Page 239 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

5126. So far as you know, there may have been even women and children amongst the crowd abaft you? - There may have been, I never saw any. If there had been any I might have jumped out myself and helped some of them along. I never saw any. 5127. How many would No. 1 boat have carried? - I should say about 25. The Commissioner: Is No. 1 one of the emergency boats? Mr. Scanlan: Yes, my Lord. The Witness: It is this one here (pointing on the model.). 5128. (Mr. Scanlan.) It is the forward boat. We were told earlier today that one of those boats could accommodate 40 people; do you agree with that? - No, I do not. 5129. Had you a sufficient crew to row your boat? - Yes. Examined by Mr. HARBINSON. 5130. That is to say there were 7 of you of the crew to row 5? - Yes, 5 passengers. 5131. It is the duty of the crew to exhaust every resource in order to rescue passengers, is it not? - Yes. 5132. What I do not quite understand is, that there being 7 of the crew, why you did not, despite the protests of these first-class passengers, go back to some of the drowning people? - Well, that is right enough, but the coxswain was in charge of the boat. The Commissioner: Speak a little louder so that I can hear? - There was a man in charge of the boat; he should know what to do best. It would not do for everybody to be in charge of a boat that is in her. When a man gets in a boat the coxswain takes charge and does everything. 5133. And the coxswain of your boat showed no inclination to pull back? - No, none whatever. 5134. You say that that attitude of his was due to the protests of the Duff-Gordon’s? - Yes. 5135. You say you heard cries? - Yes. 5136. Agonising cries? - Yes, terrible cries. 5137. At what distance? - About 200 yards away. 5138. And yet, despite that fact, no effort was made to go in the direction whence those cries proceeded? - No, none at all. 5139. I think you said you saw a number of people on the boat deck at some distance from you? - Yes. 5140. Who was the officer in charge who ordered the seven members of the crew to get into this boat No. 1? - I do not know him. 5141. (The Commissioner.) I cannot understand this. Was there any discussion on board this boat as to whether you should go to these drowning people - any talk? - No, only when I proposed going back, that is all. 5142. Do you mean to tell me that you were the only person that proposed to go back? - I never heard any others. 5143. And to whom did you speak? - Anyone who was there who was listening. 5144. Did you speak to everybody? - I spoke to everyone there; I shouted out in the boat. 5145. Now tell me what each person said. - Those people I have mentioned before, I have told you what they said. 5146. Well, tell me again? - They said it would be too dangerous to go back, we might get swamped. 5147. Who said that? - Sir Duff-Gordon. 5148. Did anyone else say it? - No; his wife as well, that was all. 5149. Those two - two of the five passengers. Did anyone else say it? - I never heard anyone else. 5150. Was it Simmons [Symons] who was in charge of this boat? - Yes.