Page 105 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13
P. 105
the boat? - Yes. 13253. What system had they got there? - That the boats crews of 3, 5, 7 and 9 should provision the lifeboats. 13254. And not get into the boat? - They will get into the boats afterwards. 13255. If you were having boat drill and the order came from the bridge that you were all to get into your stations at the boats, how many of the stewards’ department would get into the boat? - I suppose they would all do so if they all belonged to the boat’s crew. 13256. Have you taken part in boat drill? - Yes. 13257. Is it not the fact that there are so many men for all the boats? - No, I have never seen it that way; I have seen the whole boat’s crew get in if it was a case of taking the boat. 13258. What constitutes a boat’s crew? - I should think about 25 of our men are allotted to a boat. 13259. How many sailors? - I do not know. 13260. How many firemen? - I never saw the firemen muster at the boats. 13261. Have you taken part in a drill when everybody has taken their share of the work with regard to the manning of the boats? - Not in this ship, I think. 13262. Have you done it anywhere else? - No, I cannot say I have - not manning the boat. 13263. That is why I asked you the question - that if there had been properly organised boat drill and the men knew their stations I suggest more people would have been saved? - The men did know their stations. 13264. Did you have any bulkhead door drill? - Yes. 13265. On what day? - On the Saturday morning we had fire drill and bulkhead door drill. 13266. Were all the bulkhead doors closed? - They were all closed. 13267. How do you account for the fact that when the ship came into collision with the iceberg they did not go and close the doors? - They would have to go by the orders. 13268. Is it not the fact that this drill is for the purpose, in case of emergency, of making them go to their stations? - They may have been at their stations; they may not have had the order, or they may have had the order. 13269. You did not hear the order given? - No. 13270. Surely the proper thing is to close the bulkhead doors first? - Yes, but that is just according to what the collision was - if they thought it was serious. 13271. I suggest to you that if they had closed the bulkhead doors the ship might have been afloat yet? - I do not think so. (The Witness withdrew.) Mrs. ANNIE ROBINSON, Sworn. Examined by Mr. RAYMOND ASQUITH. 13272. You were a First Class Stewardess on the “Titanic,” were you not? - Yes. 13273. And at the time the ship struck the iceberg I think you were in bed? - I was. 13274. Did you get up and dress? - I did. 13275. And did you afterwards go in the direction of the mail room? - Yes. 13276. What deck were you on? - E deck. 13277. When you got to the top of the stairs which lead down to the mail room what did you see? - I saw two mail-bags and a man’s Gladstone bag, and on looking down the staircase I saw water within six steps of coming on to E deck.
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