Page 235 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

There was no answer, and he started lowering away. That was after the rockets had been fired. 5007. How far did you lower her? - Right the way down. 5008. How many people were in her? - About 12 or 13, I think. 5009. Who was in charge? - One of the seamen as far as I know. 5010. Do you know his name? - Symons, or Simmons. The Commissioner: Was this No. 12 boat? 5011. (Mr. Rowlatt.) No. 1 boat, the one you see hung out there, the emergency boat. (To the Witness.) Was there any order given to the seaman in charge as to what he was to do with the boat? - Yes; he was told to stand off a little way and come back when called. 5012. Did you stand off? - Yes, we stood off a little way pulling around. 5013. How far? - 150 or 200 yards. 5014. Were you called back? - No. 5015. You simply lay there? - Yes, we lay about there, and pulled about. 5016. Did you see the ship sink? - Yes. 5017. When the ship sank, did you take up anybody else? - No. 5018. Did not you pick up anybody at all? - Nobody at all. 5019. After you left the ship’s side? - No. None of them would not go back. I proposed in the boat we should go back, and they would not listen to me. 5020. (The Commissioner.) Who would not? - None of the passengers or anybody else. It was after the ship had gone then. 5021. Am I to understand, then, when you were picked up by the “Carpathia” there were only 12 people on board? - Yes. 5022. (Mr. Rowlatt.) How far off were you when the ship went down? - About 200 yards, as near about as I can make of it. 5023. How many oars had you? - Four. 5024. (The Commissioner.) And of these twelve how many belonged to the crew? - Seven. 5025. Then there were only five passengers? - Five passengers, two seamen I think, and five of us, firemen and trimmers. 5026. Five passengers; what were they, women? - Two women and three men. 5027. And there were only two women in this boat which held 12? - Yes. 5028. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Could you make good way through the water - I suppose you could? - Yes, pretty good. 5029. I must ask you to be a little more clear about it. You understand it is important, so be careful. Who was it objected to pulling back? - Well, the passengers. 5030. (The Commissioner.) There were only five passengers, as I understand, three were men and two were women and then there were seven of the crew? - Yes. 5031. Now did any of the crew object? - No, they never said anything. 5032. Then which of the five passengers objected the women or the three men, or all of them? - I think it was the women objected. 5033. The two women objected? - Yes. 5034. You had plenty of room in the boat? - There was plenty of room for another dozen. 5035. You had plenty of room? - Yes. 5036. Who was in charge of the boat? - A seaman. 5037. What was his name? - Symons or Simmons. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. 5038. Can you recollect whether any of the male passengers objected to go back? - No, I cannot remember that.