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EATE OF EMPRESS OF IRELAND.
HOW THE VESSEL SANK.
RAMMED BY A COLLIER IN A FOG.
VESSEL CUT IS TWO.
SINKS IN TEN MINUTES.
A FEABFUL DEATH-BOLL.
1,033 LIVES LOST.
355 PERSONS SATED.
I The latest .information received with respect to the j
tragedy in the River St. Lawrence, Canada, shows I.
that it was one of the most awful in the history of navi- gation. The favorite passenger liner, Empress of Ire- land, 14,500 tons, was rammed during a fog by the collier Storstad, 6,028 tons, and sank within 10 minutes.
Of the total of 1,337 persons on board, 1,032 were g lost and only 355 were saved. The liner, owing to the S fog, had been stopped and was motionless when the col- I Ilision took " place. The evidence at the inquest showed |
that if the Storstad had not backed away, the Em- I press of Ireland could have kept afloat long enough to 9 save most, if not all, of those on board. I
QUEBEC. May .TO.
It is now possible to give something like a connected account of the fate of the Canodian-P.icific steamer Empress of Ireland. 34,"¡00 tons, which left Quebec on Thursday for Liverpool, and Yvas rammed ?between 2 and 3 o'clock the following morning by the collier Storstad e.i*t of Father Point, on the right bank of the River St. Laivrence. A-, the Yessel Yva» proceeding on her joiirney a heaY-y fog came down, and Captain Kendall, master of the vessel, signalled the oncoming Storstad that he was remaining on hi*, couise. A feiv minutes later the Storstad loomed np out of the fog and rammed the Empress of Ireland YY-ith terrible force, cutting the vessel from middle to screYV. The Storstad after the collision backed aYvay, and the Empress of Ireland careened on her side and sank before there was t'me to rouse the passengers and get them
on deck.
An unfortunate feature is that the Yvomen suffered most, being unable to leap OY'erbonrd as the men did. Most of the Yvomen «tayed quietly in their cabin, or were drowned Yvhile attempting to ascend the companionways. Nine life- boats, however, Yvere loaded in the dark nefcs and pushed off into the river. In the meantime help hud been summoned by Yvireless and the survivors iverc picked up. Mam- of them were maimed. The crew of the Storstad did their utmost to rescue the passengers. One woman, Yvho SYvam to the Lady Evelyn, died as the re- sult of her effort immediate^ she was
rescued.
The wireless operators jumped oi-er board and were saved. Captain Kendall remained for half au hour in the Yvater before he was lescued. He was found clinging to Yvreckage and when picked up in a lifeboat he assumed command. This ?lifeboat saved 73 persons and afterwards rowed round the wreck for three hours in the hope of picking up others.
The wreckage of the ill-fated vessel strews the mouth of St. Lawrence River, and the steamer's funnels are just Y-isible at IOYV tide. The Evelyn saved 390 per- sons, and tlie Eureka 60. Most of the crew escaped. Many of the passengers leapt into the Yvater, and ching to the Yvreckage, and Yvere eventually rescued.
A I^RBESC IMPACT.
THE RESCUERS' MESSAGES.
QUEBEC, May 30.
Tne scene immediately after the collision baffles description. The shrieks of the
passengers rudely awakened from their slumbers, and tiic hoarse -erics of trie captain and officers and the wailing of ,women were mingled with the rushing of 'water into the »hip. There was little
^imc to launch the boat-?. The S.O.S
'.-.ignnl sent out by the wireless operator of the Empress of Ireland reached the Go
|Vernment steamers L.idy Evelyn and i Eureka, which immediately steamed full
'speed to the scene of the disaster at Father Point, and sent thv Government a message raiding "No sign of the Empress i of Ireland. Lifeboats are visible in the 'distance circling round the Government i steamer Eureka. The steamer Lady Evelyn is, also on the scene. The Empress I of ireland had hove to in the fog Avhen ¡the collier struck her amidships.''
AFTER THE~COLLISI0IST.
A TERRIFYING SCENE.
QUEBEC, May SO.
It is stated that after the collision murry ( of the passengers in the panic were un- able to dress themselves, eo short was the" time available, and they flung thean-, selves ovcrboafd in their night clothes into tile ic-y cold water.
