This Essay describes the Halifax Explosion that occurred in Canada in 1917.

Essay by 5BusHigh School, 11th gradeA+, December 2003

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Halifax explosion was the world's largest man made explosion. It occurred on Thursday, December 6, 1917, a bright sunny day in Halifax. World War I was going on its peak in Europe. The port of Halifax was filled with different ships of war relief supplies and munitions. People of the city didn't have any idea of what will happen, people were going about there normal day lives. That morning, the Belgian relief ship Imo left for open sea. At almost the same time, the French ship Mont Blanc was heading up the harbour to heath. She was waiting for a convoy to accompany her on the way. A convoy was

necessary because she was carrying a cargo full of explosives and it could be attacked by German u-boats. The Imo was a much bigger ship than the Mont Blanc. She was travelling fast, and close to Dartmouth when the Mont Blanc first noticed her.

Mont Blanc signalled that she was in her correct channel but the Imo, however, signalled that she was intending to tolerate

even further to port, closer to Dartmouth and more into the Mont Blanc's channel. The Mont Blanc signalled again that she was still intending to pass. By this time she was really close to the Dartmouth coast. The Imo, however, did not dangle towards Halifax, as the Mont Blanc had expected but instead she signalled that she was maintaining her path. The Mont Blanc, though, saw only one path open. The ships might have crossed each other without the crashing in to each other, but the Imo signalled full speed reverse. So did the Mont Blanc, but it was too late. Reversing her engines made the Imo to swing right, and it struck the Mont Blanc. The Mont Blanc drifted by the Halifax dock, scratched...