Page 144 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2478. In their quarters? - I saw it down there as I looked through the top of the hatch. I saw water coming in. The Attorney-General: I think it must be No. 1 hatch, my Lord; it might be No. 2. Sir Robert Finlay: I think it must be No. 1. 2479. (The Attorney-General - To the Witness.) Was that the most forward hatch? - Yes, I think it was No. 1; it is just outside the seamen’s mess. 2480. Yes, that is No. 1. You were looking down that, and looking down there you saw the water? - Yes, the water coming in. That was at 12 o’clock when I went down below. 2481. Could you hear it? - Yes; hear it plainly. 2482. Was it rushing in or simply pouring in? - It was not coming in so fast, but you did not know where it was coming from. It was coming from somewhere else further over to the starboard side; it must have been, but I did not know where it was coming from. 2483. All you could see was that water was coming in from somewhere on the starboard side? - Yes. 2484. And it was getting into the firemen’s quarters. That is right, is it not? - Yes. 2485. And getting into their quarters so much that the firemen were driven up, and were carrying up their baggage on to the forecastle deck? - They came up on deck there, and some of them were standing by; they did not know whether they would have to go below or not. 2486. (The Commissioner.) Do you know anything about the lettering of these decks? - Well, there is a boat deck. 2487. Do you know anything about the lettering of them? They are lettered C, D, E, F, and G. Do you know anything about that? - Those are different compartments, I think. There is the boat deck, A deck, B deck, C deck, but I think the other letterings come in for different quarters for the passengers’ benefit. 2488. (The Attorney-General.) After you saw that at 12 o’clock what did you do? - I went on the boat deck. 2488a. Did you get any orders to go on the boat deck? - No, but I heard the boatswain call the other watch. 2489. Did you hear what orders he gave? - Yes, he told everybody to get the boats ready for turning out. 2490. He told everybody? - That was the watch below; they were turned out, and we all went on deck. 2491. That really meant all hands on deck to help uncover the boats? - To get the boats ready for lowering. 2492. Not only those that were on deck and on duty, but those below off duty? - Yes, the watch that had just gone below. 2493. That would be at 12 o’clock; they had just gone below? - Yes. 2494. Did you notice any list of the vessel at all by the time you came down at 12 o’clock from the crow’s-nest? - Not enough to take notice of; I did not notice any. 2495. Did you go to work to help prepare the boats for lowering? - Yes. 2496. To which side did you go, to starboard or port? - The starboard side. 2497. Had you a station? - No. 11 boat. 2498. That would be the third from the last, would it not? - Yes, that is right. 2499. Did you know that that was your boat? - Yes, it was put up on the printed order on the ship, outside our quarters. 2500. That is a list? - Yes. 2501. As I understand from that there was a printed list outside your quarters? - Yes. 2502. Then your names would be filled in? - Our names would be filled in. 2503. To what boats you were to go? - Yes.