New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-10
Mr.. BRUWAERT'S STATEMENT
AFTER HEARING LA BOURGOGNE SUR
vIvORS HE DEFENDS THE CREW.

DUTY TO THE BEST OF
THEIR ABILITY.
When those OF La Bourgogne's crew VINO were
saved arrived in this city on Friday afternoon
they were taken at once to The french Line
picr and put aboard La Tourane Af'er their
immediate wants had been attended TO- Eo-
mond Bruwaert. the French Consul-Generai'
end Jean G. Charpentor the ConsuI, acuhe
upon instructions from the Government al Paris
ooened an inquiry into the causes or the ols-
aster which befe La BourgoGne. ana lnVes''-
gated also the charges of coWardIce, ana even
worse conduct. which have been made against
the ships crew. The Consular offlcials ootali'eu
depositions also from seven o. the passengers
These together with afiidavits rom seven oi
the crew. viii be forwarded to the French Court
Of Inquiry which Will be opened as 500" do -"
rouraine which has on board all Of the saved
crew and several of La BOuiSoshe
arrives at Havre next week.
To a Tribune reporter NJ. Bruwaer' sd'o !e'
terday:
From the investigation OF the disaster WHIT - cd
nv "aic;al cauacity as Consu!-General conduc.ea
on board La Touraine last nlsntii ,h ISs dreadful
an impression OF the manner IN which tlie u' go, ~
accident occurred which believe to be as me a.
correct as can posS r b oe "st part ignorant
simply requested to tell their stot! as !,n;m
directly they could re@9 ,er. ~ me i"seher the
following is about the exact manner IN ""c" '''e
disaster took place:
HOW THE LINER WAS STRCCk
1t was on Monday. July T. and the hour as neafiy
as can be ascertained 4:3c a. m. when hea.!
fog suddenly descended upon the spot where the
shin was steaming From midnight until that TIME
II WAS perfectly clear. As as the second cap
tan OF La Boursogne, who a. the time was y"
watch noticed the denseness OF tie fog he ordered
the bridge manned by the men regularly assignee
10 fog duty. Two men each were placea OF DOL"
sides of the bridge and forward. while an extra
man was tending the foghorn. About o:IO a sigma
was given that ship was heading our way anu
bit a few moments afterward the bowspFit or
sailing ship struck La Bourgosne larry aH'us"ps
The force of the collision tore away half or the
bridge and damaged the boiler room. Al the same
time great rent two feet wide was maue on u'e
starhoard side through which water rushed IN al
a RAM. rate Tae n.ZZenmast OF The otner NcsSel
fell and tore up considerable part oil '"e upper
BY that time the captain had been aroused and
had come on deck and assumed controi. ne oiderci
rockets be sent up All the men were ordered To
their stations. and went directly 10 tne neoS 49,
was that the men did not think they were going To
get the boats ready to save inemseve ,ns
other vessel 1t almost ten minutes before
they realized that thfp own snip was @t caTe the
boats and attend to Their duties, me Sneu r,'
rushing in at such rate as 70 make me sapnS
of the ship almost an impossihiiity IL nag noo.so
furnaces The pumps were set to work Immediately;
The watert!ght compartments were closed up; ana
lily the members OF the crew were again ordered
TO the boats. quite convinced that every
ana the further details OF the account will thor
oughly confirm this idea.
CONsUL-GENERAL DEFENDS THE SAILORS
Asked as TO the behavior OF the crew. from the
impression he had formed after taking deposit
tions the Consul replied
The crew behaved admirably. They behaved as
Ts G1sW of any dG hse BEEN in
the last few days of the action OF La BourGoehe
crew, and much bad feeling has been aroused
thereby in this country. and many false impress
siors have gained currency As matter OF TACT
When The SHIP was struck the captain took his
place on the bridge. and the subordinate oihcers
,Ser ' respecve Crews Much Of the loss of fc
due 10 the panic which seized the s,eer TSe
boat crews to take UP their positions they re-
sponded Immediately bat the rassengeTs r espe
ne boats and impeded the officers IN their work
should point out that at this time the ship began
that there was great diff,uy IN obtaining an IN
hs deck swain Ihs & the M
boats before they could be swung clear OF their
SG 10 the best OF their ability bu; were npded
by the hordes Of passengers. who SURROUNDED them
could be swung clear Of the ships sides. The
sailors demonstrated with the passengers as 'hey
less they exercised more patience II would be I'm
possible to get TIE fe5oats clear ana an1ch men
s snd tre5 to launch the por, side boats bu,
Pourrogne was at that time at such angle that
they found il useless 10 attempt 10 get the boats
out Of the chocks on that side
PASSENGERS on THE BRIDGE.
The Consul went on to say that the evidence
ne had obtained showed that all the first cabin
passengers had escaped from their s,aterooms,
and were on the bridge with the captain. The
captain was heard to tell them to be patient
and not to be frightened, and there would be no
difficulty in saving them. Consul Bruwaert
was unable to advance any theory az TO why
none Of the first cabin passengers had been
saved. The dispositions, he said had proven
that all the stateroom doors were open, and that
none OF the first cabin passengers had gone
down drowned like rats in their berths. The
Consul said
Altogether four RATS and three lifeboats with
people aboard. got away from the side Of the ship
From twenty minutes 10 half an hour after La
from four 20 six miles away the Cromar,yshire
her was boat 10. g. With hfty-thrce people on
nd with the Of s We i had any
more people been taken aboard she would GER
ping water constantly This lifeboat reached the
Cromartyshire at 1890. and then. after putting the
passengers ABOARD the vessel tue HOurSOgncS crew
which was in charge Of the liteboa; Immediately
turned back to see II IT could pick up more people.
The of this boat. certain. did all they
could TO the unfortunate passengers OF La
BourGogne. because they put back to the OF
the wreck three four times and last night while
was examining them they showed the palms
Of their hands which all and bleeding
from, the constant work at the oars. The crew Of
this boat took the Croniartyshire all those who
had found rescue the RATS.
The boat No Z which have mentioned had
been disabled by the Bourgogne's funnel falling
passengers the Cromartyshire. rowed ba * TO
The scene OF the disaster. twenty-one people were
hanging the keel II righted. but the
boat unseaworthy that Il capsized again
and only OF the twenty-one who clunk TO the
keel were saved When this boat was RIG ted the
FIRST time three dead women found under the
seats
THEY REFUSED TO TURN BACK
Now as 70 the third lIfeboat and the story re-
garding H. II WILL think demonstrate as to which