Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-29
Tnn.Loss OF rnE Oneida.


before the naval court Of inquiry at Yoko-
hama, japan, In reference TO the collision
between tho United States steamer Oneida
and the P. end o. steamer Bombay, was re-
celved at the Navy Department this moru-
Ing. It covers 81 page Of closely printed
matter, and will be Transmitted to Congress.
In the evidence given In the case Captain
Eyre comedies thai he made the remark
after this collision that he "belleyed he bad
taken the 0ueida's quarter gallery OIL"
Edward Newman, steward OF the Bombay,
testified that the carpenter Of the Bombay
had said that the Oneida was struck hard, I"
and that he saw bodies carried away on the
| Oneida after the collision"
Lieut., Clemens, Of II. NJ. ship Ocean, les.
tiled that Capt. Eyre said TO him; 81 have
cut of the quarter Of a Yankee lfflgate."
He said, ''seryed her right, she crossed my
bows With starboard helm"
Lieut.. Leveuthorpe, of II. N. :, Ocean,
testified that In the same conversation, Capt.
| Eyre being present, come one remarked
chat they could see into the saloon OF the
| Oneida" after the collision.
| George Wills, residing at the International
| Hotel, Yokohama, testified that the steward
OF tho Bombay said In his presence that the
carpenter OF the Bombay told him that there
had been collision, and that hole had
ANNu hAtAut AhN hNuNA sup Ky W
look Into the cablh;" that Mr.. Hamerton,
third officer Of the Bombay, who was pres
cnl at the International Hotel when the
steward made this statement, was asked,
"Dld you not stopi"Mr. Hamerton answered,
"NO.n Captain Hlltz then said, why
noti" Mr.. Hamerton made answer, "I can
not says that's where the mistake Is"
II was testified TO that the guns fired by
tho Oneida were heard by numerous parties
N XaEahauna and Thai thu nnaidaHa aAaan.
whistle was blowing IRON the tmo Of tho
collision until just before the ship sank;
also, that Mr.. Stewart, the executive officer
OF the Oneida, called out Ia q loud tone Of
voice TO the Bombay, "Steamer ahoyi you
have cut Us down, remain BY u.s." u
The decision given BY tho court was upon
two questions before them
First. Was tho injury sustained by the
Pcninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company's ship Bombay brought about by !
the tault Of her commander, Capt. Eyref
Second. Amer the collision had taken
place between tho steamship Bombay aud
the United States corvette Oneida, what was
the conduct Of the master Of the former
vcaseli
Upon the first question the court decides
that the damage which has been sustained
BY the Bombay Is In no way attributable 10
the default OF her commander, Mr. Eyre.
Ab NNkAIua huo HgNOhu HuNhNiOuN WHICH
this court Il called upon to decide, viz the
conduct Of Mr.. Eyre after the collision had
taken place, II may be observed that Il has
not been without long and serious dellbcm.
ton among ourselves, aud most careful
consideration Of all the evidence adducod,
that we have arrived at unanimous decision.
We find from the evidence before us that
on dark but starlight night, the 24th Of
January last, the steamship Bombay through
r ~.
into collision with the United States corvette
Oneida, In the close vicinity OF Saratoga
Spit, situated some ten miles from Yoko-
hotna. That the effect Of this collision on
the Bombay was comparatively slight. That
guns were fred from the Oneida as signals
Of distress from ten TO ffleeu minutes after
the collision took place. That tho report
Of these guns was not heard, nor were the
flashes seen on board the Bombay. That
amer the collision, the fact Of the Bombay
having been hailed from the Oneida was re-
ported to Mr.. Eyre. That Mr.. Eyre only
know that some Of the upper works Of the
Oneida had been carried away, and was un-
aware OF the amount Of Injury sustained by
her. That the Bombay was a mall steamer
carrying passengers aud cargo, and was built
In compartments, only one OF which was re
ported 10 him as making water fast. That
the whole extent Of the Injury sustained
by the Bombay was not aseertained Gil the
day following the collision. That immedl-
aiely after the collision IL was not considered
10 bo serious, for had II been so, II IL natural
to suppose that the knowledge Of the pilot
would have been availed Of aud the Bombay
| ruu on 70 Saratoga spit. That In our opiu-
| ionno no danger TO the Bombay, her passen-
i gers aud cargo, was apprehended by Mr..
Eyre. That, from the questions he asked
the pilot, he evidently thought that the
| Oneida might possibly have sustained serious
injury. That he waited at the most i've
miautes after the collision TO see II signals
OF dlstress were made from the Oneida.
That after his ship again proceeded he gave
| no. orders that q lookout should DO kept In
/ the direction Of the Oneida. That had he
or any one else bean keeping pr per look
/ ont, the fash OF the OneldA's guns must
have been seen, though their report might
| not have boon heard.
Under all these circumstances II becomes
our duty TO pronounce whether In our opln-
lou Mr.. Eyre was justified In proceeding on
bis voyage without waiting 10 ascertain
whether the Oneida was 10 need Of assist.
ance. ..r.
We recognize Che fact that he was placed
In q position OF great difficulty and doubt,
aud In circumstances under which he was
called upon to decide promptly but we re-
greet to have 10 record It rs our opinion that
he acted hastily and ill-Rdylsedly 10 that,
Instead OF waiting and ondeaYoring to rem
der assistance 70 the Oneida, he, without
having reason to believe that his own vessel
was In perilouS position, proceeded on his
voyage.
THIS conduct constitutes, In our opinion,
a breach Of 23d section Of the esd chapter OF
the merchant shipping act amendment act
Of 1862, and we therefore feel called upon TO
suspend Mr.. Eyre's certificate for six cRlen-
dar months from this date.
KAHAGEwA, 18Th February, 1870.
[slgnedI-Rled. LoWder, II. u, Me- con-
sui, president OF the court Arthur Tlnklar,
COMMANDER II. NJ. 8. Ocean David Moore,
STAG commander OF II. NJ. 8. Ocean John
| GnAllau, master Of 8. s. Sultan William
| Chapman, master Of Rockelln.
II -