The Canadian Titanic-Episode 1-The Sinking

May 29, 1914, exactly 100 years ago, the transatlantic “Empress of Ireland” belonging to the “Canadian Pacific” left the right bank of the St. Lawrence River after having dropped off the “pilot” a short distance from Rimouski (Quebec-Canada ).

Indeed it is an imposing ship, nearly 200 meters long, unthinkable to dock, here it is now free to choose its route to reach the ocean for its final stopover Liverpool in England, it is 1:30 am, the 1500 passengers sleep without suspecting the impending disaster.

Indeed, while the liner moves away from the shore to reach its “rail”, a ship going up the river-sea (estuary) inexorably approaches the giant of the seas. The Norwegian charcoal's position light signals are visible but seem to indicate sudden changes in course. But as trouble never comes alone, the fog is in the game, Captain Kendall orders the machines to stop. The monstrous whistles are activated by unused steam, the Norwegian responds, but again the sound signals are surprising for the officers of the Empress.

No sonar at that time, just the wireless telegraph resulting from recent research by our compatriot Branly.

Silence as opaque as the mist, then suddenly the shock, it is 1:55, the “Storstad” like an arrow of Parîs sinks into the Achilles heel formed by the steel plates of the giant, the latter still on his way imposes the withdrawal of the deadly weapon: the coalman withdraws and leaves a gaping wound and it is the blue and cold blood of Poseidon which penetrates by the side of the ship.

In less than 20 minutes, the liner lands on a 40-meter bottom, leaving in its wake 1000 corpses trapped or drifting in the dark and icy wave of the St. Lawrence.

Coming soon: episode 2- the wreck