THE WRECK

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 14, 4 June 1914, Page 5

THE WRECK

A STRONG INDICTMENT. OF THE STORSTAII'S CAPTAIN. NO BOATS WERE LAUNCHED. AND THE CREW STOOD IDLIC. i By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Quebec, June *2. There is great'difficulty in identifying the Empress of Ireland's victim*, owing to the mutilated state of the bodies. It is apparent that many were •' killed instantly, owing to striking wreckage or were crushed by the Storstad's impact. Mr. Louis Gosselin, K.C., declares that the Storstad's captain did nothing. When Mr. Gosselin reached the Storstad, after being an hour in a collapsible boat, Mr. Gosselin appealed to him to assist the drowning persons, but the captain merelj T looked at him. Mr. ■Gosselin is willing to swear that no boats were launched from the Storstad, the crew standing idle on the deck, when ■Gosselin appealed to them, "For God's •ake, you ought to do something." Lionel Kent, another passenger, confirmed Gosselin's statement that the Storstad did not put out boats for a Considerable time after the collision. A CONTROVERSY. WHICH TALE IS TRUE? London, June 2. j The newspapers are giving promin- j •ejhge to a controversy on the question the Empress of Ireland was I moving ahead, as the captain of the Storstad avers, or whether she was at * standstill, as Captain Kendall asserts. Lord Mersey"represents Great Britain -on the Empress of Ireland enquiry. THE ENGINE-ROOM PLIGHT. DOUBTFUL IDENTIFICATION. Quebec, June t. Chief-Engineer Sampson says that desperate efforts were made to beach the Empress of Ireland, but the engines were useless. After the lights went out, Sampson told the men to save themselves. They scrambled up the ladder, which then, owing, to the vessel's list, formed part of the ceiling of the engineroom. The men crawled out on the ■derrick posts when some of the vessel's top-hamper fell, carrying them into the water. The identification of Mre. Wynn-Pnee, of Auckland, New Zealand, wag made •iter about sixteen membets of the <!vew had claimed the body as- that of the stewardess. Some doubt still exists whether the body of Laurence Irving was found. made by means of a ring with initials, but there were other passengers with the same initial*, »le» lost. ■ SCARE STORIES " IN AMERICAN PRESS. SENSATIONALISM RUN MAD. CHARGES AGAINST Till CREW. DENIED ON GOOD AUTHORITY. 1 Ottawa, June 2. ] The statement published in Toronto j that foreigners in the steerage of the j Empress of Ireland fought with knives < when their escape was barred is denied on the authority of the Canadian Pacific Marine Superintendent. He says the crew behaved splendidly, ami there was little or no panic among iho passengers, who seemed too dazed by the »uddcnness of the accident to make any panic. Mr. Welsh also denied Mrs. Atidresen's statement that Captain Kendall was drunk when he arrived on the Storstad. He says that Captain Kendall never took drink once in his life. Sensational stories are appearing in the American "yellow pros*" that the Empress of Ireland's crew we're eow.nrda. Miss Townshpnd, of New Zealand, declares that such statement,! are absolutely wicked. The crew, she ssvs, did everything they possibly could. A New York newspaper i* publishing stories" of foreigners fighting aboard, the crew deserting th» ship and leaving the passengers to drown, the captain drunk, and similar untruths. "A TISSUE OF LIHS." FEAR-CRAZED DEMONS SLASHING ■ PASSENGERS. A CHAPTER OF HORRORS. Received 3, 9.50 p.n. Montreal, -June 2. Mrs. Andresen further alleges thai when Captain Kendall arrived, aboarti the Storstadt, - which already had oi board a number of passenger., with leg: and arms broken, Kendall was so ami ous to board that he scrambled acrosi the suffering people. The Canadian-Pacific Marine Super in tendent has described the story as "i tissue of lies." }| ( . is fully convinced that Captaii KcinfciH intended to go down with hi ship, and was only prevented by Fate When the Empress of India heaved ove ' Captain Kendall grasped the rail, intend ing to go down, but ths imprisoned ai blew up the deck of the bridge, thiOfl inc the captain into the water.

