The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1898-08-06
cROMARTYSH|RE BLAMELESS
DECISION RENDERED REGARDING
LA BOURGOGNE DISASTER.
STEAMER WAS OUT OF HER COURSE
And the Sailing Vessel Was In No Way
Responsible For the Terrible
Accident

The decision of the court of inquiry
given ct Halifax, N. s., Thursday, &C.
cording to an Associated Press dis
patch, exonerates Captain Henderson
and the officers of the ship Cromarty-
shire from oil blame in the matter Of
Bourgogne accident.
The report was made by Captain W.
H. Smith, Of the British royal navy
reserve, with whom was associated in
the investigation Captain Bloomfield
Douglas, 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 Sd, and dwells at length on the
incidents OF the collision as described
by the master and crew OF the sailing
vessel, and says then:
SAT the time the two ships came
into collision the conclusion was so
violent and the blow so heavy that the
sailing vessel was driven apparently
considerably from the course she was
heading, although the number OF points
she was caused to deviate is not ex-
actly stated, but the effect of the blow
caused her Roadway to be stopped and
made her manageable. The jibboom
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 the gear attached 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 bulkhead remain
ed intact, which saved the ship from
laundering"
"From statements made by wit
nesses in the case, there is an indica-
ton that the sailing ships horn was
heard on board the steamer and was
answered by her.
"With regard to speed OF the steam
er at the time of the collision" the
report says, ''nothing can be abso-
lutely and correctly known as to its
rate, except from the differences drawn
from the various statemen made in
the evidence. Perhaps her speed will
never be accurately known. From
the sudden manner the steamer first
came in sight upon the short bow of
the sailing vessel, and her equally
quick disappearance in the fog i'm
mediately after the casualty, as shown
by the evidence, the court is forced to
the conclusion that the steamer was
proceeding at a very high rate Of speed.
"Article states that when O steam
vessel and sailing vessel are pro-
ceeding in such direction as to involve
risk Of collision, the steam vessel shall
keep ont Of the way of the sailing ves-
sci. For reasons unknown to the
court the steamer did not keep clear
Of the sailing vessel.
Sailing Vessel Was Careful.
Captain Smiths report set forth the
measures taken on the Cromartyshire
to discover II 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
observed by those vessels" There
can be no doubt, 1t is said, "that the
steamer was supplied with an efficient
steam whistle and that II was sounded
at regular intervals. The officers OF
the sailing ship and most Of the crew
heard 1t several minutes before the
collision. Proof Is also produced that
the sailing ship had an efficient horn
and was using 1t according to regula-
tons"
The report concludes with the rec
ommendation that the new lane routes
be established for fast passenger
steamers between America and Euro.
pean pointe.