New-York tribune., 1902-05-05
SAYS MINISTER'S WERE Not RUDE.
BUT DIR. BARTON DECLINES To DISPUTE
MRS BATEs's STATEMENT.

Tho Rev DR. William r. Barton, OF oak Park
Chicago. yesterday made statement concerning
the Celtic cruise. DR.. Barton chairman II
the indignation meeting Malta referred TO in the
interviews Of Captain Lindsay and Mrs Bates
Dr. Barton said:
Il think that the passengers In general com
mend Captain Lindsay for his prudence and his
care OF his shin. and grateful 20 him that he
brought the cruise TO a successful termination. II
may not be true however. that the captain was
equally socitous for the comfort and safety Of his
passengers. II is quite accurate say that he
anchored outside the harbor at Malta and was
criticised by land lubbers. He kept far outside
the harbor anchor and severely criticised by
the harbormaster who came out to pilot the vessel
in, and by the officers Of the Admiralty who had
moved two warshps to make room for the Celtic
Between these men and the captain lies the
difference in judgment The passengers. being
land mbbers only know that the captains refusal
to enter the harbor resulted in peril to their lives
and some Of them question the apparent excess OF
the captains prudence in saving his ship from a
theoretical danger at the of actual and great
jeopardy to the passengers who went ashore.
cordng 10 the published itinerary.
"As 20 the criticisms the cergymen, in
contradstinction to those whom Mrs. Bates calls
gentlemen, | clergyman. but still retain too
much OF the instincts of a gentleman 10 dispute
Mrs. Bates. who must therefore. remain the
sponsible and unCoutTadicted author OF the state
that the ministers habitually crowded to the
front and into the small boats in advance Of the
ddleS II may ne true l was never near enough
the gangway to know who were in the first boats
If any ministers crowded to the front I think in
quiry would show that they were commonly doing
in the interest of ladies' for whose comfort they
were in measure responsible.
At Malta some OF the cergymen were under
special temptation crowd. Many of them. and
few others, planned rapid drive across the island
TO St. Pauls Bay-a drive for which there would
have been ample time If the ship had gone inside.
and barely time If those Clergymen had crowded.
Some Of them stayed back for later boats and thus
lost the thing for which they most wanted 10 visit
Malta. rather than crowd those who pressed for
ward for mere sightseeing in the city and who
could better have afforded to give way And when
the most heavily laden tender returned to the
ship and the passengers tossed by the danger
swell and startled by the narrow escape OF six
passengers from drowning a clergyman and
committee see that the first boats were filled
with women a few, and only few, men showed
rudeness or timidity and none Of them, so far as
saw, a minister.
AS the Indignation meeting, II called by
laymen. and organized by laymen. The committee
consisted OF two lawyers and one physician. The
mover Of the principal resolution was editor. No
minister spoke except the chairman and he only
request that speakers who had criticised the cap
tain in unsparnE terms refrain from the use OF dis
respectful terms. The meeting adjourned subject
who had participated in il, did not call an
other meeting.
The ministers on the cruise were not perfect
but they not habituaY rude, and the ntima-
tion that they learned good manners BY learning
that Mrs. Bates's proverb reproving them had
passed around the ship is news to of them
who never heard IL before.
"On the whole. had good time. There
were nfeliCities and mishaps knew there
sure TO be. In general. ministers and lay
men ladies and gentlemen. bore them we'll Who
lacking in those traits which distinguish gentle
men must remain responsible for the statement"