Page 66 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

bulkhead they were? - The watertight doors shut. There was only one in the section where I was. They all shut all through. 668c. (The Commissioner.) Did not all the bulkheads close at one time? - Yes. The Commissioner: If the order came from the bridge to close the watertight bulkheads, would not they all simultaneously be closed? Mr. Butler Aspinall: I believe if they were all in working order they would. 668d. (The Commissioner.) I assume they would all close; they would not close some only. (To the Witness.) At all events, all you know is that those which were in your compartment were closed? - Yes, Sir. 668e. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) After the watertight doors were closed, was any order given to you with regard to the fires? - Yes, I could not say when - it was a few minutes afterwards; the order was given to draw fires. 669. A few minutes after what? - After the order was given to shut up, an order was given to draw fires. I could not say how many minutes, but the order was given to draw fires. 670. And did you obey that order? - Yes. 671. Did you see any water? - Water was coming in on the plates when we were drawing the fires. 672. What do you mean by “the plates”? - The plates of the stokehold where you stand. 672a. (The Commissioner.) You mean where the stokers were standing? - Yes. 673. What happened then? - The water was just coming above the plates then. 673a. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) You mean it was coming through the floor? - Yes, coming through the bunker door and over the plates. 674. Through the bunker door? - Yes, coming through the bunker like. 675. When you had drawn the fires what did you do next? - Waited till everything was shut down and an order was given. Someone shouted “that will do,” when everything was safe, when everything was shut down. 676. What did you do? - When the order was given someone shouted “that will do,” and so I went to the escape ladder. 677. Is that the ladder by which you get out of your stokehold when the watertight doors are closed? - Yes, the escape ladder. 678. Can you say how long it took to draw the fires? - I could not say how long it took, just the usual time; I could not say for certain. 679. What is the usual time - you have often done it, I suppose? - Yes, I have done it a good many times. Of course, it all depends what you have got in the fires as a rule. 680. Can you say whether it took a few minutes or half an hour? - It took about a quarter of an hour, I suppose. 681. Did you notice any more water coming through during that quarter of an hour? - When the order was given and everything was shut up, someone shouted “that will do,” and I went to the ladder then, the escape ladder. 682. But I asked you did you notice any more water coming through as time went on; did it come through in greater quantities? - I was going up the ladder. 683. Your answer is you do not know - is that what you mean? - I do not know. 684. When you went up the ladder where did you go to? - I walked aft in the alleyway, right aft. 685. Which deck? - Where the stokehold doors were; I do not know what deck it was. 686. Did you go up to the boat deck? - Yes, I went right along aft up the companionway up to the boat deck. 687. Did you know what your boat station was? - No. 687a. (The Commissioner.) Why not? - The list was put that morning, they said, but I did not