The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-01
SAYS STORSDAD RAN INTO
EMPRESS AT FULL SPEED
Radey, Bosns Mate, Tells Graphic Tale of the
Crash and Why Women Could
Mt Be Saved

QUEBEC. May 81. - AieI. G. Radley,
chief bos'n's mate. who was on the bridge
OF the Empress Of ireland with Capt
Kendall before and at the time OF the
collision. told to-day a comprehensive
story OF the tragedy. He insists that the
Empress gave clear and distinct signals
through her powerful siren TO the collier
Storsdad. and that those signals could
not have been misunderstood 10y the cap
tain OF the collier.
Radloy says that che Empress came 10
a stop when the collier was two miles
away and that the Empress gave con-
tinual warnings to tho collier. He says
that the collier before coming out OF the
fog bank 400 feet away must have heard
those signals. But the storsdsd did not
slacken up n blt." said Radley.
she came into us,' he continued at
almost her full speed. I should ray six or
seven knots at least. She sounded no sig
nails except her fog siren, which she kept
blowing all the time she was coming into
us. Capt. Kendall shouted to them through
hts megaphone TO back ship. and the last
time he was almost crying"
stairways Upside Down.
Radley gave the explanation Tor the
few women saved, saying:
'-rhe stairways were all upside down.
LtdulnB IfOlIl tnc perrin utWNs all OF lHt
stlirways OF the Empress were OF the
fan variety. They started up from the
centre of tho ship with few rises and
then spread out toward the port and
starboard sides. When the ship heeled
over. which was almost Immediately after
the crash. the starboard angles OF stair
ways were below the angle OF the water.
while the port stairways were leading
straight up into the air.
the strongest men," said the bOsn's mate
THEY were all caught az In prison
There was no way for them to get out
1t was fearful
"It was the wors. thing have ever
known in all my experiences at sea. l was
on the forward deck looking over the rail
I was in charge Of the watch OF about n
dozen men. The weather was fne, clear
and Gee. When we were approaching
Father Point to land our pilot i was sur
prised to hear the fog horn at the Point
blowing. II was going all the time. Then
we saw ahead fog haze. low on the
water. Capt. Kendall started the fog
horn going continually. one long blast
every minute or less.
pretty soon / heard the horn of the
Storsdad. so did Capt. Kendall I can
tell by the sound where ship Is located
almost within few feet. When we got
the frst warning of the Storsdad she
must have been anywhere from a mi
to two miles away. | should judge AL
most Immediately Capt Kendall signalled
and brought the ship to a stop. She was
absolutely stopped. The Storsdad kept
coming and we could tell by the increas-
ing strength OF the horn that she was
getting closer.
'"Then Capt Kendall sounded three
blasts OF his whistle. which means for full
speed astern and can be heard by the
approaching vessel almost as plainly as
aboard He repeated the three blasts and
about the second or third time saw
the masthead lights OF tile Storsdad come
UP over tho fog bank She must have
been about 400 yards away. She blew
no signals but her fog horn. she sounded
no three blasts for speed astern. She
came ahead at her full speed apparently.
about six or seven knots, ! should say.
Capt. Kendall shouted through his mega
phone. 60 astern,'
Tho Storsdad kept blowing her siren,