Page 141 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2414. Do you know who they were? - I think Mr. Moody was there, but I could not say for certain, because when you are up in the nest you do not know. 2415. You would not be able to tell who the officers were? - No, unless you happened to see them. 2416. Did you receive any orders from the bridge at all during this watch? - No. The orders were turned over by the people we relieved. 2417. Those are the orders that you told us of, that you got from Simmons [Symons] and Jewell? - Yes. 2418. May I take it those were the only orders you received during the time you were on watch? - Yes. 2419. Before half-past eleven on that watch - that is, seven bells - had you reported anything at all, do you remember? - There was nothing to be reported. 2420. Then what was the first thing you did report? - The first thing that was reported was after seven bells struck; it was some minutes, it might have been nine or ten minutes afterwards. Three bells were struck by Fleet, warning “Right ahead,” and immediately he rung the telephone up to the bridge, “Iceberg right ahead.” The reply came back from the bridge, “Thank you.” The Commissioner: This would be about 11.40. The Attorney-General: That is right, my Lord; ten minutes after seven bells. 2421. (The Commissioner.) Seven bells struck, and ten minutes after, about 10 minutes, Fleet struck three bells? - Yes. 2422. And telephoned? - And telephoned to the bridge, “Iceberg right ahead.” 2423. And you got an answer, “Thank you”? - “Thank you” was the answer from the bridge. 2424. (The Attorney-General.) I want you to tell the story from this point. You were watching the iceberg? - Yes. 2425. Did you notice what the ship did? - As soon as the reply came back “Thank you,” the helm must have been put either hard-a-starboard or very close to it, because she veered to port, and it seemed almost as if she might clear it, but I suppose there was ice under water. 2426. (The Commissioner.) She veered to port. Her helm must have been put hard-a-starboard? - Yes. 2427. (The Attorney-General.) He then said it looked as if she was going to clear it. (To the Witness.) It looked as if she was going to clear it, and then did you feel a blow? - As she struck on the starboard bow there was a certain amount of ice that came on board the ship. That was the forewell deck. It seemed as if she struck just before the foremast. 2428. (The Commissioner.) Did you say anything about the ship striking part of the iceberg under the water? - The formation of the berg is, there is more under water than there is above. 2429. I daresay. What I want to know is, did you say anything just now about the ship striking the iceberg under the water? - I did not hear it. 2430. (The Attorney-General.) He did, my Lord; he said it “Felt as if,” and I was trying to get to it. He said it just after he said “I thought she was going to clear it.” I think we will get it from him in this way. (To the Witness.) You saw the iceberg as the vessel veered to port, did you? - I saw it before that. 2431. Yes, you had seen it before, but that had been reported? - Yes. 2432. Then you said you saw her head veer to port? - Yes. 2433. Where did you get the iceberg - on what side of you? - On the starboard hand as she was veering to port. 2434. You had the iceberg on your starboard side? - Yes. 2435. You were on the starboard side of the crow’s-nest, you told us? - Just at that time I happened to be right in front of the nest, because as the nest is semi-circular the telephone is in the corner of the nest on the starboard side. My mate was telephoning from there, and I was