Empress Enquiry

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 27, 22 June 1914, Page 5

Empress Enquiry

EVIDENCE OV EN I.'Eli

AWLE LIFE-SAVING APPAitATUS.

By Cable--Press Association—> '..• j iyriglit Quebec, -ii-ne 19.

When the inquiry reopened iir.-Jaighi apologised to the Court for giving tu.: impression that the Canadian Pacific Company had tried to spirit a.vay witnesses likely to prove hostile to theni. Mr. Haight denied that in: had .-in,/ such intention.

Percy Hillhouse, of the Eailliehl Shipbuilding Company, gave evidence that the boats of the Empress i,!' !>•■ land were sufficient to accommodate three hundred more persons than she carried. The bulkheads extended throughout the ship, which would have floated even if both middle compartments had been flooded. The water must have entered elsewhere.

Captain Staunton, life-saving superintendent for the Canadian Paeiiic Company, swore that the life apparatus was complete in every detail. It was impossible for any bodies to he lloating head downwards, if the lifebelts had been affixed correctly.

THE ENQUIRY COXTINCF.D. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STEERIMG GEAR. Received 20, 6.5 p.m. Quebec, .Time 20. Napoleon Lapierre, pilot on the collier Alden, swore that aa the Empress of Ireland approached the Alden, the Emj press zig-zagged, showing first her port | and then her starboard lights. UltiImately she passed within a cable length. While the Empress was approaching the Alden, Lapierre kept his vessel at full speed, although h■• admitted that he thought a collision likcl.v, tut the collier did not wish to be delayed unless there was danger of running ashore.

William Jacob Saxe, third officer of the Storstad, corroborated the chief officer Tuftness' story that the Empress of Ireland blew a long blast with the whistle when three miles away, indicating that she was maintaining her course. The Storstadt replied an acknowledgment, which was repeated several times. When the fog swept over the river the Storstadt slowed down. The witness did not hear the Empress Wow two short blasts, indicating that she was going to port, but did hear whistles indicating that she was going astern. The Storstadt went full speed iastern also.

George O'Donovan, engineer, described the, steering gear, stating that he was 6ure there was nothing wrong with it. Mr, Aspinall submitted that any apparent variations in the Empress of Ireland's course were due to the river's current, which was strong at the point where the collision occurred.

Lord Mersey said be had concluded that the Storstad opened two of the centre water-tight compartments of the Empress of Ireland Iby the blow, and, admitting that the water dragged open another compartment, as it recoiled, nothing thereafter could have saved the Empress of Ireland.