Page 55 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

The Commissioner: Very well. Examined by Mr. SCANLAN. [no question 499] 500. You said that the first and second-class passengers had a better chance of getting to the boat deck than the third-class passengers. Is it not the case that from the time the collision happened until you were ready to take in passengers there was ample time for the women and children in the steerage to have been brought on to the boat deck? - Yes, there was ample time. 501. With regard to the lamp, is it not the usual practice to supply the lifeboats with lamps before leaving the port of departure from which the voyage starts? - In the boat’s equipment when it has gone into Southampton, when boats are overhauled, with regard to the full equipment, the lamp counts part of the boat’s equipment; it is always put in the boat. 502. Is it not the practice to overhaul the boats and examine their contents before the ship is cleared? - I have always seen that done in the Union and Castle Line, where most of my time has been, but on the Wednesday we left in the “Titanic” I did not see anything in the boats overhauled at all. 503. (The Commissioner.) Were you there? - I was there and went away in one of the boats that was under exercise under the Board of Trade’s Surveyor. 504. Which of these boats, what number was it that you were present at? - On the test on the sailing day? 505. Yes? - No. 13 boat I was in. 506. That is not on your side of the ship but on the other? - Yes, on the other side. 507. And what did you see? - I do not quite understand the question. 508. You saw a boat overhauled, I understand? - No, I did not. 509. Then what did you see? - The boat turned out; we were told to put our lifebelts on, so many men, there were both watches there, an officer there, junior officers, and two chief officers. 510. Did you see, for instance, that there was no lamp there? - I did not notice anything in the boat then in particular. 511. Then you do not know whether there was a lamp or there was not? - In my own boat I do as regards the day the accident happened. 512. What boat are you talking about now? - I am talking about 13 boat that I went away in practice. 513. Thirteen boat was not your boat? - No, but it was the boat I was in for survey on the day of sailing. 514. That was at Southampton, was it not? - Yes. 515. Now, was there a lamp in that boat? - That I cannot say. 516. You do not know? - No. 517. Did you look? - No. 518. I suppose you did not look? - No. 519. Then you cannot say whether there was a lamp there or not? - No. 520. (Mr. Scanlan.) In the overhauling of the boat No. 13, and in the practice of boat drill was there any inspection made by you or anybody else to see whether the boat was fitted with a lamp and compass and the other proper equipment? - There was no inspection made. The Commissioner: Now, Mr. Scanlan, will you tell me what “the other proper equipment” means, so that I may understand what you are asking? Mr. Scanlan: I am reading from the rules made by the Board of Trade on page 15. No. 5 says: “Equipments for collapsible or other boats, and for life-rafts. In order to be properly equipped each boat shall be provided as follows: (A.) With the full single-banked complement of oars, and