Milford chronicle., 1914-06-05
CAPTAINS SHIFT
WRECK BLAME
England and Canada to Hold
Joint Inquiry.
CAPTAINS BLAME EACH OTHER
Accounts Of Collision Told by Com.
manders Of Empress Of ireland and
the ssorstar Are Conflicting.

There is to be a rigid investigation
of the sinking OF the Canadian Pa~iic
railway liner Empress OF Ireland in
the St. Lawrence river, near the en-
trance to the Gulf Of st. Lawrence, on
Friday morning.
The imperial government and the
Dominion authorities have joined in
endeayorns 10 fix the blame for the
collision between the liner aud tle
Norwegian collier Storstad which has
cost the lives OF more than 900 per
sons and sent the Empress OF Ireland
to the bottom.
In the preliminary investigation the
Canadian officials ind themselves con
frOnted by a situation in which the
respective commanders of the En-
press of Ireland and Of the Storstad
Captain Fl. c. Kendall and Captain
Thomas Andersen, give the lie to each
other
Full responsibility for the disaster
IS placed sQuarely upon the shoulders
OF the other by each of the men. Only
pected to arrive at the truth.
Captain Kendall in his testimony
before the coroner at Rimoush de
clared that he had taken all possible
precautions against a collision. His
ship had been stopped, he gave the
requisite signals when the Storstad
was still two miles away, but the col
lier had kept on through the fog
which settled down after the two YES
sells sighted each other. and had ram
med the Empress of ireland while the
latter was virtually motionless.
Then, despite his plea to the master
OF the collier that he run his engines
full speed ahead to keep the hole In
the liners side plugged with the Stor
stads bow, said Captain Kendall. the
vessel backed away, the water rushed
in and the Empress sank.
Captain Andersen had remained 81
lent on the subject of the collision un.
til reaching Quebec. After he had
made a reprot to representatives Of
the Dominion Coal canmpany, char
terers Of the vessel, and Of the owners
of the steamer, a statement based on
his declarations to them was given
out.
According to the statement, when
the Empress of Ireland was sighted
and fog shortly afterward envelopei
both vessels. fog signals were eX-
changed and the Storstads engines
were stopped. When she lost sight of
the Empress of Ireland In the river
mists the latter's course had been set
so that the vessels would pass each
other safely. The Storstad's course re
NAMED unaltered, the statement aids
but when the Empress of Ireland was
next seen she was close at hand on
the port bow of the collier "and was
making considerable Roadway"
It is declared that the Storstad's
engines were at once reversed and
that her momerGum was nearly check
ed when the vessels cave together.
AS for the charge tHat the Storst1d
backed out Of the hole she had torn
in the Empress OF Ireland. the state
ment declares that It is not true. Her
engines were ordered ahead to hold
her against the liners side. but the
Roadway the Empress of Ireland was
under twisted the GOLFERS stem out
of the cash, it is added. And not only
did the collier remain as near the
scene Of the collision as was safe
but every one of her boats we're low
cred, despite her own damaged condi |
tion, and saved some $50 Of the liners
and crew.
Survivors of the disaster accused
members of the crew OF the Empress
of Ireland of filling the two first life
boats that were launched. They were
charged with failing to heed the cries
for help of men and women. although
there was ample room in the boats
The sailors Of the sunken liner were
also charged with pushing men off the
onen boafs when they ATTEMPTED TO /