The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-11

not distinguish IL. one was ABOUT one mile oil
when saw the side lights. l can hardly say
the time. The other vessel evidently star
boarded her helm, crossing our bows. She, by
80 doing, brought the wind more on her quar-
ter. When first saw the lights I ported the
helm and kept 1t so until shut her light in,
and she, seeing my lights, starboarded her
helm and crossed my bows. 1 Immediately
starboarded and caught her on the quarter in
stead of amidshp, as I should otherwise have
done. was on the bridge at the time, and had
been there from IL AM l had been up all the
previous night making the islands. From the
time first saw the lights until the occurrence
l was on the bridge. The chief officer and
pilot were on the bridge with me. The gunner
and Carpenter with Two sea-cunnies were on
lookout in the fore part of the vessel.
To the Court. At the time the collision took
place all the people were at their stations as
usual and 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. Ten minutes elapsed from time Of stopping
engines to going ahead again. had no idea
of the nationality OF the other vessel. I re-
marked that she was an auxiliary screw. l
have been at sea thrty-seven years and have
been twenty in command. have been both
in sailing vessels and steamers. did not see
any damage, and merely imagined the quarter
gallery was knocked off. l 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. I looked
for them and saw no signals. l 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 meanw The pilots name IS Conner.
I 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. 1t
is customary on our ships to have guns and
rockets ready for instant use. always have
six guns and six rockets ready on board my
ship. would take less than minute to fire
rocket and make use of blue light, and the
thing is done.
TO MT. Barnard. received message from
man-Of-war requesting me to proceed down
to the scene of the collisisn. think the mes
sage came from the Ocean. This was about 6
oclock.say daylight l sent for the chief Of
ticer and remarked that I did not think was
justified in going down, not knowing what in
Jury had received under the bows. I sent
the chief officer to inquire what water there
was forward, the crew having been employed
all nj. ht in baiing water and trimming aft.
Upon his return his reply was, there are IL
feet IN the forward compartment, and Is to 16
inches in the second compartment. I made
the remark simply, cannot go. A few NM
utes alter that note came on board from our
agent saying, will you kindly go down to the
wreck I was on the bridge when an officer
came to me with verbal message and entreat-
ed me to 60 down to the place Of the collision
made the remark, I am on the point of going,
as held letter from our agent wishing me to
go, and said it is almost under protest it is
really too bad, with my fore compartment full
Of water. As we were proceeding to the scene
of the collision, found on Two several occa-
sous, two officers came to me and reported the
water gaining fast, as we were going full speed
ahead. 1t was only by easing down and pump,
ing and bailing that I kept the water under.
Tue men were employed all this time pumping
the water out OF the vessel, trimming the cargo
and taking it aft. My reason for saying could
not go was that my fore compartment was full
of water and I did not know what injuries
had sustained.
To Mr. DeLong-I first sighted the Oneida
at 6.15 P. M. l cannot tell exactly. After
sighting the other vessel it was five or six min
utes before the collision occurred. We no
sooner saw the one light than we saw the two
side lights. 1t was SO sudden we could do
nothing. I cannot tell how far the two ships
drtted apart Immediately after the collision.
My ship came upon the other on the quarter,
and as 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. IT there had been any
thing serious l should have seen it. heard
no signal and saw none. This is truthtully
said. 1 saw the Oneida's white light first, aud
almost Immediately after the two side lights.
l saw both side lights at once-both nearly
ahead of me, half point on my port bow.
have made no remark to the effect that had
seen light through the vessels side, or seen a
man carried away from the cabin. Had seen
anything of the sort I should have stopped at
once. heard no shout or hail. My pilot did
not tell me that he heard anything. heard
no whistle. IT whistle was blown on board
the Oneida from the time of the accident or
three guns fired and my not hearing, attrib.
ute to the strong breeze that was blowing and
thu Gesei h""i"s che. from nae so rapidly.
