I don't know ordinance store room, but I think it was. whether the screw was injured or not by the collision; the flow of water into the Captain's cabin would have impeded a person going down there after the collision. The engines did stop before the vessel sank, the fires having been ex- There were tinguished by the water which filled the ship. five watch officers on board the Oneida. I was No. 3 in rank. Had I stopped the engines during the three minutes before the collision, and the Bombay had kept on her course, she would have struck me about the starboard fore- Never having seen the rigging, and at right angles. Oupida's screw drag while she was under sail, I cannot judge what effect on her speed stopping the engines would have had. It would not have avoided the collision in my opinion, had I three minutes before the collision, when I first saw all the Bombay's three lights, ported my helm, I don't think I could have avoided the collision. I was about five years in the U. S. N. academy at Newport and Anapolis. I had experience there in manoeuvring ships. I had experience as a regular officer of the deck in all manoeuvres. I had this experience during about nine months of these five years, as I was on leave some of the time. I was actually on board a practice ship about nine months of the five years. I graduated in June 1886, I have been at sea ever since with the exception of a month. I came in the U. S. S. Idaho to the Asiatic station. I did stand a watch on board that vessel during the whole pas- We were two hundred days sage. She is a sailing vessel. from New York to Nagasaki; out of that time we were comething less than a month in port. I don't think I could have avoided the collision by porting my helm as the "Bombay" was so far on my starboard bow, and she might have been a little less than a mile off. I could see her hull distinctly. I think at that time it was hard to estimate the distance; in fact, I have only estimated it by the time which I thought must have elapsed from the time of my seeing her three lights until the time of the collision; under similar circumstances I should again aot exactly as I did on this occasion. I have no idea how long it would have taken the "Oneida" to turn a complete circle. I can't say how long it would have taken to bring her four or five points up had I ported my helm, but I think it would have taken a long time. I know the water came in through the aperture in the Captain's cabin and through all the place which was cut off.
(Signed)
ISAAC J. YATES,
Master U. S. Navy. Adjourned till 1 P.M.
Proceedings resumed at 1 P.M.
JAMES THOMPSON HILTZ, gworn, states --On the even- ing of the 24th of January, at about a quarter before 11 o'clock, I went into the International Uotel; whilst there, I heard something about the Oneida having come into collision with another vessel. I heard two men talking about it. I afterwards learned that one of them was the steward, and the other the third officer of the Bombay. I think I should know the third officer if I saw him. I should think that that gentleman (pointing to Mr. Hamer- ton) was the man. Shortly after taking a seat, I board these two men speaking of the collision their ship had had with the U. S. 8. Oneida. When they spoke of this colli- sion, knowing most of the officers, and being interested, I asked them where they had struck the Oneida, and what damago had been done to her? The answer was that they did not know, that they kept on to Yokohama.
Did you not stop? I said: what was the reason? I cannot tell, said the 3rd officer,there was the mistake. He afterwards said that the Oneida was a soft wood or pine ship. My auswer was that he must be mistaken, as our ships of war were built of oak. He then said that they had some of the pine upon their deck; that the Bombay's cutwater went into the cabin of the Oneida, where they were sitting at dinner, and that they saw some of the officers removing some one who had been hurt by the collision. I said: "then did you not stop when you saw that you had injured the ship so much" "His answer was,-"no" and said again:"there was the mistake;" and added, that their own ship was making water. I remarked that it was very cold: yes, said the third officer; we were kept on the hatoba two and a half hours before they sent for the mails. I am commander of the 8. S. City of Yedo.
To Mr. BARNARD. I am an American. When this conver- sation took place. Mr. Wells and Mr. Curtis were present besides myself. Mr. Curtis was leaning over the bar. I should think that Mr. Wells and Mr. Curtis could have heard this conversation. Mr. Wells was sitting close to me. If Mr. Wells and Mr. Curtis were to come here and state that not a word was said as to the name of the Oneida, my opinion of what was said would not be altered In tho slightest. I think I have said something to the U. S. Consul about what I heard. I don't recollect when this was, but it wasn't for two or three days after as I was busy. I have spoken to Mr. De Long about this matter, but I don't re- collect when. I don't think it was the day after the colli- elou. I cannot swear that it was not the day after the colli- sion, that I saw both the U. S. Consul and Mr. De Long.
