Page 80 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

The Attorney-General: We can do it, of course. I quite appreciate what your Lordship means. The Commissioner: Mr. Laing could do it for me in a minute. 1009. (The Attorney-General.) It is a mere question of taking the indication of course. (To the Witness.) Did any one of the officers see you carry out the order? - Yes. 1010. Who? - Mr. Moody, and also the Quartermaster on my left. He was told to take the time of the collision. 1011. Let us get the fact of what happened. Was Mr. Moody there when you put the helm hard- a-starboard? - That was his place, to see the duty carried out. 1012. Was it his duty to report it? - Yes; he reported the helm hard-a-starboard. 1013. To whom? - To Mr. Murdoch, the First Officer. 1014. Then you had put the helm hard-a-starboard and Mr. Moody had reported it hard-a- starboard to Mr. Murdoch? - Yes. The Attorney-General: That is the only fact your Lordship had not got in the story. The Commissioner: I do not see the significance of it. 1015. (The Attorney-General.) It is only because you cannot fix the time except by seeing exactly what happened. That is the point of it. The estimate of time is of very little value, but if you can get what happened you can form an estimate. So that he had reported, and then it was after that that she strikes, is that right? - She struck almost at the same time. 1016. Almost as he reported it? - Yes. 1017. How long did you remain at the wheel? - Until 23 minutes past 12. 1018. And who relieved you? - Quartermaster Perkis. 1019. After she struck, did you notice at all what happened? - No. 1020. Did you notice whether the ship had stopped? - Oh, yes, the ship had stopped. 1021. Can you tell us how long it was after the collision that you noticed that the ship had stopped? - Immediately. 1022. While you were remaining at the wheel until 2.23 [12:23, see 1017], could you see what was going on on board the vessel? - I could not see anything. 1023. You remained at your post? - Yes. 1024. I suppose you heard something of what was going on? - I heard a few words of command, that was all. 1025. Tell us what you heard in the way of command? - Just about a minute, I suppose, after the collision, the Captain rushed out of his room and asked Mr. Murdoch what was that, and he said, “An iceberg, Sir,” and he said, “Close the watertight door.” The Commissioner: Wait a minute. A minute after the collision, Captain Smith - 1026. (The Attorney-General.) Came out of his room on to the bridge do you mean? - Yes, Sir; he passed through the wheelhouse on to the bridge. 1027. He rushed out of his room through the wheelhouse on to the bridge? - Yes. 1028. And asked Murdoch, “What is that?” - Yes. 1029. And Murdoch said, “An iceberg.” Is that right? - Yes. 1030. Mr. Murdoch said “An iceberg,” and then? - The Captain immediately gave him orders to close the watertight doors. He said, “They are already closed.” He immediately then sent for the carpenter to sound the ship. The Commissioner: The Captain gave orders to close the watertight doors? 1031. (The Attorney-General.) Yes. Mr. Murdoch said, “They are already closed.” Do you know where they were closed from? - Yes, the fore-part of the bridge. 1032. Could you see them being closed? - I could not see anything but my compass. 1033. Where you were you would not be able to see it? - No. 1034. (The Commissioner.) Do you know what these doors are? - Yes, my Lord. 1035. Would that order from the bridge refer to all the watertight doors, or only to those that