After the pilot bad left the 'Empress of Ireland' at
Father Point a bank of fog crept out from the land. The Storstad' was sighted about two miles away coming towards the 'Empress of Ireland.' When the fog drifted between the vessels Captain Kendall, of the ' Empress of Ireland,' according to his own account, stopped his ship, changing from full speed ahead to full speed astern in order to take the way off her. He signalled his movements to the • Storstad' by whistle, and says that his signals were answered. When next the' Storstad' was seen she was only a ship's length off, and the collision was inevitable. Captain Kendall shouted through a megaphone to the captain of the ‘Storstad ' to go full speed astern, and he put his own engines full speed ahead. But it was too late. After the collision he shouted to the captain of the Storstad' to continue going ahead in order to keep the bows of the Storstad ' in the hole she had made. But (again according to Captain Kendall's account) the Storstad' backed out of the hole. As usually happens when steamers founder, it has been said that the boilers of the 'Empress of Ireland' blew up. But this, we believe, never occurs. What is mistaken for an explosion is generally the upheaval of compressed air.