They did not come to me, nor did I go to them to speak on this subject. It was the common topic of the day, and I spoke of it in the course of conversation. I do not think I did go either to Mr. De Long or to the Consul and tell them what I heard. I did not communicate this conver- sation before. I heard it all. I did not go to either the Consul or to Mr. De Long particularly about this watter I decline answering they did not send a message to nie.
what business I went about. I did not go to Mr. De Long apon this subject especially or any special business. I often call upon Mr. De Tong. I did not call at his house when I informed him of what I had heard, I have been. about 4 months in Japan. I had never seen either Mr. De Long or Mr. Lyon before I came to Japan. I don't re- collect what was said between us--we talked on various sub- jects. I don't remember if I then informed them of this coversation. I don't recollect when I first saw them after this conversation. I have not been subpraned to attend this court of inquiry. I have not been promised payment if I gave my evidence fairly. Nothing has been mentioned to me about payment for loss of time. I swear the Oneida's name was mentioned that was what particularly took my attention. I don't recollect exactly what was said between Mr. De Long, Mr. Lyon and myself, I think I spoke to Mr. Lyon yesterday evening about it. I don't recollect if I spoke to the Minister or Consul about it before last Sunday. I wont swear I did not. I don't recollect if any one was there beside Mr. Wells and Mr. Curtis. I think perhaps Mr. Quinn came in afterwards. I remember seeing him after the conversation at the Hotel. I could not recollect what he said.
TO THE COURT. The 3rd officer was in the Hotel. I should say 15 to 20 minutes, indeed, I cannot say when he did go ont. I did not see either the 3rd officer or the steward come in, they were there when I came in. I entered the Hotel at about a before 11 as near as I could judge. I don't recollect if they left together or not. I don't remem- ber if they were drinking or not. I should think both of them were sober; they were standing near the front end of the bar, next to the stove, about 8 or 10 feet off me, when the conversation took place. When I spoke, the 3rd officer addressed himself to me he was the principal spokesman. I did not ask them how they knew it was the Oneida they had collided with. I don't recollect to whom I first repeat- ed this conversation. I don't recollect if either the steward or the 3rd officer said the Oneida would come back to re- pair. I don't know if a Mr. Watson was there on the oc- casion of this conversation. I don't recollect any one say- ing we will go on board to-morrow and see what damage has been done to her. I think I should have heard any thing that was said to or by Mr. Wells. I imagined from the 3rd officer saying there was the mistake, that the Ongi- da had been badly injured. I did not think at that time that the Oneida would sink; had I thought so, I should have got up steam immediately in my own boat and gone down to her assistance. I did not think that there was. danger to the lives of any on board the Oneida, because the Bombay had come away without rendering or offering her any assistance,
To Mr. DE LONG.-As an American citizon, I feel privi- leged to call on my Minister and Consul whenever I please. I remember meeting you at a barber's shop one morning before the Court was convened for that day. I recollecį. you asking me what I knew regarding a conversation that had taken place relative to the collision. I then made a statement to you of what I had heard. Before that time I don't think you had seen me or spoken to me upon this subject. I did then at your request consent to ask my em. ployers to give me leave to attend, and give evidence when With the consent of my owners and called upon to do so.
at your request, I have to-day remained off duty in order to attend this inquiry. I have no interest in the matter other than the feeling of every American relative to this catastrophe.
(Signed)
J, T. HILTZ.
JAMES SUDDARD, sworn, states. I held the rank of Sur- geon on board the U. S. 8. Oneide. I was on board of her. on the night of the 24th of January last, when she collided with the steamer Bambay. At the time of the collision, the wardroom mess were at dinner.. The wardroom of the Oneida was situated on the main deck between the Cap- The dinner hour was usual- tain's cabin and the steerage.
