South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-07-11
Commission of Inquiry Says
Collier is Responsible Be-
cause She Changed Her
Course After Fog Came On.
EX0NERATE CREW or
EMPRESS OF IRELAND
Recommend Rule Requiring
BuIkheadS to Be Closed Al
ways at Night and Stations
for Receiving.

=
QUEBEC. Que. July 1.-THE COM
mission of inquiry that investigated
the sinking OF the Empress Of ire
land in the St. Lawrence on May
29 with a loss Of more than 1000
lives, announced its decision today.
holding that the collier storstad.
which rammed the Empress. was re-
sponsible for the disaster. The re-
port which was brief contained the
following leading points:
THE Storelad is responsible for
the accident because she changed
her course. The helm OF the Stor-
stad was ported by order of Third
officer Jacob Lundquist. who
thought the Empress was al port
whereas in reality she was at star
board
2-The order to port was given
without instructions from the first
officer Of the Storstad. Mr.. Tuften-
er. but as ne was i'm charge of the
ship at the time. he is held Jointly
3-The first officer is also blamed
for having failed TO call Capt.
Thomas Anderson when the fog
came on. There is nothing 10 blame
i'm the course followed by the two
ships before the fog came on.
At is practically certain that
some Of the bulkheads OF the Em-
press were not closed at the time
of the collision.
MerSey Heads Commission.
The members of the commission
were Lord Mersey. OF the British ad-
mirality court. and Ezekiel Mcleod
a Judge of the New Brunswick ad-
mirality court.
Lord Mersey came from England
to head the commission because Of MS
wide knowledge of marine affairs and
his experience gained in directing the
Investigation into the wreck OF the
Titanic.
The court was crowded when the
commissioners took their seats ana
Lord Mersev commenced reading the
report. The entire findings were not
read owing TO the technicalities IN
vOlved. but the principal features
were laid before the auditors.
The principal point which the court
was called upon 10 decide was wheth-
er the responsibility for the tragedy
was divided or whether II rested sole
lv upon the officers Of one ship. Lord
Mersey said that the members oi the
court had taken pains 90 get all the
enlightment possible upon this phase
and that. after deliberation over tho
evidence they had come 10 the con-
cIueion that the Storstad was in fault
because she had changed her course
after the fog had settled down upon
the river. Up 10 the time me I"s
aDDeared no fault could be found
with the seamanship OF either set of
should Have Called Captain.
Criticism was also directed AT Tuft-
ener for not calling capt Thomas
Anderson Of the StOrstad when the
fog came on. The captain was not
called TO the bridge until the accident
was inevitable.
The court held that capt. Ken
dali and the crew Of the Empress had
done their duty but the little time
which interviewed between the cclll-
sion and the sinking OF the canadian
Pacific liner prevented them from do
ing much.
Make Suggestions.
The following suggestions we're
made by the com missioners-
That a maritime rule De adopted
connecting ships 10 close their bulk
heads when fog comes or and also
ar night whether the weather IS fogsT
or not. that different stations he cs-
"A ablished for the ships 20 take on
and leave of pilots SO that they would
not be obliged 20 meet one anotheF'
and that more life rafts be put among
the life saving equipment on shlpe'
that. if a boat sinks before the hIe
boats can be lowered. the RATS VIII
slim off and float in the water.
In concluding the comm issioners
said.
I'VE regret 10 have 20 blame anyone
:, oonectfon with this very lament
able disaster and we should not do So
II we felt any reasonable alternative
was left 10 us. We can. however
come 10 no other conclusion than tnat
ATr TrIftener was wrong and neEn-
gent I'm altering the course of the
Gsa~-faH