Page 44 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

323. Could you tell how long the boat you were in took to prepare and lower? - Half an hour at the most, I should think. 324. Half an hour at the most? - Yes, we were all in a hurry; I could hardly judge the time. 325. Have you a knowledge of the ship itself, of the different parts; the first-class, the second- class, and the third-class quarters? - No, I could not say much about that, because I was not over the ship much. 326. You could not express an opinion whether it was difficult for the third-class passengers to reach the deck where the boat was? - There were some, so I heard. 327. You could not say how difficult it would be to reach it? - No. Mr. Searle: I do not know if any of us are allowed to put any questions. The Commissioner: What do you mean by “any of us”? I do not know whom you represent. Mr. Searle: I understood we had to get permission from you. The Commissioner: Who are you? Mr. Searle: I represent persons who are some of the deceased passengers’ relatives, relatives of waiters and different persons. The Commissioner: What is it you want to ask? Mr. Searle: One or two questions. The Commissioner: Will you tell me what it is? Mr. Searle: I should have liked to have asked him how he got to know that the ship had absolutely stopped. The Witness: That is a very foolish thing to ask. Any man looking over the side could tell whether the ship was going ahead or stopped. The Commissioner: Who is it you represent? I do not know. Mr. Searle: I can give you their names. The Commissioner: But who are they? Mr. Searle: Those who have lost relatives, Sir, fathers and husbands. The Commissioner: Have you made any application previously? Mr. Searle: Not to you, my Lord. I have only come this morning. I have only just come in. The Commissioner: I cannot listen to people who have only just come in. I must have some sort of limit to these questions. Will you tell me what it is you want to ask the man? Mr. Searle: I wanted to ask him how long it was after he came up from below that the ship struck. (To the Witness.) You said when you came up from below the ship had stopped? The Commissioner: The engines had stopped. Mr. Searle: That is another thing. He said the ship had stopped. The Witness: The ship had stopped. Mr. Quillium: May I ask a question, my Lord. The Commissioner: What do you want to ask? Mr. Quillium: Had they any practice with regard to the collapsible boats? The Commissioner: Oh, yes, that is right enough; you may ask him that. 328. (Mr. Quillium.) Did you have any practice with regard to the collapsible boat or boats before the “Titanic” sailed? - Not the collapsible boats. 329. Have you ever had any practice on any liner with regard to collapsible boats? - No. The Commissioner: He has only been on two, you know. 330. (Mr. Quillium.) Now with regard to the food on the lifeboats - during the boats drills did the stewards bring the biscuits to the boat? - I never saw it done. Re-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL. 331. When you were in the boats did you see any steamer? - Not before the “Carpathia.”