Old Weather Forum

At 12.48 AM the French Mail Str. Sydney, which was moored to her buoy off our port bow, broke adrift and drifted quickly down on us. Her stbd quarter struck the end of our port lower boom, carrying it away. Her stern then struck our port quarter, carrying away the wale boat, smashing the 4th cutter, and bending the port quarter davits. As she drifted by, out port main yard arm fouled some of her mizzen rigging, and we let go stbd main brace, the yard swung forward, stripping off the stbd after batten. The Sydney let go both anchors board off our port beam. Hoisted wreck of whale boat up under stern to gig's davits.

1^st Lieut. W. C. Turner, U.S.M.C., was transferred from this ship to the U.S. Hospital, Yokohama, Japan; and immediately afterwards Surgeon Gravatt, who is in charge of the Hospital, came on board and reported officially to the Admiral that Lt. Turner had just been killed by a gunshot from his own hand.

At 8.30 the French Mail steamer and this ship swung in opposite directions and, to avoid collision, lowered gig and fended her off with spars, also hove in on the starboard chain till we were well clear; and then veered to 30 fms and secured.

By order of Comdg Officer, P. A. Surg V. C. B. Means went on board the English ship Champion lying near this vessel to attend to a man reported dying on that vessel, but found him already dead on his arrival.