FULL SPEED AHEAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23810, 17 May 1939, Page 9

FULL SPEED AHEAD

EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA ROYAL LINER'S PROGRESS NOW CLEAR OF ICEFIELD DUE AT QUEBEC TO-DAY (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) QUEBEC, May 15. It was officially announced at 8 a.m.. Eastern standard time, that the Empress of Australia was 20 miles eastward of Gallantry Head. The liner is proceeding under forced draught at 19 knots, and is expected to anchor at midnight on Tuesday. The liner wirelessed at 9 a.m. that she was clear of the icefield, and was maintaining full speed. The Canadian Press representative aboard the Empress of Australia says the sailors said the ice conditions were the worst in their memory. It was felt that under the hazardous conditions the caution of Captain Meikle. commander of the ship, was well justified. On Sunday afternoon a member of the royal party invited the Queen to come on the upper deck and see one of the larger floes. The Queen replied: " No, thanks, it is so nice and warm in this lounge. Anyway, I am beginning to think that one icefloe looks very much like another." THE ICE CONDITIONS WORST FOR MANY YEARS QUEBEC, May 15. The Associated Press special correspondent says the ice conditions which delayed the Empress of Australia are the worst experienced at this time of the year since 1889, according to masters of Atlantic steamers which arrived at Quebec yesterday and to-day. One encountered floes 15 feet thick floating southward from the Labrador Referring to comment that if they got through the Empress of Australia should have been able to do likewise, masters explained that they changed their course and found open water free of fog. All vessels were compelled to adhere to the traffic lanes laid down by the North Atlantic Conference, but masters were given discretionary powers in an emergency. It was pointed out, however, that If the Empress of Australia had altered her course and nosed into an area where no other vessels were ahead to report on conditions the royal party might have been placed in even greater danger. The masters agreed that it would have been foolhardy to move with fog masking the floes. In a normal year the sea ice would have long since melted, but Canada is experiencing an exceptionally late spring, and there are still heavy snowdrifts about Quebec. Ottawa's Programme The inconveniences and complications arising from the late arrival have been cheerfully accepted and curtailment of Ottawa's programme is causing no shedding of tears oueside that city. It is felt in many quarters that the capital and officialdom were claiming too large a share of royal attention. Quebec's only English language newspaper to-night recalls the tale of Canute's courtiers, and comments that the Mackenzie King Government has now discovered that fog banks will not lift at royal pleasure. It adds that their Majesties will be the more welcome because of the fatigues and perils of the voyage.