EMPRESS WRECK

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 July 1914, Page 7

EMPRESS WRECK

THE STORSTAD TO BLAME COMMISSION'S FINDING RECOMMENDATIONS. (By Telegraph,—Press Association.—Copyright.) QUEBEC, llth July. The Commission, under the presidency of Lord Mersey, appointed to enquire into the collision between the Canadian Pacific Railroad Company's passenger express liner Empress of Ireland and the Norwegian collier Storstad in the St. Lawrence River, has submitted its report. The Commission found that the Storstad was to blame for the disaster. Lord Mersey held that the collision was due to the Storstad's -change of course, which was ordered by the third officer without the first officer's or the captain's sanction. The Commission exonerates Captain Kendall, of the Empress, completely, but suggests that he would have been better advised if he had navigated the ship so as to pass the Storstad at a greater distance. It was impossible to criticise him for an unseamanlike act in stojjping the ship, as the action was simply a pioper measure of precaution. The Commission held that the porting of the Storstad's helm was not done to counteract the effect of tho St. Lawrence current. Chief-Officer Tuftness was negligent in not calling the captain when the tog arose. Tho judgment continues that Tuftness was wrong in thinking that there was no danger. He ought to have called the captain a.i ordered. It was negligence on his part to alter the course oh his own responsibility. The disaster was not attributable to any defects of the St. Lawrence course. The Commission recommends the closing of water-tight doors whenever practicable during fogs. All water-tight doors and portholes below the water-hne ought to be closed at sunset and remain closed until sunrise. Rafts ought to be placed on the decks so that they would float automatically if the ship sinks. Lord Mersey pointed out that the Commission had much difficulty in deciding whether the Storstad and* the Empress of Ireland had approached each other red light to red 'light or green to green. The stories were conflicting on this important, point. However, they finally agreed that the Empress's officers told tho truth. There were other events which enabled the Commission to fix, with approximate accuracy, the actual approach of both vessels. EMPRESS OF IRELAND'S STEERING GEAR. A STORY DISCREDITED. VESSEL WAS CORRECTLY MANOEUVRED. (Received July 13, 9 a.m.) QUEBEC, 12th July. The Commission, dealing with the evidence of Galway (one of tho quartermasters of the Empress) that the helm of the Empress was working badly, discredited it. The evidence of the officers of the Empress showed that the apparatus was in perfect order. The Court generally concluded that tho Empress of Ireland was correctly manoeuvred after sighting the Storstad.