Halifax Explosion Halifax History In the year of 1749 the harbour was founded by the British military, in an effort to gain military strength in North America. “The harbour at Halifax with long-stretching coves and contours provided both safe haven for ships and excellent vantage points for fortifications.” (www.halifaxexplosion.org) At this time, around twenty-five hundred settlers began to establish new lives in the village, later known as the city of Halifax. New opportunities arose in businesses and industries, due to the heavily reliance on the city’s vast sea. Halifax attracted immigrants from England, Ireland, and other European countries, as well as the American Colonies. By 1841, the population had grown to fifteen thousand because …show more content…
The dimensions of this large ship was three hundred and twenty feet long, with a width of forty-five feet, and a depth of fifteen feet. To prevent sparks, the cargo holds were lined with wood and held in place by copper nails. The steam engine was slow compared to the other ships. The crew was made up of forty-one french sailers in command by Captain Aime Le Medac. On December 1, 1917, the Mont-Blanc sailed from Gravesend Bay, New York to Halifax. Earlier in the week, dockworkers loaded the vessel with explosives, both on deck and below. It was loaded with 250 tons of TNT, 2366.5 tons of wet and dry picric acid, 62.1 tons of guncotton and 246 tons of benzol in barrels. Ships usually carried large quantities of explosives mixed with regular cargo, however, the war effort limited shipping availability. The ship was headed to France, but the Mont-Blanc could not cross the Atlantic alone, forcing it to stop in Halifax to join a new group of sailors. Due to the fact ships with explosives are prime targets for German attacks, the Mont-Blanc flew no flags warning of the explosive cargo. When the vessel arrived at the Halifax Harbour, the nets were closed for the night. Therefore the ‘Mont Blanc’ would have to spend one more night at