Mcmbcrj of tho crew also threw them- selves over the side. When tho terrific impact of the two vessels shook them out of their bunks much wreckage was torn off the sides of the ill-fated vessel, and this was tate means of saving their lives, as they were able to cling to the floating timber until they were rescued.
A panie broke out after the terrific
collision. Men and women rushed from I their cabins. Some reached the deck, but were hurled off into the river, owing to the angle of the deck. Parents became separated from children and husbands
from Avivas.
Dr. Grant, the ships surgeon, saved many, .owing to his coolness, capable direc- tions, and medical attention when the survivors were picked up. Two hundred and fifty dead bodies have been recovered. Dr. Grant vvent down in the ship, but managed to escape through a povthole
The search »till continues amongst the Avreekage in the river. Five persons have
been found clinging to wreckage. They
are still alive, but are not likely to stir- j vive the exposure. I
CAPTAIN "KENDALLS
COOLNESS.
WOMEN AMD CBTLDREN FIRST.
QUEBEC. May 30.
One of the loçcned passengers. Mr. Thomas Smartt, of Toronto, nairn that Cap- tain Kendall. Yvhen the crash (-Pine, waa on the bridge and shouted. "Keep your aeads there! Don't get excited." Then he ordered the stewards to assist the passen-
ger«, shouting, "Women and children first! j
Break open any locked doors." "l*heie Yvasi so much screaming and moaning that al- ¡ though the captain spoke through a mega-1 phone hie. voice was drowned in the
tumult. When told by the ship's doctor j that the chip was lost. Captain Kendall, but ¡ed his face beneath a raipauhu on
Yvhich he was lying after his rescue and | he cried as if his heal t ivas broken. I
Several passenger« assert that the life-
boats fell out. of the port davits and | crashed across the ¿loping deck, killing l passengers against the farther rail«.
Many Yvomen easily escaped from their cabins, but waited to procure articles of
dress. I
NEW, ZEALAND PASSEN-
GER SATED.
QUEBEC, May 31.
Miss Townsend, of New Zealand, was swimming alongside Mr. Clinton Burt, the well-known motor car manufacturer. «She appealed to him for aid, and Mr. Burt caught an empty suitcase floating near by and held Miss ToYvnsend up until the Storstad picked up both. Mrs. Price, Mis? Townsend'^ aunt. Yvas lost. After hoi
rescue Miss Townsend busied herself amongst the other rescued passengers, heroically aiding the most stricken.
PASSENGERS' NAEEA
TIYEAS.
CATAPULTED INTO THE SEA.
QUEBEC. May 30.
Many of the passengers have given thrill ins narratives of the disaster.
Mr. Duncan, an Engb>hma.u, declared that «H the crew acted like men, attempting to rouse the women and secure numbers of lifebelts on deck when those below should rpach there. WliPn Mr. Dun- can fell info the water by the lurching of the ship five men attempted to grasp him. and he was obliged to fight them off; other- wise he wonld .have been drowned. The rapidity with which the vessel careened over and sank made it impossible to do more than was done. The whole thing seemed like a terrible nightmare, from which one might awaken at any moment. The thick fog, the dark waters, and the sinking ship seemed wholly unreal, and some of the passengers; did not «appreciate the danger of the situation until they were throwii out of their berths or until tor- rents! of icy water fell in cascades down the companionwa.va, droAvning people be- fore they were able to make a single effort to save themselves. Mr. Duncan added that there was a terrific crash and a fright- ful grinding of plates as the vessels came together. The Empress of Ireland, as the result of life impact, heeled, and though there was a sufficiency of boats, the crew wero unable to launch-them owing to the list of the vessel. There Aras no panic, though some confusion occurred, in the midst of Avhich the sinking vessel lurched, and pa«sengcrs rolled down the "deck into the sea, the women crying and praying, and the men shouting. Their cries con- tinued until the icy Avaters ended their sufferings. Mr. Duncan sAvam' about for an hour before he was rescued. While in the water he felt the bodies of dead men under his feet. The officers, he says, be- haved splendidly, facbig death fearlessly, and Captain Kendall remained on the bridge until the Bteamer sank.
