Bisbee daily review., 1917-12-14

was on the Mont Blanc, as 1t had
been forbidden by the French govern
ment.
Morning Clear.
The morning of the collision was
clear, the captain continued. While
proceeding up the Bedford bas6on his
ship sighted the mo at $3.50 a m. He
was then about 120 feet from the Dart
mouth shore. The limo was heading
to sea on the west side but was TAX
ing a direction across his course so
that her starboard side was visible.
He gave one short blast OF his whistle
TO indicate he was goin to the right.
The limo replied by two short blasts.
He thought the limo changed her
course though it was difficult to de-
termine this as she was against the
land.
limo Had Speed.
He was at this time going to star
board and the limo to port. He motto
ed later that the, limo came a little
more to the left. In the meantime
he stopped his engines. The limo gave
tow short blasts when the ships were
about $50 feet apart The collision
was inevitable at this point. The limo,
judging by the force of the collision,
seemed to have great speed.
The captain said he turned his ship
to the left and gave two short blasts.
The ships then had each other on the
right side and were so feet apart.
Asked if the vessels would not have
passed at a distance of so feet If no
other change was made, the witness
said this was so. as the limo was travel
ing obIiquely up the harbor The limo
thens ginalled she was "goin astern
at full speed"
Effort Unsuccessful.
Captain Lamodee said he saw the
$mo's propeller was going astern but
she kept ahead. He then signalled his
engines astern and put the helm to
starboard so the limo would not strike
the hold where the picric acid as he
knew the impact would set it on fire.
He was not successful.
Abandons Ship.
The effect of the collision was i'm
mediate Thick black smoke poured
from the hold. He though the ship
was to be blown up at once. 1t was
impossible to put out the fire. In or.
der not to uselessly sacrifice lives he
ordered the crew to abandon the ship
Perfect order was maintained He
gave the order to get away from the
ship and make for the east shore
He called the role when they landed
and found only one man missing
Eighteen to 20 minutes elapsed be
fore the explosion.
Last to Leave.
Captain Lamodec added this was
the first time he had ever been in
Halifax harbor Cross examined by
counsel for the owners of the limo
witness said said the Mont Blanc was
not carrying red flag or anything
to indicate that she had explosives
aboard. He declared the information
al navigation rules did not call fol
flying red flag except when loadins
or handling munitions He was mo-
aware that all munition ships sailed
with red flag in peace times. He
was the last man, he asserted, to leave
the ship after the collision.
Asked if he understood what tn,
LIMOS two blasts meant, Captain Lamo
dec said he thought she was signalling
wrongly. but as he had signalled hi
course first he had no right to chang,
it except in case of collision. He de
clared the limo was half a mile ava,
when he first saw her, that there wa
perceptible interval between tbs
blowing of the whistles and that tn,
collision took place Immediately afte
the limo signalled she was goin,
astern. The ships full speed at tn,
time was seven and one-half knots.