THE HALIFAX DISASTER.

Mataura Ensign, 11 December 1917, Page 5

THE HALIFAX DISASTER.

DEATH-ROLL GROWING. j EXPLOSION FELT 150-MILES AWAY " OTTAWA, Dec. 8. The latest estimate of the dead at Halifax is 2800. The ship contained 2800 tons of the most powerful explosives. The debris of shells and ship plates have been found over a five miles radius. Towns 150 miles distant rocked as if from an earthquake, and ships 50 miles at sea were similarly affected. The special correspondent of the 'New *ork limes' at Halifax likens the city to a living hell. "Many of the injured could not be rescued and perished in the oiiazard," he states. "To-night the town is in darkness, except for lanterns, and relief trains are stuck in the snow. It is estimated that 1500 bodies have been recovered."

5,000,000 DOLLARS. UNITED STATES VOTE. WASHINGTON, Dec. 8. Congress wil be. asked to vote five million dollars for the relief of Halifax sufferers. i ■ I £6,000,000 PROPERTY LOSS. 20,000 PEOPLE I>ESTnTJTE. OTTAWA, Dec. 8. Sir Pi. L. Borden (Canadian Prime Minister) has placed the whole resources of the Federal Government at the disposal of the Halifax municipal authorities. ine propertv loss is estimated at £6,000,000. Four- thousand dwellings were demolished and 20,000 people arc destitute. 4000 DEATHS. Australian and N.Z. Cable ABSoeiatioi and Reuter.) OTTAWA, Dec. 9. The death-roll at Halifax is now estimated at 4000. . . The bodies' of .200 sailors and workmen have been recovered from tne waterfront. Blizzard weather continues. MORE APPALLING. THAN WAS~ASfTICIPATET). NEW YORK, Dec. 9. The 'New York Times' states, '-The Halifax catastrophe is more appalling than was anticipated. In one school oi 500 children only seven escaped. Ihe damage is estimated at 20,000,000 dollars." 1000 BODIES RECOVERED. OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE. OTTAWA, Dec. 9. Two hundred additional bodies have been recovered, making about 1000 to date. Rescue work is proceeding unhindered. The weather is clear, and.martial law orevails. Assistance from outside has Increased.

NORWEGIAN SEAMEN ARRESTED. ASKED TO LEAVE, HALIFAX, Dec. 10. The survivors of rho "Norwegian ship Jmmo, which collided with the munition ship, were arrested by the British naval authorities. All are non-residents and are not engaged, in relief work. They have been asked to leave owing to the serious lack of accommodation. SYMPATHY FROM NEW ZEALAND. (Per United Press Association-V AUCKLAND, Dec.;, 10. The following telegram has be-,n sent hv Mr Massov (Prime Minister) to the Prime Minister'of Canada: "On bebnlJ of the. Government and people of NewZealand I desire to express our heartCelt sympathy with the relatives and friend's of all" those who have lost then jives or who have been injured in tiudisastrous explosion at Halifax. Please convev to the Premier of Nova Scotia and the Mavor of Halifax this expression of New Zealand's condolence." 2000 MISSING; 8000 INJURED.

DAMAGE, £5,000,000. Received December 11, 9.40 a.m. OTTAWA. Dec. 10. The latest estimates of the known dead number, 1200,, of which l>oo have been identified. Two thousand are miss-! ing 8000 are injured and 25,000 homeless. The damage to property amounts to €5,000,000. GERMAN RESIDENTS. WHOLES ALE AR R ESTH. Received December 11, 8.55 a.m. HALIFAX, Dec. 10. The military authorities are arresting wholesale German residents who have previously been reporting monthly to the police. FLOODING THE MAGAZINE. A HEROIC BATTERY. Received December 11, 9.'10 a.m. ■OTTAWA, Dec 10. The Mont Blanc explosion in Halifax Harbor caused a fire which thrcalencri rlie military magazine: The people fled from the streets in the neighborhood, expecting the instant destruction of the entire city. An officer of the 72nd Ottawa Battery called For volunteers to assist to flood the magazine. Despite the intense heat every man of the battery responded and worked in icy water waist deep until the danger was averted

HOW THE DISASTER OCCURRED

The Irnmo's crew assert that the disaster was due to the Mont Blanc mistaking signals. The Tmmo turned to starboard thinking she would he able to pass hut the distance was too short and the Immo rammed the Mont Blanc on the starboard side. The damage was apparently slight. The Mont Blanc, headed for the city piera and the Immo towards shallow water in order W see the extent of her damage. Then chemical flames were seen on the Mont; Blanc's deck and an explosion followed, hurling the Immo ashore on the. crest of a tidal wave. The- Irnmo's captain had his head blown off and tho pilot's body was thrown ashore. The helmsman was found dead at his post and every man of the crew who was above deck was killed. Those below -alonu escaped and ■were found later da>;ed among the brushwood ashore. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN! When the explosion occurred a second munition ship, the Pictou, was set afire. If it had exploded it would certainly have wrecked the whole waterfront. The crew, h'owever, extinguished the fire 'before it- reached the cargo. Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, is the principal Atlantic, port of Canada. It is the nearest to Great Britain of any city on tho American Continent, being but .2178 miles from Cape Clear. The magnificent sheet of water that constitutes its harbor is easily accessible at nil seasons, of the year. at all limes of the tide', by ships of any tonnage; and is capable of affording safe anchorage to the whole British Navy. Its selection as the American rendezvous of D'Anville- illstarred expedition against the. Uritish American colonies, in 1746, led to a demand oh 'their part that a'place of such stragetic importance should no

longer be unoccupied by British troops. The demand was ably supported by JLord Halifax, and accordingly an expedition was. fitted out in 1749, which founded the city, and gave, to it< die, .name of its English patron. It at once, became the capital of the province, and the principal naval and military station of Great Britain in America, and, strongly fortified, was garrisoned by British troops till 1905, when Canada- assumed full responsibility for its defence. The dockyard is one of the finest in the British colonies. The town is built on the western side of the harbor, and extends along it about- five and a-half miles. It is"the residence of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Halifax, and of the Anglican Bishop of Nova Scotia. It is also the seat of the Dalhousie Urn-versit-v, and the headquarters of the Atlantic Division of the Canadian Navy, with a Naval School. It is the eastern or Atlantic terminus of the Intercolonial Railway. It has a large graving dock (580 ft by 102 ft). In 1912 the fortifications were very greatly strengthened, and a great tower commemorated the 150 th anniversary of the Novia Scotian Assembly. The proximity of Halifax to the coalfields of Pifton and Cape Breton, and its extensive wharf accommodation, make it a great coaling station.