The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-05

A dispatch from San Francisco brings full
particulars of the loss of the United States
steamer Oneida, which left Yokohama on the
23d OF January, homeward bound.
The steamer left her anchorage about five
o'clock in the afternoon and the accident oc-
Cured 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 replying
to salute from Russian gunboat to Mr.. De-
Long: The salute, however, was not given,
steamed out of the harbor the crews Of the va
rious vessels, and the men at work In the port,
gave cheers and wished her happy voyage.
On passing out Of the harbor her fires were
banked and steam blown Of:
While the officers were at dinner about seven
o'clock, the lookout man shouted, "steamer
lights ahead!" and mldshipman gave the order
to port helm. Everything seemed quiet on
board 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 PENN
sular and Oriental line, came right on and
struck the Oneida on the starboard, abaft the
gangway, about half way between the main
and mizzcn rigging. A hole was cut, through
Bile. The pinnacle, wheel, and rudder were
carried away, and the two men standing at the
wheel were instantly killed.
The Bombay did not stop after crushing
through the Oaeida, though the guns of the
latter, which happened to be loaded, were al-
most instantly fred to attract her attention
and bring her back.
Orders were given to lower the boats, but
only one lifeboat was available, the others
having been crushed. The lifeboat was mann
ed BY Dr. Stoddard, 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 man or heard
voice on board 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 llfcboat was obliged to leave the
sinking ship to avoid being swamped.
After pulling about fol- awhile the crew OF
the life-boat seeing none OF the crew floating,
not one of all the l60 who went down, un-
willingly bent their boats head to landward,
about i've miles distant. On landing the
natives kindly treated them, and they obtained
the assistance of q guide and started to walk to
Yokohama, which they reached at daylight
the next morning. The Bombay was immedl,
atcly ordered to the scene OF the wreck, anu
succeeded in saving twenty-nine men, VINO
had rot into cutler which floated when the
shin 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 in search for the wreck, and if ne
cessary to buoy the spot. The passengers on
board the Bombay were quite surprised when
they heard the calamity had befalien the ves-
sel they had struck, but declare they neither
heard any request from the Oneida to stay by
them, or minute guns fred A naval court
has been demanded by the captain Of the
| Bombay.
bered l7G, only Sc of whom, including DR..
Stoddard and two junior officers, survive the
| disaster