New-York tribune., 1870-12-12
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE !

MlRAL.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSBl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1l.-Since RearAdmiral
Rowans name has been before the Senate for conrma
ton for the office OF ViceAdmlral, very general In
Quy has been made in circles the charges pre-
ferred against him months ago in connection with
the loss Of the oneida The rstetters received from ia
pan after that sad occurrence mentioned the fact that the
Oneida went to without her full complement OF boats
she having lost the most Of those belonging to her in
typhoon short time before, and the subsequent ac
counts contaneda statement by Master Yates the officer
OF the deck at the time OF the accident In which he sad
"Iieutenant- Commander Muldaur walked up 10 Capt
Williams just the ship went down, and touching his
said the Captain, but what can dot have repeatedly
asked for boats, but could not get them""
Mr.. Yates also. In his testimony before the British
ConrtOf Inquiry, said:
"The Oncldas proper complement OF boats was six,
which consider would be sufficient 10 all hands
OF them would have carried provisions and
not. When we left Yokohama We had not that compile
ment. We were short three servceable boats. If we
had had our proper complement of boats could not
with all the boats We might hayessayed all the ships
company"
In addition TO hi. testimony is the statement made TO
TIT TRIBUNE respondent in Japan, by Captains Clerk
Crowniu gshield, Immediately after the collision, in
which he said that repeated apple itions verbal and
written had made for leave to obtain boats all of
which were refused, the Admiral having indorsed on
OF the applications, You must wait for boats until
you reach a cheaper port"
on the 2d of March the House passed a resolution
asking the Secretary Of the Navy for information in re-
gard to the Of the Oneida, and, in reply, Mr. Robe
son. on the SOth Of March, the House the report Of
Admiral Rowan. accompanied by report OF the pro
ceedings OF Naval Court OF Inquiry convened at the
British Consulate at Yokohama, and the reports Of Mr..
DE Long, our Minister Japan. on the 2d Of May tho
Secretary of the Navy sent to the House. in response to
the same resolution report OF the proceedings Of the
~. 80 ht nfralD
were printed in THE TRIBUNE at the time. Congress,
being dissatisfied with the first report passed the follow
ing joint resolution April =:
whereas, ON the 2ih day Of January last, the T. s.
steamer Oneida. when leaving The port OF 1ok0hama,
Japan, came In collision with the BRUSH Penn,ular ana
Oriental mail steamer Bombay, and sank almost IN
stintly with the loss OF nearly all her officers and the
greater part Of her men; and
WIereas, Tie Navy department has been unable, in
answer request Of the House of Representatives, to
communicate In deiail, or satisfactory INFORMATION
tOnchng. circumstances OF the loss, beyond its eN
tent aud the number Of casualtes and
gation has been made into the cause OF the dis
atcr into the conduct OF the parties implicated In
Resoirsd by the Senate and House OF Representatives
secretary of the Navy shall trifh the least practicable
deIag orer iresgaton To be made into the particu-
the loss of the T. steamer Oneida and of her
ocris aud men, including the subsequent conduct OF
the Captain Of the steamer Bombay, with view to as
certain responsibility the collision hy which she
destroyed and for the destruction OF lie which at
tended the catastrophe and make report OF the same to
Congress.
Eight months have passed since Congress approved this
resolution and nearly year since the Oneida lost,
and yet Investigation j. known to have been made by
order OF the Navy Department, the investigation having
been made by Admiral Rowan before the resolution
passed and no report transmitted to Congress. Mean
time the surviving officers and men OF the Oneida have
returned home, and several unpleasant rumors have
leaked out in regard TO the management Of the vessel
aud the responsibility for the loss Of life resulting from
the accident. thing to be established beyond
doubt il having been stated in the decision made by the
Court Of Inquiry ordered by Admiral Rowan, and sub
Stimulated by the evidence above, and that s that the
Oneida contrary TO all naval law and usage, went to sea
with ouy half her full complement Of boats, and many
of the friends Of those who were lost claim that Admiral
Rowan j. responsible for this. High naval authorities
assert the other hand that as Admiral Rowan was
not in Japan at the the Oneida sailed, Capt. VIII
ia Wa the .enor1 ccr, and, therefore, had the right
To procure ANY boat, he needed, and that had the Al
lniral been there, Capt. Williams would have been fully
inst thcd in refusing until his complement OF
bnlt va, made up. As far be learned inyest
CATION has ever taken place On this point.