Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-07-29
BOURG0CNE'S FAULT.
The Cromartysllire Freed From Blame
For the Disaster.
DELONCLE rs CRITICISED.
Captain Smith, Who Conducted the In.
vestigation at Halifax, Says the
Liner Was Out of the Usual
Steamship Course.

~cuAe VI INJURY WHICH lnEcSIl-
gated the collision between the British
snip Cromartyshire and the French In
er La Bourgogne, near Sable island on
the morlng of July 4. has been delivered
oy Captain w. H. Smith of the British
royal naval reserve, with whom were
associated in the investigation Captain
Bloomfield Douglas, r. N. r., and Cap
tain Lewis Anderson, nautical assessor.
captain Smith refers briefly to the
voyage Of the Cormartyshire up to the
night Of July 3, and dweIs at length
on the incidents of the collision as de-
scribed by the master and crew of the
sailing vessel. Captain Smiths report
proceeds to set forth the measures TAX
en- Immediately on the Cromartyshire
to discover If there was loss of life on
the steamship. 1t tells of the all day
search for survivors and then the tow
Ing of the damaged ship to Halifax by
the Allan liner Grecian.
Special attention Is drawn to the in
ternational regulations for preventing
collisions at sea, which, the report says,
should have been observed by these
vessels" and which were adopted at the
Washington conference and came into
force July l of last year. There can be
no doubt it is added, that the steamer
was supplied with an efficient steam
whistle and that it was sounded at
regular intervals. The officers of the
sailing ship and most of the crew heard
1t several minutes before the collision.
Abundant proof is also produced that
the sailing ship had an efficient holn
and was using it according to regua-
tions.
La Bourgognes Speed.
With regard to the speed of the
steamer at the time of the explosion,
nothing can be absolutely and correctly
known as to its rate, except from the
differences drawn from the various
statements made in the evidence. Per
haps her speed will never be accurately
known. Taking the distance the steam
er had run from Sandy Hook bar and
the time elapsed when she had reached
the position where the collision occur
red, it gives an average speed of be-
tween 16 and II knots per hour From
the sudden manner the steamer first
came in sight upon the port bow of the
sailing ship and her equally quick dis
appearance in the fog Immediately aft
err the casualty, as shown by the evil
dence, the court Is forced to the con-
clusion that the steamer was proceed
ing at very high rate of speed"
Captain Smith in his report adds: 1T
appears to me that La Bourgogne as a
mail steamship starting from New York
was not in the position at the time of
the collision as indicated by the steam
| lanes on the pilot chart Of the north
fn
| Is highly desirable the rules of follow
ing the steam lanes should be made
more binding on all steamers navigat-
ing the Atlantic when plying between
New York and European ports.
Deloncle Criticised.
although in this inquiry / have not
been called upon or empowered to make
any investigation as to the conduct OF
the master and officers of La Bour'
gogne or as to the navigation of tha
shin. ii is evident that had the com
mander, Captain Deloncle, adopted the
rules laid down his vessel could moi
| have been in position indicated by
the disaster.
ct am of opinion that it is desirable
| for new lane routes to be. selected fo
| fast passenger steamers to and from
| American ports. These routes shoulC
be established by law and adopted b!
the governments Of the various nation
a1ities. and they should be laid dow
where the least amount of fog Woul'
be met and all such steamers shoul'
adhere to the routes laid down for thel
benefit and not deviate from them an.
more than the state of the weathe
would compel them to do.
"All the necessary duties were per
formed on the sailing ship with prope
caution, and due diligence was exer'ls
ed in her navigation by her captain
when the character of the fog was tax
en- into consideration Captain Hender
son of the Cromartyshire and the ON
GERS of his ship are therefore exoner
ated from blame for the collision ana II
consequences"