ho would sink with her. When the crew of the lifeboat, after pulling about for a while, saw none of the crew floating, not one of all the 160 who went down, they pulled to land, which was about five miles distant. They beached the boat about B'Bo p.m., and were kindly treated by the natives on shore, and, having obtained the assistance of one of them as a guide, they started to walk to Yokohama, which they reached about daylight. From another of the saved, we loam that when it was seen that the Bombay was proceeding on her way, the life-boat attempted to overtaken large junk, to induce it to come to their assistance, but, the junk running before the wind, they were unable to catch up with her, and turned round to go back to the ship, but they could not see her. They then attempted to make for the place where they thought they had left her, but they ran too

high, and they could not make it, and so turned round and rowed for the shore. The Bombay was ordered to the scene of the wreck by Captain Stanhope, R.N, The Yangtse also went, having on board the United States Minister, Mr. De Long. As the latter was steaming down, the Bombay was sighted returning. She hailed that she had thirty-nine men on board, including two officers ; the United States Minister then sent a request that the men migfit be put aboard of tho Yaugtso, but they objeoted. He therefore sent an order, which' was quickly obeyed. These men were saved in the cutter that was in the cradle and floated when the ship sank. A naval court-marti&l is being held, the proceedings of which we are particularly requested not lo publish Until the inquiry is finished. We must say, however, that the examination of Captain Eyre, of the Bombay, gave a plain account of his proceedings, and his reasons for passing on to Yokohama, such as must produce a" very, different, impression in men's minds from the statement of the men w.ho were saved from the wreck ; and, if confirmed by further evidence, tnust remove the stigma of inhumanity from, his name. The excitement at Yokohama hris been very great, and the feeling against the captain of the Bombay is intense. The passengers on board: the Bombay were quite surprised when they h,eard that such a calamity had befallen the vessel that they knew had been struck ; and they all declared that they neither heard any request from the Oneida to stay by them, nor the minute guns. It is, therefore, possible, that .Captain Eyre, of the Bombay, may have some reason' for his course of action, and it is unfair to prejudge him. • • --./■'.