The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-15 00:00:00

THE ONEIDA DISASTER.

The New York papers of March 2 give full accounts of
the Oneida disaster.. The following version is given by
the New York Herald:—

SAN FRANCISCO, March 1, 1870.
The ship Benefactress arrived from Yokohama, Japan,
to-day.
She brings full particulars of the loss of the United
States steamer Oneida, which left Yokohama on the 23rd
of January, homeward bound. The steamer left her
anchorage in the afternoon, and the accident occurred at
seven the same evening. The United States Minister
visited her in the forenoon, and received the usual salute,
and the guns were reloaded with the expectation of reply-
ing to a salute from a Russian gunboat to Mr. Delong.
The salute, however, was not given, and the guns re-
mained loaded. As the Oneida steamed out of the har-
bour, the crews of the various vessels and men at work in
the port gave cheers, and wished her a happy voyage.
On passing out of the harbour, her fires were banked and
steam blown off.

While the officers were at dinner, at about seven o'clock,
the look-out man shouted " Steamer lights ahead," and a
midshipman gave the order to port helm. Everything
seemed quiet on hoard the other steamer. This leads to
the belief that she had not observed the Oneida, although
her lights were burning brightly. The steamer, which
proved to be the Bombay, of the Peninsular and Oriental
line, came right on and struck the Oneida on the star-
board side, abaft the gangway, about halfway between the
main and mizen rigging. A hole was cut, through which
the whole interior of the ship was visible. The binnacle,
wheel, and rudder were carried away and two men stand:
in' at,the wheel were instantly killed.
The Bombay did not stop after crashing through the
Oneida, though the guns of the latter' which happened to
be loaded, were almost instantly fired to attract heratten-
tion and bring her back.

Orders were given to lower the boats, but only one life-
boat was available, the others having been crushed. The
lifeboat was manned by Dr. Suddards, the boatswain and
fifteen of the crew. Five guns were fired, but before the
sixth could be discharged the Oneida sunk—within ten
minutes after she was struck.

None of those saved saw a man or heard a voice on
hoard the Bombay. They report that when it became
evident that there was no hope of saving the ship the
officers gathered around Captain Williams, and he was
heard to say if the ship went down he would go with her.
The lifeboat was obliged to leave the sinking ship to avoid
being swamped. •
After pulling about for a while, the crew of the lifeboat
seeing none of the crew floating, not one of all the 160
who went down, unwillingly bent their boat's head to
landward, about, five miles distant. On landing the natives
kindly treated them, and they obtained the assistance of a
guide, and started to walk to Yokohama which they
reached at daylight the next morning. The 13ombay was
immediately ordered to the scene of the wreck, and suc-
ceeded in saving thirty.nine men who had got into a cutter
which floated when the ship went down. Several other
vessels—one with Minister Delong on board-=proceeded to
the scene of the disaster during the day, but no more
lives were saved. The Japanese Government sent boats
and apparatus to search for the wreck and if necessary to
buoy the spot. The passengers on Board the Bombay were
quite surprised when they heard of the calamity which
had befallen the vessel they had struck, but declare they
neither heard any request from the Oneida to stay by them
nor minute guns fired. A naval court-martial has been
demanded by the captain of the Bombay.
The efficers and men of the Oneida numbered 176, only
fifty-six of whom, including Dr. Suddards and two junior
officers; survived the disaster.

YOKOHAMA, Jan: 31.
Via SAN FRANCISCO, March 1.
The most terrible accident and most horrible exhibition
of inhumanity known in the East, occurred about twenty
milc3 down this coast at half-past six on'the evening of
January 24. - -

The United States steamer Oneida, bound for home,
collided witls the British Peninsular and Oriental iron
snail Steamer Bombay, Captain Arthur Wellesley Eyre.
The Bombay struck the Oneida on her starboard quarter,
carrying away her poop deck, cutting off her whole stern,
and running one of her timbers entirely through the bows
of the Bombay, at the water line.
Three times the Oneida hailed the Bombay with " Ship
shop ! stand by ; you've cut us down ; " blew her whistro
and fired her guns, all of which the officers of the Bombay
say they did not hear, though the guns were distinctly
heard at this port, twenty miles away.
The Oneida went down stern first, in about twenty
fathoms of water, with 20 officers and 50 men. The
captain of the Bombay did not stop to rescue those on
board, nor did he on his arrival here report the accident or
inform the authorities. The first known of the affair was
the next morning, when Dr. Suddards, the surgeon, with
fifteen of the'crew, arrived on foot. But two cutters were
available, and the officers, almost to a man, refused to
take them while a man remained aboard.

Discipline was complete to the last. The sick were all
being put into the boats, the officers remaining at their
posts until the ship went down.
The only United States government vessel in Japan
being the storeship, Minister Delong was obliged to accept
from the English, French, and Russian men-of-war
steamer, steam launches, cutters &a, and in company
with Colonel Shepard, Consul at J'eddo, and Mr. Farring-
ton, proceeded to the scene of the disaster where all in
human power was and is still being done to rescue the
sufferers and recover the bodies of the lost.

Minister Delong, on his own responsibility, has char-
tered the gunboat Aroostook, lately sold by the United
States Government to Frivate parties; manned her with a
mixed crew LA the survivors of the Oneida, volunteer
citizens and engineers furnished by the Russian corvette,
and placed her under the command' of naval officers and
sent her, with Colonel Shepard to represent him, to the
scene of the disaster, while the Minister himself is making
a thorough investigation by a naval court of inquiry.
Minister Delon is entitled to great praise for his prompt
and earnest action.-

The position of the Oneida was to-day ascertained by a
spar, which at low tide rises four or five feet above the
water. No bodies have yet been found.
Had the Bombay sent her boats to the assistance of the
Oneida, all, or nearly all, would have been saved.
The feeling of indignation towards Captain Eyre is ter-
rible. None but, his company and a few of his country-
men attempt to shield him.

- - ,
The Penimular iamt`Oriental Steam Navigation Qom
pany have reoiveictthe following telegram :

t • " GALLE, March 8.
" Captain Byre is held free from blame for collision
with the Oneida, but his certificate is suspended for six
months for not having waited to render assistance to the
Oneida's crow, He procecd4 to England by picsynt
.
steamer,

THE BILL AND THE PUBLIC.

Public discussions on the Education Bill are still
very numerous; but that the subject is ripe for legis-
lation is very clearly shown by the baldness of the
opinions now generally put forth.- Most noticeable
amongst the various propositions lately made is
that to raise the whole of the funds for,the support
of schools out of national taxation. The Liverpool
Town Council, like several other bodies of the kind, is
quaking at the prospect of a rate, and anxious that
the burden should bo shifted to tho general taxation
fund. In some of the rural districts a similar move-
ment is noticeablethe Notts Chamber of Agricul-
ture having pronounced against local rating. Ths
Hertfordshire Chamber of Agriculture, on the other
hand, is much more liberal. It has resolved that in
all agricultural districts industrial schools ought to
be formed, in cider to teach rural employments and
arts.