The Toronto World, referring lo the steerage passengers, says that some fearerazed demons, armed with murderous dirks, slashed their way through the crowd, stabbing and maiming. It is the growing conviction that there are several who are in close touch with the whole situation. It is further stated that the underwriters of Quebec, wbo are embalming bodies, declared that the 1 imbs were slashed in a way that no accident could cause. The statement is not generally supported, although it is declared positively that nine-tenths of the victims j Whose bodies were recovered were not drowned, but killed by injuries received in the collision or by the debris. IMPRESSIVE MEMORIAL SERVICE, MORE ABOUT THE COLLISION. TIIE DEATH-ROLL. Received 3, 10.30 p.m. Quebec, June 3. The incoming White Star liner Megantic held a service over the spot where the Empress of Ireland sank. The passengers and crew lined the decks and Bang "Abide with Me," standing with bared heads. It was an impressive spectacle. The Canadian-Pacific arranged for the funeral of the unidentified and unclaimed dead on Thursday, and bears all the expenses. ] An inspection of the Storstad's bows \ indicates that it was impossible for the , stem to have remained locked in the Em- j press of India's side, as the boat was j twisted out, of shape by the Empress of ] Ireland's motion. ] I Tho final official figures are: 1024 lost, , ■ 438 saved. | ANOTHER ACCOUNT. ! Times and Sydney Sun Services. < ; Received 3, 7.5 p.m. Quebec, June 3. Captain Iloltung, of the Norwegian collier Aided, asserts that when he was passing the Empress of Ireland thirty i miles above the point of disaster, she ' was steering a strange zig-zag course, 1 filling him with anxiety. Altogether 110 bodies have been iden- i tified. It is not expected that many 1 | more will be recognised, but they will 1 ■ be kept unburied for a month. ■ I r ' COLONEL BLOOMFIEL'DS BODY ] | ■ RECOVERED. I . 1 | Rv Telegraph—l'"■■•-a Association. * ' Auckland, Last Night, , A private cable rcecived from Canada ( states that the body of the late Colonel ] W. R. Bloomfield was found and identi- ( Bed, but that the bodies of Mrs. and , Miss Bloomfield had not vet been re- , covered. ; 1 SCENE OF THE DISASTER. < PICTURESQUE SUMMER ROUTE. 5 THROUGH THE FRENCH PROVINCE. 1 GLIMPSES OF THE PEOPLE ' ! No ocean voyage commences at a more ] romantic spot than Quebec, which is the i farthest point of the St. Lawrence • touched by the Empress liners of the ! Canadian-Pacific Railway Company, though many large vessels go to Mon- > treal. Quebec, the "Rock City," the | cradle of new France, is one of the most ' interesting towns in America. It is like f a bit of the Old World planted in the 6pleudid setting of the new. There are two cities in one fascinating whole—the i old French city, the Quebec of the < i seventeenth century and ancient capital < lof Canada, and modern Quebec, the pro- i I rincial capital of to-day. The two form a, centre of art, sacred and secular history, architecture, and religion. Nothing could be more impressive than tue view of Quebec from a little distance down the river, unless it be the view from the parapets of Dufferin Terrace, within the city. The city of Champlain rises in tier upon tier of steep-roofed houses and quaint precipitous streets and breadth of grey cliff front. Far up on the summit of the height is the grim eerie of the ancient citadel. Across the face of the steep run irregularly the massive lines of the city walls, and from a natural terrace, midway between the river and citadel, frown the guns of. the Grand Battery. Near by is the picturesque Chateau Frontmic, a magnificent hotel, modelled on the plan of the sixteenth century French chateau. The lines and masses of the wonderful picture are brought out to the full by the lights wliit'k play over them. Under the vivid and flawless blue eome out sharply the pale grey of the citadel, the duller grey of the cliff-face, the black guns on the ramparts, the brown streets, shining roofs, gilded steeples, the blue-green of the St. Ijawrence, the white and emerald of the farms and villages of the sombre purple setting of the remote hills. For situation. Quebec rivals Edinburgh, Naples, and Heidelberg. TIIK CRIP OF WINTER. The river widens considerably below Quebec, and at Father Point (a small village! is about -ill miles wide, a width which is maintained till the river begins to merge in the gulf at Point des Monts.. 260 miles below Quebec. The steamer channel follows the right bank, and when pn»t t'enticosti (an island lying farly across the gulf at a point where it is 00 miles widei there is a choice of route*, nor or south of Newfoundland, At this time of the year it is customary to take the southern route, owing to the danger of meeting icebergs on the northern route. The waters of the river and gulf are at this season, icy cold. I Every winter the St. bnvrence "freezes j over between Kingston and Quebec, except at points where the current is rapid. I The channel at Montreal, where in smns mer ocean liners churn their way, is _ covered with ice strong enough to bear drays. In March or April the ice begins to break up and ice-shaves pile up feet high off the .Montreal wharves. Below i- Quebec the river never freezes ovr, out heavy border ice forms. It is usually May before the river is open to navigation by ocean liners. II INTENSE CULTIVATION. 1- or a con-i ch '] - ;i[!i!e porlion of its course llie St. Lawrence run- through t" the province of Quebec, which is the [. home of most of the French in Canada. j r Above and below the town of Quebec many interesting glimpses of Frenchr' Canadian life may be had from a steam er. This is a region of intense cultjr a .