Ship Safety
Lifeboats on deck, 1906. Peabody Essex Museum, 30930.
After the Titanic tragedy, safety at sea became a public obsession. New legislation called for improvements in ship safety. To meet the new requirements, the Empress was fitted with higher davits, or cranes, that held the lifeboats. A collapsible craft was placed under each lifeboat, of which there were many, and there were extra lifejackets as well.
Life jacket. Royal Alberta Museum, Western Canadian History collection. Photograph courtesy of Rob Rondeau.
Despite these additional safety measures, when the Empress was struck, she started to list to one side within minutes. Most of the lifeboats were quickly submerged or raised too high in the air to reach.
last review/update: Feb. 6, 2009
