Page 99 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 1 - 5

1474. Where did you see the first people get into the boats? - The afterpart of the ship where I first started lowering boats. 1475. What boat was that? - That was number 16, 12. 1476. How many people got into that? - They were not fully manned by a long way. 1477. Not full? - No not full. 1478. Was any order given about filling up? - Yes, but there was not anybody there handy - No women. I was singing out for women myself. 1479. Had you received the order that women were to be put in the boats? - Yes. 1480. Whom did you receive that from? - Mr. Moody, the sixth officer. 1481. Was he there or was he by the falls? - He was near me when I was lowering. 1482. And you called out for women and there were no more? - That is right, Sir. 1483. That was right at the afterend was it? - Yes, the afterend of all. 1484. Do you know where the access from the third-class accommodation comes up? - Well, I never knew my way up myself and I was a sailor on the ship. 1485. I daresay you had never been that way before? - No. I do not think those people had time to go there without directions from somebody; I hardly knew my way there myself. 1486. When you say the way, what do you mean - the way where to? - The boat deck. 1487. You had come up this forward end, had you not? - Yes, the fore end. 1488. I see there is third-class accommodation at both ends of the vessel? - Yes. 1489. Were there third-class passengers here forward? - Yes, they were. 1490. Do you know if there were aft too; perhaps you do not know? - Well, I think the general rule is women aft and the men forward. 1491. As far as the third-class passengers forward were concerned they would come up the same way that you went to the boat? - The same way as I went. 1492. How did you get up? What sort of access is there? - You come up about three flights of ladders to get to the promenade deck. 1493. And then from the promenade deck? - And then I have to go up another two flights to get to the boat deck. 1494. Where are they in the ship? - About here. There is a ladder leads up here, and then you go back again and go up the ladder here (pointing on the model). 1495. What sort of ladder? - A wooden ladder. 1496. A gangway ladder? - Yes. 1497. Not a ladder that you can go up hand over hand? - No. 1498. (The Commissioner.) Steps? - Yes. 1499. (Mr. Rowlatt.) Did you know what the passengers were on the boat deck - first-class, second-class, or third-class? - The majority first-class. 1500. Along where you were? - Yes. 1501. How many boats did you see filled. How many boats did you take notice of as they were being filled? - About nine. 1502. Could you see whether they were all filled to the full capacity? - They were not all filled. 1503. Why was that? - Because there were no women knocking about. 1504. Was there good order? - Yes, excellent order. 1505. And were the boats that you saw all lowered successfully to the water? - I lowered the majority of the boats on the port side. I never lowered a boat in the water at all; I lowered them about three feet from the water. 1506. But they all got into the water all right? - Yes. Those boats are all fitted with a patent dropping gear. You pull a little lever, and the boats drop without lowering them into the water. 1507. Were you told to help to lower the boats? - I was warned off by Mr. Moody, and to stand by.