Page 224 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

The Attorney-General: We do not want unnecessarily to go into evidence about that, and we have not asked; but is it suggested that there were not enough lifebelts on the boat? Mr. Scanlan: I only make the suggestion because this Witness in his evidence in chief said that there was no lifebelt for him when he came down to find it. The Commissioner: What he said, Mr. Scanlan, was, as I understand, that there was a lifebelt for him in his bunk, but when he came, after he had been wandering about over the ship for some time (what he was doing I do not quite know), he found his belt had gone. The Attorney-General: I only asked my friend because we do not want to go into this evidence with all the Witnesses. I do not think there is any question of there not being sufficient lifebelts on board. Mr. Scanlan: There has not been any question. The only thing that suggested it was the evidence of this man himself. The Commissioner: When he went back, after he had been wandering about, he found his belt had gone. 4694. (Mr. Scanlan - To the Witness.) What distance from the ship was the iceberg when you saw it? - I could not say. 4695. After you got on to the forecastle deck? - I could not say; I do not know the distance. 4696. Can you give some idea as to this? What height was the iceberg standing above the water? - I could not say that. 4697. Was it higher than the forecastle? - About that - higher than the forecastle; it looked higher anyway. 4698. I suppose it must have been higher, as some of the ice from it fell on to the fore-well deck? - Yes. 4699. Could you get a good view of it from where you were standing? - No, only dim. 4700. Was there a haze at the time; was the air clear, or was there a haze? - It was hazy. When I saw that berg it was hazy. The berg was in a haze. 4701. Had you a sufficient crew in No. 5 to man that lifeboat? - No. 4702. There was no light in the boat? - No. 4703. I suppose you know that if there had been a light provided it would have been found in the usual place? - Yes. 4704. Where is the usual place in a lifeboat? - Underneath one of the thwarts of the boat. 4705. Was it looked for there? - Yes. 4706. By whom? - I do not know. When we got down into the water it was looked for. 4707. Do you know whether this boat had a compass? - No, I never saw one. 4708. Had it a sea anchor? - I do not know that. Examined by MR. HARBINSON. 4709. Can you tell me how long elapsed from the time of the collision until you got to your boat No. 5? - Over half an hour. 4710. You got into the boat half an hour from the time of the collision? - I should say about three quarters of an hour. 4711. That is to say you got into the boat three quarters of an hour after the collision? - Yes. 4712. And the intervening time you spent going up and down? - Yes, it was after the fireman had cut his foot; I went for the doctor. 4713. After your passages up and down you saw what was going on; during this time that you were going to the forecastle backwards and forwards, you could see what was going on? - I saw men standing about. 4714. Your quarters, I understand, were very near the third-class - near the steerage quarters, in