The Halifax Explosion and the Royal Canadian Navy: Inquiry and IntrigueThe Halifax Explosion of 1917 is a defining event in the Canadian consciousness, yet it has never been the subject of a sustained analytical history. Astonishingly, until now no one has consulted the large federal government archives that contain first-hand accounts of the disaster and the response of national authorities. Canada's recently established navy was at the epicentre of the crisis. Armstrong reveals the navy's compelling, and little-known, story by carefully retracing the events preceding the disaster and the role of the military in its aftermath. He catches the pulse of disaster response in official Ottawa and provides a compelling analysis of the legal manoeuvres, rhetoric, blunders, public controversy, and crisis management that ensued. His disturbing conclusion is that federal officials knew of potential dangers in the harbour before the explosion, took no corrective action, and kept the information from the public. |
Contents
Towards the Unthinkable | 25 |
Halifax Tide | 41 |
Reaction and Recovery | 82 |
Of Sailors Lawyers Goats and Newspapers | 112 |
Goats to the Slaughter | 140 |
Covering the Tracks | 186 |
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11 December 25 January Admiral Kingsmill Admiralty arrived ashore Bedford Basin boat Borden British Burchell C.C. Ballantyne Captain Martin Captain Superintendent cargo carried chief examining officer Cluney collision Commander Wyatt court crew cruiser damage Dartmouth Defence Demers Department Deputy Minister Desbarats Despite disaster drifters Drysdale evidence fire Frederick Wyatt Halifax Explosion Halifax Harbour Halifax Herald Henry to Johnston Herbert Whitehead Highflyer HMC Dockyard HMCS Grilse HMCS Lady Evelyn HMCS Niobe HMS Highflyer Ibid Imo's inquiry letter Mackey Médec military Militia Mont Blanc naval authorities Naval College naval officer Navyard Niobe's Nova Scotia Ottawa Pasco patrol Pier pilotage Pilotage Commission pilots port of Halifax Rear-Admiral Chambers reel regulations responsible RNCVR Royal Canadian Navy Royal Navy sailors Sarty Secretary Naval Service senior ship ship's staff submarines Tacoma Testimony Town That Died traffic trawlers USS Tacoma vessels Walter Hose