Page 167 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

mistake - from one boat to another. 3124. You think that is how the confusion may have arisen. You say you counted 12 into your boat? - 12 women from Mr. Lowe’s boat. This was about three o’clock in the morning. Examined by MR. SCANLAN. 3125. How many men do you think would be required to man one of these lifeboats? - Five. 3126. Five sailors? - Five sailors, four and a coxswain. 3127. Would that number be sufficient to enable you to row even in stormy weather? - Yes. The Commissioner: Another man said 12, did he not? Mr. Scanlan: He said 12, my Lord. The Witness: 12 is a full boat’s crew, my Lord. 3128. If you had every oar in use you would require 12? - You would require 13. 3129. When you speak of a crew of 13 do you mean a number of stokers and stewards as well as seamen? - As well as seamen. 3130. How came it that your boat, No. 12, left the “Titanic” with only two seamen? Were there any others on the deck at the time? - No, only the two men that were lowering the boat. 3131. Now you stated that Mr. Lightoller warned you that the falls might give way? - Yes. 3132. If you took on any more passengers? - Yes. 3133. Were not the falls for this boat No. 12 similar in every way to the falls of the other boats? - Quite so, bar No. 1 and No. 2. 3134. What was the difference between the falls of No. 12 and the falls of Nos. 1 and 2? - No. 1 and No. 2 are small boats; No. 12 is a large lifeboat. 3135. On all the large lifeboats like No. 12 were the falls similar? - Exactly the same. 3136. Do not you know that a number of the other boats were lowered with a full complement of passengers, 65? - That I could not say. 3137. You do not know that. Where did you expect to find a lantern? - Tied up in the after thwarts. 3138. Is that the place where in ordinary practice the lantern is kept? - Yes. 3139. At what stage of the voyage is it put there? - Before the commencement of the voyage. 3140. Did you make a careful search for the lantern? - Yes. 3141. Did you search for it before lowering the boat? - No. 3142. Did you find in this boat, No. 12, a compass? - No. 3143. Can you tell my Lord if there was a compass in the boat? - There was not a compass in the boat. 3144. Had the boat a sea anchor? - Yes. 3145. I understand your previous experience extends to Royal Mail liners, and that you have been sailing on them for about three years? - Yes. 3146. Was it usual on all those to have a muster of the crew for boat drill? - Yes. 3147. Does that take place every week? - Every Saturday afternoon. 3148. Had there been such a muster on the “Titanic”? - There had not been a muster, but there had been boat drill. 3149. Is that the boat drill which took place at Southampton? - Yes. 3150. Which consisted merely of lowering two boats? - And going away and coming back; a Board of Trade muster. 3151. It did not provide for bringing the stokers on deck and showing them their stations? - No. 3152. I understand that you have been a look-out man at times? - No. 3153. Well, you have done look-out duty, I think you said? - I have. 3154. On the forecastle-head? - Yes.