Page 161 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2917. Was there anybody else with him? - No, only myself. 2918. Only you two? - Yes. 2919. Were there any passengers up there? - Yes. 2920. Were they males or females, or both? - Both. 2921. Children? - Yes. 2922. Many of them at that boat? - There were hundreds gathered round waiting to get into the three boats. 2923. When you speak of three boats, which boats do you mean? - Nos. 12, 14, and 16. 2924. Were you able to distinguish between these people whether they were first, second, or third-class passengers? - No. 2925. Now what happened with regard to your boat, No. 12? - We filled her up with women and children - me and Mr. Lightoller, the Second Officer. 2926. How many women and children? - About 40. 2927. This was a lifeboat, was it not? - Yes. 2928. How many would it hold? - The full carrying capacity of the big lifeboats is 65. 2929. Now having, to use your own phrase, filled it up with about 40, what was done with that boat? - It was left there. 2930. Left on a level with the boat deck? - Yes, with the boat deck. 2931. How long was it left there? - I went away, and helped fill another boat after that 2932. Which boat did you go to help with? - No. 14. 2933. That is a boat immediately abaft No. 12? - Yes. 2934. How long were you away with No. 14? - A matter of about ten minutes. 2935. Was there any officer looking after No. 14? - Yes. 2936. Who? - Mr. Wilde, the Chief Officer. 2937. Anybody besides him? - No. 2938. So you helped the First Officer? - Yes, the Chief Officer. 2939. Were people put into that boat? - The boat was filled with women and children also. 2940. About how many? - About 40. 2941. And was that boat left, as you call it? - No, the boat was lowered. 2942. That boat was lowered into the water, and who went away in that boat? - I could not say. 2943. Did the officer go away? - No. 2944. What did you do next? - I went to my own boat. 2945. No. 12? - Yes. 2946. When you got back to No. 12, was there any officer there? - Yes. 2947. Who? - Mr. Lightoller. 2948. Any seamen, firemen, or anybody else? - Yes, there were some sailors there. 2949. Do you know their names? - Yes. 2950. What were their names? - There was Lucas, who lowered the boat, and another man who lowered the other end I did not know, but another man I asked to come in the boat by the name of Clinch. 2951. Did he come in the boat? - He came in the boat at my own request. 2952. That is an officer and three seamen? - No, they were gone. 2953. Two of them helped to lower? - And two of us were in the boat. 2954. You and the third one were in the boat? - Yes. 2955. So that the boat, when it was lowered to the water, contained two sailors, you and Clinch? - Yes. 2956. When the boat was lowered to the water how many people were in her when you last left her? - About 42. 2957. You are precise; did you count the number? - No. I never had any time to do that.