What Happened.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 49, 19 June 1914, Page 5

What Happened.

THE EMPRESS INQUIRY. THE INQUIRY CONTINUED. [By Eleotbio telegraph-—Copybight] [Unjtsd pEJfii Ajbsooiation.l Quebec, June 17. Jones, chief officer on the Empress of Ireland, who was on duty on the bridge after the pilot was dropped, said he saw the masthead light of the Storstad six miles distant. He afterwards gave the proper signals, and the Storstad responded. When the vessels collided the Empress of Ireland had stopped. He added that by Captain Kendall's orders he ordered the engines "full speed astern" when three miles distant from the Storstad,/,. This was merely a measure of precaution owing to the approaching fog. Murphy, the quartermaster, corroborated this evidence. The Empress of Ireland stopped as soon as the collision occurred. Both witnesses deposed to assisting in rescues. All wore lifebelts. Tuftness, the Storstad*s chief mate, declared that owing to the momentum the Storstad would have gone right through the Empress of Ireland if she had been travelling at ten knots ah hour.

Lord Mersey pointed out that if the' Storstad' s engines had been reversed earlier the calamity would not have happened.

CAPTAIN CORROBORATED.

(Received 11.55 a.m.) Ottawa, June 18.

George Smart, a passenger on the Empress of Ireland, corroborated Captain Kendall's statement that the Empress was stationary when the collision occurred.

Bronnan, second engineer, corroborated the statement regarding the signals as received in the engineroom from Kendall.

Lord Mersey, after hearing Smart, thought it unnecessary to examine further passengers. (Received 1.20 p.m.) Quebec, June IS.

Galway, examined, contended that the Empress did not answer her helm properly when on her last trip westward. ' Galway admitted he made; certain „suggestions to Mr sel for the Storstad, at the instance of an unknown fireman connected, with the Firemen's Union. -The suggestions indicated that the Empress was steering badly."' (Received 1 p.m.)

Ottawa, June 18

Mr Haight surprised the Commission by the statement that he understood the Empress of Ireland's steer-ing-gear • jammed- - before- the collision Lord Mersey immediately ordered Quartermaster Galway, of the Empress, to attend Court ; arid explain if it was true the Empress was disabled. Captain Kendall promptly denied that., there was any truth that the steering gear was in any way affected. Mr Walsh, Marine Superintendent of the Canadian Pacific Company, denied that there was any atetempt made to induce Galway to leave Canada.