Page 154 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2719. Five or six miles? - It might have been that, five or six miles. 2720. How long did you see it? - I could not say. I never know that I noticed it, because it was pointed out to me, and all the passengers were saying that they thought there would be a ship coming along. But really I could not tell whether it was a ship or whether it might have been one of our own boats that had gone away from the other side of the ship and pulled ahead. 2721. You thought it might be a masthead light of a ship five or six miles away? - Yes, five or six miles away, of another ship; but as for being certain about it - I could not be certain. 2722. The haze could not have been very bad if you thought it was a masthead light, five or six miles off? - This is afterwards, Sir. This is in the morning - when I say in the morning, it is about what time? 2723. The “Titanic” sank about 2 o’clock? - Two something. The Commissioner: Half-past two. 2724. (Sir Robert Finlay.) Before the “Titanic” sank? - This is after she had passed the berg, Sir. As she got clear of the berg the weather was clearer. 2725. Had the whole haze gone by that time? Had the whole of the haze disappeared by that time? - It seemed to be clearer about that time. 2726. (The Commissioner.) About what time? - I suppose about 2.30, my Lord. 2727. Then did this haze come on some time before 12 o’clock, and then lift just about the time the “Titanic” was sinking. Are you sure this haze existed at all? - Yes, Sir, quite positive. 2728. (Sir Robert Finlay.) Was it ever very bad? - It was so bad that you could not see the iceberg, Sir. The Commissioner: It was so bad that you could not see it. 2729. (Sir Robert Finlay.) It had lifted. When did it lift? - It cleared. 2730. When? - It was towards daylight. That is the only thing I can say. 2731. (The Commissioner.) But it was not daylight till about five o’clock? - No. 2732. I understand that when you saw this light the rockets were going up from the “Titanic”? - So they were. 2733. You saw the light before the “Titanic” went down, and when the “Titanic” was sending up rockets, and there was no answer from the light? - Not as far as we could see. 2734. (Sir Robert Finlay.) There is just one other matter that perhaps you can tell me about. When you saw the water coming in you looked down No. 1 hatch? - Yes. 2735. Could you see down to where on a lower deck the hatch was battened over and tarpaulined - battened down? - Yes. 2736. You saw down to that? - Yes. 2737. Below that would be the cargo? - Yes. 2738. You know that, do not you? - Yes. 2739. The various decks down to that would be decks with quarters for the firemen and so on? - Yes. 2740. You saw this hatchway? - I am not sure about this deck business. You could hear the water rushing in, but where it was coming from I could not tell you. 2741. What I want to know is did you see the water rising on the deck where the hatch was? - Yes. 2742. That is what you mean? - Yes, but I cannot tell you whether it was two decks or even below that. 2743. I will not trouble you about the number? - The water was making its way into the ship. 2744. I quite follow. All I wanted to get clear was that you saw down to this hatchway? - You could hear the water running in there. 2745. You saw the hatchway where it was tarpaulined over and battened down? - Yes. 2746. The water was rising there? - The water was washing round it as it came on to the deck.