The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-07-29
B0URG0CNE inquiry.
Courts Decision in the Terrible
Ocean Disaster.
CAPT. HENDERSON ExONERATED.

|
steamer Was Proceeding at "a Very High
Rate of Speed When She Came into Col
iision with the Cromartyshire = New
Routes for Fast Passenger Steamers.
| Halifax, N. s., July 2s.-The decision
| Of the court of inquiry exonerates Cap
| tain Henderson and the officers of the
ship Cromartyshire from all blame in
the matter of the Bourgogne disaster.
| The report was made by Captain w. II.
Smith of the British royal navy re-
serve. with whom was associated In
the investigation Captain Bloomfield
Douglass, r. N. r., and Captain Lewis
Anderson, nautical assessor. Captain
Smith refers briefly to the voyage OF
the Cromartyshire up to the night OF
July and dwells at length on the in
cidents of the collision as described by
the master and crew of the sailing ves-
sells and says then:
"At the time the two ships came into
collision the conclusion was so violent
and the blow inflicted so heavy that
the sailing vessel was driven apparent
ly considerably from the course she was
heading, although the number of points
she was caused to deviate is not exact
| ly stated, but the effect of the blow
caused her Roadway to be stopped and
made her unsaanageable.
Jib Boom and Bowsprit Broken.
THE jib boom and bowsprit of the
| Cromartyshire passed over the side of
| the steamer and was broken and torn
| away from the starboard side of the
sailing ship with all of the gear at
tached and cast 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 bulk
head remained intact, which saved the
ship from fundering. The damage
the steamer sustained was not known to
| those on board the sailing ship and
| could not be, as the evidence shows she
passed quickly out of sight across the
| bow to starboard. Only one man on
board, the sailing vessel noticed any
| person on the steamers deck. This was
William Healy, the lookout man. He
says: I saw some people on the steam
er's deck forward and two men on the
bridge. The men shouted out in for
egn language and could not tell what
they said"
Heard the Whistle.
Captain Smiths report set forth the
measures taken on the Cromartyshire
to discover IL there was loss of life on
the steamship and special attention Is
drawn to- the international regulations
for preventing collisions at sea, which
the report says should have been OBJ
served by these vessels" There can
be no doubt, 1t is added. that the
steamer was supplied with an efficient
steam whistle, and that 1t was sounded
at regular intervals. The officers OF
the sailing ship and most of the crew
heard 1t several minutes before the col
lision. Abundant proof is also produced
that the sailing ship had an efficient
horn and was using 1t according to reg
ulations. From statements made by
witnesses in the case there Is an indi-
cation that the sailing ships horn was
heard on board the steamer and was
answered by her. With regard to the
speed of the steamer at the time of
the collision, the report says nothing
can be absolutely and correctly known
as to It's rate, except from the infer
ences drawn from the various state
ments made in the evidence.
May Never BE Known.
Perhaps her speed will never be ac-
curately known. From the sudden
manner the steamer first came In sight
upon the port bow Of the sailing ship
and har aoualIv uuick disappea rance