Mr. Duuean vras taken on board the col- lier. He says that many of the rescued people Avent raving mad from shock and exposure.
Some Avornen describe in horror-stricken tones how they slid down the deck into the icy waters, sinking, coming to the sur- face, grasping wreckage, and being dragged in the boats half-unconscious. One woman described her sensation as like being chloro- formed in order to undergo a surgical ope- ration and then reviving to find that deatji had taken some loved one meanwhile.
The rescued are being cared for in Quebec. Many have lost everything they possessed.
Mr. Lawlor, a survivor, when interviewed, stated that after the collision a-terrific explosion occurred on the Empress of Ire- land, and people Averc simply catapulted into the sea and inky blackness.
Mr. Johnson, a medical officer of the Canadian-Pacific Railway Company, says if the Storstad had not Hacked out many more on board the Empress of Ireland would have been saved.
The Marconi operator states that Father Point responded promptly, Ixtt he was unable to talk, as the dynamos on the
Empress of Ireland foiled Yvithin five 'minutes of the collision.
Mr. Mcintyre, a member of. the Salva- tion Anny, ««ays that the Y-essel was aval 1 loYving on her side for a few moment«,
and then the explosion sent ti "burst of i steam all over the ship, -which seemed to ttu*n turtle and went down.
A steerage passenger, Mr. Phillip Lawler, averted that ii was the explosion that Tally caused the Empress of Ireland to sink so rapidly. People were shot out of the ship like peas from a pod. Mr. 1/vw ler'« YY-ifc, himself, and his son slipped overboard, n« they aveie unable to stand on the sloping deck. The YY-ife slipped ftom her husband's grasp and was i drowned. The other« Yvere rescued. An ¡ other woman, who leaped fiom the »inking
steamer and swam round waiting for suc- cor for nearly an hour. ivas then picked up, but died on board the rescuing tug.
AN OEFICLVL LIST.
1.032 LIVES LOST,
33.3 PERSONS SAVED.
LONDON. May 30.
The following is the olricial li«~t of per- sons on board the Empress of Ireland tvhen the verfel left Quebec:
First class passenger« ._, ST - Second class pa*«engcrs. 353
Third class passengers. 715 Crew.» " 432
Total.'.. 1,387
Of the number given above. 1,032 lives were lost, and 3.1."* perions were saved. The saved co in prise
First ela«« passengers ........ IS »Second. elii.*s pa«seiicers. 331
Thrid eines and crew .. .. .. 20C
Total.-.333
400 BODIES RECOVERED.
-SUFFERINGS ,0F THE SURVIVORS.
QUEBEC, May 'IO.
Four hundred bodies have been recovered. The missing include Lieutenant-Colonel Bloomfield, with his wife and daughter, of Auckland (N.Z.). and Sir Henry Seton Karr, the well-known explorer, and for- merly a member of the House of Com-
mons.
Many 'of the resetted passengers suffered severely from cold and exposure, the tem- perature being down to '56 dog. Many also had their liiubs broken in the scramble to get clear of the sinking ship.
A EA1E0ÜS ACTOE,
MR AND MRS. IRVING DIE
TOGETHER.
SIR HEÑ"RY SETON KARR
DROWNED.
Quebec, May 30.
It Í9 now known that Mr. Laurence Irving, the well-known actor, is among the lost passengers. -It is stated that Mrs. Irving secured lifebelts and told her hus- band. "Dearie,"' said Irving, "hurry up; there's no time to lose." Irving then placed a lifebelt round his wife, calmly donned hisown. and climbed over the rail. As the huge vessel careened on her side, Mrs. Irving became terror-stricken, and Mr. Irving carried her on deck. Another passenger, seeing his plight, asked if he could assist. ''God blsss you, old man,"' said Trving, "but look oat for yourself." Tlie first explosion occurred as Mr. and Mrs. Irving prepared to leap into the water. Apparentlv the shock killed them.
Sir Hcnrv Seton Karr gave up his life- belt to-another passenger, insisting "that he should accept it, saying that he could easily get another for himself. He entered his cabin to procure one, but was never seen again.- . .
