Page 156 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

Examined by MR. ASPINALL. 2762. Were you serving as an A. B. on the “Titanic,” at the time of this accident? - Yes. 2763. When did you join her; what day? - At seven o’clock on the Wednesday morning. 2764. Have you been on other liners? - Yes. 2765. What? - Some other White Star liners. 2766. Give me their names. - The “Oceanic” and the “Teutonic.” 2767. Have you been in any other liners? - Yes. 2768. Give me their names. - Nearly all the Royal Mail liners leaving Southampton. 2769. Any other liners? - No, Sir. 2770. How many years’ experience have you had on liners? - I have had three years’ experience on liners. 2771. You joined on the Wednesday, I think you said? - Yes. 2772. And then the ship proceeded to sea? - Yes. 2773. Did you know what your boat was? - Yes. 2774. Which was your boat? - No. 12. 2775. How did you know No. 12 was your boat? - Because I made it my acquaintance to find out which boat I was in. 2776. How did you make it your acquaintance to know which boat you were in? - On the top of the foc’sle ladder leading down to our mess-room the list was put up acquainting each man of which boat he was in. 2777. You looked at it, and there you saw No. 12 boat for you? - Yes. 2778. Now I want to take you to the night of the accident. Was it your watch from eight to twelve? - Yes. 2779. What were your duties that night? - Standing by. 2780. What sort of weather was it? - Grand weather. 2781. What do you say? - Fine weather. 2782. Was it cold? - Rather cold. 2783. You call it “rather cold”? - Yes, rather cold. 2784. You had come on duty at eight? - Yes. 2785. Did the coldness continue, or did it get worse? - It got worse. 2786. And at the time of the accident how would you describe the weather, was it cold or very cold? - Terribly cold. 2787. And did you appreciate that it was getting colder and colder as you got along? - Yes, Sir. 2788. That is with regard to the temperature. With regard to the clearness of the atmosphere, how would you describe it? - Well, on the evening that the accident occurred it seemed to be fine weather. 2789. By “fine weather” - do you mean a good clear night for seeing lights? - Yes. 2790. At the time of the accident was it fine weather then? - Yes, Sir. 2791. Weather in which, according to you, you could see ships’ lights at full range, do you mean? - Yes. 2792. Did you feel the shock from the ship striking the iceberg? - Yes. 2793. Where were you? - Underneath the forecastle, outside the mess room, on the port side. 2794. On the port side, do you say? - Yes. 2795. Can you tell me this; at the time you felt the shock do you think your engines were working astern or working ahead? - I felt the vibration, but I could not say whether the engine was going ahead or astern. 2796. But it was a big vibration, was it? - Yes. 2797. A sort of vibration that would tell a sailor that probably the engines were going astern? -