Yours respectfully,
(Signed) J. P. O’NEIL.
Capt. 25th Infty., A.Q.M., U.S.A.
(Dated) Manila Bay, P.I., October 6th, 1899.
[Illustration: A CUTTING FROM THE “PACIFIC COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER,”
REFERRING TO THE “SIAM’S” DISASTROUS VOYAGE.
Major J. P. O’Neill, 30th Infantry, who was army quartermaster on the
transport Siam in the latter part of 1899, is a passenger aboard the
transport Sherman. Major O’Neill ran across Chief of Detectives Tailor
yesterday, both having been aboard the Siam on her memorable trip to
Manila in October, 1899, when 370 out of the 373 horses and mules
aboard were killed during a four days’ typhoon off the coast of Luzon.
That trip of the Siam was the most disastrous in the transport service
history and the vessel barely weathered the storm. On that trip Captain
O’Neill was called upon to put down two mutinies among the Austrian fire
crew, and at one time he threatened to string up the ringleader by the
thumbs. The English Chief Engineer became unbalanced during the storm
and had to be placed in irons by O’Neill. The Siam arrived at Manila a
perfect charnelship. During the Japan-Russo war the Siam was captured by
the Japanese while carrying coal to Vladivostok and was sold back to the
Austrian company through the prize court.]