Page 71 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

lay on our oars until we saw a light. 776b. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Who else were rowing in the boat besides you and the steward? - I could not say who else. The steward and I were on the oar I was on. 777. Can you say how many oars were being used? - Six. 778. Were they all men who were rowing of some sort, or did some women row? - They were all men, so far as I know. 778a. (The Commissioner.) How many oars were there? - We only had three oars each side. 779. That is six oars? - Yes. 780. Were six men handling those six oars? - There was me and the steward on the oar I was on. 781. You and a steward on one oar? - Yes. 781a. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) You said there was a sailor on the boat as well, an ordinary seaman. Was he rowing? - I do not know; I could not say. 782. Do you know whether there was a man called Major, a fireman, in the boat? - Yes. 783. Was he rowing? - I believe he was, yes. 784. And a man called Foley, a steward? - I do not know the steward’s name. 785. Had you ever had any boat drill while you were on the “Titanic”? - No. 786. Or seen anybody else having boat drill? - No. 787. Where did you join the ship? - Southampton. 788. You saw no boat drill and had none yourself? - No. 789. When you were picked up by the “Carpathia” were you among the first of the boats or the last of the boats to be picked up or in what order were you picked up? - There were several there before us. I could not say how many for certain. 790. Do you know how many were picked up altogether by the “Carpathia”; how many boats, not how many people? - Thirteen. 791. Were those all lifeboats or do you include some collapsible boats? - They were all lifeboats. 792. Had you a lifebelt on during all this night? - No. 793. How was that? - I was on watch and of course I came up and I never had time to go and get a lifebelt, the ship was too flooded. 794. (The Commissioner.) Had any of the passengers lifebelts on in this boat? - Yes. 795. How many of them? - I could not say how many for certain; all those round me had lifebelts on. 796. (Mr. Raymond Asquith.) Had you a lifebelt of your own if you had been able to go and fetch it? - Yes; I believe there is one in our quarters for every man. 797. (The Commissioner.) Did you ever look at it? - No. The Commissioner: Are you going to ask any questions, Sir Robert? Sir Robert Finlay: I may have some, but I think it would be convenient if I waited. The Commissioner: Do you want to come next, Mr. Scanlan? Mr. Scanlan: I am not particular about the order, my Lord; but I should like to ask a question or two. The Commissioner: Well, I want to get the thing in order if I can. Examined by MR. SCANLAN. 798. How long have you been going to sea, Beauchamp? - Ten years. 799. Have you been employed as a stoker on many liners? - Yes. 800. Is it the usual practice on liners to give the stokers boat stations? - Yes. 801. Do you, as a rule, get your boat station before the ship leaves the port of departure? - On