Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-15

starboard ganSWay, cutunS. u nolc III us
TO the waters edge, and through which
the whole interior of the gun room was
visible. She carried away our gig. binna-
cle-wheel and rvdder, instantly Killing two
men at the wheel. All the officers who
were not on deck rushed up Cor We're
brought up, some being sick), and sail
was Instantly shortened. II was evident
to us all that the ship was Il total wretk,
and that she would go down in few min
utes. Asthe Bombay hauled away from the
collision Lieutenant Commander Stewart
shouted, "Ship ahoy! This was repeated
three times, but, as she paid no heed, our
whistle was blown and three guns were
fired. The order was given to CLOVER
away the boats, !" but the lite-boat was only
available. as the cutter WAS shipped in
'.cradle" on board; the lite-boat. was
.nanned and pushed away. Or. Suddard
and Ii men were saved in herr As the
ship sunk the cutter was got atloat, and
myself and thirty-eight Others were saved
in her. As the ship was fast sinking,
Captain L. P. Williams, who was on the
bridge, was asked to get on board, but he
refused to do so, saying, mo, shall stay
in my ship if she goes down" Lieut..
Commander Muldaur walked up, and
touching his hat, said, "Sir. what can /
do? l have repeatedly asked for boats,
but could not get them" Atqhis moment
the ship settled. the snokestack came
over and forced the cutter from the ships
side, and she went down stern. first. |
hauled the Captains clerk, William F.
Crowninshield on board, and made great
effort to save I.ieutenant-C Commander
Stewart, but he sunk just before reached
him, saying as he went down, "For Gods
sake save met' He was quite III at the
time.
The remainder Of AR. Yates's statement
corresponds with tbet of Mr. Crownin-
shield, and all these saved concur in these
statements in every essential particular.
At the court of examination Captain
Eyre testified as tolows:
l command the steamer Bombay; was
in command on the 24th of January. At
about g.: 10 r. H., on that day, the light
house at kanasaki bearing S. II f., the
spit w. by n, as near us could be judged,
saw alieht a half-point on my port bow
it was a bright light; shortly afterwards
made out two lights --sidc-lights green
and red. ordered the helm to be ported,
and kept ON porting until l shut the green
light in The pilot and chief officer were
standing by my side on the bridge; |
turned the stcam-whistle on myself. In
shutting off the green light my pilot said,
"We are well clear sir" Ny orders were,
"Port still, the rue OF the road. and we
will give her wide berth" The steam
whistle was then turned Off Almost I'M
mediately after this saw the ship cross
ing my bows under full sail and steam, rs
far as | could see. | telegraphed and
stopped the engines. As she got nearly
ahead Of me and close to, | put the helm
hard a-starboard to clear her. lmmedi-
ately after this the collision took place.
our starboard bow striking her starboard
quarter. The shock was not at all great,
nothing more than ii Craze. then turned
around and looked astern, and sent the
chief officer down to see what damage
was done and if the ship was making
water, and said to the pilot, 81 do not
think there is much harm done; if there
is, we shall see signals, rockets or lights
that she wishes us to go down to her." l
stopped the engines as nearly as ! can tell
about ten minutes. The chief officer
came up to me and reported the ship max
ing water forward. l then said, II can
see no signals of distress, and nothing can
be wanted" and then steamed 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, supposing the ship was
hurt or that should go for safety. The
answer was, there is not the slightest fear,
the spit is SO near at hand ship cannot go
down. then came up to Yokohama.
Even after we got there thought very
little of the collision. had not the Slight
est idea of the consequences except that
might merely have cut his quarter gallery
off. Nothing else. l did not know what
ship she was. | remarked as she passed
that she was an auxiliary crew. l am
to this port, never having been
here before
To MIR. De Long first sighted the
Oneida at 6 lis Pm. cannot tell exactly.
After sighting the other vessel it was five
or six minutes before the collision occurred
We no sooner saw one light than we saw
the two side-lights. 1t was so sudden we
could do nothing. dropped anchor in
Yokohama, according to my log-book, ut
Z AS p. NJ. cannot tell how far the two
ships drifted apart, Immediately after the
on the quarter, and as the vessel was I'M
der full sail and steam she was quickly out
of sight. l turned and looked after her
with my glass and could see nothing
wrong. If there had been anything seri-
Gus / should have seen it. | heard no
signal and saw none. This is truthfully
said. saw the Oneida's white light first,
and almost Immediately afterwards the
two side-lights. saw both side-lights at
once, both nearly ahead of me, half
point on my port bow. | have stated
since this catastrophe that had struck a
ship and taken her quarter gallery off. !
have made no remark to the effect that
had seen light through the vessels side,
or seen man carried away from the cabin
Had seen anything of the sort should
have stopped at once. heard no shout nor
ilaii siy pilot did not tel Tic that he
heard anything. heard no whistle. If a
whistle was blown on board the Oneida
from the time of the accident OF three
guns fired, my not hearing attribute to
the strong breeze that was blowing and
the vessel having shot from me so rapidly.
looked for blue light or rocket: the
former would have shown me the position
of the vessel, and the latter that some