The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-03-19
Perils of the Ocean.

PeriIs of the Ocean,.
We publish today the particulars of two ship
wrecks-one of which was the Pacific mail steamer
Golden Gin, bound from San Francisco to Panama,
which occurred on the coast of Lower California
on the 22nd of February, at a point about 2OO
miles above Cape St. Lucas. The passengers,
specie and baggage were saved, but the vessel and
cargo were a total loss.
The other was the United States war steamer
Oneidd. which had just left Yokohama, h~omeward
boand, on the Oath of January, and when a few
miles from that port, was run into by the PENN
sular and Oriental Company's iron mail steamer
Bombay. The result of the collision was that the
Oneida was stove in below the water line and sank
within ten or twelve minutes thereafter. About
sixty persons were saved and one hundred and
twenty lost.
The British steamer instead of stopping to see
what damage had been done, or to endeavor to
assist in case Of necessity, hurried on to port. The
conduct of Der Captain, if no sufficient explanation
is furnished, will be set down as among the most
inhuman ever recorded in maritime history. Had
the Bombay remained by the wrecked vessel, it is
presumable that most or all the persons on the
latter might have been rescued. We copy the
! following details from the Alta:
By the arrival of the bark Benefactress, from
Yokohama, yesterday-We have particulars of the
loss of the u. S. Steamer Oneida. The following is
taken from the Japan Gazette of the 29th of
January
This most appalling disaster occurred on the
evening of the 25th of January. at about 6 O'Clock,
within q few miles of the anchorage of our barbor
which she had left less than a couple OF hours
before. The vessel had been in and out of Yoko-
hama. 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, omeward bound.
farewell festivities had been accorded to them
during the preceding week, and they left aecompa-
MED by the most cordial good wishes, Of all their
acquaintance. al Dat and ashore. Yet within two
hours after their departure, with a complement of
officers and men numbering l76. only Sc including
DR.. Studdard and two junior officers are living to
tell the tale of the disaster that resulted in their
ship and their comrades finding a watery grave.
The iron steamer Bombay. belonging to the p. IL.
O. Company, had run into her and she sunk In Is
minutes thereafter.
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. 4 naval
Court Martial has been demanded by the Captain
of the Bombay:
The L. s. Steamer Oneila. which has been on the
China and Japan station. for a little over two years,
having arrived at Kobe on the 9th of Dec. 1867, to
be present on the opening of the ports of lIiogO
and Osaka on the lst of Jan. 1868, left Yokohama
harbor about D O'Clock on the afternoon OF January
24th. hoMeward bound. The L. 5. Minister had
visited her In the fOrenOoIi, and she had saluted him.
and returned the salute of the British irOn-clad
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 gHnboat PsddnicE, which,
however, did not salute Mr.. belong. and conse-
quently the guns were left loaded. On her steam
ing out of the haIbur, 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
: o'clock. while the officers were at dinner. the
lookout 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 L. & o. steamer bombay, came right on, and
ran into the Oneida, striking her on the starboard
side, aft the gangway, at about half way between
the main and miZzen rigging, cutting q hole in the
side of the Oneidq, through which the whole inte-
riOr of the gun room was visible, carrying away
the gig pinnacle, 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 inn
meaiately shortened. 1t was evident to all that the
ship was u total wreck. The Bombay did not stop,
but proceeded on her way and as the guns hap
pened to be loaded under circumstances already
detailed. they were fired at short intervals to at
tract attention OF the Bombay, aud to bring her
back. The order had been given to " lower away
the boats " but the life-boat was the only one avail
able as the cutter was in the cradle on board. and
us already stated. the gig had been carried away.
The life-boat was manned, DR.. S%tnddard, a boat
swain. and Is of the crew going aboard of her.
Five guns were fired, but before the sixth could be
fred, the vessel sunk. The life-boat was obliged to
~IeaR2<the side of the sinking ship, to avoid being
ups3tor swamped by her. The whole must have
been over within ten minutes after the collision.
None of those saved saw a man or heard q voice on
board the Bombay.
When there was evidently no hope of saving the
ship, the officers gathered around Capt. Z. p. Will
liams. on the poop. and he vas heard to say that he
would not leave the ship; If she went down. he
would sink with her.
A naval court martial is being held, the proceed
ings of which we are particularly requested not to
publish until the enquiry is finished.
We must say. however. that the examination of
Capt. Eyre, of the bombay, gave a plaiH account of
proceedings. and bis reasons for passing on to
such as must produce a very different
in mems minds from the statement of
the men who were saved from the wreck and if
by further evidence, must remove the
of inhumanity from his name
The excitement at Yokohama has been very
great. and the feeling against the Captain of the
is intense.