ly at 6 o'clock, but on this occasion we were a little delay- ed. We set down about ten minutes past 6 When we had almost finished dinner, a messenger boy came down to the wardroom and told Mr. Moldaur; the navigator, that the officer of the deck wished to see him. Mr. Moldaur went on deck and returned in about five minutes. He remarked that he had seen a light, and supposed it was a steamer bound in. A few minutes afterwards, I heard the officer of the forecastle cry out "hard a port." I heard another voice & moment or two afterwards cry out "hard a starboard." Immediately after this, the collision took place. Every body rashed on deck; as I stepped over the combing of the batch, I saw a large steamer alongside of us, slowly clear- ing herself. As I went aft on the quarter deck, I heard Mr. Stewart. the executive officer, hail the steamer, he said, "steamer ahoy, stay by us, you have cut us down." There
was no answer. He repeated it a second time, and still there was no answer; the strange vessel had by this time got clear of us. I walked aft and saw that the wheel, the cabin sky-light, the poop cabin, the spanker boom and gaff and the gig, were all carried away. I also went further aft and looked over the quarter, as well as I could see in the darkness, the whole starboard quarter seemed crushed off. I believed that the ship would sink in two or three minutes. I then looked up and saw the wardroom boat hanging to the poop quarter with ten or twelve men in it. I jumped up on the hammock rail, and asked the men in the boat if there was an officer in the boat. They said, no. Upon which I got in and took charge of the boat. I gave orders to cut away the gripes, and for the mea to stand at each fall ready for lowering. We remained in that position until the ship began to settle, when we lowered away; at that moment a junk was passing within 20 or 30 yards of the ship. I made chase to bring her alongside, but after pulling 20 or 30 strokes, I saw that she would leave us. I turned back and the ship had disappeared. Wo then pulled for where we supposed the ship had been, but hearing and seeing nothing. We made for the western shore where we landed about 8 or a little after 8 o'clock. I secured three guides, and walked over the mountains to Yokobama wore I arrived, about 4 A.M, on the 25th. I call- ed at Mr. Carroll's and borrowed his boat, in which I pro- ceeded on board the Idaho. After reporting the loss to the commander, I went on board the Ocean. I there saw the commander of the ship, who gave orders that the Sylvia should be directed to get up steam immediately.
To MR. DE LONG. It might have been to 1 minato before the collision that I heard the officer of the fore- castle give the order hard a port. I thought the order hard a starboard was given by a strange voice. I could not tell where it came from at the time, but immediately afterwards I thought it came from the Bombay. The order hard a star- board was given almost immediately after hard a port. In- stantly after hearing hard a starboard, I heard the crash of the collision. I heard commander Stewart hail the Bombay twice. Almost immediate ly after the vessels were cleared, the steam whistle was turned on, and continued blowing as long as there was any steam, which might have been five minutes. Shortly afterwards a gun was fired, and just before the steamer went down, three more guns were fired; in all four guns weretired. One gun was fired, and then after the lapse of some time, three more were fired rapidly, one after another. When the first gun was fired, I was in the vessel; when the last gun was fired, I was not. When I came on deck and looked over the quarter, and I saw water pouring into the vessel. Through almost the whole of the quarter it appeared to be pouring lu like a water-fall. The poop seemed to be cut clean off, but part of it appeared to be hanging astern in the water. I cannot tell if the stern post was in its place. I did not observe whether either of the binnacles were carried away. I think the propeller was not injared, because the ship had considerable headway for some time after the collision. As soon as the vessel got clear, the Oneida shot up into the wind, and headed directly for the Eastern shore. I did not see Captain Williams at all. I did not see into his cabin. I did not notice the condition of stairway, in fact I saw nothing below at all. After the collision, I could hear no orders given, nothing but a confused noise, but I saw what was being done. The impression on my mind from the shook was, that the whole of the side of the ship was coming in. The officers left the table im mediately and got ou deck as soon as possible. I don't think the effect of the sbook would have staggered or knocked me down, had I been standing up and unaware of what was going to happen. It felt as if we had been crush ed more than anything else. I think I could have heard a hail from the Bombay, had thero been one, but I did not hear any hail. Under the circumstances of a collision, it is the duty of every officer in the U. S. Navy to do his best for the assistance of the ship and those in her, irrespective of his own particular standing or duties. I escaped in the 3rd cutter. In pulling for the junk, my object was to try and get her alongside to endeavour to save life; the bout in which I was, had sustained very serious damage. I be- lisvo she knocked against the side of the ship; there were seven knees broken, and a plank started, so as to leave a hole an inch wide, and five feet long. I think she might have carried two or three more than she did, perhaps 20 in all.
