EMPRESS OF IRELAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 29

EMPRESS OF IRELAND

COURT OF INQUIRY’S REPORT. THE STORSTAD IN FAULT. OTTAWA, July 7. The steamer Storstad was sold under the Admiralty Court’s order. It fetched £35,000, the purchasers being the original owners. The Storstad is being held as security for damages in the action brought at the Instance of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and will be released when the purchase money is paid. QUEBEC, July 11. Lord Mersey’s Commission found that the Storstad was to blame for the Empress of Ireland disaster. Lord Mersey held that it was due to the Storstad’s change of course, ordered by the third officer without the first officer’s or the captain’s sanction. He exonerates Captain Kendall completely, but suggests that he would have been better advised if

lie 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 stopping the ship, as that action was simply the proper measure of precaution. The commission held that porting the Storstad's helm was not done to counteract the effect of the St. Lawrence current, and Chief Officer Tuftness was negligent iii not calling the captain w’hen the fog arose. July 12. Lord Mersey, dealing with the evidence given by Galway, who said 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 concludes that the Empress was correctly manoeuvred after the sighting of the Storstad. NEW YORK, July 11. The judgment of the Court of Inquiry concerning the Empress of Ireland disaster states that Mr Tuftness was wrong in thinking that there was no danger. He ought to have called the captain as ordered. It was negligence on his part to alter the course on own responsibility. The disaster was not attributable to any defects in the St. Lawrence course. The commission-recommends the closing of watertight doors whenever such is practicable during fogs. All watertight doors and portholes below the water-line ought to be closed at sunset, and remain closed until sunrise. Rafts ought to be placed on the decks so as to float automatically if a ship sinks. Lord Mersey pointed out that the commission had much difficulty in deciding whether the Storstad or the Empress of Ireland approached red light to red light or green to green. The stories conflicted on this important point, but they ■ finally agreed that the Empress of 'lreland’s officers had told the truth in regard to other events, which enabled the commission to fix with approximate accuracy tha actual approach of both vessels.