The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-14
THE ONEIDA CATASTROPHE.
LETTER FROM SURGEON sUDDARDs.
Thrilling Account OF the DIsaster-How
the Survivors Escaped-A Terrible
Scene.


private letter from Surgeon James suddards,
of the Oneida, to his father, the Rev. William
Suddards, dated Yokohama, January 81:
We left Yokohama at P. ". on the oath.
At GAS we were run into by the Bombay on
the starboard quarter, the whole of which was
carried away. She struck us full with her
sharp iron, and cut everything as with chlsel.
The wheel, steering gear, spanker-boom, and
gaff and poop cabin were all carried away, and
In fifteen minutes she" sank in fourteen faith
oms of water, and out of a personnel of tWen-
ty-flve officers and one hundred and fifty men,
nine officers and ifty-four men are left to tell
the tale. The ward room dinner was Just fin
ished at the moment of the collision. 1tseemed
to me as If the whole side of the ship was
coming bodily in on the dinner table. We all
rushed on deck Immediately and everything
was in the greatest confusion. AS / stepped
over the hatch combing saw large steamer
just clearing us. She was hailed by our execu-
tive officer and requested to stay by us, but as
far as could Judge they steamed away as fast
as they could 60. walked aft on the quarter
deck and saw that everything was smashed to
pieces. 1 then looked over the quarter and
then that the ship would go down in two min
utes, and rapidly concluded that every one
must look out for himself. AS realized the
position TnOticed that the ward room boat,
which hung at the port quarter, was manned
by twelve or fourteen men. | jumped on the
rail and asked Y an officer was in the boat.
The men said no, and seeing who was they
said: ''Jump in DOCTOR and seizing hold Of
me, two or three Of them dragged me into the
boat. at once took charge, ordering man
at each fall to lower when ordered. Having
first cut all the fasteninGs with knives. we
staid thus until within three or four minutes
OF the ships going down. During this time
the boatswain and two or three men got into
the boat, making the whole number seventeen.
We were still hanging at the davits when the
ship began to roll in that peculiar way which
precedes laundering, and the boat was dashed
against the side of the ship, threatening to
dash her in pieces. looked on deck and saw
no one abaft the mainmast, and gave orders to
lower away and hang by the falls. Afterwards
her fall got jammed and had to be cut with 0
knife. Had we been three minutes longer OF
the davts it would have been too late, as she
went down like shot after starting, and the
suction would have carried Our boat down with
the wreck. may mention here that when she
was brought mp to the Idabo she nearly sank
alongside, and on examination 1t was found
that seven pieces were broken on the star.
board side, and one of the planks was knocked
an inch out Of place. This must have been
done by the side of the ship, and convinces
me that we could not have saved any more in
down with a heavier load. AS the coxswain
cut the fall, junk was seen close by under
SAIL We started for her, intending to bring
her alongside, if possible and save life Being
under sail. however, and going free, she rap
idly left us, and in about two or three minutes
we gave 1t up; and turning to so back to the
ship found that she hnd disappeared. We
pulled to where we thought she had been; but
seeing or hearing nothing, finally headed FOL
the shore and landed a6out $50. at once
went up to q Japanese house, engaged three
guides, and started off for Yokohama, twenty
five or thirty miles distant. We crossed five
mountains on the way, and had the most fa
tlguing tramp you can imagine. We arrived
all safe, at four o'clock on the morning OF the
25th, when spread the news and sent down
assistance to the wreck. The vessel was found
yesterday, but no bodies as yet. The English
consular court is Investigating the matter. All
the officers of the Bombay have been on ex
animation. Our turn will come tomorrow
Mr. DeLong, the American Minister, is con
ductng the proceedings on our behalf You
will know the result by the next Pacific mail
due in San Francisco March 18th. landed or
shore in undress uniform, without cap, ant
only saved my watch by having it on. I have
been very much shattered by the occurrence
and subsequent fatigue, but am now much
better, and begin to feel like myself. All Yo
kohama has been extremely kind to the suryi
vors. The feeling against the captain OF the
Bombay fol not stopping is intense, and If the
court attempts to whitewash him violence
may be attempted. No vessel that has eve
been In Eastern waters was so popular rs the
Oneida. Even the English officers say the!
would much rather the misfortune had hap
pencd to their own vessels. Oftwelve officers
eating dinner at the time Of the collision, an
the only one left.
The Defence of the Bombay.
Arthur Wellesley Eyre, commander Of the
steamer Bombay, by which the United States
corvette Oneida was run down, In his evidence
at the British consulate ut Yokohama, statct
that he had been thirty-seven years at sea
twenty In command, and that on the evening
of January "a he saw the 0neida's lights ahead
and took the usual precautions against col
lision, but that when about hundred feel
fron the Oneida he observed her crossing his
bows at the rate OF fourteen knots; he stopped
his engines, put the helm hard q starboard tC
clear her. but Immediately thereafter the col
lision took place. He watched the Oneida fol
signals but. seeing none, concluded that she
was not much damaged, and, learning that his
own ship was leaking he kept on his course
for fear that he might founder, and thus i'm
peril the lives of his passengers. He dis
tinctly asserts that he heard no guns. He
closed by saying that his instructions were to
stop for nothing but to save life, and he did
not think life was at risk In this case. The
pilot told him that even If the ship was hurt
he need have no fear, as the spit was so neal
at hand that n shin cOuld not 90 down,