Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-06-04
PLAN ID RESCUE | BODIES IN SHIP
 Corpses of Empress of Ire land Will Be Taken Out if Possible.
 PROSECUTE INQUIRY
Lord Merzey, Who Conducted Inquiry Into Titanic Disaster. Is Expect ed to Preside at Investigation
 of Latest Catastrophe.


 marine superintendent of the Ca la- Idian-Pacific railway, arrived here today and said the Canadian-Paci would make every effort to secure the bodies of those entombed in the sunken shi? Empress of Ireland. If it was humanely possible, he stated, to bring the vessed to a point where the bodies of the victims could be remov- ed, neither labor nor expense would be considered
 News that Lord Merzey, who pre- sided over the British inquiry into the loss of the Titanic, is to be a member of the royal commission ap- pointed to investigate the Empress of Ireland disaster, was received here with satisfaction. As Lord Merzey was president of the Titanic court, it is assumed that he will be similarly honored when the royal commission meets here. The Canadian members of the commission are Chief Justice Ezekiel Mcleod of New Brunswick and. Sir Adolphe Ruthier of Quebec.
 Just when the commission can be- gin it's work is still undetermined, but it probably will not be possible to hold the first sittings for about ten days. The sittings will be held at eithers Montreal of Quebec. The in- quiry will be of the widest scope and the governmen will be represented by counsel, it is announced, as it is probable there will be a discussion on rules of navigation in Canadian waters.
 Another change has been annou 1c- ed in the number of deaths. The statement by the Canadian-Pacific Railroad Steamship company show that 1,024 persons perished as re- suit of the collision between the Empress of Irela nd and the collier Storstad. The company has learned there were 1,476 persons on board the Empress of Ireland instead of 1887, as heretofore stated, hence the increase in the death list. The to- tai saved is now given as 452.
 Confusion as to Total Deaths.
 Quebec, June 3.-The confusion as to the total number of persons who perished il the Empress of Ireland disaster last week has been one of the distressing features of the tragedy, and last night the uncertain ty was further emphasized when figures, declared by the Canadian Pacific Railway Steamship company to be oficil, raised the death list to 1,O24 from 969 on Sunday night-55 more.
 Last Friday the company stated at its Montreal office that the Empress carried 1887 persons when she weighed anchor on her final voyage It was on that figure that the list of survivors and missing was based Last night, however, the company as- serted that the Empress carried 1,47e passengers, officers and crew, or an addition of S9. As a partial offset the figures giving the number of rescued were raised by 36-four from the first cabin, three from the sec ond cabin and steerage and 29 off, cers and crew. A discrepancy of two in these figures was not ex- plained by the company last night The total saved from the disaster now is placed at 452. These include 36 first cabin AZ second cabin, 13f steerage and 233 officers and crew Ol lle lOuf CLASSICS the figures snow the greatest percentage of survivors among the officers and crew.
 Of the 1,024 who died, the bodies o1 only few more than 200 have been recovered, and of these only 103 had been identified last night-22 first cabin. 21 second, 3S steerage and + l officers and crew.
 While arrangements were beins completed last night for the first o1 the public funerals, inquiry was pro. ceeding with a view to fixing the re. | .sponsibility for the Empress collis l ion with the Norwegian collier Stor. 1 stad.
 The third member of the roya commission, the official investigatins l body, will be Lord Mersey of Eng land. who presided over the British | governments investigation into tht loss of the Titantic. The other two members are Ezekiel Macleod, chic Judge of the admiralty court of the province of New Brunswick, ant Justice Sir Adolph Routhier, judge o the admiralty courts of Quebec.
 June was tentatively announced l AIN I.n%