Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-29
Ex0NERATES ENGLISH CREW.
Ctur. Of Inquiry Says cromartyshire' officers
Are Not to Blame

Halifax, n. 5, July 2S-rhc decision of
the court of inquiry given here. today. eX-
onerates Captain Henderson ana the Off
GERS of the ship Cromartyshire from all
blame in the matter of the La Bourgogne
disaster
The report was made by Captain w II.
Smith of the British royal naval reserve.
with whom was associated in the investi-
cation Capt. Bloomfield Douglass. $. n
S. and Capt Lewis Anderson. nautical
expert.
Capt Smith says: AT the time tn"
two ships came into collision the con-
cusSion was so violent and the blow
inflicted 50 heavy that the sailing yes
sci was driven apparently considerably
from the course she was heading. al
though the number Of points she was
caused to deViate is not stated exactly
but the effect of the blow caused her
Roadway to be stopped and made hey
unmanagable. The jib boom and bow q
spirit passed over the side of the Cro-
martyshire passed over the side of the
steamer ana were broken and torn
away from the starhoard side Of the
ship with the gear attached and cas-
over the lee side.
The foremost was also broken and
| came down from aloft and fell over the
| same side of the ship the collision
| bulkhead remained intact. which
saved the ship from laundering. TIL
damage the other vessel sustained Wa
not known TO those on board the sail
| ing vessel. and could not br. as tn
, evidence shows she was passed quickly
out OF sight across the bow t. star
| board She was. however observed -
be a steamer With two red tunnels. ana
only one man on board the sailing ship
noticed any person on the steamer S
deck. This was William Haley. tn
lookout man. He said. I saw s3mo
people on the deck forward. ana two
mon an the bridge The men shouted
out IN a foreign language and couiG
no; tell what they said"
Captain Smiths report proceeds II
Sc. torln the measures taken immedi-
ately on the Cromartyshire to discover
| if there WAS loss OF life On the steam
ship. Special attention is drawn to the
international agreement TO proven, coI-
lisi0ns at sea- which the reports saV
should have been observed by thesr
vessels and which was adopted at tn
| Washington conference and came into
force July /, OF last year.
Their can he re dol.n;." it is added.
.tb,t ~. .-..,r,c,.. ,,.os s,,nrIind With "a
.,,,tr,i.,nt .,.,,,, i,istl, ,,t ,ba+tt w.
| sounded al regular Intervals. The vlli-
GERS of thu sailing ship and most of tn
crew heard 1t several minutes befot
the collision Abundant proof is aisl
produced that the sailing ship has an
srrci,nt hnn and was usino, II accnr,t-
;r,.- f., repliiatfnns
..yyi+b r,u,rd +o Tho cneod nf tn.
steamer at fine time of the collision.
n,+hing c37 IL. shsnl1felv and corre,.,
w kno\yn as ia its rate. cxceDr from th
Inference drawn from mo various
statements made in the evidence. Per
b.1.s her speed viii never he accurataiy
lnnvtn Talxine the distance tho
srnoroor has run from Sandy Hook bar
and The time rlapsed when she hal
reached the uosition where the coils
ion occurred if gives m average speed
If between il and Il knots per hour
From The sudden manner the steamer
G,st came in sight upon the port box
of fho sailing shin and her equally
uuirk disanpparance in the fog immcdi-
atnIy after The casualty. as shown by
Tho evidence. the court is forced to tha
cnnclusjon that the steamer was pro-
celding at a very high rate of speed.
article 20 states that when a steam
vessel ana n sailing vessel are pro-
cccdjne in such directions as TO in =
ynlye risk of collision. the steam YES
sci shall keen out of the way of the
sailing vessel For reasons unknown
to the cuurt the steamer did not keep
clear of the sailing vessel.
"Thn evidence concllsively proves
that the eoiline shin, nn1er the circum-
stances aid keen her course and speed.
accordiro. ia tho nrnvision of the act.
,rhos.. ia ciormo or the shin adhered
,I,.oI,t,I,. =, a.. ,,,~,,I.,+ione no dqvia-
tom ,,.bnt,,..,,, haino noade from her
n,ursa .nntil She vas driven away