Year: 1870

lisiOn by starboarding the helm, and getting my
bow off q little; the 0neidas gaf and spanker-
boom were entangled with our bOwsprit; part
of the sail was over our bow, and tended to stop
the leak q little; from the way the wind was on
her quarter, should judge she had her spanker
set; i was not entangled In her rigging; the
Bombay 10 an iron ship; her plates, origin
ally fve-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 belong
ing to the Oneida had penetrated my bow right
through; II was broken OIL like plug; 1t is about
III to inches in diameter, as near as can guess.
IL has penetrated the ship at about low-water
mark-the wash it is now several feet above the
water; 1t penetrated right through; the thick
nees Of the timber and material / do not know;
/ deemed my ship to be in dangerous position.
because she is old, and although slight shock,
such thing has often proved adangerous affair;
my vessel is in water-tight compartments; she
sustained ne injury except forward; have found
this out since, as at the time could not tell
what injury she had received nothing was re-
ported to me about the other compartments. IL
took some time to remove the stores and goods
to enable us to get at the place of accident; had
the forward compartment filed with water,
/ could not estimate the danger that threat
ened us, as the bulk-head might have been in
jured; If the bulk remained sound there was
no danger; had no evidence that it was dam
aged; the collision was so slight that it did not
shock q lady; my reasons for running for Yoko-
hama were, my forward compartment being full
of water, my ship old, and her plates thin; and
not knowing what injuries l had sustained
had passengers and mails aboard, and could not
say what might occur; and again, not seeing any
signals asking me to bear down, | naturally
concluded the other vessel was all right did
not know what damage my ship had sustained,
but from the water coming in, was very doubt
ful; at moments like these there are no means
of ascertaining damages; l asked the pilot II
there was any place to beach her to save her;
1t was most extraordinary collision; L
could not ascertain what damage had received,
nor where until yesterday; my chief steward
went ashore with the passengers and reported
the collision. He had no authority to do so;
when my ship was at anchor felt there was no
immediate danger, and l should be ashore the
first thing in the morning and report personally
to the agent; would not venture in among the
shipping Mt night after having had one collision;
/ steamed back to the place of collision, and my
crew we're employed in bailing water and trim
ming cargo the whole time; went under pro-
test; l saw the other vessel was q steamer
soon saw the bright light and the side lights;
] saw she was screw; the law is when two
vessels meet end on whether steam or sailing,
for each to port her helm; when a vessel is under
SAIL and meets another on the starb0ard tack,
she keeps the wind and the other gives way.


To Mr.. Barnard-I saw no lights or breakage
proceeding from or in the other vessel after col
lision; no one reported anything to me of that
nature; the first intimation | had of vessel
ahead was hearing the gong struck twice; l did
not hear from any person during the night that
the side of the vessel we had struck was cut
open; swear that nothing of the sort was re-
| ported to me, and that l saw nothing; | knew
| the other vessel was touched on the quarter; |


never left the bridge; l am not aware that it is
customary to take any steps to ascertain damage
calised by collision of two vessels, and done by
one to the other; in the open sea 1t may be, but
not land, in case of this sort; the mode OF
signalling is decided rocket and blue light at
night; guns are danger signals; there is no
regular law laid down that am aware of; did
not send up rocket, as it was not necessary; |
was not in want of help; it is my opinion that
any ship seriously injured and in want Of help


would signal for it; nv instructions are to stop
for nothing but to save life, and did not think
| life was at risk in this case the pilot told me
| the spit was close at hand and there was nc
| Hnnn