May 11.
During the morning, the Empress of Australia entered a belt of thick fog. Look-out men have been posted, and the commander is continuously on the bridge, in view of the fact that the ship is now approaching the ice-zone. A sudden cold nip of air gave warning that the danger zone was not far off, and when the liner reaches the centre of the ice-zone, the captain intends to slacken speed, and take no chances.
Sometimes, when the visibility permits, the ship is steaming at about 10 knots. Then a fresh patch of fog descends, and it comes to a complete standstill, the liner and the two escorting cruisers joining in a mournful chorus as they sound their fog-horns.
The ship is taking no risks, and has plenty of time in hand, thanks to a good run yesterday, in which the average was 18 knots.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.