THE HALIFAX DISASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1917, Page 5

THE HALIFAX DISASTER.

THE NIOBE NOT Australian-N.Z. Cable Association. Halifax, Dec. 12. i There were seven dead on board tlu Canadian cruiser /Niobe and five other* afloat in a boat were drowned. The -Viobe broke her moorings, but was •«• cured before she was damaged. OVER" 500 BUNDED.; , Received Dec. 13, 10.30 p.m. ■:.■' ■"'. Ottawa, Dee. IJ. upward* of 500 peoplo wore Minded ..in the Halifax disaster. They were standing on the water-front washing the Mont Blanc, burn whon the explosion occurred. BRITAIN'S PRACTICAL*SYMT-ATH?. London, Dee. lg. Mr. Bonar Law announced in the 'House of Commons that the Government had sent a message of sympathy to the citizens of Halifax, also a gift of a million to the relief fund," HARBOR OP HALIFAX. NEW TERMINAL SCHEME. The harbour of Halifax, the eastern gateway of Canada, is generally eonceded to be one of the finest in the world. The town was founded in 174fl through the endeavours of Lord Halifax, after whbm it was named, and the British Government showed ite appreciation of the harbour by strongly fortify, jug it against sea attack, and by establishing a dockyard in 1750. Subsequently it cam© to be considered officially as the foremost British naval (station upon the American continent, becoming, iii fact, the headquarters of the North Atlantic division of the Imperial Navy. But after the strategical ports maintained by Great Britain in Canada wew handed over to the Federal Government, expansion was suspended to enable the Federal Government' to determine the policy to be followed.' ,• In the meantime the commercial advantages of the harbor became more widely appreciated. During the winter months—from November to May—whin the St. Lawrence is closed -by ice to navigation, and Quebec and Montreal constitutes the sole Canadian port of entry upon the eastern coast. . Consequently it has developed into a combined naval and mercantile port. ' The.two harbours are quite distinct, since there are adequate facilities for the requite. meats of both branches of aotivity The total length of the harbour is 13% miles to the head of Bedford Basfo I'rom St. George's Island to the Narrows the distance is three miles, with a width of three-quarters of a mile, and a depth ranging from 10 to ,14 fathoms at low water. It is this portion of the harbour which has been selected for commercial purposes and in which the greatest amount of activity is manifested. On the Halifax, or western, side there are 17 wharves—exclusive of the terminal piers of the Inter-colonial. Railway—capable of accommodating tho • largest vessels. These .wharves have an aggregate area of 125,560 square feet. Thtro arc also 22 smaller wharves, having an area of about 104,081 square feet. ■ %e depth of water at these wharves varies from 2flft to 4ft at low water. The Tnter-oolonial, or Government, Railway has nine piers. Five of these are situated about one mile from tho centre, of the city, and are known as the "TerminW piers, while the remaining four are at Richmond. The piers are accessible at all hours of the day, and all through" the year, as the harbour is absolutely free from ice. \" <■ •The facilities described above, howc\er. have been far from adequate., with the result that Halifax has Idst much of the business which otherwise it might have received. Vessels have gone to tho. American porta of Portland ano? Boston,' and even New York, for this icason. The Federal Government, realising the situation, decided to Undertake a comprehensive scheme oif improvement, involving an expenditure of ever £0,000.000, with the. object of rendering Halifax one qf the bestequipped ports upon the, Atlantic seaboard with facilities and accommodation sufficient for some years to come. ■ This work was commenced before the war broke out, and is now far advanced. The cable indicates that at least a portion was destroyed.

The site of this "Terminal scheme," as it It called, j a at Freshwater, on the harbour side of the city, between St. George's and Macnab's Inland*. Tho project comprises a landing qnav '2oooft in length by SDOft. In width, with -basins 300 ft. wide between. On the quay accommodation with the lateat appointments is to be provided for immigrants. Each equipped with four freight and passenger sheds," two storeys in height, with railway tracks. oW' hnth levels. A grain elevator is also to form part of the installation, so designed that shoots can be run down each pier. Tn addition a union passenger statiqn was to he provided nt an estimated .outlay of C 200,000. ...'' '.

In order to facilitate transportation bet wren the ''terminal scheme" an.l the city, a belt railway of the midcri ground type was being construoteil. It j was to be five miles in length, and the | metals were to be laid at V minimum ,depth of 30ft. below the street level. i There is a graving dock north of th» dockyard, 650 ft long overall and (jOOft on top of keel blocks. The width at the entrance is 93ft by 70.2 ft on top of (keel blocki, and the depth of water on. the sill 30ft. When completed in lftß9 this dock was the largest oiTth* / tlantie seaboard. It is equipped modern machinery for large and rapid repair work. The U.S.A. battleship, Indiana, with full cargo and coal, and * number y>t other large vessels, havw been docked and repaired with despatch,, At low Avater the depth in the/approach channel varies from 36ft to 51ft. 1 •