The New York herald., 1870-07-23
ENGLAND.


fhe Collision Of tho Bombay and Oneida--
DIr. RObes0n, Secretary Of the American
Navy, Hauled Over the CoaIs-The Tories
Accuse MIR. Gladstone of Being Afraid Of
she United States-Sharp sparriug in the
Corunlons.
LONDON, July T. 1870
Parliament has devoted night to the discussion
or the Bombay and Oneida case, which has caused
such a sensation In America There was quite
lively debate the question, in the course OF
when some hard hits were given ana taKen
Brother Jonathan, of course, in for his snare
al attention, and the utterances OF Mr.. Robeson
Secretary of the American Navy, were. was to be
expected, criticised at some length. Mr.. Hanbury
Tracy, young liberal OF obscure pretensons,
opened the bail in set speech which he had care
fully prepared and written for the occasion. He
may be said TO have held q brief for Captain Eyre,
The commander OF the English steamer Bombay, for
his address from beginning to end was elaborate
defence OF that gentleman and protest against the
treatment which he had received from the Board OF
Trade. He opened up the whole matter by moving
That IN the opinion Of this House, there ia nothing
In the evidence taken by the Naval Court OF Inquiry,
In the correspondence which has been laid before
Parliament, to Justify the severe reprmand admins
tered by the Board of Trade to Captain Eyre and
That further inquiry into his conduct ought TO be
made.
There was very full attendance OF members and
the deepest interest manifested in the proceed
1ngs, because 1t was felt that The question an
1ernational one. affecting the honor Of the nation
and the relations OF England with the United States.
Mr.. Gladstone, the Board of Trade officials ana the
whole OF the Cabinet Ministers were present, ana
instructions issued 10 the whip TO take precau
1ioni against the carrying OF the motion, which, IN
the Premiers estimation. would have seriously COM
promised Great Britain with the authorities at Wash
Ington.
\ hld nn IN pap1ai in ~ nT
Interest for every one In The assemblage listened
with the deepest attention and fet that the gravest
matters were ut stake. He Admitted that the Ameri
eau people, who were smartng under the loss Of one
oi their men-ol-war and upwards Of hundred OF
Their citizens, deserved every sympathy and condo.
lence Which could be given to them. He did not at.
tempt to deny that they had great cause OF com.
paint and that the Secretary OF the American Navy
had done right having the disaster investigated
But he protested hat the United States authorities
had carried their demands too that their grievance
was exaggerated ana tnat they had attempted in-
flame popular feeling at Washington and elsewhere
unreas0nably. His argument WAS that the cause Of
the COLLISION was solely due TO the negligence and
lnexperence OF the COMMANDER OF the American
snip Oneida, and tnat the Board or Trade had acted
in a unfair way towards Captain Eyre in not only
suspending his certificate Tor six months, but IN
censuring him inhumanIty. He mania ained tnat
The English captain had shown no inhumanty
whatever, and that he mad acted precisely some
OF the highest onicers In the English service said
they would have acted under the circumstances.
Captain Eyre III his opinion had done all he could TO
avoid the collision, and after the shock he had re-
manned ten or fifteen minutes on the spot TO see II
he could render any assistance. The American snip
Oneida however, instead Of calling out for assistance
Or beiraying any token OF being in distress had
sailed rIsht on ana the English captain naturally
took II for granted that she was uninIured. That
tins at all events was the opinion OF the midship-
man VINO commanded the Oneida could not.
