CHAPTER II
Captain Kendall Blames the Storstad
(Statement of Captain Kendall, Commander of the Empress of Ireland, Made at the Coroner’s Inquest at Rimouski)
SLIGHT FOG BANK—NEARNESS OF STORSTAD—SIGNAL GIVEN AND ANSWERED—SHOUTED TO COLLIER—SHIP BEGAN TO FILL—LIFE-BOATS OUT—DISTRESS SIGNALS—SHIP FOUNDERED QUICKLY—CAPTAIN SHOT INTO THE SEA—RESCUED—WORK TO SAVE OTHERS—NO PANIC ABOARD
AFTER passing Rock Point gas buoy, I sighted the steamship Storstad, it then being clear.
The Storstad was then about one point on my starboard bow. At that time I saw a slight fog bank coming gradually from the land and knew it was going to pass between the Storstad and myself. The Storstad was about two miles away at that time. Then the fog came and the Storstad’s lights disappeared. I rang full speed astern on my engines and stopped my ship.
At the same time I blew three short blasts on the steamer’s whistle, meaning “I am going full speed astern.” The Storstad answered with the whistle, giving me one prolonged blast.
I then looked over the side of my ship into the water and saw my ship was stopped. I stopped my engines and blew two long blasts, meaning “my ship was under way, but stopped and has no way upon her.”
He answered me again with one prolonged blast. The sound was then about four points upon my starboard bow.