To Mr. BARNARD.-There were seventeen in the boat al- together. Our boat was on the port side of the ship when I got into it. The boat was on the port quarter. I sup pose I got into the boat probably four or five minutes after the collision. The Bombay was in sight after I got into the heat, i.s. I could see the light. I could not possibly say how far she was off, but I should say she was as far as she could have got in five minutes, I did not see anyone at all on board the Bombay. I looked at her very closely, but it was dark, and I was confused. I could not see any lights on board the Bombay when she was alongside. I noticed her particularly when alongside, but from the dark- ness and the rigging, and the confusion, I could not distin. guish individuals. I said there was a confused noise--that was after the vessels were cleared; and the Bombay was
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close by, say about two or three minutes after the collision. Our steam whistle was blowing, it made a great noise; it commenced to blow almost immédiately after the collision ; and was blown for the purpose of attracting the attention of the other vessel. It was not blown previous to the col- lision; the proper complement of the 3rd cutter was ten men and a coxswain, and could have carried 25 men. wag about 8 or 10 minutes after cutting the lashings that I had the boat lowered. It look about 3 or 4 seconds to lower the boat, perhaps half a minute after getting the boat into 1 cid the water, I stopped alongside about half a minute. not see the jank till just as we were ready to cut the fall. The junk was crossing our stern, coming almost before the wind. I know where Saratoga point is; the junk was mak- ing down the bay. It was a large junk with a large sail. I did not see ber light, I am sure, She was a junk. She had a large sail set, and was perhaps about 40 yards from us, quite close. We had ten vare in our boat. I thought I'd try and catch her. I followed her about two minutes, I soon turned round again. I saw neither the Bombay nor the Oneida then. The Bombay had disappeared some time before. We pulled away during the two minutes. A man called Jordan was the coxswain, I think we might have got perhaps between 30 to 40 yards towards the junk. The junk was sailing very rapidly. I did not soo Mr. Yates's boat. I could not remember whether Mr. Moldaur said on which bow the light was visible, Mr. Moldaur did sit down to his dinner again after he came down; it was per- haps five minutes after he came down that I heard the or- der given “hardd a port." I recognized the voice to be that of one of our midshipmen. I am morally certain that it was the voice of the midshipman of the watch. 1 don't know if Mr. Moldaur was où deck or below at the time of the collision. The order I heard given immediately after the other was "hard a starboard." I believe that order was given from the Bombay. When I got on deck, the Bon » bag's bows were just clear of our quarter, at an acute angle. It was never reported to me that any men were dangerous-
ly wounded. I have no idea if anyone was killed on board the ship. I never saw the assistant surgeon after the cofli- sion; the boat was injured by knocking against the side of the ship, as she rolled preparatory to settling. There was no surf on where I landed. We landed on a sandy beach, and hauled the boat high and dry.
Be-examined to Mr. DE LONG.-I bave been at soa near- ly 21 years. I have been shipmate with Mr. Moldaur since May 1867; his reputation was very high as a navigator and an officer. Mr. Moldaur might easily have gone on deck a accond time without my knowledge. Mr. Moidanr was educated in the coast survey branch of the service. During the late rebelliou, he was a volunteer lieutenant commander in our navy,
TO THE COURT. The Boatswain was saved in my boat, He did not get into the boat till she was being lowered, I did not consider him in charge of the boat, as he was an acting Boatswain, I did not hear any one say whose fault the collision was. There was no light issuing from the bench In the stern when I looked over it. I cannot tell whether there was any breach into the wardroom by the collision, but I think not. There was no one dining with the Captain on that evening. The Captain's lamp was a swinging lamp. I should think that the bulk head between the wardroom and the Captain's oubin was lauken, as the wartroom was filled with water. We sat down to dinner about 10 mi- nutos after 6. I should think we had been sitting at table from 30 to 35 minutes, when the collision occurred, Cap- tain Williams had been sick for some time. I don't think it was more than five minutes after Mr. Moldant came down to dinner that the collision occurred. Had the Bombay replied to our hall, I think I could have heard the answer distinctly as there was no noise on board at that time. I should think 5 minutes must have elapsed before firing the second gun after the first, After the collision the endeavour was to get the vessel on the Saratoga spit. First they re- duced sail and afterwards they made sail with that object. No signals were made except the guns. I suppose it took a little over an hour to pull from the soone of the wrook to where we landed. When I returned from the junk, I could soe nothing whatever of the ship, no spars nor timber not even the other boat. It would have been impossible to have seen us sitting at dinner in the ward room from the outside of the ship unless there had been a breach through her side. During the ten minutes that I was in the boat before she was lowered, no notice was taken of me. And no order was given to me. No one made enquirics for the boat, that I heard: one or two men came and got into her but Imceived no orders at all; the Boatswafu got in just as we were low- ering the boat into the water. The Boatswain got into the boat to save his life, he wasn't sent on service in the boat. When I was at the stern, I did not look to see whether there was any light coming from the cabin. I was looking sideways down into the water. I saw no light issuing from the fracture. There were no ports opening into the ward room, there were ports opening into the state roozes, which were on either side of the ward roon. The ports were cirou- tar in shape and about 6 inches in diameter I should think,
JAMES SUDDAND, M. D., (Signed)
Surgeon U. S. Navy, Adjourned till 9 A.. Friday morning,
EX
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