Page 11 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

11198. From the time when, as you say, you wanted to go back and take the boat back, down to the time when you got to the “Carpathia” and onwards, were you always of opinion that they had done wrong in not taking the boat back? - I had other things in my mind as well as that. I never had that in my mind all the time. 11199. Were you on the best possible terms with Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff-Gordon on board the “Carpathia”? - Yes. 11200. Was the first time, so far as you know, that Sir Cosmo spoke to you, the time when the boat was alongside the “Carpathia,” and there was some difficulty in getting up the rope ladder? - Yes, there was a little difficulty. 11201. Had Sir Cosmo ever spoken to you before that? - Yes. 11202. Where? - In the boat, he asked me if I wanted a smoke, and he gave me a cigar in the boat. 11203. That is one thing. What else had he said to you in the boat? - I do not remember him saying anything to me. He said he would get our names and send a wire home to our families if he could. 11204. But that was not said personally to you? - No. 11205. Was that your first personal conversation with him when the boat was alongside the “Carpathia” and there was some difficulty about getting up? - There was not any conversation, only we were trying to get this chair. 11206. A chair was being slung down to get the ladies up? - Yes, the boat was rocking about. 11207. That was the first time you spoke personally to Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon? - Yes. 11208. Who was it on board the boat who had some conversation with you about his making a present to the crew? - First of all Collins come down to me and said, “Sir Duff-Gordon wants our names.” 11209. Was that when you were on board the “Carpathia”? - Yes. 11210. That is the first time you heard of it? - Yes. 11211. I will come back to what you said about it. I want to find out when you were in conversation with him. You were in conversation with him while the boat was alongside the “Carpathia”? - No, it was not a conversation at all. 11212. Well, did you take charge of his coat so as to help him to get up the ladder? - No. 11213. Did not you? - No. 11214. And give him his coat on deck? - No. 11215. On deck did Sir Cosmo say to you, either then or shortly afterwards, “Now I am going to make a present of £5 each to the men who were in the boat to make good the loss of their kit”? - No. 11216. Did he ask you to get a list of the men? - No. 11217. Did you get the list? - Yes. 11218. And is it in your own handwriting? - Yes, I made the list out, but he never asked me to make it out. 11219. And did you bring it to Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon? - Yes. 11220. Before the men left the “Carpathia” these cheques were written, and you got yours? - Yes. 11221. Were you all photographed together by one of the passengers of the “Carpathia,” you in your lifebelt? - Yes. 11222. Did not you believe at that time that you and everybody else on board that boat had done their duty? - Well, we did it to a certain extent. 11223. Now stop. Did not you believe when you were photographed together in a group, you and another, I think, in your lifebelts, that you and everybody in that boat had done your duty? - No, Sir.