Were this ASB and not Alternate History Discussion: After 1900 a convenient Iceberg may have shown up for the U-Boat to strike.
Maybe next time.
Maybe next time.
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Death on the St. Lawrence
As rail was laid down across Canada, the Canadian Pacific Steamships or CPR would commission a new ship for the North Atlantic Route between Liverpool and Quebec City. Empress of Ireland would be a part of the company's self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Transportation System”.
The second ship of her class, work began in 1904 at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering in Glasgow, Scotland. Originally named Empress of Germany and Empress of Austria, their names changed to Empress of Britain and Ireland respectively after a new policy which had it that any new Canadian Pacific ship named empress would be given a name based after a dependency or colony of the British Empire.
Empress of Ireland was launched on 27 January 1906.
For her final crossing, the Empress of Ireland departed Quebec City for Liverpool at 16:30 local time (EST) on 28 May 1914. For many, this was a return journey home to see family in a very diverse background of immigrants from across Europe. Few were of first class, totaling 87 compared to 253 in second class amongst whom were a large part of the Salvation Army members and their families, numbering 170 in all who were looking forward to the 3rd International Salvation Army Congress in London.
Third class was the largest, booking around 717 passengers nearing full capacity. In Command was Henry George Kendall, promoted Captain of Empress of Ireland just at the beginning of the month, and this would be his first trip down the Saint Lawrence River in command of the Empress.
The Empress of Ireland would reach Pointe-au-Pere in the early hours of May 29 1914, where the harbor pilot left the ship. Resuming a normal outbound route course, whereupon she sighted the masthead lights of SS Storstad, a Norwegian collier, on her starboard bow at a distance of several miles. In turn, Storestad, was abreast of Metis Point and virtually reciprocal course and spotted the Empress masthead lights.
These first sightings were made in clear weather, however an intense fog rolled in and enveloped the two ships in a thick blanket that obscured their view. Repeating the use of each other's fog horns, the ships continued on whilst attempting to make their way through the fog. Suddenly lights would be sighted, with Storstad bearing down on the Empress.
As Captain Kendall stood at the helm, he continued to squint his eyes in an attempt to see where the other vessel was. After ordering the ship's foghorn to blare once again, a reply came back. But neither Captain was any closer to finding the other ship. Tension was felt in the air as the wall of gray mist continued to surround the Empress as her Captain searched for the other ship. “Sir?” the helmsmen spoke, tense as well by his grip on the wheel. The Captain, not wanting to frighten the poor man anymore by showing concern, simply turned and gave a firm nod. “Don’t worry, the fog will likely clear out soon. Just stay the course, and we shall be safe once more.” Reluctantly the helmsmen nodded, turning his gaze back out towards the windows and the quiet and dark world outside.
Finally, Kendall reached for the ship's telegraphs and pulled the handles back then forward, setting the speed too slow as the ship continued on through the Saint Lawrence seemingly alone. Just after he did, it happened. As Captain Kendall and the helmsman heard the foghorn of Storstad, which was much closer now, the two watched in horror as lights appeared out of the mist and were heading right for the Empress. “Full ahead!” Kendall was quick, ordering the ship full ahead to move her whilst the helmsman desperately sought to turn the ship.
On Storstad, Captain Alfred Toftness, ordered for the ship to go full astern and the helm hard over, however it was too late and at 1:56 local time Storstad crashed into the Empress of Ireland’s starboard side at around midships. Storstad remained afloat despite the forward bow's damage, however the Empress was left with a gaping hole on her side. Kendall, quickly getting to his feet and finding his balance after being forced to the ground from the impact, retrieved a megaphone and shouted to the crew of Storstad to keep her Engines at full as to keep the latter in the Empresses side and keep the the stricken ship afloat. Unfortunately, due to still having forward momentum and the currents, the two ships separated after just about five seconds.
Crew down below struggled to try and close the ship's watertight doors. An unfortunate flaw with the Empresses watertight doors was the lack of a central switch to shut them, instead the doors needing manual crew to close them. The Empress of Ireland lurched hard to her starboard and began to settle by her stern. No time was given to close her watertight doors, and soon screams could be heard from the countless women and children onboard. Water quickly began entering through open portholes, originally intended for ventilation, now sentenced countless passengers and crew to death by drowning.
On the upper decks, many were awoken from the collision and desperately sought to board the ships lifeboats, however in this proved a near futile effort. Within just a few minutes, the ship listed hard onto the starboard side that the port lifeboats could not be launched. Attempts to do so only lead to the lifeboats smashing against the ship and dumping the occupants into the freezing water below. Only five lifeboats on the starboard side would escape, a sixth capsizing during the attempt to lower.
