Page 131 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2152. (The Solicitor-General.) Yes, my Lord, the same boat that Beauchamp spoke of. (To the Witness.) Do you know the fireman Beauchamp? - Yes. 2153. He is in your section, I think? - Yes. 2154. No. 6. Was he already in the boat? - I never took that much notice. I did not notice him in the boat till morning; it was too dark. 2155. Was there any officer in this boat? - No. 2156. After you got up to her did any more people get in? - Yes, there were about three more got in after I got in, and the order was given from the boat deck, “Let no more in that boat; the falls will break.” 2157. That order was given from the deck above, I suppose? - From the deck above. 2158. Are you able to tell us who gave you that order? - I could not exactly tell you. 2159. But you heard the order given? - Yes. 2160. When that order was given, “Let no more in that boat,” was the boat lowered? - Only just where the people were getting in; it was lowered to the deck below the boat deck. 2161. What happened to it after that? - It was lowered away. 2162. (The Commissioner.) Which deck did you get into the boat from? - From the deck below the boat deck. 2163. Was it lowered partly full and stopped again at your deck? - I could not tell you, my Lord, because the majority were in when I got up. 2164. You mean to say you do not know from what deck the people got into the boat? - I could not tell you. 2165. But you got in from the deck below the boat deck? - Yes. 2166. (The Solicitor-General.) And as I understand, two or three other people got in after you? - Yes. 2167. And then this order was given? - Yes. 2168. I think Beauchamp told us (he was in the boat) that as it was being lowered down the side the main discharge from the engine room threatened to swamp the boat? - Yes. 2169. It was somewhere opposite the rear funnel, was it not? - Yes. 2170. Then there was one other boat on the starboard side still, No.15; what was happening to that at this time? - It was getting lowered about 30 seconds after us. It was coming on top of us. 2171. It was coming on top of you. Just tell us about that shortly? - Yes. When we found the discharge was coming out we stopped lowering and all the hose was tied up in the boat. I had a knife and I cut the hose adrift and shoved two oars over the forward end to shove the lifeboat off the ship’s side. We got into the water and there was a bit of a current and it drifted us under No. 15 boat, and I sung out “Let go the after fall.” Nobody seemed to realise what I was doing. I walked across the women to cut the fall, and the other fall touched my shoulder. 2172. Supposing the ship was going down by the head and No. 15 boat was being lowered, after No. 13 boat was in the water No. 15 boat would tend to get on the top of No. 13? - Yes. 2173. Then whatever the cause, you say No. 15 was coming on top of you? - Yes. 2174. Did you get clear? - We just got clear. 2175. Then what happened to No. 13, the boat you were in? - We got the oars out. I did not see anybody that was going to take charge of the boat. The rudder was lying in the stern at the bottom, and I shipped the rudder and took charge of the boat till after the “Titanic” sank. 2176. And then did you take charge of her after the “Titanic” sank? - No. I gave the tiller to somebody else because I was too cold; I could not feel my limbs. I had only thin gear on, coming out of the fire room. Some woman put a cloak over me, and I do not know what happened then. 2177. Now can you tell us how many people were in your boat - how many men and how many women and how many of the crew? - I could not tell you exactly. 2178. Tell us as near as you can? - I could give a rough idea - 70 all told.