would have shown me the position of the ves-
sci, and the latter that something was wrong
As soon as ever l saw the collision was inevita-
BILE 1 stopped the engines I was good fit
teen minutes looking after the ship after the
accident. l did not hail the other ship as I
was too busy watching my own, aud trying to
ease the collision as much as 1 could. sThe
pilot was the first man who spoke. was told
by second officer that we hailed out Steamer
a hoy" ard were not answered by the other
vessel. The collision was very slight, SO much
so that the lady passengers did not feel it. The
Oneda's gaff and spanker boom were entan-
ged with our howsprit A part Of the sail
was over our bow, and tended to stop the leak
quarter, I should judge she had her spanker
set. / was not entangled in her rigging. The
Bombay is an iron ship; her plates, originally
five-eighths, are now about quarter of an
inch thick, as she is an old ship and her plates
have been worn down.
have examined her since the injury, and
found the spar belonging to the Oneida had
penetrated my bow light through. 1t was
broken Oft like plug. 1t penetrated the ship
at about low water mark--the wash. I deemed
my ship to be in daDaerous position, because
she is old, and although slight shock, such a
thing has often proved a dangerous affair. My
vessel is in water-tight compartments. She
sustained no injury except forward. 1t took
some time to remove the stores and goods to
enable us to get at the place of accident My
reasons tor running for Yokohama were, m
| forward compartments being full of water nv
ship old and her plates thin, and not knowing
what injuries had sustained. I had passen-
gers and mails on board and could not say
what might occur; and again, not seeing any
signs asking me to bear down. I naturally CON
cluaed the other vessel was all right. did
not know what damage my ship had sustained,
but from the water coming in, I was very
doubtful At moments like there there are no
means OF ascertainIpg damages.
I steamed back to the place of collision and
my GREY were engaged in balm: water and
trimming cargo the whole time. went under
protest. saw the other vessel was steamer
as soon as I saw the bright light and the
side lights. The law is when two vessels meet
end on, whether steam or sailing, for each to
port her helm. When vessel is under sail,
and meets another on the starboard tack, she
keeps the wind and the other gives way; when
steamer meets vessel under sail or steam
end on, the rule is both vessels port their helm.
A vessel before the wind gives way to vessel
GU wind. When I first saw the Oneida the
Oneida she was about mile distant. When
I first saw the light thought it was light
ship, but Immediately afterwards I saw the
two side-lights.
To Mr.. Barnard-The first intimation had
OF a vessel ahead was hearing the gong strike
twice. did not hear f.om any person during
the night that the side Of the vessel we had
struck was cut open. swear that nothing OF
the sort was reported to me, and that saw
nothing. knew the other vessel was touched
| on the quarter
To tue Court-At the time of the collision
my lights were in good trim and burning
| brightly. l could see from the bridge and
| they had only been sent up half an hour be-
fore. My vessel had felt the effect of starboard
helm at time of collision. The engines were
| stopped two minutes before collision. did
not think of reversing-in fact there was not
| time to do so. had charge of the ship, and
my orders were obeyed. The strength Of the
wind at this time was a good topgallant sail
breeze. Surprising l had put about and fol-
lowed the Oneida it would have taken half an
hour. I suppose, had the Oneida remained
stationary, it would have taken quarter of an
hour only. 1t would have taken fully ten to
fifteen minutes to get my ship completely
round, as there was a large sweep to make
A steamer generally gives way to a sailing
ship and in 7ariat ly, if possible, passes under
her stern, unless he can go we'll ahead of her
did not hear any crash as of breaking tim
Der. was on the port side of the bridge by
the telegraph. The Bombay has seven boats.
viz, two life, two cutters, mail, gig and iolly
boat Crew numbered SO all told, / have
never bad a collision before. This is the first
accident I have ever had. When two ships
collide it is not customary to stand by each
other unless severe damage is apprehepded, I
did not think it necessary TO stand by the One
ida. said to tho pilot, "Will that shin come