SALTATION ARMY.
LOSSES.
TERRITORIAL FIELD FORCE WIPED
OUT. '
'.DIED LIKE SALVATIONIST.?."1
QUEBEC, May 30.
The Empress of Ireland carried many Canadian members of the Salvation Army' to attend the conference- in London, includ- ing most of the officials. The list in eluded many Australians and New Zea landers. Colonel, Mrs., and Miss W. R. Bloomfield, of Anckland; Miss C. Townsend, Mr. E. Byrne, aud Mr. G. Byrne, of Brisbane.
When the ill-fated vessel steamed away from Quebec the brass band of the Salva- tion Army played "God be Yvith you all till YY"C meet again."
Ensign Pugmire, Yvhen. interviewed upon hit? return Yvith the other rescued pas- sengers, declared all 'his comrades died b'ke .Salvationists. Commissioner Rees ian back to reseue his Yvife, and -another Salvationist tried to save him. but failed. Major Atwell swam lialf a mile carrying his Yvife on his back. Then. Yvhen suc- cumbing through cold and exhaustion his wife kept up her husband's head. Both Yvere saved. Another Salvationist ivas described as -walking down the side of the careening ship just as if Yvalking down the sloping beach into the sea. There ivas no disturbance and little panic. Once the ship turned sideYvay-s it Yvsis simply like entering the Yvater in order to take a swim.
By this tragedy therefore i lie Salvation Army lost heavily, the Yvhble territorial field force for Canada, being wiped out, including Commissioner Rees. The Army promptly met here and organised a neiv set of delegates to the Congress in Lon- don, and will dispatch them by tho nexrt outgoing steamer. The band played
through the streets, *'God bo with you Id! Ave meet again,*' the hymn which, the Salvation -Army delegates sang as the ill-fated Empress of L'eland loft Quebec.
CAPTAIN KENDALL IN- i
TEE7IEWED. ,
ENGINES USELESS LV THREB
MINUTES.
QUEBEC, May 30.
Captain Kendall states that he saw the Storstad two miles off before the fog obliterated hei. He stopped his ship and whistletl three short blasts, indicating that he was keeping on his course. The "Storstad replied with one long blast. Some minutes later the Storstad loomed ap in the fog a ship's length away. ne megaphoned her to backwater and him- self went full speed ahead, hoping to avert -the collision. Afterwards he a-.ked the Storstad to continue full speed ahead and fill up the hole in the Em pres of Ireland, but the Storstad backed. He failed to beach tho Empress, of Ire- land because, owing to the inrush of water, her engines became useless in
three minutes.
Captain Kendall is incapacitated owing to nervous shock and is speechless. It is undetstood that Captain Kendall signalled in the customary way, indicating to the Storstad that the Empress of Ireland was maintaining her course.
Tlie office« of the Empress of Ireland
assert that the Storstad answered the sag-j nais, but failed to change her course. The | Empress of Ireland was moving slowly when the Storstad struck her full on the side. i
BRINOrNGr THE BODIES
IN.
QUEBEC. Mav 30.
The Storst.id rescued only a few of the sur- vivors. Tho Canadian Government steamer Lady Grey, ivith ensign half-masted, biought 175 dead in coffins to Quebec. It is believed that the remainder of the dead are still imprisoned in the hull of the Em- press of Ireland.
MISHAP TO RELIEE
TRxVIN.
QUEBEC. May 30.
A relief train conY-cyîng a special emer- gency staff of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company was derailed. A -second train Yvas promptly dispatched, and brought the survivors to Quebec, Altogether 22 died of exposure. Only 12 Yvomen were res-
cued
Enormous eiowds awaited the arrival of the rescued passengers at the station. The survivors wet e hysterical, but were able to give a coherent account of the disaster.
THE WORST DISASTER.
SIR, THOMAS O'SHAUGHNESSY
INTERVIEWED.
MONTREAL. May 30.
Sir Thomas O'Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific RaohvaY- Company, de- clares that the disaster is the worst in the history of navigation on the River St.
Lawrenca.
A PALS^UÍTSENSATION.
DUE TO UNFOUNDED REPORT.
