EMPRESS OF IRELAND DISASTER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9833, 26 June 1914, Page 5

EMPRESS OF IRELAND DISASTER

THE WOUND THAT CAUSED THE TRAGEDY.

ANOTHER EFFORT TO RECOVER THE BODIES.

(By luctbio Tslbobiph—Coptbiqht.) (PU FBlflfl ASSOCIATION.I QUEBEC., June 25. Mr Percy Hilfhouse, of the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company which constructed the Empress of Ireland, continuing his evidence at the enquiry, stated that one foot was added to the rudder of the Empress after an accident in 1908 to improve her steering qualities. He had heard no complaints from the captain regarding her steering. He gave the first adequate explanation of the actual injuries to the Empress, telling of the water rushing through tho wound of 238 square feet at the rato of 260 tons per second. The divers of the warship Essex have been ordered back t-Q the scene of the wreck after a conference between Captain Walsh, of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and Captain Watson, of the Essex, who decided that a further attempt be made to recover the 800 entombed bodies in the Empress, deepitte the fact that the work had been abandoned, following a report indicating its difficulty and danger. Captain Kendall, recalled, gave the times in which the ship travelled the two courees after leaving Father Point prior to the accident. These showed a discrepancy between the captain's timo of dropping the pilot and the time given by the captain of the pilot boat when it picked up the pilot.