The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-03-26 00:00:00

THE "BOMBAY" AND "ONEIDA"
COLLISION.

The collision between the Bombay and the Onelda Is thus
spoken of by the Japan Gazette of the 29th of Janos ry :
The disaster occurred on the evening of the 24th
inst.' at about six o'clock, within a few miles of the
anchorage in harbour, which the Ontida had left lens
than a couple of hours before. The vessel had been in
and out of Yokohama and the other Japanese ports
constantly during the past two years, and her officers
are more than ordinarily well known and well liked
ashore. As they were leaving the station homeward
bound, farewell festivities had been accorded to them
during the preceding week, and they left, accompanied
by the moat c •rdial good wishes of all their acquain.•
tance, afloat and ashore. Yet within two hours of
their departure, of a complement of officers and men
numbering about 176, only about 56, including Dr.
Studdard and two junior officers, were living to tell
the tale of the disaster that had resulted in their
ship and their comrades finding a watery grave. An
iron steamer had come into collison with them, and
the injuries sustained were so great that the Oneida
sank with all her crew, except the surgeon and
men who bad got into the life-boat. A Naval
Court is at present sitting, to which all the public
are admitted ; but the proceedings of which we
are particularly requested not to publish until the
inquiry in finished. We must say, however, that
Captain Eyre, of the Brrmb'sn, gave a plain account
of his proceedings, and his reasons for passing on to
Yokohama, such as might produce a very different
impression in men's minds from the statement of the
men Who were saved from the wreck; and, if confirmed
by further evid, nee, mint remove the stigma of in-
humanity from his name.
The excitement in the settlement has been very
great; and, unhappily, some have been so injudicious
as to speak of the captain's not having saved any of the
Oneida's crew as a matter of national jealousy. As if
any but a demon could see even his bitterest enemy
struggling in water, cinder such circumstances, and not
hold out a hand to rescue him. But in this OW it was
pitch dark. Those on board the Oneida did not know
what steamer had run into her, nor were those on board
the Boort-r, aware of the name or nationality of the
vessel that had been struck. So that anything like such
an unworthy motive in impossible. It is the more
foolish and blameworthy even to mention the possibility
of Pinch oi.o.eity, in a port like this, where—if any-
wile re u, C.l ropeans and Americans have all lived to.
I gether with..ut those antagonistic feelings that
may be felt elsewhere; and such a report naturally
meates a v ry uneasy and uncomfortable feeling. As
the facts of the owe are elicited, no doubt the absurdity
of such a charge will be admitted • and even as we
write, feeling is very notch allayed and altogether
more reasonable. His Excellency Mr. de Long, the
I 'iiited States Minister, a lawyer by profession—per.
!flitted by the Coln to cross-examine witnesses on be.
half of the survivors—in the opening, proceedings
showed • great degree of asperity towards the captain