Page 137 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

The Attorney-General: I will give you the exact dimensions later. 2312. (Mr. Cotter.) When you looked into the bunker you saw holes through the ship’s side? - Yes. 2313. Now seeing that hole was also in No. 6, naturally you would expect it would rip the bulkhead. As a rule when you go from one compartment to another and that door closes automatically, you could open it again? - Yes. 2314. By turning a handle? - Yes. 2315. When you went back again the height of the water was how much? - We never held any door up. 2316. You went up a ladder? - No. About 8 feet of water. As soon as the order was given for men to their stations me and Mr. Shepherd went up the emergency ladder of No. 5 and down No. 6. 2317. There was 8 feet of water there? - Yes. 2318. You had been away how long? - I could not exactly say the time. 2319. Can you give us any idea? - Well, 10 minutes. 2320. So that in 20 minutes it would be 16 feet? - That I cannot say. The upper 8 feet of the ship is bigger than the bottom 8 feet of the ship. The Commissioner: I do not think you ought to ask a question of that kind. Mr. Cotter: I want to know how long it took for the water to get higher than the top of the escape ladder. The Commissioner: That sounds to me like a riddle. It is no use asking him questions of that sort. 2321. (Mr. Cotter - To the Witness.) You say there was a rush of water when you were in No. 5? - Yes. 2322. Have you any idea where the water came from? - No. 2323. No idea at all. Now I am going to ask you a question about the boats. When you were on the promenade deck, the deck under the boat deck, how far from the ship’s side was No.13 boat? - I could not say; I could not tell you that. 2324. You say the ship had a list to starboard. I wanted to know how far the boat would be away from the ship’s side? - I cannot say. 2325. You say you put some passengers into her. Had you any difficulty in getting the women in? - I never put passengers into her. 2326. Can you tell me who put them in? - I do not know. Mr. Pringle: There are two questions which I would like to put to the Witness. First of all, if he saw anything done to stop the hole in No. 5 bunker, and secondly, whether he saw if it was the watertight door or part of the bulkhead which gave way when the water rushed in to No. 5 section. The Commissioner: Put them yourself. 2327. (Mr. Pringle - To the Witness.) Did you see anything done to stop the hole which you saw in No. 5 bunker? - I did not. 2328. Did you see whether it was the watertight door or part of the bulkhead which had given way? - No. 2329. You did not see? - No. 2330. (The Commissioner.) You told us there was some fire in that bunker? - Yes. 2331. Soon after you left port? - Yes. 2332. Is it a very uncommon thing for fire to get into a coal bunker in that way? - It is not an uncommon thing. 2333. It happens sometimes? - Yes. 2334. I suppose the proper order is to have that actual bunker emptied as soon as possible? -