New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-08

steamer had not only gone away out Of its
own course but had also crossed that OF the
westward bound vessels The westward course
al present carries stsaner5 to the south Of
Sable Island ] ~ miles. so that the French steam
er haa not only gone out Of the regular east
Found course. but had crossed the westward
course. and was IN line with vesses plying be-
tween Halifax and English ports
For number 81 years the two corrses for
ships arriving at and departing from this port
Rave been carefully observed by all ship cap
tains The reSul; has been that accidents
end collisions have materially decreased. III
fact. the question Of change in the westward
course after having been agreed upon. was not
pat in force until all captains could he in
formed The change contemplated was the
making of the westward course nearer the
Banks than it IS at present This change is
scheduled To 20 into eft ct July -, and after
that date all WestbounG vessels vii! pass within
40 miles ~ Sable Island Even If La -Four.
SOgne Rad on her eastward passage attempted
g. follow the new western course she would stu
have been eighty miles out Of that course
TRAVELLING or THE GREAT CIRCLE
1t has been generally undcrstCod for several
years among shipping men that. with the excep-
ton f the steamer La Touraine, the steamers Of
the French Line have taken the shortest pos
sihle route TO IIavre This route has been
termed "the Great Circle" passage. and by
taking il the steamers If the line we're atle u
cut If q number ~ miles on their trips across.
and thus save considerable time. Inc route IN
forming the great circle-which is. as TO naviga-
ton. the shortest distance between two points
causes the French vessels to cross both the
eastern and western lanes. This. OF course.
adds a c~rat clement 81 risk and among old
s,a CAPTAINS and owners 90 vessels the use OF
the great circle rout. has long been deprecated.
IL fact The use II such "A route has been con-
sdercd dangerous. and efforts have been made
70 hav" the laros Of travel across the Atlantic
So clearly defined that there would be no pos
sible conflict between castbound and wostbound
vessels
At the Office Of the French Line little was
known about the actual route travelled. or, al
least the clerks ANA officials said they did not
know whether tho French boats took the great
circle route or not. They were positive. how
ever that Ia EourgoGnc was not out OF her
regular course when tho collision occurred. As
TIC same statement was made last winter when
n Champagne broke her machinery. ii IL more
than probable that the line has been following
this course which other shipping men consider
- too dangerous 10 use.
70 hope a. all that any survivors had been
picked up by third ship. which was rumored
have been in the neighborhood at the time OF
the collision. he said that he had sent requests
for information on this point to Halifax and had
received explicit replies from Captain Hender-
con Of the Cromartyshire and from the cleo
tricans and engineers of La Bourcogne who
survived that there was possibility ~ an
other hoatoad having been picked M and that
no ship was rear enough 10 have picked UP any
individual survivors. They were certain that all
tho survivors had been taken to Halifax.