The New York herald., 1870-05-14
THE LOST ONEIDA.
A Statement from One Of the Surviving Eeamen-
Ths Bombay Hailed land the Guns Fired
Were the Officers Drunk 9-How
Captain Eyre's Suspension"
Made Him Chief Mate

Peter Norman, matnmaHt man OF the Oneida,
which was sent to the bottom Of the sea by the Bom
bay, called at the HERALD oflce yesterday and gave
the following account or the disaster:-
We left the port OF Yokohama about quarter past
five the evening of the cath of January, amid the
cheers OF the Russian men-of-war, two or three
French vessels aud two British ships. We had been
about an hour and a half on our way--it was star
light night and very cold-when we were struck by
the Bombay. We made her Off o half point
or our starboard bow; then she turned
to while We put our helm hard q star
board, and tho next report from the quarter
master, MIR. Wooley was that she was point and o
half on our starboard beam. 1t was then impossi.
BILE for to get nearer to the shore in safety and
when we went down we were In twenty fathoms Of
wafer. When we were struck Mr.. Stewart, the ex-
ecutive officer. called out, Steamboat ahoy stand
by us; ,yon have cut US down" and reply
came back. "Helio" but the Bombay con-
tnaed thu on her % course Three e guns were then
were fired by Mr.. stewart Mr. Adams ramming
cartridges IN his arms Captain Williams wss lying
n n bea M at ths time suffering from rheumatism and
the ees "a s o. Wound - ne, e had recesd during the
Nj. Muidaur told him That the ship was was
f How much water have you got gots he he asEeS. IUss.
'Ffteen rathons and no bottom, . was Muldaur's
reply. "Get the boats clear and save yourselves,
officers and men; men, man the foreriggng; get
aloft"--and the order to the men was Obeyed as
though there was no danger impending. The cap
tain added, ~ asked for boats and they wouldn't
give them to me-" The water had by this time
reached the bridge where the captain was standing,
majority OF the officers were ct dinner when the
collision took place, and the statement that there
was grand jotfcation going on aboard, and that
the Of1cers were under the influence OF liquor,
Is lie without color OF truth. This declare before
God, who Is my Judge. The morning OF the day we
left Mr.. De Long, the American Minister, paid
visit to the foreign men-ofwar, and they saluted
him and the Oneida returned the salute. The guns
were again loaded to return the salute which we
expected from the Russian corvette, but as she
only carried six guns she only dipped her
that the guns were already loaded when
when We were struck and how they were fred 50
aslss aaess N se{Hs 'R'i s ihas a s f assS &
zine was broken open to get ammunition. The last
explosion was made Just as the guns touched the
water as the ship was going down, and was in that
way half snothered. The opinion OF all the survivors
was and Is that the court held at Yokohama was
mere whitewashing affair." It had on 1t three persons
who were employed In the company TO which the
Bombay belonged The Bombay LETT Just about
TWENTY-FIVE days after the court was held and Cap.
tain ESg'e svens out in her as CHIEF NATL, although
rby the fate OF their lost comrades and will
never rest till they are avenged In some way Or
another, II the United States government does not
do them justice and show the world that the Aineri-
can flag 49, Notwithstanding English sneers to the
contrary, protection to her citizens.