CHAPTER III
Captain Andersen’s Defense
By Captain Thomas Andersen
Commander of the Storstad
A TERRIBLE AFFAIR—STORSTAD’S RIGHT OF WAY—FOG SIGNALS—STORSTAD DID NOT BACK OUT—TO THE RESCUE—INJUSTICE TO CAPTAIN—PLEA FOR SUSPENDED JUDGMENT
A FOG bank settled down and we met. The Empress was struck amidship on her starboard side, listed and filled rapidly. When we got clear I ordered all boats lowered, and we succeeded in taking off between 350 and 400 people with our crew of twenty-seven men. We transferred them to the Lady Evelyn and Eureka, and they steamed with them to Rimouski. Then we limped along under our own power to Montreal. It is a terrible affair. We did all in our power.
The fact that the Storstad only reached port on Sunday, May 31st, made it impossible to give an authentic statement on her behalf before that. All connected with the Storstad deplore most deeply the terrible accident which has resulted in the loss of so many valuable lives. It is not with any desire to condemn others, but simply because it is felt that the public is entitled to know the facts, that the following statement is put forward:
STORSTAD’S RIGHT OF WAY
The vessels sighted each other when far apart. The Empress of Ireland was seen off the port bow of the Storstad. The Empress of Ireland’s green, or starboard, light was visible to those on the Storstad. Under these circumstances the rules of navigation gave the Storstad the right of way.
The heading of the Empress was then changed in such a manner as to put the vessels in a position to pass safely. Shortly after a fog enveloped first the Empress and then the Storstad.
Fog signals were exchanged, the Storstad’s engines were at once slowed and then stopped. Her heading remained unaltered. Whistles from the Empress were heard on the Storstad’s port bow and were answered. The Empress of Ireland was then seen through the fog, close at hand on the port bow of the Storstad. She was showing her green light and was making considerable headway.