EMPRESS OF IRELAND INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2182, 22 June 1914, Page 5

EMPRESS OF IRELAND INQUIRY

fflE BOATS AND THE LIFEBELTS

COMPLETE IN DETAIL

EYDENCE OF COMPANY OFFICIALS

9y Telegraph— Press Association—^opyriehl . Quebeo, Juno 19. iho inquiry into the collision between tile CaJiiUiali-i'acilic Railroad (xitnpany's. steamer iimpross of Ireland and tho Norwegian collier Storstad m tho St. Lawrence River, resulting in the sinking of the liner with tho loss of 1024 lives, is proceeding. j When tho inquu-y reopened, Mr.' Haight apologised to ' the Court for giving the impression that the Canadian Pacific Company had tried to spirit away witnessos who were likely to prove ,hostile to them. Mr. Haight denied that hp had any such - intention. *

Mr. Percy Hillho'use, of the Fairfield Shipbuilding C<Hn[»ny. testified that the Empress of. Ireland's boats were sufficient to'.accommodate three hundred more persons than 6ho carried. • The bulkheads extended throughout _ tlie ship, which would have floated ovbh if both middle compartments were flooded. Tho water must havo. jonterfcd elsewhere.' ' '■

i. Captaiit Staunton," life-saving superintendent for the Canadian Pacific Company, swore that tho life-saving apparatus oil tho lruer was complete in every detail. It Was impossible that uhy, bodies could havo floated head downwards if tho lifebelts . had' been (Rlfixed correctly. ". ' :

A ZICZAG COURSE. THE EVIDENCE OF A PILOT. (Rec. June 21, 5.5 p.m.) , Quebec, June -20. Napoleon Lapierre, pilot of the collier Alden, swore that as the Empress of Ireland approached. tho Alden «ho (tho limprcss) zigzagged, showing first her port and thon her starboard lights. Ul-. timately s'no passed within - a cable length. Whilo the Empress of Ireland was approaching tho Alden, Labierro kept tho collier at full-speed, although he admitted he thought a Collision was, likely. Colliers did n<>t wish to bo delayed unless there was danger of running ashore.... ; , . ' William 'Jacob Saxe, third officer'' of the Storstud, corroborated the story of Mr. Tuftness .(chief officer) that tho Empress of Ireland blow a- long blast of Jior whistle when sho was threo miles away, indicating that eho was maintaining her course. , Tho Storstad replied ah acknowledgment, repeated several times. When the fog overswopt tho river, tho Storstad was slowed down. Witness never heard tho press of Ireland blow two short blasts, indicating . that sho was going, to port, but lie did hear whistlfts, indicating that she wan going, astern.; The Stor» Btad went full speed astern also. George O'Donovan, engineer of tlie Empress of Ireland, described tho steering gear, . .stating that ho ' was sure there .was nothing wfong with it. . Mr, Aspinal!, K. 0., submitted that any apparent variations in tho Empress of Ireland's, course were duo to tlie river's current, which was .strong' at tba point, wljere. tho, collision occurred. . Lord iiere%J'PresTde'iitf'of. I Tne Court, said he had concluded that the'Stor T ' etad opened the two centre watertight compartments of .-tBo .Empress of Ireland by the blow, admitting water, and this dragged lopeii another compartment as it recoiled. . Nothing thereafter could iavo saved tho Empress of Ireland.