Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-03-10
AisfftIasfaas.
THE LOST ONEIDA.
Details OF the Disaster.
Inhumaafty OF British Officers.


Heroism of the American Tars,
Advices from Yokohama, dated Janu-
AIRY 81, says: The most terrible accident
and horrible exhibition of inhumanity
ever known in the East, occurred about
twenty miles down the coast at haf-past
sixo' clock F. P.M.January Ath. The U,ited
States steamer Oneida, ,homeward bUG.
collidsd with the British iron mail stam-
er BombsJ, Captain Arthur Wellesley
Eyre, the Bombay striking tue Oneida
on the stabsard quarter, carrying away
her poop deck cutting off her whole stern
and running one of her timbers entirely
through the bows of the Bombay at the
water line. Three times the Oneida hail
ed the Bombay with "Ship ahoy stand
by; you have cut Us down." She also
blew hsr whistle and fired her guns, all
OF which the officers of the Bombay say
they did not hear, though the guns were
distinctly heard at this port, twenty
miles away. The Oneida went down stern
hrst, In about twenty fathoms of water,
with twenty osdeers and ffty-five men.
The captain Of the Bombay did not step
tosrescue those on board, nor did he, up
on..his arrival here, report the accident
or,inform the authorities. The first known
of 1t Was the arrival on foot, next morn
ing, Of DR.. Stoddard, surgeon, and fif-
teen of the crew. But two cutters were
available, and the officers almost to'a
man refused to take to them while man
remained on board. Discipline was COM
plete to the last, the sick being put into
the boats, the officers remained at their
posts until the ship sunk. The only
United States Government vessel in Ja-
pan being a stOreship Minister Delong
was obliged TO accept from English,
French and Russian men-of-war steam
ers, steam launches cutters, &c. In COM
pany with Col. Shepard, the Consul at
Yedo, Ma: harrington, proceeded to the
scene Of the disaster, where all In hu-
man power is being done to rescue the
suffers, and recover the bodies lost. De-
long, on his own responsibility, charter
tered gunboat lately sold by the United
States Gevernmsnt-to private parties,
manned her with a mixed crew of the
Oneida, volunteer citizens, and engineers
furnished by Russian corvette, placed
her under q commander OF the naval
officers, and sent Col. Shepard to repre-
sent him. while he, with great energy,
was making thorough Investigation by
a naval co.rt Of inquiry.
Delong is entitled to great praise for
his action. The position Of the Oneida
to-day was aseertsined by spar, which
at Log tide rises four or five feet above
the water. No bodies have been found.
Had the Bombay sent her boats to the
assistance Of the Oneida all or nearly all
might have been saved. The feeling of
indignation towards Captain Eyre is ter
rible. None but bis com pany and few
afhis countrymen attempt to shield him
The following Ia correct list of the
officers lost: Commander E. II. Will
liams, Lieutessnt Commander w. F.
Stewart A. w. Muldaur, Paymaster;
T. L. Tullock, Jr., Master Walter, Ser
geant; J. w. Phelan, Ensign; G.. c.
Cowry, Z. r. Brown, Midshfpman W.
Uhler, g. III. Bower, A. G. Capp, J. g.
Hull, G.'K. Adams, Assistant Surgeon
rockingham, Engineers N. B. Letting,
Bsrstow G. 5entsf, aud John Terrence,
Carpenter J.. d. Pinner, Paymaster's
Clerk w. o. Thomas. and ninety-five
men.
LATER.-The following additional facts
have been obtained: Investigation shows
that terrible responsibility rests some
where else than with the Bombay. The
Oneida In the late typhoon lost all but
three small boats, and one OF these was
cut in two by collision, leaving but two
boats to save one hundred and seventy
nine men.
The last words Captain Williams said
when Lieutenant Muldrum reported the
vessel sinking were, 81 knsw it; bat
what can I do? asked for boats, and
they were not allowed me. "Thus through
the negligence Of sombody and the in
humanity Of the Bombay's officers, a
battlesearred and historic chip, with as
brave officers as ever stood between her
flag ard her enemies, has been lost to
their friends and to the country,