Page 158 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2823. He had done that? - Yes. 2824. He told you 7 feet of water was the result? - Yes. 2825. Now when the carpenter gave you that information how long do you think that was after the ship had struck the iceberg? - I think about 10 minutes. 2826. What did you do after the carpenter had told you that? - Stayed where I was. 2827. For about how long? - A matter of a couple of minutes. 2828. And at the end of a couple of minutes what did you do? - The boatswain piped. 2829. What did the boatswain pipe? - “All hands up and get the lifeboats ready.” 2830. Now after the first pipe what did you do? - Went up on to the boat deck. 2831. Now having got on to the boat deck what did you do? - I went to the first boat I came to and cleared her away. 2832. On which side of the boat deck were you? - On the port side. 2833. And which boat did you go to? - I went to no particular boat; I cleared all away. 2834. How many boats did you help to clear away? - About 10. 2835. All on the port side? - No; I went from the port side over to the starboard side. 2836. Was there good order whilst those boats were being cleared away? - Yes, because there were only the sailors up there to do it. 2837. You were up the whole time on the boat deck? - Yes. 2838. Then the boats would be lowered down to the deck below for the passengers to get in? - No, not necessarily. 2839. Where were the boats lowered to? - Some boats were lowered to the promenade deck and some were lowered in line with the fish plate that is on the boat deck. 2840. Now, having assisted in getting these boats lowered away, what did you next do? - I went down the forecastle. 2841. Back again to the forecastle? - Yes. 2842. Now, why did you go back to the forecastle? - To put my boots on. 2843. When you got back to the forecastle did you find any water coming in? - Yes. 2844. How long do you think it was after the ship had struck that you went back to the forecastle to put your boots on? - About three-quarters of an hour. 2845. Now I want you to tell me about the water. Where was the water that you saw when you went back to the forecastle? - Coming in through a bulkhead that had broken outside our forecastle, a wooden bulkhead from the third-class. 2846. Was it coming from abaft this bulkhead, or forward of it? - It was coming in from the starboard side. 2847. On the starboard side? - Yes, in line with our forecastle, where we slept. 2848. Was it coming from a place abaft where you slept? - No, forward of where we slept. 2849. From a place which was forward of where you slept? - Yes. 2850. About how far aft of the stem of the vessel did you sleep? Perhaps you do not know? - Well, I reckon 50 to 60 feet. 2851. Were you sleeping in a place which was forward of No. 1 hatch or aft of No. 1 hatch? - Aft of No. 1 hatch. 2852. Was this water coming in fast? - Yes, it was pouring in. 2853. Could you hear it as well as see it? - I was in it; I had to come through it up to my waist in water to get out. 2854. And it was pouring in? - Yes. 2855. (The Commissioner.) How did you get your boots? - While I was in the forecastle, getting my boots, this bulkhead broke as I was coming out - the wooden compartment leading from the third-class. 2856. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) Was this a watertight bulkhead which broke? - No, a wooden one.