LONDON, May 29.
A renoYY-ed sensation Yvas caused in LOTA« don and Liverpool at 6 o'clock this evening, when the Canadian Pacific Railway Com- pany published reports from tlie captains of the Government steamers Lady Evelyn and Euieka, to the effect that no lives were lost, that they had landed 400, and Yvere returning to pick up the balance of the passengers and crew, who were in the lifeboats. The facts are stdl doubtful. The cables are contradictory and are'arriving m anj" order.
COLLISION DUE. TO FOG.
CAPTAIN ANDERSON'S VERSION.
QUEBEC, May 30.
Captain Anderdon, of the Storstad. has arrived on board the collier. He declared that the collision was entirely due to the fog, which shut down on both vessels quickly- The Storstad picked up 300 per-, sons, tiansferring them later aboard the Government vessels the Eureka and the1 Lady Evelyn. This fact gave rise to the belief that there were additional rescues to those first reported. The Storstad's bowai were stove in. and the anchor was lost, it| having sunk with the Empress of Ireland.
GEIEE INTÏNGLAND
DISTEESSING SCENES AT LIV^R«
POOL.
COMPANY'S OFFICE BESIEGED.
LONDON, May 30.
The majority of the officeis and creAV of the ill-fated Empress of Ireland be- longed to Liverpool and distressing scenes Avere witnessed there yesterday and to-day, the company's office being besieged from an early hour until late at night bj' grief stiicken women, while the men were stoically speechless, but .struggled to obtain a glimpse of the latest messages displayed
in the windows.
Prayei'3 tvere offered ¡set the Salvation Army headquarters for the safety- of the i 500 missing Salvationi»_3. I
A pathetic incident was reported. A woman Avas entering an insurance office to submit a claim arising out oi her husband a death on Monday and «he fainted on hear- ing of tho disaster. It has since trans- pired that, her son was on board the Em- press of Ireland.
Poignant scenes of alternating hopes and fears are being witnessed among the. hysterically anxious crowds besieging the London offices of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for news of their rela- tives and friends on board the Empress of ii eland. The dearth of news, and espe- cially the absence of the names of the sur- vivors, has intensified the depression. Many have determined on an all-night vigil. The majority of the waiting people arc well dressed, but the others are chiefly
interested in the crew. Numeróos artists among the crowd despairingly enquired the
fate of Mr. Laurence Irving.
EXPRESSIONS OF SYM-
PATHY.
MESSAGE FROM THE KING!.
QUEBEC, May 31. _
His Majesty'the King has telegraphed his condolences. Similar messages have also been received from Prince Alexander of Teck (.Governor-General Designate of Canada) and Mr. R. L. Borden, the Pre-
mier of the Dominion.
CONDOLENCE FROM NEW ZEALAND.
OTTAWA, May 30.
In the House of Commons to-day the Premier (Mr. Borden) read a message of sympathy in connection with tlie disaster from the Premier of New Zealand (Mr. Ma*sey) expressing: sympathy Yvith the ?sister Dominion in the appalling loss of life and heartfelt condolence with those who .had perished. Mr. Borden replied as fol IOYVS:-''On behalf of tlie Government and people _pf Canada. I send you our deep and sincere appreciation of your message and our profound sympathy for chose in your Dominion who have been bereaved by the loss of relatives and friends in this appal- ling disaster.''
The Housd of Commons expressed Its profound sorrow at the terrible tragedy, and extended its sympathy, to" the rela-
tives of the victims. The'Premier (Mr. R. I». Borden) said it was impossible to avert the disaster even by anything the GoY-ernment could have done to render tho river navigation safer. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the leader" of the " Opposition, joined in the sympathy for the relatives.
PRESIDENT POINCARE'S
3IESSAOE. -
, LONDON', May 30.
M. Pbfncare, President of Jfrance, has telegraphed to King George his. personal condolences and' the sympathy of ^France
for Great Britain in the terrible disaster.
N0 AIJSTRÂLÏANS LOST.'
" QUEBEC, May 30.
It has'been ascertained'that no Austra- lians were included among- the victims.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
KULLfflED,.
" t LONDON, May 30.
