Page 91 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

launch, man, and navigate a lifeboat? 1289. (The Commissioner.) Had you ever had to do it? - Well, not in big ships, I have not, Sir. 1290. What was the fall from the boat deck to the water? - About 65 ft., my Lord. 1291. (Mr. Scanlan.) You say that your boat had a light. I think you stated that you came close beside four of the other lifeboats? - Yes, Sir. 1292. Was there a light in any of those? - The one that we tied up to - Mr. Bailey’s - had no light because we were talking to him. He came alongside of us. 1293. Were you sufficiently near the other two or three boats to observe whether or not they had lights? - Oh, yes. We kept on showing our lights. The boats that had lights kept on showing their lights. Everybody did not have a light. 1294. While you were in the deck-house engaged at the wheel, did you learn from any of the officers whether warning had been communicated to the “Titanic” of the presence of icebergs? - The only thing I knew about ice at all was the order I received for the carpenter from the second officer. 1295. Was anything said to you about the reporting of icebergs? - No, Sir. 1296. Is it usual on board liners in circumstances of danger to double the watches - the look- out? - That is always so, Sir. 1297. Had the watch been doubled or augmented - increased in any way - on this occasion? - Not that I am aware of. They do not double the watches on the bridge, where there are three officers on the bridge, two junior officers taking eight-bell watches, and the senior officer taking command of the bridge. 1298. (The Commissioner.) Do they double that watch? - No, Sir. 1299. (Mr. Scanlan.) What watches do they double? - In ships where they are not manned with so many officers, and when they are nearing the shore in foggy weather they might double the watches. 1300. Is it usual in circumstances of danger to station a watchman at the bows - a look-out man? - I cannot say. He cannot see so well as the man can see in the crow’s-nest. 1301. I am asking you, is it usual or not? - In some ships, Sir, they do station a man there. 1302. (The Commissioner.) As well as in the crow’s-nest? - I have not seen that, my Lord - not a man stationed forward and stationed in the crow’s-nest, too. 1303. (Mr. Scanlan.) If a watchman was stationed at the bow he would be considerably nearer the water than the man in the crow’s-nest? - Yes, that is so, Sir. 1304. Would not a watchman stationed there with glasses have a better opportunity of detecting an iceberg ahead than a man in the crow’s-nest? - I do not think he would have so good a chance myself, Sir. 1305. On this occasion there was not a watchman or a look-out man on the bows? - Not that I am aware of, Sir. The Commissioner: Are your instructions, Mr. Scanlan, that it is the practice on large liners to put a man in the bow to watch? Mr. Scanlan: Yes, my Lord. The Commissioner: From whom do you get such instructions? Mr. Scanlan: The instructions I get are from the Seaman’s and Fireman’s Union, my Lord, and from officials of that Union. 1306. (The Commissioner.) Have you ever seen a man in the bow, when there are men in the crow’s-nest? - Never, my Lord. 1307. Did you ever hear of such a thing? - Never, my Lord. 1308. (Mr. Scanlan.) Besides you there were six other quartermasters? - Five others besides me. 1309. Six quartermasters in all. Is it usual when the order for drilling is given and the order for