EMPRESS DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2200, 13 July 1914, Page 7

EMPRESS DISASTER

THE COURT'S FINDINGS STORSTAD TO BLAME. CAPTAIN KENDALL CLEARED. \ THE RECOMMENDATIONS > By Teifieraph—Press Aefio'eiation—Oopyrißlit (Rec. July 12, o.u p.m.). '' . . QueSeo, July 11., lho Commission, under the.Presideiicy ?'• Jjjrd Jersey, appointed to inquire into' the collision between the Canadian Pacific' Railroad Company's passenger express- liner. Einpres of Ireland and tho Norwegian collier Storstad iii ithe St. Lawrence River, has submitted its re'j>ort. The Commission found that the btqretad was to' blanie< for the Empress disaster. Lord Mersey held; that it was ■due to the Storstad's change of course, which . was : ordered by • the third officer (William Jacob Saxe),-without the 'first officer's or ' the captain's ' sanction'. He exonerates Captain Kendall (captain of; tile Empress of^froland'):, completely, but suggests'tha'tTie,,would, have been better advised if ho luid navigat-ed his ship soj as'to' pass the Storstad at a freater, . distance. ... It ; w;as impossible;:; owever,'- to . criticise liirn; for an linseamanliko apt in stopping his ship,-as his-action-'was siniply, a proper measure r.of precaution. . The Commission held that porting the Storstad's holm was not dpno to counteract tho effect of tho. StV ; Lawrence, current. ' ■ .- ••••': Chief-. Officer ; : Tuftness,' of . tho Stor•stad, was- negligent in not calling the captain; whcn.tho: fog arose. Tuftriess. was wrong in thinking there Was no danger.; 'Ho ought to.havocalk; ed the captain, as, ordered. It was'negligence on the part of the, third officer to alter 'the : cburse on,his' .own responsibility. Tho'disastor was not attributable. to hny' defects in: the St. Lawrence'course, ... Tho Commission recommends the qlosihg of water-tight doors whenever prac-; ticablo during fogs. ' All watertight doorS and ' portholes below! the water line ought to bo clpsed, atsunset and ,remain'..closed;-until sunrise; •Raftß be'placed.oh. the decks," so as to, float automatically if the 'ship sinks. • ,\, Lord Morsey pointedout., that the ■ Commission .had, much difiiculty in vde- - ciding -as to whether the Storstad or the -Empress- of. Ireland : approached red light to red light, or green to green. ,The stones' :c6rifiicted ;,; on: this important point. : However, they finally agreed :that' the officers of the Empress. of Ireland had told the truth concerning other events, : which onabled;the Commission' to .fix: approximately':the accuracy, of the acthal. approach, of bcith vessels.. -v .