Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-03-09
Interesting particulars Of the Loss OF
the Oneida

PHILADELPHIA, i1arch 1.-The following are
interesting extracts OF private letter from
Suraron James SuIdards @! The Oneida, dated
Yok nhama, January 81: 1--WE LETT Yokohama
at ) p. m, on the 18th At G:45 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 cIiise The wheel, steer
ing gear, spanker boom, and gatf and poop cabin
were all carried away. and in fifteen minutes
she sank in fourteen fsthoms Of water, aud
out of personnel OF twenty i've officers and
$50 mcu nine officers and fity-tour men arc
was Just finished at the moment OF the collision.
| seemed to me as il the whole side OF the
ship was coming bodily in on the dinner table.
We all rushed on decked Immediately and
everything was in the greatest confusion.
AS stepped over the hatch combing, saw
large steamer just clearing u7. She was hailed
by our executive officer and requested to stay
by ua, bu. as lar as could Judge they steamed
away as last ..us they could 80. | walked att
on the quarter deck, aud saw that everything
was smashed to pieces. [ then looked over the
quarter and saw the extent oil the damage. /
believed then that the ship would go down il
two minutes, and rapidly concluded that every
one must look out Tor himself, As L rcailZad the
position | noticed that the ward room boat,
which hung at the port quarter, was manned
By twelve, or fourteen men. jumped on the
rail and asked if an officer was in the boat. The
mcu said no, and seeing whoIwas they SAID jump
in doctor, and Selling hold of me, two or three
of them dragged me into the boat | at one,
took charge, ordering man ut each tall to
lower when ordered. Having first cut all the
fastcninGs with knives We stald thus until
within . or minutes Of the ship going down.
Daring this time the boaswain and two or
three men got into the boat, making the whole
number seventeen We were still banging at
the davits when the ship began to roll in that
peculiar way which rrecedes laundering and
the boat was dashed against the side OF the
ship, threatening to dash her in pieces. L
| look cd en- deck aud saw 20 one abait the main
! mast, and gave orders to lower away and hang
| by the fails After her lal got damned and
nad to be cut with knife. Had we been
| three minutes longer at the daVits, it would
| have been too late, as she went down like a
shot. and the suction after starring would have
carried our boat down with the wreck. ] may
! mention here that when the boat was broughtup
| to Idaho she nearly sank aonpslde, and on ex.
| animation it was found that seven pieces We're
broken on the s:arboarl sdo, and ono OF the
blanks was knocked an inch out OF place. This
| must have been done by the side OF the ship,
and convinccs that We could not have saved
any more in our boat as she would have filled
and couc down with heavier load
As the coyswain cut the fall, junk was seen
close by under sail We started for her, IN
tending to bring her along side, if possible,
and save life Being under sail, however, and
poirg free, she rapidly left US, and in about
| two or three minutes we gave it up, and turn.
ing to 90 back to the shin, found that she had
disappeared We pulled to where We thought
Sue had been, but seeing and hearing nothing
finally headed Tor the shore and landed, about
$50. | at once went up to japanese house,
engaged three guides aud started off for Yoko-
hama, % or 50 miles distant. We crossed five
mountains on the way, and had the most latig-
uciug tramp you eau imagine. We arrived all
safe at 4 O'Clock on the morning Of the 18th.