The Republican journal., 1898-08-25
With Our Nova Scotia Cousins.
Y L.

cleared and a brisk breeze ruffled the sur
face of the beautiful ha1bor as we en-
banked at Colbett' wharf on the steamer
A. c. Whitney for a visit to the flag ship
Renown, a pleasure accorded us through
the courtesy of Vice Admiral Sir John
Fisher X. c. B. Men-of-war have their
days tol receiving visitors as do our fash
ionable people, and probably few of the
party realized that We were somewhat of
a distul bing element during our brief
stay on board the flagship. Work begins
at 8 4. m. and continues until i p. m. !.
and the men were drilling, scrubbing.
sewing, painting, polishing, cooking, etc,
as we made our tour of the ship in small
parties, each provided with guide, while
the ships band played America and other
''home tunes" The first object of inter
est pointed out by our guide was a Maxim
gun, invented by a Maine man, The
Renown is first class armsed battleship
of l2QC0 tons, has an armament of IA
heavy and 30 light OF quick firing guns,
and crew If about 900, tfice1s and men
Nn leaving the ship the party testified
their appreciation of the courtesies re-
ceiyed by singing God Save the Queen.
The boat now steamed in tie direction
OF the Narrows, passing the dry dock
one Of the largest il the world, built OF
solid granite and concrete. 6l3 feet long.
TO- feet wide at the top and 20 feet at the
bottom-and tie dock yard Or, as we
Aould call it. tile Navy Yad. Just
above Was an object OF interest, the Brit
lsh ship CromaItyslire. which collided
with and sank the French steamship Bour
eogne, resulting III the loss ot over 500
lives. The headgear and fGremast of the
ship were gone, and tie stem cut down
10 within two feet Of tie keel, while
above water tile Jagged edges of the
broken plates stood ont with an awful |
gap between. But the collision bulkhead
remained intact, which saved the shin
tlom fouHde1ing The case was then un-
der Investigation at Halifax by the Wreck
Commissioner, and in the decision since |
given out tile captain and officers of tbo |
Clomartyshire are held entirely blameIess. |
Capt. smith. the Wreck Commissioners
says ia li> ep0lt
~ appears fo ne that La Bourgoqne. as
mail steamship starting from New York
"as not I'd lie position Ill the time of the
collision as indicated by the steam lanes
on the pilot chart Of the North Atlantic
1t also appears IL me that ii Is highly de
S1able tAe rules Of following the steam,
lanes should be made mole binding on all
steamers navigating the Atlantic when
plying between New York and Euronean
ports.
"Although in this inquiry | have not
oeeh called upon OF empowered to make
any investigation as to the conduct of the
master and officers of La Bourgogne. or
as to the navigation of that ship, it is evi
Gent that had the commander, Capt. De
lonale, adopted the rules laid down his
vessel could not have been in position
indicated hy the disaster.''
The rel ont concludes with the recon-
mendation that new lane routes be estab.
llshed for fast passenger steamers be-
tween American and European ports.
An investigation on the other side Of
the Atlantic under the direction of the
french Minister of Marine vindicates the
crew of the BoWgogne OF having attemnt-
ed to assure their own safety regardless of
that Of the passengers The report says.
The crew of the Bourgogne did all
'hat was humanly possible to organize a
rescue. 1t outrages were committed
they were committed by foreign sailors
among the steerage passengers. -
That this was not altogether satisfac-
tory appears from the following later
ca cablegram.
PARIS, July Is, I>9s. NJ. Edouard
Locklcy minister of marine, has decided
10 oldeI a fresh inquiry into tie loss of
the steamer La Boul eogne, and if it is
1ourd that any Of the ctew failed Of their
DUTY fhey VII be punished. NJ Iockroy
has also decided to submit tothe Cbamher
OF Deputies bill proviling measures for
the better safe guarding of ocean navioa-
ton.
just before reaching the Nanows the
steamer Was headed down the harbor and
We had fine view of the city and the
" ' 't'i 'illOt4lu opposite. Two tor
pedo boats were flying about the bav on
peaceful eIlands, but reminding one of
devil 5 darning- needles At anchor in the
halbor ~as a Spanish bark, a good look
ing iron ccaft, which had made port here
and was waiting for the war clouds to roll
by.
soon W came to Georges Island, near
y ID tie centre of the barbor, almost
round and rising abruptly from the water.
1t was formerly crowned by a martello
tower, but that has been removed and
here as elsewhere modern guns are taking
the place OF the old fashioned breecb
leaders. Over on the Dartmouth shore is
Fort Clarence, also without its old-time
martelio tower; and lying across the
mouth II the harbor is 1ScNab's Island,
which Las two works, Ives Point Battery
aid Fort McNab. At this point one of
tile panty enquiled as to a Confederate
vessel making its escape from the harbor
oullbg the war of the rebellion, and an
othel suggested that it was the Alabama.
a n 4 m t3Nt<