Page 159 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2857. The ordinary wooden bulkhead? - Yes, separating our forecastle from the third-class cabins. 2858. On which deck were you at the time you saw this bulkhead go? - I was in our forecastle. 2859. On which deck would that be? - I could not say; we call it the lower deck. 2860. One of the lower decks? - Yes. 2861. Do you know where the seamen’s wash place is? - It is right opposite. 2862. Is it the same deck? - Yes, right opposite the washroom door. 2863. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) That is deck E, my Lord. (To the Witness.) Is your place aft of the seamen’s wash place? - Yes. 2864. I see there is a space on the place for “seamen”? - Yes, just abaft the bath room. 2865. On the port side? - Yes. 2866. Now the bulkhead that carried away, is that a bulkhead which is aft of that? - No. 2867. Forward? - Directly opposite our bathroom door. The Commissioner: Is this wooden bulkhead worked on any plan? The Attorney-General: That is what we are trying to find, my Lord. Mr. Butler Aspinall: Has your Lordship got deck E? Deck E, 44 seamen on the port side? 2868. (The Commissioner.) Was it a fore and aft bulkhead that gave way? - Yes, a fore and aft bulkhead. 2869. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) Did the water come from the starboard side? - Yes. 2870. Now, did you remain below? - No, a matter of half a minute. 2871. You cleared out? - Yes, as fast as I could. The Attorney-General: Has your Lordship got it now where it is on the plan? (The Attorney-General pointed out the position on the plan to his Lordship.) 2872. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) It is difficult to measure time on these occasions, but how long do you think it was after the ship struck the iceberg that this fore and aft bulkhead carried away? - About half an hour. The Commissioner: He first said he went to this place to get his boots three-quarters of an hour after the collision, and that when he got his boots and was coming out then the wooden bulkhead gave way. That must have been, if anything, longer than three-quarters of an hour. Mr. Butler Aspinall: It is very difficult, my Lord. The Witness: Well, about three-quarters of an hour, my Lord. The Commissioner: It is near enough. 2873. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) You cleared out, you say? - Yes. 2874. Where did you go to then? - I was going up on to the boat deck to go towards my own boat, and I heard the Captain pass the remark, “Start putting the women and children in the boats,” and then I went to my boat, No. 12. 2875. Now, on your way from your quarters up to the boat deck would you go near where the third-class passengers could get out from their quarters up to the deck? - Yes, they were already out. 2876. How do you know that? - I passed them on the fore-well deck on the port side. The Commissioner: Which were those? 2877. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) Those were third-class passengers, my Lord; he says he knows the third-class passengers were out because he passed them on his way. (To the Witness.) I want you to explain that. 2878. (The Commissioner.) Now you are talking about the third-class passengers in the fore part of the vessel? - Yes. 2879. By the forecastle? - Yes. 2880. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) How do you know they were out? - You say you passed them; what do you mean by that? - Well, I saw them with my own eyes, with their own baggage on the