STRICKEN HALIFAX.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 11 December 1917, Page 3

STRICKEN HALIFAX.

The Latest Death Tally. f Received This Day 9.40 a-in. Halifax, Dec. 10. The military authorities are arresting great numbers of German residents who have previously been monthly reporting to police. Ottawa, Dec. 10. The Mont lilanc explosion in Halifax harbour caused a fire which threatened the military magazine. The people fled from the streets in the neighbourhood expecting the instant destruction of (he entire city. The officers of the Seventy-second Ottawa Battery called for volunteers to assist to flood the magazine and despite the intense heat every man of the battery responded. They worked in icy water waist deep until the danger was averted. The Imo's crew assert the disaster was due to the Mont Blanc mistaking the signals. The Imo turned to starboard thinking she was able to pass but the distance was too short and the Imo rammed the Mont Blanc on the starboard side. The damage to the ships was apparently slight and the Mont Blanc headed for the city piers and the Imo towards shallow water in order to see the extent of her damage. Then chemical flames were seen oil the Mont Blanc's deck and the explosion followed hurling the Imo ashore on the crest of a tidal wave. Tlie Imo's captain had his head blown off and the pilot's body was thrown ashore. The helmsman was found dead at his post. Every man of the crew above deck was killed and those below alone escaped and were found later dazed amongst the brushwood ashore. When the explosion occured a second munition, ship, the l'itton, was set afire. if it had exploded it would certainly have wrecked the whole water front. The crew however extinguished the fire before it reached the cargoThe latest estimates state the known dead number 1200, where of 900 have been indentified. Two thousand are missing and 8000 injured and 25,000 homeless. The damage to property amounts to five millions sterling.