The lights went out, failing five to six minutes after impact and plunging the ship into darkness. By roughly ten or eleven minutes, the ship lurched violently onto her starboard side, allowing roughly 700 passengers and crew to crawl out of portholes and decks on her port side. She laid on her side for a minute or two longer, before her bow rose up and she went down. Hundreds of people were thrown into the near-freezing water, resulting in the death of 1,030 people (excluding crew) out of 1,542 passengers. Crew totaled 420, with 172 lost where 248 were saved. Only 3 children out of 138 survived.
The Tragedy of the Empress of Ireland struck Canada, with Canadian Pacific announcing its charter of the Allan Line’s Virginian to fill the void in service left by the loss of the Empress. Despite the outbreak of the First World War only months later, the Empress still made headlines and is remembered for the tragic loss of life even today. The wreck was declared a site of historical and archaeological importance and thus became protected under the Cultural Property Act and was listed in the register of Historic Sites of Canada. A number of memorials and commemorations took place in the decades since.
I did leave it ambiguous in regards to legislation Roosevelt passed didn't I? I didn't want to get too focused on the domestic/political front in the US.I am suprised a 1912 Roosevelt win has not been followed with quiet reforms and a build up of the American Army and Navy once WW1 broke out given it was in need of it.
It should not take as late as OTL for America to get invovled in WW1 this time with this President, even without Lusitania.
No Wilson is a very good thing for race relations and civil rights in the US also.
I see Gigantic beached herself now, thus she will be back, which is good, though I suspect it will be a while and thus White Star still get a German liner to compensate.
Actually perhaps the German liners goto Canadian Pacific Steamships instead of Cunard and White Star which would increase Atlantic competiton a lot.
Thanks for spotting that typo, much appreciated.Good chapter!
Violating US neutral space like that is going to really rile up the public.
Spotted a typo: “only able to take onboard fire class passengers.”
If one the U boat Commander had waiting a little longer he’d have got Cymric on its own…
Long term thinking- if America joins the war physically in 1916, the Germans are not as exhausted yet, but the time could turn quickly. If Germany collapses does that prevent the Revolution in Russia?
The Tsar isn’t gone, but he is on shaky ground, if Germany starts collapsing in 1916 the war is won. Feb Revolution might still happen, but the Provisional Govt would be in a much stronger position without the war.
One possibility is Germany makes a treaty with Russia once things start looking bad in the west. Possibly giving Poland freedom as a ‘buffer state‘? Russia might agree to this just to get the war done.
As for Austria, I am not sure what an early American arrival would do there, vis a vis Russia/Ukraine. They might pull out if Germany did?
Certainly with Roosevelt in charge the Middle East will go differently in the peace talks. Maybe the Ottoman Empire will survive?
Just some thoughts.
It's a British victory, though more costly as the Germans were more determined to win and avoid the blockade from continuing. They made the British bleed, but ultimately it wasn't enough and the Royal Navy was triumphant.So, did Jutland end up like OTL, or was it again a strategic British victory but a tactical draw?
So in terms of ships sunk/damaged and sailors lost, the British came out on top?It's a British victory, though more costly as the Germans were more determined to win and avoid the blockade from continuing. They made the British bleed, but ultimately it wasn't enough and the Royal Navy was triumphant.
They still did, despite the losses suffered, the Royal Navy still had a numerical edge over their German counterparts. I can't get into specific numbers, but with how this battle goes down, the British lose substantially more (especially in the opening engagement) whilst the Germans suffer more losses later nearing the end.So in terms of ships sunk/damaged and sailors lost, the British came out on top?
I was trying to suggest that if the eastern war ends in 1916 with a deal, then the Oct revolution probably does not occur. You might still get a Feb due the economic fallout, but it’s if they have made a separate deal the Germans are not releasing Lenin as they need a stable Russia on their backs to try and deal with the West. Russia then stabilises under the Provisional Govt.As for what happens with Russia? Its up in the air for now, though considering how the public within Russia were feeling about the wars continuation, I would say another Revolution is still likely regardless.
Some form of Feb is almost inevitable. Nicky broke the "deal" he made with the political classes well before the war even started and now the people have suffered through a second lost war as well (it's going to be hard to spin having German troops on Russian soil for years).I was trying to suggest that if the eastern war ends in 1916 with a deal, then the Oct revolution probably does not occur. You might still get a Feb due the economic fallout, but it’s if they have made a separate deal the Germans are not releasing Lenin as they need a stable Russia on their backs to try and deal with the West. Russia then stabilises under the Provisional Govt.
With a population relentless about the war, collapsed economy, failed military offensives, and Germany offering to give up seized lands I could see the Tsar taking a deal in mid/late 1916 just to get if over with.
There might not be a separate deal with Austria or Ottomans, which might be the easier places for Russia to gain, esp vs the Ottomans.