Page 121 - British Inquiry into Loss of RMS Titanic Day 10 -13

13601. (The Solicitor-General.) I have put together the facts you have given me. Have I got them right - that there is a drop of 10 degrees Fahrenheit in the course of two hours? You say it was 43 degrees when you went to dinner? - That is 7 o’clock. 13602. And it was 33 degrees when you sent the message to the carpenter? - About 9 o’clock; that is right. 13603. That is a drop of 10 degrees Fahrenheit in two hours? - Yes. 13604. And a continuous drop? - Yes. 13605. Does not that indicate anything at all as regards the probable presence of ice? - Absolutely no indication whatever. 13606. Then I may take it that that fact of the temperature did not in itself make you any more cautious? - Oh not the slightest. 13607. Well, it was now nine o’clock, and you had worked out in your head that you would probably get the 49 degrees meridian by half-past nine? - Just let me correct that. It must have been a few minutes before nine, because I remember the Commander came on the bridge at five minutes to nine, and I told him then that I had already sent word round, so it was perhaps ten minutes or a quarter to nine, as a matter of minutes. 13608. Then that is a drop of ten degrees in less than two hours? - Slightly less. 13609. (The Commissioner.) Did you draw his attention to the drop in the temperature? - Yes, my Lord. 13610. Was anything said between you and him about it? - Yes, my Lord. 13611. What was said? - The Commander when he came on the bridge remarked that it was cold, and naturally I agreed with him, and also I mentioned in the course of conversation that I had sent round - I think I told him the temperature, and I told him I had sent to the engine room and the carpenter, merely to indicate that the necessary duty had been done. 13612. Is that all that took place? - No, my Lord. We had a conversation with regard to the weather. 13613. But had you no conversation with regard to ice? - Well, I was coming to that, my Lord. 13614. (The Solicitor-General.) Had not you better tell us as accurately as you can what passed between him and you when he came on the bridge at five minutes to nine? - I will. 13615. If you please. - At five minutes to nine, when the Commander came on the bridge (I will give it to you as near as I remember) he remarked that it was cold, and as far as I remember I said, “Yes, it is very cold, Sir. In fact,” I said, “it is only one degree above freezing. I have sent word down to the carpenter and rung up the engine room and told them that it is freezing or will be during the night.” We then commenced to speak about the weather. He said, “There is not much wind.” I said, “No, it is a flat calm as a matter of fact.” He repeated it; he said, “A flat calm.” I said, “Yes, quite flat, there is no wind.” I said something about it was rather a pity the breeze had not kept up whilst we were going through the ice region. Of course, my reason was obvious; he knew I meant the water ripples breaking on the base of the berg. 13616. You said it was a pity there was not a breeze? - Yes, I said, “It is a pity there is not a breeze,” and we went on to discuss the weather. He was then getting his eyesight, you know, and he said, “Yes, it seems quite clear,” and I said, “Yes, it is perfectly clear.” It was a beautiful night, there was not a cloud in the sky. The sea was apparently smooth, and there was no wind, but at that time you could see the stars rising and setting with absolute distinctness. 13617. On the horizon? - On the horizon. We then discussed the indications of ice. I remember saying, “In any case there will be a certain amount of reflected lights from the bergs.” He said, “Oh, yes, there will be a certain amount of reflected light.” I said, or he said; blue was said between us - that even though the blue side of the berg was towards us, probably the outline, the white outline would give us sufficient warning, that we should be able to see it at a good distance, and, as far as we could see, we should be able to see it. Of course it was just with