The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-28
LATEST BY TELEGRAPH.
The Loss Of the Oneida.
Surgeon Suddard's Official Account.
The Mormons and Mr.. Cullom's Bill.
The New Indian Reservation.
The Great Equinoctial Storm
Surgeon Suddard's Official Account.
The Mormons and Mr.. Cullom's Bill
The New Indian Reservation.
The Great Equinoctial Storm
FROM WASHINGTON.


Special Despatch TO The EueTsirg Telegraph
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-Surgeon Suddards,
Acting Boatswain Anderson, and others, saved
from the United States steamship Oneida, have
sent official accounts of the disaster to the
department. The accounts are all about alike.
The following is that given by Surgeon Sud-
dards:-
UNITED STATES SHIP IDAHO, YOKOHAMA,
Jan. 26, 1S70.-Sir:-I respectfully submit to
you the following statement of the circum-
stances attending the loss of the United States
steamer Oneida, third rate, on the evening of
the Oath inst, as they came under my personal
observation
The ship left her anchorage at Yokohama
about z. M, and on steaming out was cheered
by all the men-of-war in port. After getting
past the buoy, and heading for the light
on the Kauinsaki, all hands were
called called to-. to make k SAL sail, the wind
wards the wardroom dinner was annouaced at
which time the ship was running about seven
knots having the head sails set, with the fore
sail, top sails, topgallant sails maintopsail,
spanker, and gaf topsail. We were almost
through dinner when a messenger boy came
down and told Mr.. Muldauer, the navigator,
that Mr.. Yates, the officer of the deck wished
to see him. He went on deck, and when lie re-
turned few minutes later, told us that there
was a light ahead probably a steamer bound in.
Shortly afterwards heard some one on deck
forward call out "Hard a-port," and a moment
afterwards anather voice, but whether on our
own ship or the other l cannot say, cried out
lizard a-starboard."
Almost Immediately came a fearful crash,
apparently at the after end of the ward.room
on the starboard SIDE as If the whole side of
the ship was being crushed in. Everybody at
once rushed on deck. AS l stepped over the
hatch comblng l saw large steamer slowly
forging past us and in contact with our own
ship.
Before she cleared us The executive officer,
Mr. Stewart, called out to her, 'Stay by us-we
are cut down." or words to that effect. No
answer was made from the strange vessel. He
repeated the same words again. There was still
no reply, and being by this time clear of us, she
appHresntKiy K proceeded do on he her course; then
the spankers, boom and gaf carried away, and
the whole poop cut off. ,a.-.,r t' isH
/ looked over the starboard quarter, and as
well as could make out in the darkness thought
the whole of that side of the stern was crushed
off. She was fast settling by the stern and
judged that she would not float more than two
or three minutes. On looking up l observed the
third cutter hanging at the davits on the port
quarter. .-..... - zee. -.
1 climbed on the hammock rail and asked the
men, of whom there were twelve or fourteen in
the boat, If there was an officer there. They said
no, when got into the boat and gave orders to
cut away all the fastenings,, and for man to
stand by each fall ready to lower away when
the order was given. During this time the
steam whistle was blowing continuously.
kept my eye on the strange vessel and she
seemed to be rapidly leaving us.
The Oneida meanwhile had come up to the
wind, and was heading towards the shoals on
the left shore, and | was in hopes that she
might get into shoal water, as the propeller was
still revolving and the vessel moving rapidly.
A little while afterwards Robert Dyer, coal
HEAVIER, got into. the boat. He told me that he
had been sent by Mr.. Senter, engineer of the
watch, to report to the officer of the deck that
the fires were put out.
II I, Joet A.
| the water was within foot of the platform,
| and pouring forward in perfect flood. Almost
| Immediately afterwards George w. Kaufman,
landsman, jumped into the boat. He informed
me that they were trying to get the first. cutter
| off, that there were forty or fifty men in her,
| and he did not think they would succeed.
| A gun was now fred At this time the ship
commenced to roll from side to side as if set
Ting causing the boat to be thrown violently
against the side of the ship, and threatening To
| break in her side. looked on board and saw
! that there was not an officer or man abaft the
mainmast the deck forming an'angle of about
| thirty-fve degrees. / waited a moment
| to see If any one would come and seeing no one
| / gave orders to lower away and hang on by
the falls As the boat touched the water
| noticed that the stern of the ship was almost
on level with the surface. At this moment
| the men in the boat called out that there was
| junk sailing close by and demanded to chase
| her and bring her alongside.
The after-fall, by which we were hanging, go
| jammed, and the coXswain cut it with his knife
| leaving the boat free. We put after the junk
| but sailing free she soon left us out of sight
We then turned towards the ship and found she
had disappeared. Not more than three or fou
| minutes had elapsed since we left.
We pulled towards where we thought she haC
| been, but could make little headway against tn,
head sea. After remaining some time in tn,
vicinity and seerng and hearing nothing WI
turned towards the shore, and after an hour
pull landed near q japanese village. We imme
diately proceeded to q house, and, after a few
minutes conversation, procured three guides
and with them started Immediately for Yoke
hama, which place we reached after mos
fatguing walk over the mountains of eigh
hours, at 4 A. M. of the 25th instant.
| On arriving at Yokohama l called at Mr.. Car
rolls, who kindly put his house boat at my dis
posal and accompanied me on board of tn
Idaho where reported the loss of the Oneid
| to Lieutenant Commander Mullen at A. NJ
The collision occurred at ten minutes to seven
| and about twelve minutes elapsed between tn
collision and the sinking of the Oneida
| 1t is my opinion that If the Bombay, tn
steamer which sank us, had come to our rescu,
when the steam-whistle was blown, or eve
when the first gun was fired, all or nearly a
hands on board of the Oneida might have bee
saved.
Not Eligible.
Despatch TO the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, March 28-Several weeks ag
General Butler nominated for appointment I
the Military Academy, as q cadet colore