The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-29

but eh6 eect OF the blow caused her head
way to be stopped and made her unnaa-
ageable. The jio boom and the bowsprt
OF the Cromartyshirs passed over the side
Of the steamer and was broken and torn
away from the starooard side Of the sail
ing ship with al o. che gear attached and
cast over the lee side The foremost was
also broken and cane down from zIoft
and fell over the same side Of the ship.
The collision oulkhead remained intact,
which saved the ship from fouzdertng.
The damage This vessel sustained WAS not
known 20 those on board the sailing ship
and could not be. as the evidences shows
she passad quickly out Of sight across
the bow to starbard- Only one man on
board the sailing vessel noticed any per-
son OF che steamers deck This vas Mr..
HealY the lookout man He says;
"T saw some people on the stea1isr's
deck forward and two OF the bridge
The m.a shouted n foreign language
and could not tell what they said
Captain Smiths report set forth the
measures taken on the Cronlartyshlre 10
discover IL there was loss OF life on the
steamship. and special attention Is drawn
TO the international regulation for pre-
venting collisions .; sea, which the re-
port says. should have been observed
oy these vessels"
There can he no doubt" is added.
that The steamer WAS supplied with an
efficient steam whistle and that * was
sounded al regular intervals. The ofic-
- - 80
crsw heard Il several minutes bstors the
collision. Abundant proof Is also pro
duced THAI the sailing ship had an eiic-
lent horn and was using IL eeco- ding TO
regulations From statements made by
wi tnesses IN this case there is an irdica-
tion that the sailing ships horn was
heard on board the steamer and was an
swered by her.
WITH regard to .hs speed % the steamer
at the time OF the collision. the report
says nothing can be absolutely and GER
tainiy known except from inferences
drawn from the various statements made
In the evidence. Perhaps her speed VIII
never be accurately known. From the
sudden manner the steamer came in sight
upon the port bow OF the sailing ship and
her equally quick disappearance in the
fog Immediately after the casualty as
shown by the evidence. the cour; Is forced
TO the conclusion that the steamer was
proceeding at a very high rate OF speed.
Article states that when a steam ves-
sci and a sailing vessel are proceeding in
such directions as to involve risk Of q
collision the steam vessel shall keep OUT
OF the way OF the sailing vessel For rea-
sons unknown 70 the court. the latter cid
not keep clear of the sailing vessel.
Article q says: Where by these rules
one of the vessels is 10 keep out of the
way, the other shall keep her course and
speed" The evidence upon this point IS
OF clear and satisfactory character and
conclusively proves that the sailing ship
under the circumstances did keep her
course and speed according 70 the provis-
ions of the act. The court is of the opin-
ion that her master would have been JUS
tilted in deviaing from his course under
the instructions pointed out in article q
All the necessary duties were performed
on the sailing ship with proper caution
and due diligence was exercised in her
navigation by her captain, when the char
acter OF the fog was taken nto consd-
GRAFTON. Captain Henderson OF the Cro-
martyshire and the officers Of the ship are
therefore exonerated from blame for the
collision and its consequences"
Captain Smith in his report says:
at appears to me that la Bourgozne,
as mail steamship STARTING from New
York, was not In me position at the the
of the collision as IL drca tel by the steam
lanes on the pilot chart Of the North At
lanuc. 1t also appears to me that It is
ghly desirable that the rules OF follow
ing the steamer lanes should be mate
more binding on all steameys navigating
the Atlantic when plying between New
York and European ports"
Although in this inquiry 1 have not
been called upon or empowered 10 make
any investigation as to the conduct OF
the master and officers of La Bourgogne.
or as to the navigation OF that ship. II is
evident that had the commander. Captain
Deloncle, adopted the rules laid down his
vessel could not have been in a position
indicated by the Disaster
The report concludes with the recon-
mendation that new lane routes be estab-
Ished for fast passenger steamers be-
tween American and EtIroDean norris