Page 96 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

one-third-class passenger, another third-class, another third-class, and fourth a third-class, and he wants to appear for those five. He also says he is instructed by seven gentlemen who are constantly in the habit of making Atlantic voyages as passengers, and that they desire to be represented. In addition now I have a number of deceased Irish passengers; I daresay there are forty or fifty of them. Now, it appears to me quite impossible to allow gentlemen who are in the habit of crossing the Atlantic to be represented at all. I do not know where I should get to if I began that. I might as well admit the man in the street who takes an interest in this Inquiry to be represented. But I suggest that the representatives of passengers should consult together and agree upon some committee of passengers first, second, and third, and then if they can do that I shall be glad to have that Committee represented, so that the interests of the passengers may be in somebody’s hands. The Attorney-General: I suggest that you might not see fit to object to representatives of each of the classes appearing. There may be some difference in the point of view taken. The Commissioner: I should have thought they could all have been entrusted in the hands of one man who would look after the interests of all three classes, but if you think we shall not get into difficulties by these innumerable people being present I shall not raise any objection. I have a strong objection myself to these numerous applications. One of the strangest is this last, in which gentlemen who occasionally or frequently make voyages across the Atlantic should be represented. The Attorney-General: If your Lordship could see your way to allow a representative of each of the classes to be present I think it would satisfy the demand. The Commissioner: I do not think so, but if it will, so much the better. Then let the representatives of the first-class, the second-class, and the third-class - there is not a fourth class I hope - each form a Committee, and then they may be represented. The Attorney-General: If your Lordship pleases. Examined by Mr. ROWLATT. 1386. Is your name William Lucas? - Yes. 1387. Were you A. B. on the “Titanic”? - Yes. 1388. When did you join her? - Southampton. 1389. What day? - The day of the sailing. 1390. What time of the day did you join her? - I caught her at ten minutes to twelve when all the gangways were up. 1391. When did she sail? - The same day. 1392. Yes, but how long after that; what time? - Well, just after twelve. 1393. You joined the very last thing? - Yes. 1394. And where were you employed on the voyage? - With the watch. 1395. On the deck? - Yes. 1396. What was your watch on the Sunday that she hit the iceberg? What was your watch that afternoon? - We had the first watch. That would have been our watch below. 1397. When did you go off in the evening? - We had the first from four to six, and then our next watch was from eight to twelve. 1398. Therefore it was your watch when the accident happened? - Yes. 1399. Where were you when the collision did occur? - I had just left the mess room. 1400. Where is that on the ship? - Just above the forecastle. 1401. Will you show it us on the model? - Yes, it will be under here (pointing to the model). 1402. Down in the well? - That is right.