Page 162 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

2958. Do you know how it comes that there were not more than 42 put into this boat? - Yes. 2959. Why? - Well the reason is that the falls would not carry any more. 2960. You mean somebody was frightened of the falls? - Yes, the second officer, Mr. Lightoller. 2961. Now having lowered her down to the water did Mr. Lightoller give you any orders as to what to do with the boat? - He gave me orders before the boat was lowered what to do. 2962. What orders did he give you? - To lay off and stand by close to the ship. 2963. Were there any left on the boat deck as the boat was being lowered? - No women. 2964. Men? - Yes. 2965. How did the passengers behave - well? - Well, they did not where I was. 2966. (The Commissioner.) What were they doing? - They were trying to rush No. 12 and No. 14 boats. 2967. Men, you mean? - Yes. 2968. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) Did you have to keep them back? - Yes, to the best of my ability. 2969. Who did that? - Myself and Mr. Lightoller and the other two sailors who were standing by to lower. They could not lower the boat as it should have been lowered because of the passengers. Men were on the boat falls; they could not get them clear. 2970. Could you tell the Court who those were who were trying to rush the boat? - Passengers. 2971. What sort of passengers? - Second and third. 2972. (The Commissioner.) Men passengers? - Yes, my Lord. 2973. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) No. 12, I see according to the plan, is somewhere in the neighbourhood of the second-class promenade, is it not? - Yes. 2974. At any rate, the boat only contained women and children? - Yes, and two hands. 2975. Now having got her down to the water, did you obey Mr. Lightoller’s orders? - Yes. 2976. Did you go and stand off? - Yes. 2977. After you had got her into the water, did you speak any other boat? - Yes. 2978. What were they? - Three lifeboats and a collapsible boat. 2979. And did you get any men to help you in looking after your boat from any of those other boats? - Yes, from the collapsible boat. 2980. What did you get from the collapsible boat? - A sailor and two firemen. 2981. How came it that the collapsible boat could spare a sailor? - I could not say. 2982. Was the collapsible boat full? - The collapsible boat was full, but it had more men than what I had. 2983. You only had how many? - Two. 2984. So they lent you these hands? - Three. 2985. We have heard this before. Did you make your boat fast to some three other lifeboats? - No. 2986. What did you do? - Had the boats made fast to me. 2987. Do you know if there was a man called Lucas in the collapsible boat? - Yes, Lucas was the sailor I took from the collapsible boat. The Attorney-General: That would show, my Lord, that when Lucas said No. 8, he really must have meant No. 12. 2988. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) Whilst your boat was in the water did you see the “Titanic” sink? - Yes. 2989. How long do you think it was after she struck the iceberg that she sank? - About two and a half hours when she was last seen. 2990. After she sank did you see any people struggling in the water? - No. 2991. How far away from the “Titanic” were you? - About 150 yards. 2992. After she sank did your boat pull in towards the place where she sank? - Yes.