The Republican journal., 1870-03-17
THE ONEIDA DISASTER

snip was sent 10 the bottom, carrying with
her one hundred and fifty brave and devoted
men. A thorough investigation was being
made into the circumstances at the latest
dates from Yokohama The following is
the statement of the Captain Of the Bombay
TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN EYRE.
Arthur Wellesley Eyre sworn-I command the
steamer Bombay | was in command on the oath
OF January AT about G:15 p. NJ. on that day. the
lighthouse at kanasak bearing S. II f.. the spit
W; by n, as near as could be Judged l saw a
light halt-pont Oh my port bow. il was a bright
hight; shortly afterwards | made ou two lights,
|side-llghts green and red. | ordered the helm to
be ported, and kept porting until / shut the
green light ill., The pilot and chief officer We're
standing by my side on the bridge; turned the
Ssam-wlistle on myself. In shutting off the green
light my pilot said. ''We are well clear, sir My
orders We're. Port still the rule of the road, and
we Will give her wide BERTH The steam-whistle
was turned oil. Almost Immediately after this
the ship crossing my bows under full sail and
stopped the engines. As she got nearly ahead of
me and close TO, put the helm hard a-sarboard to
clear her. Immediately after this the collision
took place, our starboard bow striking her star
board quarter. The shock not at all great.
nothing more than Craze. | then turned round
and looked astern, sent the chief officer down to
see what damage, was done and if the ship was
making water, and said to the pilot, Il do not think
there is much harm done; if there is, we shall see
signals, rockets or lights that she wishes US to 60
down to her" stopped the engines as nearly as
| can tell about ten minutes. The chief officer
came up to me and reported the ship making water
forward then said, Il can no signals of dis
tres>, and nothing can be waned,' and then steam
ed ahead for Yokohama, as the ship was making
water and had mails and passengers on board
But while standing and looking astern | asked the
pilot suppose the ship was hurt or that / should
require il, where | could go for safety. The an
Swer was, there is not the slightest fear the spit is
50 near at hand a ship cannot go down. / then
came up to Yokohama. Even after got here
thought very little of the collision. had not the
slightest idea Of the consequences except that
might merely have cut his quarter gallery off.
Nothing else. did not know what ship she was.
remarked as she passed that she was an auxiliary
screw. | am stranger to this port, never having
been here before.
Examined by Mr.. Barnard. After she opened
ont the green light kept the helm a-port. She
was going fourteen knots, both tide and wind set
ting i'll her favor. She was about 100 feet from us
when observed her crossing my bows Another
twenty feet would have cleared us. | was going
10 to knots. or rather, should say, not more
-. The night was dark, but could see the stars.
could NOT see, TO distinguish from another object
man ships width off. She was about one mile
oil when saw the side lights. | can hardly say
the time. The other vessel evidently starboarded
her helm crossing our bows. She, by so doing.
brought the wind more on her quarter When
first saw the lights ported the helm and kept it so
until shut her lights ill., and she seeing my lights,
,tarboarded her helm and crossed nv bows I'm
mediacly | starboarled and caught her on the
quarter instead of amdship, as should otherwise
have done l was on the bridge at the time. had
been there from II A. NJ. | had been up all the
previous night making the island. From the time
saw the lights until the occurrence / was on The
bridge.
70 the court. AT the time the collision, took
place AL the people We're at their stations as usual
ana customary. The second officer was on the
fore part of the poop and the fourth officer by the
wheel to see my signals attended TO. My reason
tor sending an officer to the wheel was that the
not answered my signals quick enough: All able
seaman, and Il sea-cunnie We're at the wheel.
There was no one in the chains, but Il quarter
master was ready if wanted ! have never been
in Japan before and have not seen the entrance by
daylight This was my reason for taking Il pilot.
