The Washington times., 1904-03-29
.COHLESA At FAULT,
BRADFO ORD FREE
FROM ALL BLAME
Did Not Display Proper
Signal on the Missouri
in Collision.
OPINION OF THE COURT
Collision Was Due to De-
fectS in Steering Gear,
Not to Sailing.

lNOl ~ CdlllllS.
No further proceedings viii be taken
I'm the inquiry into the collision between
ute Missouri and the illinois The
opinion of the court of inquiry which
has the approval Of Admiral Dewey,
Rear Admiral Baker. commanding the
North Atlantic fleet and Judge Advo-
cate General Lemly, was made public
this morning.
The opinion relieves Captain Bradford,
commanding the Illinois. from all re
sDonsihiIity. IL comedies that Cantaln
COwIes commanding the Missouri, man
aged the vessel properly, but was at
fault in not giving signals which would
have let Captain Bradford know OF the
movements of the Missouri.
Members of the court OF inquiry
were. Rear Admiral W c. Wise presi-
dent: capt. c. H Davis. and Capt J. q.
Eaton, members; Lieut. f. H Clark
Judge advocate. The opinion in part Is
as follows
Text Of Opinion
"As 20 the question OF responsibility,
the court is of the opinion that the COZ
lision was not due to fault or negligence
ON tho mart of the commanding officer
board the Missouri, Captain CoWies
gave the necessary orders for immedi-
atelv reversing the engines for fun
sDeed astcrn. repeated the signal as an
emergency signal, and ordered the dis
play of the signal which should warn
the Illinois of the Missouri break
down and movements but failed 10 liz
dicate- the course 10 starboard by one
blast Of the whistle and Of backing by
three blasts, iu addition 10 or IN aG-
vance of the speed cone signals, and
also failed 10 sound the siren as a call
for collision when collision became IN
evitable.
THE orders for the display of the sig
nal by dispatch fag was not obeyed 10y
the oh8cerro1 the deck Lieut. w. Piti
Scott. e. $ n. or was not obeyed with
sufficient prOmptness TO be OF service "a
the illinois, while the absence Of pre-
scrfbed whistle signals left the captain
of the Illinois i'm absolute ignorance o
the Missourrs actual movements Th'
testimony on this point. especially viii
regard % the dispatch flag, is directly
conflicting. but the preponderance O
dfsinterested testimony leaves TO dOub
I'm the mind OF the court as 10 the fact
This failure TO convey 10 the Illinois di
rect and immediate information as q
actual conditions on board the Mis-
rouri was. in the opinion of the court
after the accident TO the steering engin
the secondary cause OF the collision
The court lays stress on the fac
shown I'm evidence that the MissouT
was an undrined ship newly commits
stoned. introduced into a squadron =
evolution without previous experiments
work 10 determine her tactical diane
ters for varying helm angles or othe
tactical qualities.
Backing the Eng mes.
''T'he third cause Of the collision wa
the backing OF the engines on board IA
Illinois The court 81 OF the opinion
that this action on the part Of CAPTAIN
Bradford was 6y no means an error o
judgment or a fault or an act OF negli
geuce ON his part. ON the contrary
guided as he was, solely by such obsc-
walton as he himself could make on tn
movements Of the Missouri. and misle'
by signals actually displayed by III
Missouri his conclusion was just. am
his action wise. In other words. hai
the Missouri been actually doing Wha
her speed cones and the absence q
other signals. showed. namely. steerin'
p course at high rate Of speed at clos
distance across the Illinois bow III
obvious course for the Illinois 20 pursls
was 70 let ner pass.
Captain Cowles' Action.
Captain CowIes acted promptly an
decisively n tire eXpedieut which b
adopted 10 control his ships headwa1
whatever expedient he adopted. how
ever had mis- course been immediatel
communicated 20 the Illinois by the pre-
Hcribed signals the latter could hav
n.ancuycred 10 avoid the collision.
Notwithstanding the omission Of sic
mails noted on the part of the captain am
TIE officer OF the deck of the Missouri
the court recommends no further or,
ceediugs
Apr0pos TO the collision Secretary Mood
wrote q letter 10 Admiral Dewey asl
ing IL new vessels should not have praD
tice before put into squadron forms
ton, 81 some steps should not be take
10 remedy defects in steering apparatu
which have caused so many accident
and 81 the department would De just
ded iu the action recommended hy %
court Of inquiry IN the Missourl-lllino
case.
ADMIRAL Dewey replied that new sc
Fels should nave practice before takir
uaff fn ualeuverS and agreed with d
EecretaTy that steps must be taken
perfect steering grt-. or the OuiulC
o. the count OF inquiry Admiral Dew'
"Iu view Of the circumstances atten
fng the collision. OF the opinion Of a
s1fli.t and OF The recommendation of q
.sofnrnand nder-.n-chief. as We'll as of q
gact tnat nothing lu The evidence 20
"a show that either ON board the M
sour or on the part of amy other yess
Sr Omcers was there any serious Omi
sion 10 take al precautions TO avoid Il
collision. and further that the latt
Aves entirely due 10 q mechanical failu
Cf the steering gear, concur fully
the recommendation II the court IN
r0 further proceedings In the premis
should be taken. ] therefore would su
gest that she department approve
action OF the court OF inquiry.