Page 114 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

1891. Very well? - The ship was torn right through here (indicating on the plan). I consulted Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Hescott [Hesketh] about the hole being in this bunker, and that was the farthest aft the ship was torn. This is a watertight compartment, and the ship was torn from there to there. That is in the next section. 1892. (The Solicitor-General.) What do you call that section? - No. 5. 1893. (The Commissioner.) Just show me on that plan the watertight bulkhead that is nearest the bow? - I have no duty at the forward end; I only know where I am working. The Commissioner: Point out to me, Sir John, will you? The Solicitor-General: As I understand the collision bulkhead is here (pointing) and then there is one here, a third one here, and a fourth one here. The Commissioner: And the water came in on the afterside of the bulkhead that you are pointing to? 1894. (The Solicitor-General.) We have still one more to go. There is a fifth one here. I understand the Witness to say that he found water was coming in aft of that bulkhead, the fifth, and therefore the skin of the ship was certainly injured at that point? - Yes. The Commissioner: How many watertight compartments are there forward of that point? Are there four or five? The Solicitor-General: Your Lordship sees that forward of that point there are five bulkheads, and a compartment would be formed I presume by any two of them. Sir Robert Finlay: There are six altogether, my Lord, I think. The Commissioner: I want to see how far aft the rent or whatever it was caused by the iceberg extended. The Solicitor-General: May I ask the Witness a question about it? The Commissioner: Certainly. 1895. (The Solicitor-General - To the Witness.) You pointed out that you found that this rent was abaft of this bulkhead here and therefore that the water was coming into No. 5 section? - Yes. 1896. Can you tell me whether the rent went further aft than that? - It did not. 1897. So it got as far as that and no further? - Yes. 1898. That is one end your Lordship sees. (To the Witness.) Now as far as you are concerned, can you tell me whether the rent ran right through No. 10 section? - I did not stop to look; I jumped from that section when she struck. 1899. You jumped from No. 6 section back to No. 5. - Yes. 1900. And you cannot tell me of your own knowledge whether there was damage done more forward than aft? - I cannot. The Commissioner: He knows nothing about the damage, I suppose, except in the place in which he was. 1901. (The Solicitor-General.) That is it, my Lord. Now, if I may keep him here for a moment, there are two or three things I want to ask him. (To the Witness.) The water came into No. 6 section, where you were at work? - Yes. 1902. Just after you had given the order to close the dampers, and while they were being closed; is that right? - Yes. 1903. Did it come in fast? - Yes. 1904. Did it come in fast enough to begin to flood the place? - Yes. 1905. Then what was it that you did? - Me and Mr. Hescott [Hesketh] jumped into this section, and the watertight compartment closed up. 1906. You and Mr. Hescott [Hesketh] both jumped into the next section? - Yes. 1907. There were stokers working there still; firemen in No. 6? - Yes. 1908. What happened to them? - There was one of them saved.