The new'epapers, commenting on the dis- aster, emphasise the fact that the nature of the tragedy has-nullified many of the precautions carried out bj- steamship com- panies " for-'the safety'of passengers since the loss of the Titanic, in 1912.
MANSION HOUSE FUND
OPENED.
LONDON, May 30.
A Mansion House fund has been opened for the benefit of the relatives of persons who were lost in the Empress of Ireland.
' THE ENDURANCES.
. . LONDON, May 30.
TJse Empress of Ireland Yvas insured Yvith Lloyd's for £270,000 for the hull, £200,000 for the cargo, and £100,000 for freight and disbursements, while individual poli- cies of .the passengers on their lives and
effects arc estimated at another £100,000.
Silver bars, amounting to 1,000,000 dol- lars, en route to England, and large quan- tities of valuable mail Yvere lost in the ill fated steamer.
GOv-ERNTVIENT ORDER ENQUTRY.
RELIEF FUND OPENED.
OTTAWA, May 30.
The Government have ordered a search- ing enquiry to be made. A relief fund has
been opened and the Government ha.T£* promised a large contribution.
INQUEST OPENED..
[ CAPTAIN KENDALL'S EVTDENCB<V
GAVE THE STORSTAD AMTLE | WABNTNG.
t ? QUEBEC, May 3(1. **
The coroner at Remouski to-day opened on. investigation into t'he cause of the dis- aster. Captain Kendall, master of tht Empress of Ireland, was the chief witness. He asserted that he had taken every pre- caution when the fog caine down. Tix» ship was stopped and the requisite warn-
ing was given while the Storstad Avas two ., miles distant. The collier, howover, did not change lier course and ramlned the Em- press of Ireland while the latter vessel was motionless. ' Then he shouted to he mas- ter of the coHicr to keep the vessel's bow firmly against the Empress of Ireland, in order to enable the passengers to escapa by plugging the hole. Tue Danish vessel, however, backed away. Captain Kendall stated that the beliaviour of the .officer* and crew was "beyond praise. He saw the fogbank approaching in plenty of time to prepare and took every precaution humanly possible. Ile declared' that li» rang "Full speed ahead" iii order" to at- tempt to beach the Empress of Ireland before she sank. He also ordered the life- boats to be got out and directed the wire- less calls to be dispatched, but" the vessel! trent down, too rapidly. Captain Kendall was himself-shot into the water from t'fl»
bridge while giving his directions. H« , seized a piece of grating, nnd later, when, nearly unconscious, some people pulled him into a boat. He then took commantLpf the 'ooats, and rescuod members of struggling people, putting 10 men over the side with ropes attaching them to the boats, thin
enabling thom to reach and drag towards ; » the boats anyone in the Aicinity without ' any risk of themselves being dragged- under After leaving the first boatload aboard thu
Storstad Captain Kendall returned wita s another boat, but wits unable to find any-1 one alive. It was impossible, he said, for I uie Storstad'-s captain to fail to hear hi«' (Captain Kendall's) order to stand'fast an* not to go astern. Even if he had not
heard the call to keep ahead, tile captan' i of the Storstad, as a seaman, ought to hav< known what to do. There was nó^explo* sion, but the escaping steam might have} made a noise like one. The Empress oí Ireland earned ample boats for everyone,
with room for hundreds moro than were on. ' board at elie tune. There was no panie. J The people "saved were- those -who wera able to cling to wreckage or manage to get aboard the boats which Captain Kendall
ordered to be cut free 'before he was shoe \ from the 'bridge. These boats floated on. when the vessel sank." ,
The chief engine«', Mr. Sampson, told - the coroner that he remained in the engine room until the lights went out and the
steam was gone. He had no sooner, reached the deck than the lifeboats1 broke loose and swept numbers of persons under the water, including the Avitnese (Mr.
Sampson), who was entnngled in the wreck-^ agc. He narrowly escaped and finally scrambled into a boat. He could ece th« collier a mile, and a half distant immediately before the collision, and the Empress of Ireland when full speed astern ami stopped. Then he got the order te go full speed ahead, but had only started the en-1 gines Avhen the crash came. No explosion of any kind occurred. If the collier had kept closer to the side of the, Empress oí Jieland after the collision many lives could'
have been saved. If the ' collier had < pushed against the hole in the Empress ofi Ireland ' the injured vessel could have* reached the shore before' sinkinst, as tila
¿oltier'« bow would have closed the hole.
