Page 54 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

477. Was there a place for this lamp in the boat? - The usual place for a lamp to be in a boat when she is fully equipped is to be hung underneath one of the thwarts. 478. Did you look there? - Yes. 479. And it was not there? - It was not there. I looked under all the thwarts. 480. (The Commissioner.) Whose business is it to see that these lamps are in the boats? - Any ship that I have been in in my experience it has been the boatswain’s duty to see that all the boats are equipped. 481. It is the boatswain’s duty to see the lamps are there? - Yes. 482. (Mr. Butler Aspinall.) How long do you think it was after the ship struck the iceberg until you got the women and children into your boat? - Well, I should say, taking the time we got into the water, it would be half-past 12 we started getting the women into the boat - near about that time I should say. 483. As far as you could see, apart from the rush made by these few men, was there any panic? - No panic whatever. 484. Were the people behaving well, as far as you could see? - Exceptionally well. 485. The crew and the passengers? - Yes. 486. I think you said you had ample time to make an inspection of your boat? - Yes. 487. Before the women and children were put in? - Yes. 488. You remember telling us that after you came on deck there was a general order, “Women and children first.” Do you remember that? - I remember that order. 489. Can you tell me what interval of time there was between that order being given and the women and children getting into your boat? - About three minutes previous. It seemed no sooner the order came along my side of the deck from Mr. Wilde - I heard him personally give that order - we had just started to get people into the lifeboat. We heard that before he got abreast of our boat; we heard it further along the deck, and I continued getting the women in, and when Mr. Wilde came along he gave the order again and assisted me to get the women into the boat. 490. With regard to the women, I want you to tell me this; from your knowledge of the ship what were the means of summoning the women, say in the third-class compartments to the place where the boats were to take the people off? - I know of no special means of summoning them there. 491. You do not know? - No. 492. I suppose that really is not in your department? - No. 493. That is more in the stewards’ department? - Yes. 494. The stewards will tell us about that? - Yes. 495. I suppose the boats are in a place where the first-class passengers are allowed to go as soon as they are swung out and lowered a bit? - And second-class. 496. So that first and second-class passengers in that sense would have a better chance of getting to the boats, would they not? - Yes, on account of their being allowed on that deck. 497. You told me of the efforts that were made to save life after your boat had cast off, how you picked up people from what you called the raft. Did any people from the water try to get into your boat, and were told there was not room for them? - No, not at all. 498. Did anything of that sort come under your notice, either in your boat or in any of the other boats which were about you? - No, that is not to my knowledge; I speak for my own boat. You are quite right; I only want your own knowledge. Sir Robert Finlay: I have nothing to ask at present, my Lord, but if any question should be put by any other of the gentlemen who are attending, your Lordship will allow me to cross-examine. The Commissioner: You can ask him in the way of re-examination. Sir Robert Finlay: I think in future it might be more convenient if I was allowed to make our cross-examination after the others.