Page 240 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

5151. What did Simmons [Symons] say? - He never said anything. 5152. And after these two people said it would be dangerous what did you say? - I never said any more. 5153. Then am I to understand that because two of the passengers said it would be dangerous you all kept your mouths shut and made no attempt to rescue anybody? - That is right, Sir. 5154. (Mr. Harbinson.) Now, before this boat was launched you say there was a number of people on the boat deck some distance from you? - Yes. 5155. Did you hear of anyone going down to those people, telling them there was room in this boat? - I did not. 5156. You did not suggest to anybody before the boat was launched that its full complement should be taken? - No. 5157. Was the boat lowered straight down? - Yes, to the water. 5158. It did not stop at the third-class deck? - No, it came straight down. 5159. Did you see people on other decks as it was lowered? - I did not notice any. 5160. You knew there must have been hundreds of people on the ship? - There must have been, I know. 5161. Yet this boat was put off under those conditions? - Yes. 5162. And no effort was made when it reached the water to get it filled with passengers? - No, we were told to stand off, that was all. 5163. You told us you saw, some time after the collision, after the impact - a number of third- class passengers as you went down. I think you said you had some trouble with the steerage passengers in the alleyway? - I had no trouble; I had to go through them with those lamps. 5164. You saw them there with their luggage? - Yes. 5165. How long would this have been after the collision? - About three-quarters of an hour. 5166. Which way were they going? - They were going along aft. 5167. Was anybody giving them instructions where to go? - No one at all. 5168. No one at all? - I never saw anyone there, and heard no one. 5169. And you heard no one tell them where to go? - No. 5170. Those people were left to their own resources? - They were going along on their own. 5171. Did the passages seem to be choked? - They were pretty thick; they were not choked. 5172. You did not see anything of these people? - No, nothing at all. 5173. You did not hear any of the stewards reassure them in any way? - I did not see any stewards. 5174. And so far as you could see there was no organisation amongst the members of the crew? - No. 5175. And no directions given to the passengers as to what to do? - No. The Commissioner: A question of that kind conveys nothing to my mind. What do you mean by saying there was no organisation. How many of the crew did he see? Mr. Harbinson: He says he saw none. The Commissioner: Then he could not tell whether there was any organisation. A general question of that kind is of no use. Mr. Harbinson: With great respect, my Lord, I put it to him as far as he knows. The Commissioner: He may know nothing, you know. He does not appear to know much. 5176. (Mr. Harbinson - To the Witness.) You did not hear? - No. 5177. Have you heard that over 60 percent of these third-class passengers were drowned? - I do not understand this percentage.