The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-29
IA BOURGOGNE is BLAMED.
DFCJsIoN GIVEN AT HALIFAX ON THE
FRENCH LINERS LOSS.

rhnt she Wat Running Mt n High Spced
In the Fog and Was Out OF Her Course
Routes suggested for Ocenn Crossing Ships
u,,trAx. y. s.. July 2S.-Tlle Government
wrcck Commissioner Capt. W. II. Smith, Royal
Noyol Reserve. rendered his decision to-day
m tho causes OF tho collision between the
Eronch steamship La BourRogne and the Brit
ish ship Cromartyshire. Associated with Capt.
smith in the Investigation wore Capt. Bloom
oold Douglass, II. y. r.. and Capt. Lewis AM
dsrson. assessors. both OF whom concur In the
decision,
Cnpt, Henderson and the officers Of tho Crom-
,-tvshIre nre declared free from responsibility
Cor tho disaster. and their conduct after the
collision Ia pronounced p~raiseworthy. Tho re-
mort saws that the evidence was clear that the
ship was properly navigated. while the stcam-
ship. instead OF endeavorinR to avoid meeting
Tho Cromartyshire. apparently made no efiortto
do 20. though II seemed certain that the ships
foehorn was heard by the French officers.
In Bourgogne, 1t is found. was running at a
very high rate Of speed. whereas she should
have maintained only moderate speed. on ac-
count of the thick fog through which she was
going. Besides this. she was a long distance
ont Of tho course laid Town in the Atlantic
Pilot Chart. The Captain OF the Cromartyshire
considered the steamship to DO 100 miles out OF
her course. but Capt. Smith 10 Of opinion that
the distance was not 80 great. Tho report con-
tinucs:
with regard to the speed Of the steamship
Mt the time OF the collision nothing can be nbso-
lutcly and correctly known as to its rate. except
from the differences drawn from the various
statements made in the evidence. Perhaps her
spccd will never be accurately known. Taking
thc distance the steamship had run from Sandy
Hook bar and the time elapsed when she had
reached the position where tho collision oc-
Cured il gives an average speed OF between
sixteen and seventeen knots per hour. From
the sudden manner the steamship first came in
sight uron the port bow OF the sailing ship and
her equally quick disappearance In tho fog i'm
mcdiatcly aftCr the casualty. as shown by the
evidence, the Court is forced to the conclusion
that the steamship was proceeding at q very
high rate Of speed.
Article 20 states that when a steam vessel
and a sailing vessel are proceeding in such d.
rections as to involve risk OF collision tho steam
vcsse. shall keep out Of the way Of the sailing
vessel. For reasons unknown to the Court the
steamship did not keep clear OF the sailing
vessel. Article 81 says: Where by any Of
these rules one Of the two vessels Is to keep out
OF the way. the other shall keep her course and
speed. The evidence upon this point Is Of q
clear and satisfactory character. and conclu-
sively proves that the sailing ship under the
circumstances did keep her course and speed.
according to the prov isions Of the act. Had the
steamship been seen In suff1cient time, IL Ia pos
siblc some might have been made
on board the sailing ship for that purpose. but
1t was Impossible In from ten 10 thirty SECONDS
1t is OF much importance to all concerned"
large number OF passengers between New York
and European ports should. II practicable.
ali probability would take them clear OF the
most dangerous locality. and. II possible. steam
ships should especially avoid that portion where
encountered at any time. moro particularly
during the summer months. under certain con-
1T appears to me that, La BourGoRne. as a
mail steamship starting from New York, was
not in ID tnf PSp'bt1 BY ths at st tas 5'm lSne Ss t on ef tRe Pilot
Chart Of the North Atlantic; 1t also appears to
me that 1t is highly desirable that the rules OF
tollowing the steam lanes should be made moro
binding on all steamships navigating the At;
have not been called upon or empowered to make
my inycsttiEation as to the conduct Of the mas
navigation Of, that, ship, it, Is evident that had
the he c2l M Capt. D}e sl6oMn,cde 81 ADOPTED the
IN the ln ]pol aGTn in nif TesSeI b So she aGs asTe Re am
Of opiniion that It IS desiTfab i for new lane
routes to be selected for fast passenger steam
routes should be established by law and adopt
Cd BY the n,G G2 oyer .PentS e r the the G GoEtou sh nati9 On
least amount OF fog would be met, and all such
down for their benefit. and not deviate from
them any more than the state OF the weather
compcls them to do.
thing most unsatisfactory to say the least, IN
the attention which is paid. by some nautical
men to the printed notice which has appeared
upon the. Pilot Chart Of the North Atlantic
Ocean. published by the. photographic Depart;
ment OF the United States for a number of
years. with reference to the principal steam
ship companies following tho routes which are
at present laid down. 1t is well known that
put when they think proper deylate from
c Tgm " IuipCsyh knomm ~ ,mHimseIneS. tLoni
Is good reason to suspect that this very i'm;
tfbr H. nn H. nn n IN tRa .n mat u n tnS ln ion "i
consented 10 apparently in good faith BY the
various parties Interested. receives only a spu-