The inquest baa bceu adjourned for, a %eefc,
THE STORSTAD DOCKED.
QUEBEC, May 30.
N The legal authorities are taking steps to
»ecure the evidence of the captain of the Storstad, which has arrived at Quebec and has entered dock for the pitrpose of- ascer- taining the amount of damage.
CAPTAIN KENDALL DEPRESSED.
LONDON, May 30.
Captain Kendall has recovered from the eftccls of his immersion in the tvatcr, but appeared to be very depressed,
FEARS FOR NEW
ZEALANDERS.
Wellington, May 31.
' air. W. R. Bloomfield, his Yvife, and
taughters were passengers by the ill-fated Jmpress of Ireland and were on a twelve months' tour. Mr. Bloomfield was a bar- rister and practised at Auckland. He Yvas well known in sporting circles and was ± territorial officer. His Yvife -was a society leader. Another- New Zealander in the Wreck is Mr. Leslie Lilly, a native of Dunedin, aged 28. He Yvas a traveller for % London firm in Eastern Canada. He intended returning to liverpool last
week.
Mr. Massey cabled condolences to Mr. Borden, the "Canadian Premier, jesterday. Fears are expressed for the safety of Mrs. Î*. H. Hailey, a Rotorua resident.
SALVATIONISTS i)$
BOARD.
Wellington. May 31.
The national headquarters of tfre Sal- vation Army at Wellington to-day received 1 a cablegram from the international head-
quarters. London, stating that over 100 .> ofiicer*) and soldiers had been lost on the
Empress of Ireland. The officers Yvho perished include:-Commissioner and Mrs. Reee, of Canada: Colonel and Mrs. Maid- ment (Canadian chief secretary), Brigadiers «Scott and Potter, Major and Mrs. Findlay, Major and Mrs. Creighton, Major and Aire. ¿incoe, and 30 other officers, including the Canadian Staff Band and Brigadier and Mrs. Hunter, who Yvere on furlough in Canada from India. It is not thought any New Zealand delegates Yvere aboard.
BLOOMFIELD FAMILY AMONTG THE
VICTIMS.
Wellington, May 31.
Mr. Ma«sev received the following cable from the Prime Minister of Canada to-day: > "-"The only New Zealand saloon passon
i.«... ... ..«. x.u.|ii es» oí ireland were Colo- nel YY. R, liloomlield, Mrs. Bloomfield, and Mifes H. (Bloomfield, of Auckland, Mrs. F. W. Price and Miss Townsend, whose ad-
dress is not known. Miss Townsend was 1 .saved, "but it is feared that the Bloomfield
«amily and 3Irs. Price were lost.
SALVATION ARMY SYMPATHY.
Melbourne, May 31.
Members of the Salvation Army m Mel- bourne are deeply moved at the news of the disaster, Yvlnch has affected them speci- ally, owing to the apparent loss of so many ofheers, who Yvere proceeding to London to attend the International Congress. Colonel W. Palstra Yrestcrday forwarded a cable - message to Canada expressing the deep sympathy of the Salvation Army in Australia Yvith the ¡sufferers. Some of the officers here are connected YYÍÜI represen- tatives of the Army YVIIO left Canada to attend the congress..
SOME OF THE VICTIMS.
Sir Henry Scton-Karr, who was among ; .the victims, was bom in India in 1853,
and was the eldest surviving son of the late Mr. G. B. Seton-Karr, Resident Com- missioner at Baroda during the Indian Mutiny. He was educated at Harrow, and was admitted to the bar in 1879. He had travelled extensively, and had shot big game in «Western America, British .Columbia, and Norway. From 38S5 to '1906 he represented St. Helens, Lanca enire, in the Conservative interest in the British House of Commons.
