THE EMPRESS OF IRELAND.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14982, 1 June 1914, Page 8

THE EMPRESS OF IRELAND.

A WELL-EQUIPPED 14,000-TON "v L SHIP.

With the exception of the disaster to the Titanic, which sank in mid-Atlantic after collision with an iceberg on April 15th, 1912, ;no, such appalling ship-

ping catastrophe been recorded as that of the loss of the Empress of Ireland in tho Si. Lawrence.

Owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, tho Empress of Ireland was a twin-screw steamer of .14,191 tons gross and 8028 tons net register, her principal dimensions being:— Length, 548.9 f t; beam, 65.7 f t; depth of hold, 36.7 f t ;; moulded depth, 40ft. She.was fitted with two sets of quadruple'expansion engines. The Empress of Ireland and the .Empress of Britain were specially built to meet the growing demands of- the C.P.R: Company's express mail and passenger scfvico be-, tween Montreal Quebec, and Liverpool. Everything m the equipment of the Empress of Ireland was of the most modern type, and the appointment of her passenger accommodation was of the most 'luxurious description. She had accommodation for saloon, 350 second saloon, and over 1000 third-class passengers. The two "Empress" ships were the fastest on the Liverpool-Quebec service, making tho passage in a little more than six days. The record passage of the Empress of Ireland was 6 'days 2 hours. 30 minutes, and of her sister ship 6 days 3 hours 8 minutes. Each of these steamers cost about £500.000. Tho Empress of Ireland was fitted with every modern device to ensnr» safety at sea. She carried boats sufficient to accommodate more than her full complement of passengers and crew, the latter nnmbering.about 500. She was equipped with wireless telegraphy and submarine signalling apparatus. * The Empress of Ireland was a solendidly constructed ship, and was divided by bulkheads into ten watertight compartments, and was built so that she would remain afloat with two compartments flooded.