New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-14
Admiralty Inquiry
Into Disaster at
Halifax Begins
Captain Lamodec on Stand
Describes Collision of
limo and Mont Blanc

HALIFAX. *. $, Dec. 18.-of-
ssJ inquiry was begun by the
canadian government to-day TO de-
,,,ripe il possible. responsibility for
=, ship collision in Halifax harbor
,;,b the resultant explosion and fire
,,5 the loss Of nearly 1900 lives a
...k ago to-day. Justice Drysdale,
Isdge in Admiralty, presided.
Attorneys present represented the
Canadian and Nova Scotian govern,
-srts: owners Of the two colliding
rs,.els. the french munitions ship
Won't Blanc and the Norwegian Bel
-,p Relief ship limo, the city of Halifax
~ the HaEfsN piotage Commission.
C;t;7ers Of Halifax were still so oc-
,rnie5 to-day with the rehabilitation
A. their city that there was no public
s--sndance when the taking of testl-
Iwong the first witnesses "a be
allied were Pilot Mckay and Captain
fsmodec Of the Mont Blame. and Alex
s-5er Johansen. steward Of the limo.
Captsir Iamodec. examined by ". A.
Hs,ry. counsel for the government,
~ the Mont Blanc was loaded IL
Crayeserd Bay. New York, with d
.srgo Of TINT" guncottOn and dry
pirrie acid and O deck load Of ben
lol for the French government. lie
described the distribution OF the eX-
,losiyes In the hold and said the
INT was separated from the acid by
uscial wooden partitions. The acid
rss in wooden kegs and cases.
81 New York all the necessary pre-
.svtions we're taken against an acct
ls1t The cargo was Theoretically
,ssl,l and nobody on board was al
owed 20 smoke.
The morning Of the collision was
quite clear
Sighted the limo
Proceediac up TO Bedford Basin, his
.aip sighted the limo at $500 a. H-
continued the Mont Elsnc's command
e.. lie had just passed war vesse!
on the eastern side about 100 fee.
distant. He was then 100 feet from
the Dartmouth shore. The limo was
heading 20 sea on the west side, but
vas taking o direction across his
course. He gave one short blast or
bis whistle 20 indicate he had seen
he lmo and 20 show the Mont Blanc
vas going 10 the right. The limo re-
Piled by two short blasts when the
ships we're about $50 feet apart. The
collision was inevitable at this point.
Mr. Henry asked if the vessels
rould not have passed at a distance
Of fifty feet if no other change was
made.
The witness said this was not so
as the lmo was travelling obliquely UP
he harbor. The limo then signalled
she was "going astern at full speed.
Captain Lamodec said he saw the
lno's propeller was going astern, but
ihe kept ahead. lie then signalled
bis engines astcrn and put the helm
70 siarboard. go that the Imo would
10, strike the hold where the pierre
acid was, as be knew the impact
would Sc. IL on fire. lie was not sue
esisful
Smoke Pours From Hold
The effect Of the collision was i'm
mediate. Thick, black smoke poured
from the hold lie thought the ship
vas 10 be blown up at once. II was
Impossible 10 put out the fire. In or
Ger not 10 uselessly sacrifice lives he
ordered the crew 20 abandon the ship.
Ne gave the order 90 get away from
ihe snip and make for the east shore.
ne called the roll when they landed
ana found only one man missing. Eigh-
zen 70 twenty minutes elapsed be-
'Sre the explosion. which threw them
All fat on their faces.