Page 87 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

five of us there altogether. 1188. When you say “altogether” you mean close to each other - you do not mean lashed together? - No, close together, going away to this light. 1189. When you stopped rowing were there any of these boats near you? - One right alongside of us, Sir. 1190. Do you know who was in charge of that? - Yes, the Master-at-Arms, Mr. Bailey. 1191. What sort of a night was it? - It seemed a clear night, a starlight night. 1192. And calm, as we have been told - very calm? - It was calm, Sir, till about three o’clock in the morning, when it came on choppy, a little breeze sprung up. 1193. Nothing to speak of, was it? - No, Sir; but quite enough for a small boat. 1194. When you were rowing away did you see the “Titanic” still? - Yes, I saw the lights of the “Titanic.” 1195. You saw the lights of the “Titanic”; did you see any signals sent up by her? - Yes, and before I left, Sir. 1196. What? - Rockets. 1197. Before you left and after you left? - Yes, Sir. 1198. Can you tell us what colour rockets? - I did not take no particular notice of the colour, Sir. Some were green, some were red, and some were blue - all kinds of colours - and some white, Sir. I think, if I remember rightly, they were blue. The Commissioner: Have these colours a different significance? The Attorney-General: My Lord, that is what I am trying to ascertain. There is a special reason for wanting to know it. Has your Lordship got the “Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea”? Is that what you are looking at? The Commissioner: Yes, the last page. The Attorney-General: I am much obliged. That is what I was looking at myself. The Commissioner: “At night.” 1199. (The Attorney-General.) Yes. That is Article 31, dealing with distress signals: “When a vessel is in distress and requires assistance from other vessels or from the shore, the following shall be the signals to be used or displayed by her, either together or separately”; and then, as your Lordship pointed out, “At night” No. 3 is “Rockets or shells, throwing stars of any colour or description, fired one at a time, at short intervals.” That is it. (To the Witness.) Will you tell me how long it was before you left the vessel that you saw rockets sent up? - I could not give you no estimate of time, because by the time I come from the wheel I was there working about the boat. 1200. It would be after you came from the wheel, because you could not see till then? - Yes, Sir. I could not give you no time for that. 1201. Had it been going on any time before you left the vessel? - No, not very long, Sir, I should not think it would be. It could not have been, in fact, because I was working there not more than a quarter of an hour or 20 minutes, I suppose, before I was sent away in the boat. 1202. When you came first of all to remove the cover of the collapsible boat, did you see any then? - No, not at that time, I didn’t. 1203. It was only when you went to No. 6 lifeboat; is that right? - Yes. 1204. You saw it then? - Yes. 1205. Do you remember how many boats got on board the “Carpathia”? - No, Sir, I do not. The Commissioner: Are you leaving this point now? 1206. (The Attorney-General.) No; I was trying to get his mind to a particular question I wanted to put to him. (To the Witness.) You say you saw the rockets being fired as you were rowing? - Yes. 1207. Did that continue during all the time? - It continued for about half an hour, I suppose, after we left the ship, as near as I can tell you. I never had no time in the boat; I am only guessing