THE ST. LAWRENCE DISASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 47, 16 July 1914, Page 4

THE ST. LAWRENCE DISASTER.

The oustanding feature of the finding of the Commission which investigated the terrible tragedy of the sea that occurred to the Empress of Ireland on the St. Lawrence, is the exoneration of the captain of that vessel from all blame. Thoie who closely followed tlie cabled reports of the evidence, could come to no other [conclusion despite the attempt of those on the German vessel to throw the blame on the Canadian-Pacific liner. It will not bo much consolation to the relatives of the victims to learn that the Commission considers Captain Kendall would have been better advised to have navigated the ship bo as to pass the Storstad at a greater distance*, or that tlie latter's captain was not called by itlic chief officer. Neither will the blaming of the third officer for changing the German vessel's course without orders atford any satisfaction, except that of sheeting home the disaster to the culpable person. The chief concern that is felt by sea-going travellers is as to nvhat steps will be taken to prevent such a terrible calamity in the future. The only recommendations mentioned in the cables are those in favor of water-tight compartments and the provision of l'.ifts. It is manifest, however, that necessary as these two requisites an*, there are others that might well be insisted u:j on. For instance, all vessels carrying a large number of passengers should have an inner water-tight skin which wou.d certainly enable the ships to keep alloat in case of a collision, at least for a sufficient time to enable boats and rafts to lie utilised for the service of those ou hoard. Anolher suggestion that has been made is to close all the doors o* the various water-tight compartments in a ship during log and at night time. This seems a'V.cu-ible precaution, and one which should be enforced rn all the great trans-Atlantic liners, The (list order that goes from the bridge when a collision occurs is an instruction to close the doors in tlie bulkheads. But too often it is then 100 late, as in the very ease of the Empress of Ireland. The suggestion that rafts should lie placed 011 the decks so as to float off automatically when the ship sink-*, has been put forward again and again, and it was urged with particular emphasis immediately after the Titanic disaster. Obviously. the rafts should be instantly accessible and ready for use, for boats take some time to till and lower, whereas a raft is a stand-by tliat may at any rate keep people afloat until boats come to their assistance. In all probability, the British Board of Trade wid now devote serious attention to the subject, and frame such regulations as will re-assure the travelling public that til y.r lives shall not he. at the. mercy of a careless officer, and that passenger vessels shall no longer be the death traps that they have been in tlie past.