! had no idea of the nationality Of the other vessel
remarked that she was an auxiliary screw.
have been at sea thrtv-Seven wears and have been
fWenty in command. | did not see any damage
and merely imagined the quarter gallery was
Knocked off. The pilot said the same thing. |
supposed that no harm had been done. | had no
idea of having struck the other ship dangerously
did not see any signals. rockets or lights. look
ed Tor them, and saw no signals | heard no guns.
did not see the other vessel clew up her sails.
heard nothing at all from the other vessel. As she
passed US the pilot called out, ''What do YOU
mean The pilots name is Conner. | believe he
Is an American, but am not sure. He did not at
any time suggest to me that there was any danger
for the other vessel. He agreed with that if the
other vessel wanted assistance he would send M ::
rocket. 1t is customary on board onr ships u
always have six guns and six rockets ready Gu
Board my ship. 1t would take less than minute
10 fire ocket and make use OF a blue light, and
axe thing is done.
70 Mr. Barnard-I received Il message from Il |
man-ot-war requesting me to proceed down to the
scene of collision. ! think the messenger came
from the Ocean. This was about o'clock-say
daylight. l sent for the chief officer and remarked
that | did not think was justified in going down,
not knowing what injury had received under the
bows. | sent the chief officer to inquire what
hoo,
employed all night in baling water and trimming
at. Upon his return his reply was, 'There are
- feet in the forward compartment, and ID to Is
inches in the second compartment" | made the |
remark simply, 81 cannot 60" A few minutes |
after that a note came on board from agent, |
saying, "Will YOU kindly go down to tine wreck!' |
was on the bridge at the time. heaying i'll short, |
when an officer came to me with a verbal message
and entreated me to 90 down TO the place of COLI
sion.
made the remark, am the point of going,
as 1 hold letter from our agent wishing me to go
and said. it is almost under protest, it is really
100 bad with my fore compartment full of water. |
As were proceeding to the scene Of collision, |
found on two several occasions, two officers came
50 me and reported the water gaining fast as we
were going full speed ahead 1t was only by cas-
ing down and pumping and bane that kept the
water under. The men were employed all this |
time pumping the water out of the vessel, trim |
ming the cargo and taking it aft. MY reason for |
saying could not go was that my fore compart-
nen was full of water and did not know what |
i!lluIltS uitl SuStHlIGt.
70 Mr.. De Long. | first sighted the Oneida at g. |
- r. Nj. cannot tell exactly. After sighting the |
other vessel il five or six minutes before the
collision occurred. We no sooner saw one light |
Than the two >ideliShts 1t was so sudden
we could do nothing. | dropped anchor at Yoko-
hanna, according to my log-book, at :: IS p NJ. [
cannot tell how far the two ships drifted apart. i'm
mediatey after the collision. My ship came upon |
the other on the quarter, and the other vessel
was under full sail and steam she was quickly out
Of sight. | turned and looked after her with my
glass and could see nothing wrong. If there had
been any thing serious l should have seen it.
heard signal and saw none. This is truthfuy
said | the Oneida's white light first and al
most immediately afterwards the two sidc-ights
| saw both side-ghts at once both nearly ahead off
me, a half point on my port bow. | have stated
since this catastrophe that had struck ship and
taken her quarter gallery off. | have made no re-
mark to the effect that | had seen light through
the vessels side, or seen man carried away from
the cabin. Had any thing of the sort |
should have stopped at once. / heard no shout nor
hail. My pilot did not tell me that he heard any
thing. heard no whistle. If whistle was blown
ON board the Oneida from the time of the accident
or three guns tred my not hearing attribute to
the strong breeze that was blowing and the vessel
having shot from rapidly. | looked for a
blue light or rocket the former would have shown
me the position of the vessel, and the latter that
something was wrong. | stopped the engines be-
fore the collision. AS as ever | saw the col
lison was inevitable, l stopped the engines. | was
standing by the engine room telegraph myself, and
blew the whistle with my own hands. | did the
latter because the youngsters sometimes forget to