ne thought, lie doubted because the American
officer Yates distinctly stated that his commander
called to him Immediately arter the collision and
asked him whether the ship was safe. Receiving
a la wa a EaIa thSw wnnVp
American had then said, "All right Set the fore
iopsail and proceed on your course.' He held that
every Thing went TO prove that Captain Eyre had
done all he could, ana he asked the House 10
the decision oi the Board Of Trade which de-
cison censuled Captain Eyre for Innumanlty and
suspended his certticate FOR six months. thereby
Throwing an irreparable stigma upon his character
me od tories cheered Mr: Tracy at tnose parts or
MS speech where he threw blame upon the Ainer
can commander and censnred Mr.. RObeson for de-
manding too much reparation. He received
encouragement however, from the liberals. who
almost TO man concurred in agreeing that Captain
Eyre had aced wrongly and that the Board OF Trade
had only done justice TO the wounded feelings or the
Americans in recording their ofIlcal censure OF his
conduct Sir. john Bright peing absent from III
health the duty stating the Of the Board OF
Trade ien to Mr.. Leeyre the Secretary of that de-
partmenf who did so with much ygOr, ana charged
dead against Captain Eyre. His sympathy for the
Americans under the Eeenness OF the disaster which
had beialcn their couDtrymcn was expressed IN the
varncst terms, and he did not wonder chat In their
sorrow for the loss OF 112 o. their relatives they
sn0uld nave spoken out somewhat strongly upon
the subject. Tne liberals cheered him very loudly,
10 the honesty of their feeling towards the United
States. They seemed, fact TO have tossed their
own countrymen overheard ana to have reserved
al their sympathy Tor their cousins on the other side
Or the Atlantic. On behalf oil the Board or Trade Mr..
1efeyre gave the following narrative Of the case,
(Which, IL VIII be seen, tells against Captain Eyre:
The Bombay and the Oneida into collision twelve
miles from Yokohama both running at the time about eight
knots hour the Bombay striking the Oneida az an angle
o foy-ge degrees IA The main chains After the collision
fhe BOMBAY remained stationary ue Vhelue goine on sp
Apd went down in fifteen minues, carrying with her liz
Lyre appealed 70 court Of inquiry aud naval court was
chant captains and two naval officers Captain Eyre was
deended by counsel the United states Minister represent
carefully brought out during the inauiry and tho court held
po the point justified proceeding tie
rosion the found that certain number Of facts
nonths Asa matter of general law was not legally
ver, exception general rule for Merchant
nppng g &c; made an act Of Of after = SsS collision
asnes tho, 70 bis ye' a II G SO WA, o bs s5
ound Captain Eyre guilty. and had suspend his certificate
% eSw Sa an a i S @ ee the
beow, order that his certificate gh. be returned to him.
nv Se ae s a @
cs Hdn Beeod and captain wate nne %
kwo gentlemen at the Admiralty, Mr. Lusbngon and Captain
Captain Eyre had Violated The ssihTd section o Ie
r.. sheos ns ss ,s eoS ns 70 Ss
nd had guilty of hagrnt breach Of duty, for
view adopted by the Board Of Trade their reply
10 the memorial OF Captain Eyrei ana no who con
pidered OF the could 10 the CONCLUSION
kbat those terms were TOO severe
I Perhaps the only tory who said anything specially
favorable 10 the United States Ia the course OF the
ncbate was Mr.. Graves, the member for Liverpool,
MhO. In tones OF gratitude tnat drought down the
House. related how clivalrousy. generously and
munincenty the people OF America had assisted
Great Britain In times OF distress, notably so during
he tfe oil the Irish famine and the Lancashire cot
Ion famine. There was tremendous cheering at this
Episode in the discussion.,
: Sir James ElphlDstone, who represents Ports
mouth and who is q Dgoted conservative OF tAe
heepest dye, was the only speaker VINO threw 8uy-
fhing like gall into the debate, ana be was very
Beverley chasised by Mr.. GLADSTONE for dong SO.
Elr James, amid the murmrrs even OF MS own side,
declared that tne oneida was rotten old ship that
Nas not ht TO be In the American navy; that sne
Kas commanded by o raw lad or tWeny-three,
Wn0 was deneient IN seainanshp tbat caplaih
Hyre had acled justinaby, and that he lsir
2emeN would have done precisely tue sane had