, Mr. Lawrence Sidney Brodribb Irving, .who is also included among the list of 'drowned, was the youngest son of the late Sir Henry Irving". He was born in De- cember, Í871, and Yvas intended for the diplomatic profession. For some time, therefore, he was a member of the staff «t the British Embassy at St. Petersburg. Jn 1891, however, he made his debut on the stage as a member of F. R. Benson's company at- the Theatre Royal. Dundee, .appearing es Snug in "A Midsummer "¡Sight's Dream." li May, 1892, he made Ms first appearance in London at Toole's Theatre in "Daisy's Escape." Since then lie had a most distinguished career m England and America. His -wife, Yvhose stage name was Mabel Hackney, first ap- peared in 1895 at the St. James Theatre, succeeding Miss Beryl Faber as Lady Clarice in "The Masquenaders." She fol- lowed Miss Men Terry as leading lady
Avith Sir Henry Irving, trith whom she
toured in 1900 and 1001.
Commissioner David M. Rees, terri- torial leader of the Salvation Army in Canada, was en officer in the Army for 32 years. He had been principal of the London International Training College, field secretary in Great Britain, and terri- torial leader "in South Africa and Sweden.
NO AUSTRALIAN SALVATION ARMY"
OFFICERS ABOARD.
On enquiry at the Adelaide headquarters of the Salvation Army on Sunday evening
it was ascertained that so far as was known, no Australian Army officers were on board the ill-fated Empress of Ireland. Most of the officers from Australia, among whom was Colonel Cain, of Adelaide, went direct to London, and were due to arrive there on Saturday. On Sunday next a tri- bute is to be paid by the Adelaide corps lo the memory of those Canadian officers who lost their lives, and the Army Band will play "The Dead March" in. the street. THE SALVATION ARMY CONGRESS.
In view of the fact that practically the whole of the Canadian delegation were droAvned when the Empress of Ireland sank, tho International Congress of the Salva- tion Army to be held in London this mouth will ha\-e a melancholy interest for Salva- tionists in all parts of the Avorld. Â great auditorium has been erected in the Strand, London, for the gathering. The congress will be presided over by General Bramwell Booth, and for the greater part of its pro- ceedings be related to the development of the work of the Army in all parts of the world. But its value to the outside pub- lic consists in the cosmopolitan character of the assemblage. Begun in the East-End of the metropolis, the Salvation Army baa now extended its operations, religious and social, to many countries and diverse peoples, both under the British flag and un- der that of other great European and Eastern nations. Two tfhoiiBand_ delegates will be present, and an examination of their' nationality, language, and circumstances re- veals the composite elements that will unite in this great religious congress.
Amongst the delegates, for instance, will lie present some of the crew of the lifeboat Catherine Booth. Avhich was built for the Anny by the builder of the Norwegian Frain -the ship of discovery used by Dr. Nansen in 1ÍW0. From that time the lifeboat has patrolled the Norwegian waters on errands of mercy, and in the interval rescued nearlv 800 fishing boats and over 2,000 men Avhose lives Avere in peril. On the coast of Newfoundland the Army possesses stations .manned bv adherents engaged in the seal- ing industry, and twelve of these men, wearing blue ierseys with a white seal em- broidered on the breast-typical of the seal- ing industry-are to be present. Six Ice- landers, wearing their national costumes, will also attend.
The picturesque character of the whole congress mav be judged by a group of de- legates consisting of a party of negroes from the U.S.A., twenty Salvationist cow-
boy« from, Canada, _ twelve natives from South Africa, including a Zulu Avanior, a witch doctor, a rickshaw boy, and a Red
Blanket Kaffir.
Ten delegates from South America will wear the costumes of Argentine, Uruguay, Chili, and Peru, and the delegates from Italy Avili include ten wearers of the cos- tumes of the Waldensian^ valleys, Romi1. &e" a« well as six mountain guides. The Javanese delegates will bring their native! bamboo instruments, and will give a native dance as Avell as a representation of a nativo wedding. _ i
As evidence of the equality of the women workers throuehont the Army's operations
more than half the total of Army officers j
who will be present are women, and this applies to all the countries which will be represented, excepting Japan and Korea.
In this connection it should be stated that' Mrs. BramAvell Booth will, of course, take a very important part in the congress.